George W. Cheyney

George Washington Cheyney (September 1, 1854 – August 14, 1903) was an American businessman and politician. While living in Tombstone, Arizona Territory he served four years as the territory's Superintendent of Public Instruction and was twice elected to the territorial legislature. In his later years he was postmaster for Tucson, Arizona before being elected a probate judge.

Life and career Cheyney was born to Waldron J. and Frances (Potts) Cheyney on September 1, 1854 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. who informed General George Washington during the Battle of Brandywine that the British were flanking him to the north. Squire Cheyney was later appointed to the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention to ratify the United States Constitution. George W. Cheyney is the brother of Edward Potts Cheyney and John K. Cheyney. While growing up, Cheyney was educated in local public schools. He moved to New York City in 1871 where he worked for an optician. Cheyney returned to Philadelphia in 1877.

In 1879, Cheyney went to Atchison, Kansas before continuing on to Leadville, Colorado. He moved to Tombstone, Arizona Territory in 1881. There he became superintendent for the Tombstone Mill & Mining Company. Cheyney married Annie Neal of Atchison, Kansas on September 20, 1882. He arrived in Tucson to assume his new duties at the end of the month. In 1902, Cheyney was elected probate judge for Pima County and took office on January 1, 1903. In his final weeks, he traveled to San Francisco, California to seek medical treatment from George E. Goodfellow. Cheyney died as a result of edema on August 14, 1903. He was buried in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.