Historic leaves, volume 2, April, 1903 - January, 1904

[20] worthy pedagogue of ye olden time later won a deserved reputation as head master of the Boston Latin School, which position he accepted immediately on leaving Charlestown, January 6, 1671. Mr. Cheever was born in London January 25, 1614. He attended the famous Christ's Hospital School in 1626, and entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge, in 1632-3. He came to this country in 1637, was teaching in New Haven in 1638, and in Ipswich from 1650 to the time of his appointment to Charlestown, where his salary was £ 30 per annum. An increase in salary seems to have been the cause of his going to Boston, for there he received twice that amount. Mr. Cheever died in Boston August 21, 1708, at the advanced age of ninety-four. His connection with the Latin School continued thirty-seven years, and his labors as an instructor of youth covered nearly twice that period. Judge Sewall, in his diary, writes: ‘August 23, 1708, Mr. Cheever was buried from the schoolhouse.’ Dr. Cotton Mather preached the funeral sermon, which was printed and re-printed. His body was consigned to the Granary Burial Ground. The book with which Cheever's name, as a writer, is associated is ‘The Accidence.’ It was probably written while he lived in New Haven. ‘It passed through no less than eighteen editions previous to the Revolution, and was used generally as an elementary work. It has done more to inspire young minds with a love of the Latin language than any other work of the kind since the first settlement of the country.’ Mr. Cheever was twice married, the second time, while living in Ipswich, to Ellen Lathrop (November 18, 1651). When a resident of Charlestown, according to Wyman, his daughter Elizabeth married (1666) S. Goldthwait. There were other children, and his descendants at the present time would be hard to enumerate.

There are not many references to Ezekiel Cheever on the Charlestown records; most of them relate to the payment of his salary, which seems to have been furnished in small amounts, according to the condition of the town treasury. For example: ‘December 30, 1664. Paid to Mr. Ezekiel Cheever by order fifty shillings in current pay in full payment.’

The following reference to the school was during his administration: