Recording Pioneers


George Kenny CHENEY  1871 - 1937   arrowarrow PIONEER    PARENTS    LIFE    NOTES    LABELS    PHOTOS    THANK YOU

PIONEERRESPOND

George Kenny CHENEY  1871 - 1937

aka George K. Cheney, G. K. Cheney, George Cheney, G. Cheney
nationality
occupation
birth 6 May 1871, Crown Point, Essex, NY
baptism
death 3 Sept 1937, 34 Harvard Ave., Baldwin, L.I.
burial Huntington Rural Cemetery, Huntington, NY, USA
marriage married on 14 June 1892, Manhattan, New York, NY (FamilySearch):
Julia Marion VAN GIESON/GEISON (b.12 June 1873, New York - d. 16 Oct. 1923, Howard Ave., Baldwin (= Baldwin Harbor), Long Island) (source: NYT)
children
  • Mabel M.

    b. .. Dec 1892, NY
    d. .......

  • Lucia M.

    b. .. May 1894, NY
    d. .......

  • Georgia C.

    b. .. Aug 1896, NY
    d. .......

  • Maude J.

    b. .... <1902>, NY
    d. ..........

  • Julia M.

    b. 21/23 Aug 1908, New York
    d. 11 Oct 1990, .........

marriage
Georgia(nna) HAGER (CONGREVE)

b. 18 Sept 1880, New Milford, Pennsylvania
d. 5 Nov 1970, Baldwin, Nassau, New York

children
  • Jean CHENEY

    b. .... <1921>, New York
    d. ..........


PARENTS

father Hiram M. CHENEY

b. <1833>, NY
d. ............

mother Eliza BREED

b. <1835>, NH/VT
d. ........

marriage they got married between 1850 and 1860 (ca. 1855)
children
  • Juna/Jona/June

    b. 1856, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    d. 24 Oct 1933, Hartford, CT (77y)

  • John

    b. .... <1859>, New York
    d. .............

  • Clara

    b. .... <1866>, New York
    d. .............

  • George Kenny

    b. 6 May 1871, Crown Point, Essex, NY
    d. 3 Sept 1937, 34 Harvard Ave., Baldwin, L.I.

  • Mabel E.

    b. <1874>, NY
    d. 12 May 1955, Hartford, Hartford, CT


LIFE


1850 CENSUS (Ticonderoga, Essex, NY):
Benj.[= Benjamin] CHENEY (42y) (b. NH)
Phebe CHENEY (37y) (b. NY)
- Hiram (17y)
- Harriett (9y/12m)



1860 CENSUS (9 Aug 1860, Ticonderoga, Essex, NY):
inhabitants of Crown Point:
Hiram M. CHENEY (27y) painter
Eliza CHENEY (25y)
- Juna/Jona (4y) (b. Wisconsin)
- John (9/12 = 9m) (b. New York)



1880 CENSUS (Crown Point, Essex, New York):
father: Hiram M. CHENEY (57y = 47y) (b. <1833>, NY) painter
mother: Eliza CHENEY (45y) (b. <1835>, NH
children:
- Clara 14y (b. <1866>)
- George 9y (b. <1871>)
- Mabel 7y (b. <1873>)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1880 CENSUS:
Benjamin SEARS (40y)
Julia M. SEARS (29y)
Julia Van Gieson (7y; niece) (b. NY)



1900 CENSUS (New York, New York 1900):
George H. (= K.) CHENEY (28y) (b. May 1871, NY) machinist
Julia M. (26y) (b. June 1873, NY)
- Mabel M. (6y) (b. Dec 1892, NY)
- Lucia M. (5y) (b. May 1894, NY)
- Georgia C. (3y) (b. Aug 1896, NY)



1910 CENSUS (Freeport (close to Baldwin), Hempstead, Nassau, New York, 30 Apr-2 May, 1910):
George K. CHENEY (38y) machinist/toolmaker
Julia M. (36y)
- Mabel M. (18y)
- Lucia M. (15y)
- Georgia C. (13y)
- Maude J. (8y)
- Julia M. (2y)



1920 CENSUS (Hempstead, Nassau, New York, 15 March 1920):
George K. CHENEY (48y) Recorder Phonograph Co.
Julia M. (46y) (b. <1873>, )
- Lucia M. (25y) (b. <1895>)
- Georgia C. (23y) (b. <1897>)
- Maude J. (18y) (b. <1902>)
- Julia M. (12y) (1908>)



1930 CENSUS (Baldwin, Hempstead, Nassau, New York, 10 April 1930):
George (58y) engineer / chemicals
Georgia (49y = second wife?) (b. 18 Sept 1880, Pennsylvania - d. .. Nov 1970, Baldwin, Nassau, New York)
- Jean CHENEY (daughter of 9y) (b. <1921>)
(= Jean CHENEY (b. 21 April 1921, .... - d. .. Mar 1977, Flushing, Genesee, MI) ????
Perhaps Flushing (east of LaGuardia), New York is meant here.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1930 CENSUS (29 April 1930, Brooklyn, Kings, NY)
Georgia (s) (32y; Head) (b..... , NY) clerk
Julia M. (s) (22y; sister) (b. ...., NY) operator telephone





(Kinnear/Bayly, pp. 5-6, 10, 22, 34 + ELLIS ISLAND)
recorder International Zonophone Co. (NY)

PASSPORT APPLICATION 106738 (14 June 1905)



Geo. K./H. CHENEY (difficult to make out; uncertain)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 2 Mar 1906
port of departure: CHINA - JAPAN; embarked in Honolulu, HAWAII
ship's name: SS "KOREA"
date of arrival: 8 Mar 1906
port of arrival San Francisco, CA
age on arrival: no age given


PASSPORT APPLICATION (1919)
Engaged by VTMC for about 5 years (16 May 1914 - 19 April 1919)
George K. Cheney started working for Victor on 16 May 1914



Port of Spain Gazette, 28 August 1914:
"Among the arrivals from New York on the S.S. Matura..., were Mssrs. George H. Cheney and Charles Althouse of the recording laboratory of the Victor Talking Machine Company, who are making a special trip to Trinidad for the purpose of recording a complete repertoire of Trinidadian music...
Mr. Theodore Terry, the Victor Company's representative who arrived here two weeks ago, has everything in readiness so that Mr. Cheney may begin his work at once
".
see also: Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Traditions in the Making by John Cowley, p. 192



George CHENNY (sic = CHENEY)
+ Charles ALTHOUSE (20y) born Philadelphia, PA in 1894 (831 N. 6th Street, Camden, NJ)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 24 Sept 1914
port of departure: TRINIDAD island, VENEZUELA coast or CUBA
ship's name: SS "MAYARO"
date of arrival: 2 Oct 1914
age on arrival: 43y
last permanent residence: Freeport, Long Island
born: Crown Point, NJ, 1871



George K. CHENEY (44y)
+ Chas S. ALTHOUSE (21y)
ethnicity: USC
profession: M. Eng = musical engineer
date of departure: 23 Oct 1915
port of departure: Yokohama, JAPAN
ship's name: SS "SHINYO MARU"
date of arrival: 8 Nov 1915
port of arrival San Francisco, CA
age on arrival: 44y



George CHENEY
+ Charles ALTHOUSE (21y) (b. Camden, NJ, 7 Febr 1895 (New York), 831 North 6th Street, Camden, NJ
+ Theodore TERRY (also elsewhere mentioned) Camden, NJ
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 18 Nov 1916
port of departure: Havana, CUBA
ship's name: SS "HAVANA"
date of arrival: 21 Nov 1916
age on arrival: 45y
last permanent residence: 22 Leonard Ave., Freeport NJ (NY?)
born: Crown Point, NY on 29 Jan 1871
+ Theodore TERRY (also elsewhere mentioned) Camden, NJ



George K. CHENEY (Passport Application)
+ Charles ALTHOUSE
SS “CAROLINA”
Departure: 30 Dec 1916, New York
VENEZUELA, BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, [URUGUAY], CHILE, PERU, ECUADOR [VENEZUELA]
Arrival: ........................


Cheney and Althouse leave Puerto Rico on 17 Jan 1917 on board the SS "PHILADELPHIA" and arrived at Guayra (VENEZUELA) on 19 Jan 1917



George K. CHENEY
+ Charles ALTHOUSE (23y) born: Philadelphia, PA 20 Nov 1894 (New York)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 3 Febr 1917
port of departure: La Guayra/Guaira, VENEZUELA
ship's name: SS "CARACAS"
date of arrival: 15 Febr 1917
age on arrival: 45y
last permanent residence: New York
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871


See p. 14 of part III of Harry O. Sooy's Memoir of my Career at the Victor Talking Machine Company (The David Sarnoff Library) internet


George K. Cheney and Charles S. Althouse left New York on 3 March 1917 on the SS “TENNYSON” for Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA, CHILE, BOLIVIA, PERU, ECUADOR and then through Panama Canal



George K. CHENEY (as "CHANEY")
+ Charles S. ALTHOUSE (23y) born: Philadelphia, PA 20 Nov 1894 (Camden. NJ)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 17 Nov 1917
port of departure: Pto. Colombia (COL.), San Cristobal (ARG/VEN/MEX) Kingston
ship's name: SS "TURRIALBA"
date of arrival: 22 Nov 1917, New York
age on arrival: 46y
last permanent residence: Freeport, NY
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871



George K. CHENEY (Passport Application)
+ William J. LINDERMAN
SS “MORRO CASTLE” (Ward Line)
Departure: 19 January 1918, New York
Arrival: ....January 1918, Havana, CUBA



George K. CHENEY
+ William J. LINDERMAN
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 28 Febr 1918
port of departure: Havana, CUBA
ship's name: SS "SIXAOLA"
date of arrival: 4 March 1918
age on arrival: 46y
last permanent residence: 22 Leonard Ave., Freeport, L.I.N.Y.
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871

See p. 18 of part III of Harry O. Sooy's Memoir of my Career at the Victor Talking Machine Company (The David Sarnoff Library: online article)



George CHENEY (Passport Application)
+ Charles Althouse
SS “MONTEREY”
Departure: 19 April 1919, New York
Arrival : ... April 1919, CUBA



George CHENEY
+ Charles ALTHOUSE (25y) (831 N. 6th St., Camden, NJ)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 17 June 1920
port of departure: Havana, CUBA
ship's name: SS "PASTORES"
date of arrival: 21 June 1920
age on arrival: 49y
last permanent residence: Howard Ave., Baldwin, NY
born: New York, NY on 6 May 1871



George K. CHENEY
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 26 March 1921
port of departure: Havana, CUBA
ship's name: SS "H. R. MALLORY"
date of arrival: 29 March 1921
age on arrival: 49y
last permanent residence: Baldwin, NY



On 24 Febr 1923 Cheney and Layton started for CUBA

George K. CHENEY
+ Louis (Lewis) W. LAYTON (23y) born: 27 Sept 1900, Camden, NJ (512 - 3rd St., Camden, NJ)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 31 March 1923
port of departure: Havana, CUBA
ship's name: SS "SIBONEY"
date of arrival: 3 April 1923
age on arrival: 52y
last permanent residence: Howard Ave., Baldwin, NY
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871



George K. CHENEY
Dep.: 22 Dec 1923, New York (?)
Arr.: ...... Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
To replace Charles Althouse (accident) in Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA



George K. CHENEY
+ Louis (Lewis) W. LAYTON (23y) born: 27 Sept 1900, Camden, NJ (512 - 3rd St., Camden, NJ)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 30 July 1925
port of departure: Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA
ship's name: SS "AMERICAN LEGION"
date of arrival: 17 Aug 1925
age on arrival: 53y
last permanent residence: Howard Ave., Baldwin, NY
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871



George CHENEY
+ Georgianna CHENEY (50y) (b. 1880, New Millford, PA)
ethnicity: USC
profession: -
date of departure: 4 Sep 1931
port of departure: New York (typed-out version gives: Naples, ITALY)
ship's name: SS "VULCANIA"
date of arrival: 8 Sep 1931
age on arrival: 60y
last permanent residence: 34 Harvard Ave., Baldwin, NY
born: Crown Point, NY on 6 May 1871


Long Island Genealogy (website)


John CONGREVE (Georgia(nna)'s first husband) (b. <1877>, ...... - d. ........)
Georgia(nna) HAGER - CONGREVE (parents Melvin & Annie HAGER)
got married ca. 1901
children:
- Griswold Hager CONGREVE (b. 10 July 1901, Bronx, New York. NY - d. .............)
- Muriel C. CONGREVE - DICK (b. 20 Sept 1905, NY - d. 5 Feb 1993, Greenvale, Nassau, NY) Eric Dick (b. ..... GERMANY - d. .. Dec 1985, ........)
- Mark R. CONGREVE (b. 3 Oct 1911, ...... - d. 1 Feb 1995, Jamaica, Queens, NY)


NOTES

  • Carnival, Canboulay and Calypso: Traditions in the Making by John Cowley (Cambridge University Press, 1996 & 1997; first paperback 1998)
  • ISLAND-O-PHONE by Paul Vernon (online article)
  • Port of Spain Gazette of 28 Aug 1914



PHOTOS



THANK YOU


Marisol Perez
Christine Marzigliano