United States and Canada Express Issued to James S. Cheney and signed 3 times by B.P. Cheney - Autographed Stock Certificate

Stock issued to James S. Cheney and signed 3 times by B.P. Cheney.

Benjamin Pierce Cheney (August 12, 1815 – July 23, 1895) was an American businessman, and a founder of the firm that became American Express. Cheney was born in Hillsborough, New Hampshire to Jesse and Alice (Steele) Cheney. The family were descended from John Cheney, who was recorded in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1635, moving the following year to Newbury, Massachusetts. John Cheney's brother, William, recorded in Roxbury by 1640, was an ancestor of former Vice President Dick Cheney. He was also evidently kin to the Benjamin Cheney or Cheany of Hartford, Connecticut, from whom John Fitch, the inventor of the steamboat, learned the trade of clocksmith in 1760. Cheney's father was a blacksmith, and he began working in his father's shop at age 10. At age 12 he began working at a tavern and later a general store in Francestown, New Hampshire. In 1831 he started work as a stagecoach driver between Nashua and Exeter, soon moving to the route between Nashua and Keene. The stage did a brisk business due to the dearth of rail lines at the time. Cheney built relationships with some of his passengers at this time, including Daniel Webster, whose friendship lasted the rest of his life. With a reputation for honesty and reliability, he was frequently entrusted with large sums of money destined for banks on his route. In 1836 he became a stage agent in Boston. Cheney joined Nathaniel White and William Walker in 1842 to organize an express line between Boston and Montreal. In 1852 Cheney effected his first consolidation when he bought out Fisk & Rice's Express between Boston and Burlington, Vermont. Subsequent consolidations resulted in the organization of the United States & Canada Express Company in 1854. In 1854, while on his way home from Canada, he lost his right arm in a railway accident. Cheney was elected a director of Wells Fargo & Company in September 1854 in place of Alpheus Reynolds, who had resigned. He retired from the Wells Fargo board in 1877, but again served as a director from 1882 to the beginning of 1884. Cheney sold United States & Canada Express in 1879 to American Express, at which time he became the company's largest shareholder as well as treasurer and a director. He remained a large shareholder of Wells Fargo, National Express, and others. Through his business contacts, Cheney became interested in the Vermont Central Railroad (later the Central Vermont), the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and the San Diego Land and Town Company. He was also the founder and a director of the Market National Bank of Boston and the American Loan and Trust Company. He helped finance the Northern Pacific and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe, and had much to do with geeting Wells Fargo's express service on both roads. He was a director of the Santa Fe from 1873 to 1894. When it became evident the railroad was in dire straits, other directors sold their shares. Cheney refused to take advantage of his inside information and held his shares, suffering a significant personal loss when the railroad went bankrupt in the Panic of 1893 and was reorganized.

Rare and Important! Portrait and biography included.

Major General James Spires Cheney is the judge advocate general, U.S. Air Force. 

General Cheney was born in Tucson, Ariz., in 1918. He graduated from Robert E. Lee High School, Jacksonville, Fla., in 1938; Young L.G. Harris Junior College, Ga., in 1939; and attended Atlanta Law School during 1939-1940. He received his bachelor of laws degree from Atlanta Law School in 1950. 

General Cheney began his military career as an aviation cadet at Kelly Field, Texas, in October 1941. In January 1942 he received his wings as a rated navigator and later served as an instructor in the Navigation School. From July 1942 to February 1943 he served with replacement training units at various bases as student and later instructor. 

In March 1943 he joined the 306th Bombardment Group and later the 303rd Bombardment Group, Eighth Air Force, England, where he served as combat crew navigator, squadron navigator and group navigator, participating in combat operations until the end of World War II. 

After a year of training and flying with the Air Transport Command, General Cheney returned to Europe in July 1946 where he commenced his military legal career as base legal officer with the 313th Troop Carrier Group in Austria. From January until September 1947 he served as deputy judge advocate with Headquarters European Air Transport Service, Wiesbaden Air Base, Germany. The following two years he served as base legal officer and wing legal officer with the 61st Troop Carrier Wing, Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany. The 61st Wing participated in the Berlin Airlift. 

He returned to the United States in December 1949 to serve as staff judge advocate, Headquarters 314th Troop Carrier Wing, Sewart Air Force Base, Tenn., and later as base legal officer, 2589th Air Force Reserve Training Center, Dobbins Air Force Base, Ga. 

During the Korean War General Cheney went to the Far East in July 1950, and flew on missions as navigator with the 3rd Bombardment Group for several months and then served as legal officer, 6133rd Tactical Support Wing, Iwakuni Air Base, Japan. In December 1950 he became assistant staff judge advocate, Fifth Air Force at Nagoya, Japan, and Taegu, Korea. 

From July 1951 to June 1954 he served as deputy staff judge advocate, Headquarters Air Proving Ground Command, Eglin Air Force Base Fla. In June 1954 he was assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Washington, D.C., as a member of a board of review. He became board chairman in December 1956 and in June 1957 became the executive officer to the judge advocate general. 

General Cheney transferred in July 1960 to the Third Air Force, England, where he served for two years as staff judge advocate. He went to Germany in July 1962 to serve as deputy staff judge advocate, U.S. Air Forces in Europe. In July 1964 he returned to the United States and was assigned to the Office of the Judge Advocate General, Headquarters U.S. Air Force as Director of Military Justice. In July 1967 General Cheney became staff judge advocate, Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. 

In February 1969 General Cheney became the assistant judge advocate general, U.S. Air Force and in September 1969 he assumed duties as the judge advocate general. 

General Cheney is admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of the State of Georgia, the Court of Military Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association and the Georgia Bar Association. 

He is a rated aircraft observer and navigator credited with 2,500 flying hours and 57 combat missions. His military decorations include the Legion of Merit with two oak leaf clusters, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with five oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem, Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon and Croix de Guerre with Gold Star from France. 

He was promoted to the temporary grade of major general effective Sept. 30, 1969, with date of rank July 1, 1965, and to the permanent grade of major general effective Sept. 30, 1969.

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