Julia Arthur Cheney, born Ida Lewis in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada on May 3, 1869. The fifth of sixteen children, young Ida studied Shakespeare at home under her mothers guidance. By the age of eleven, Julia found herself leaving the comforts of her home traveling and performing all over the country on the American stage. She later left America for London to share the stage with, Sir Henry Irving to become one of the worlds most brilliant Shakespearian stage actresses of her time. Her stage career would span from the mid 1800s through the 1920s.

At the height of her career, Julia Arthur left the stage for love and a home she had never known. Newly married to Benjamin P. Cheney Jr., he purchase an island in Outer Boston Harbor for his young bride and had a mansion built for her like no other. They lived a life full of love and luxury, until their world came crashing down around them. 

In 1917, the government seized their beautiful island and mansion for the Boston Harbor Defense and it was never returned to them.