Oren B. Cheney

Biography

Oren B. Cheney (1816-1903) rose from modest beginnings in Maine to become a tireless advocate for education and social justice, founding Bates College as one of the nation’s early institutions committed to a diverse student body.

He spent decades shaping the college, nurturing generations of students, and his legacy rests now in Riverside Cemetery, where gratitude for his courage endures.