The story of Cheney’s Corners starts with the Pennock family. Chapman Pennock, whose family originally had come from Vermont, married Irene Deming and within three years in 1811 settled in this area. Pennock as well as farming worked as the first teacher in South Crosby in a school which was probably in this area. In addition to this he worked as a township clerk in the early 19th century. Chapman and Irene had a large family – ten boys and two girls. By the mid-nineteen century, the Pennock names read like a business directory of the area – Sterling the stone mason, Philemon the postmaster, Arthur the cooper, Samuel the general merchant , and Prosper, John and James farmers.

The true development of Cheney’s corners started around 1840 when Samuel married neighbor Jane Topping (also from a very large family down the road) and opened a small log store on Lot 13 Concession 2. As well, he operated a potash business. Jane, who was quite enterprising managed the business affairs including the transportation of the lucrative ashes to Montreal. In addition to this her loom wove hundreds of yards of cloth for local households. Even in 1870, she was one of several women weavers in the township. According to family legends, the wheel and loom passed to future generations.

The name Cheney’s Corners derives from George Washington Cheaney who married another one of the numerous Topping sisters Melissa. George maintained his blacksmith business for over 60 years, repairing tools, shoeing horses, and making agricultural implements. Eventually, the Cheaneys even petitioned for a separate post office from Elgin, but this never happened. Elgin by the 1850s was winning the competition. In time, Cheaney’s grandson George Howard joined him in the business opening a sleigh and carriage factory as well as operating a livery stable with fourteen horses. When the Brockville-Westport Railway station opened near the Corners in 1888, the livery stable was quite useful. Unfortunately, in 1907, fire and George destroyed the factory became travelling salesman until his death in 1960.

Another family who settled here in the latter part of the 19th century were Rufus Brown and later his son-in-law Richard Murphy. The Murphy -Brown business was known for their cattle herds and involvement in the Leeds and Grenville dairy industry. Their farm was eventually acquired by the Charlands.

Rideau District High School was constructed at the Corners in the early 1960s serving as a school to students from as far away as Seeleys Bay and Westport.