Judge Cheney House

The Cheney House is a very fine example of early 20th Century Colonial Revival architecture in Florida. Originally constructed in 1904 for A.J. Adams, the property came under Cheney's ownership in 1907. It is noteworthy that the house is considered to be among the earliest residences in Orlando that were wired for electricity, thus signifying the historic importance that his house holds within Orlando's history. His house was one of the first to step into a new era of technology. Additionally, Cheney made significant contributions to the state of Florida, including establishing a standardized legal system and co-founding the Florida Bar Association. He also dedicated himself to promoting legal education and professionalism among lawyers.

Judge John Moses Cheney played a significant role in Florida's legal history. According to 10 B Rollins College Archives, he was born in 1859 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cheney moved to Florida during the Civil War and established himself as a prominent lawyer. He began practicing law in Orlando as a partner with Arthur F. Odlin, creating the law firm of Cheney and Odlin. Cheney himself was a pretty big figure due to his social standing. In 1889 he served as a city attorney for Orlando and a year later supervised the United States Census for the 2^nd Congressional District of Florida.. In 1870, he was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court, where he served for 28 years, including two stints as Chief Justice. During his tenure, Cheney presided over many landmark cases that shaped Florida law, including cases involving civil rights, property rights, and labor disputes. Ballotpedia states, "Cheney received a recess appointment from President William Howard Taft on August 26, 1912 to fill a seat vacated by James William Locke. On December 3, 1912, he was nominated. His service ended on March 3, 1913, because the Senate did not confirm his nomination." This exemplifies his presence in history as he was recognized by a President to be appointed into the judiciary. He was known for his intelligence, fairness, and commitment to upholding the law, earning him the nickname "the great dissenter." Cheney retired from the bench in 1898 and died in 1903, leaving behind a legacy as one of Florida's most respected and influential jurists. In 1893, he created the Orlando Water and Light Company. Cheney’s company was responsible for building the first electric generating plant in Orange County. He loved Winter Park and tried to improve it by advocating for modern roads. The Cheney Highway, Orlando’s first paved link to the Atlantic Ocean is named in his honor. Son Donald A. Cheney, who died in 1983 at the age of 94, helped manage the family-owned water and electric utility, was a juvenile court judge, Boy Scout leader, Rollins College trustee and an active volunteer in many civic causes.

http://www.cityoforlando.net/city-planning/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2017/01/Judge-Cheney-House.pdf

Trustee File: “John Cheney.” 10 B Rollins College Archives: https://lib.rollins.edu/olin/oldsite/archives/golden/dcheney.htm

https://ballotpedia.org/John_Moses_Cheney

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-1992-11-29-9211261008-story.html

https://openjurist.org/judge/john-moses-cheney