Elijah Cushing (1725 - 1807)

Born 8 Oct 1725 in Hanover, Plymouth, Massachusetts Bay

Ancestors

Husband of Tamar Cushing — married 20 Jan 1756 in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Husband of Anne (Thomas) Cushing — married 2 May 1765 in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts

Descendants

Died 13 Sep 1807 at age 81 in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Elijah Cushing was born 8 Oct 1725 to Lieutenant Colonel Elijah Cushing and Elizabeth Barstow. He was the grandson of Lieutenant Colonel John Cushing and his second wife, Deborah Loring.^[1][2]

Elijah was mentioned in the will of Mary Bryant (Briant) signed 3 December 3, 1753. Mary's daughter, Abigail, was assumed to be unable to handle her own affairs. Mary willed that her executor put Abigail's bequest, "into the hands of Elijah Cushing Esq. and Elijah Cushing Jun. both of Hannover (sic) aforesaid In trust to be improved to the best advantage for them and her heirs and not delivered t her or her heirs until after the death of her husband Mr. Lemuel Briant unless the said Elijah Cushing Esq. And Elijah Cushing Jun. should apprehend the said Abigail to be in want of the same or any part thereof.'""^[3]

On January 29, 1756 Elijah married Tamar Cushing in Pembroke, Plymouth County, Massachusetts Bay Colony,

On March 6, 1761 ^[4] his father signed a will in which he let to his son Elijah, I give & bequeath unto my son Elijah Cushing his heirs and assigns forever the farm where he now dwells which I bought of Thomas More being two hundred acres more or less with the buildings also my half of the grist mill, sawmill, forge, core house & land thereto belonging together with the dam stream & appendages and Item: I give to my sons Elijah, Nathn'l & Joseph & to their heirs & assigns forever in equal parts about one hundred acres of land in said Pembroke and, Item: All the rest of my estate both real and personal of every sort & kind I give to said Elijah, Nathan'l, Joseph their heirs & assigns forever . The sons were to provide for their mother during the years she remained a widow.

His father died on June 26, 1762 and administration was granted to Elijah and his three brothers on July 23, 1762 .^[4]

On December 2, 1768 a petition was signed by Elijah, his brothers, Nathanial and Joseph Cushing and their mother Elizabeth Barstow Cushing in regards to Abigail (Barstow) Bryant. The petition stated: To the Hon'ble John Cushing Esq'r Judge of the Probate of Wills for the county of Plymouth - The subscribers, relations and friends of Mrs. Abigail Bryant of Pembroke in said county widdow (sic) apprehending she is a person non compor mentisis in no wise capable to take care of herself and her estate, pray that a guardian may be appointed for her & a proceeding had agreeable to law. Abigail (Barstow) ^[5] This action had been requested in the will of Mary Bryant, Abigail's mother.

Military

Captain Elijah Cushing was delegate to the Plymouth County Congress and Revolutionary War Soldier. He led a company of Minute Men in the Battle of Concord and Lexington on 19 Apr 1775.^[6] On April 19, 1775 word was received by riders on horseback that there was fighting at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. Most of the towns in Plymouth County, including Pembroke, were Patriotic sympathizers. They gathered their militias in response. The towns of Lexington and Concord were about thirty miles away but their immediate concern was the Loyalist center at Marshfield. After a Loyalist protest in the fall of 1774, the residents of Marshfield had invited British soldiers in their community and there was about one hundred soldiers lodged in the town.^[7]

Forty-nine men from the West Parish of Pembroke gathered under the leadership of Captain James Hatch of Pembroke and joined the march on the town of Marshfield. They served from April 19th until the 29th of April, a total of 11 days. They laid siege on the town of Marshfield observing what the British soldiers were doing, but no shots were fired. At the end of that time the siege ended when the British soldiers were removed from the area by boats and returned to Boston.^[7]

The men who participated were not paid until almost a year later. Elijah Cushing was listed as a private in the West Parish if Pembroke (later Hanson).^[7]

Tamar Cushing died of smallpox on March 29, 1761 and was buried at the Second Church of Christ in Pembroke.

In the 1790 U. S. Census ^[8] Elijah was still listed in Pembroke. There were three males over sixteen and two under sixteen and six females. There was one other person in the household, likely a slave.

Elijah signed a will on November 17, 1800 in Pembroke. ^[9] He mentions his wife Ann and four sons and five daughters living at the time it was signed. His sons Edward Cushing, Thomas Cushing & Isaac Cushing were to be executors.

Burial

He died 13 Dec 1807 and was buried at Fern Hill Cemetery, Hanson, Plymouth, Massachusetts.^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ "Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915," database, FamilySearch [1] : 10 February 2018), Elijah Cushing, 08 Oct 1725; citing HANOVER,PLYMOUTH,MASSACHUSETTS, ; FHL microfilm 0874289 IT 2.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 17 June 2019), memorial page for Capt Elijah Cushing (8 Oct 1725–13 Sep 1807), [2], citing Fern Hill Cemetery, Hanson, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Warren Cushing (contributor 48364069).
3. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. State Archives, Boston. [3]; Vol. 16, Page 49, Image 362, WILL OF MARY BRIANT
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} familysearch.org; [4]; Image 511-513; Massachusetts, Plymouth County; Probate Records, 1633-1967; Vol. 16, Page 16: Pages 336-338;
5. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967." Images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : 14 June 2016. State Archives, Boston. [5]; Vol. 20, Page 149, Image 423, 2 Dec. 1768; Request for guardian to manage the estate of Abigail Barstow Bryant
6. ↑ Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. (1896-1908). Massachusetts soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War: A compilation from the archives, prepared and published by the Secretary of the Commonwealth in accordance with chapter 100, resolves of 1891. Volume 11. Boston: Wright and Potter Printing Co., State Printers.pg 287
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} R. G. Carter, "Muster Roll of a Company in Minute Men that Marched from the West Parish of Pembroke to Scituate and Marshfield, on the Alarm of 19th of April, 1775", Putnam's Monthly Historical Magazine and Magazine of New England, Vol. 4 No. 1 (January 1896): 23-24.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [6]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts; Series: M637; Roll: 4; Page: 463; Image: 506; Family History Library Film: 0568144 ELIJAH CUSHING
9. ↑ "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch [7] : 20 May 2014, Probate records 1806-1811 vol 42-43 > image 112 of 612; State Archives, Boston.Probate records 1806-1811 vol 42-43, Vol. 42, Page 189; WILL OF ELIJAH CUSHING