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Community Corner

Old Manchester

From NY Times awhile back.

Jacob Cheney was ''the last of the dynasty that built Manchester,'' according to a former mayor, Nathan Agostinelli.

The dynasty was founded in the 1830's by the eight Cheney brothers, who built a silk mill hat grew into the largest silk manufacturing company in the United States.

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Jacob was the last Cheney to work in the family business, which left Manchester in the 1950's, part of the southern exodus of mills from eastern Connecticut.

At its peak, the Cheney Brothers Silk Mills employed 5,000 workers, many of whom lived in Cheneyville, the company's model community in South Manchester, which had a school, churches, country club, library, community hall, theater, firehouse and Victorian homes employees could rent.

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Jake Cheney remained in Manchester after the company's dissolution and became a fixture on Main Street. In 1998, Mayor Agostinelli made Mr. Cheney an honorary marshal for the town's 175th birthday parade.

''He got all dressed up and he was so proud,'' Mr. Agostinelli said. ''I think it was the highlight of his life.''

Mr. Cheney was also known for his pencil sketches of the people who worked on Main Street, merchants, waitresses and others who treasured the pictures he made and presented to them.

Mr. Cheney died April 3. He was 92.


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