Dr. Cheshire came of an old North Carolina family which for several generations had lived in the Albemarle section. One of his ancestors was Joseph Blount, who was a member of the first vestry of St. Paul's parish, Edenton. His parents, John Cheshire and Elizabeth Blount, lived in Edenton, where he was born in December, 1814. He received his education at the Edenton Academy and at the Episcopal School for Boys. The latter school had just been founded by Bishop Ives and was located in Raleigh on the site where now stands St. Mary's Junior College. After completing his course at the Episcopal School, he took up the study of law in Raleigh under the supervision of Thomas P. Devereux. In 1836 he was admitted to the bar, but he evidently did not find the law congenial to his tastes, for he soon abandoned it. He decided to enter the ministry, and in 1838 began his studies for that field of work under the direction of Bishop Ives. During his preparation for the ministry he made the acquaintance of the botanist and clergyman, Dr. M. Ashley Curtis. The interest which Dr. Curtis stimulated in him for plants and flowers bore abundant fruit. The beautiful grounds surrounding Calvary Church stand today as a living expression of his love for flowers and shrubs. By February, 1840, Dr. Cheshire had advanced sufficiently far in his theological studies to be ordained deacon by Bishop Ives. The Bishop placed him in charge of the parishes at Halifax and Windsor. The next year he was ordained priest and was given Calvary Church, Tarboro, in addition to his other work. Shortly after taking over this work he organized a mission at Scotland Neck, which in time became Trinity parish. Three parishes and a mission was a large assignment for a young clergyman, but Dr. Cheshire was not daunted by the extent of his duties. From the first his chief interest was in the work at Tarboro. In consequence of this and the desire of the Calvary Church people for more of his time, he gave up the church at Halifax in 1848 and the one at Windsor the following year. He retained his work at Scotland Neck, however, until 1869. His pastorate at Calvary Church continued for more than half a century. During this long rectorship a beautiful new church was built, to which he himself contributed generously. Dr. Cheshire will probably be best remembered in the history of the American Episcopal Church for the part he played in healing the breach between the northern and southern branches of the church following the close of the Civil War. He waged a determined fight in the diocesan convention of 1865 to send deputies to the General Convention to be held that fall in Philadelphia. The advocates of reconciliation were successful, and Dr. Cheshire was elected one of the deputies to the General Convention. At Philadelphia he used all his influence in helping to bring about the reunion of the church.