One of my ancestors, Richard Cheyney, supposedly came from a wealthy, noble, royalist family in England.  In the early 1600s, as the Puritans began to attain power, Richard and his family began to lose some of their influence and wealth.  He supposedly came to Virginia about 1635, paying his own passage.  A group of English Puritans in Virginia were forced out by the early Virginia government because of their religion.  These Puritans and Richard Cheyney the Immigrant then moved over to Providence near present-day Annapolis, Maryland.  I assume "a wealthy, noble, royalist" would not be a Puritan.  His son was a member of the Episcopal All Hallows Church near Annapolis.  So I'm not clear about these early Puritans and Cheyney's connection (or lack thereof) to them.


Does anyone know about these Puritans in early Virginia?  Were they a cohesive group?  Did they settle in one place?  How were they forced out?  Did they all go to Maryland?  Maryland was supposed to be Catholic; why would Puritans choose to go there?

Clearly my knowledge of religious history needs work!  Thanks in advance.  --Sally Phillips

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