Rev. Thomas Cushman

Thomas came over on the ship "FORTUNE" in 1621 with his brother Robert.

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Came to America on Fortune in 1621 with his father. When Robert, Thomas' father, returned to London on business for Plymouth, Thomas was left in the care of Governor William Bradford. Robert died in London during the trip, never returning to Plymouth. Thoms remained in Bradford's care after his father's death, and was adopted by him, keeping the name of Cushman.

Thomas succeeded William Brewster as the ruling elder of Plymouth in 1664.

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Thomas had come to Plymouth at the age of 13 on the ship Fortune in 1621 with father Robert Cushman, a prominent member of the Pilgrims' congregation in Leiden. Thomas and Mary had a surprisingly prosperous family: seven of their eight children survived to adulthood, got married, and provided at least 50 grandchildren. Thomas and Mary both lived to very old age, having never moved from Plymouth. Thomas died in December 1691, nearly reaching 85 years in age.

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Came to Plymouth on the "Fortune" at the age of 14 with his father Robert Cushman.

The ship Fortune arrived at Plymouth on November 9, 1621, just a few weeks after the First Thanksgiving. This passenger list is based on the 1623 Division of Land, the passenger list compiled by Charles Edward Banks in planters of the Commonwealth, and by the information found in Eugene Aubrey Stratton's Plymouth colony: Its History and Its People, 1620-1691.

He was Elder of the Plymouth Church from 6 April 1649 until his death, (43 years).

Reared from age 14 by Gov. William Bradford when his father left him in his care when he returned to London to continue his work for the colony before he died in 1625 of the plague prevalent at that time.

CUSHMAN, THOMAS - The son of Robert Cushman, q.v., Thomas was baptized at Canterbury 8 February 1607/8, and he was taken by his father to Leiden shortly after. He arrived at Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621, and became a ward of Governor Bradford. he was a Purchaser and received a number of land grants. He was admitted a Plymouth freeman 1 January 1633/34 (PCR 1:21). On 1 July 1634 he successfully sued Mr. John Combes for 10 pounds (PCR 1:30. he served on various juries and committees and was a highway surveyor (PCR, passim). On 1 December 1640 he, Nicholas Snow, and Josias Cooke were presented by the grand jury for not mending the highways, but were freed on condition that they make the repairs within a year (PCR2:5. On 3 march 1645/46 Cushman made a successful mothin in court that Mr. Isaac Allerton be allowed a year's time to recover his debts in the colony (PCR 2:95). Allerton was his father-in-law, Cushman having married Mary Allerton at an unknown date. By a letter of 27 October 1646, Allerton had assigned to his son-in-law thomas Cushman a debt of 100 pounds owed Allerton by Mr. John Coombes (PCR 2:130-33). On 1 August 1648 the court of Assistants assigned part of some grain due the widow of John Coombes toward satisfying the debt of her late husband to cuthbert Cuthbertson, whose estate was a debtor "of considerable some" to Isaac Allerton. Cushman succeeded William Brewster as Ruling Elder of the Plymouth church on 6 April 1649, the position having been vacant since 1644 (Ply. ch. Recs. 1:165). He had differences with the pastor, John Cotton, as the latter noted in church records in 1683, writing that the elders met with the pastor and decided to put their differences to some other churches for advice, and the Elder (Cushman) moved that the magistrates be invited to meet with and advise them. In succeeding months there are additional intimations of differences in which "the Elder showed discontent" (Ply. Ch. recs. 1:251, 253-54). He became ill in his old age and languished for souie eleven weeks before he died on 10 or 11 December 1691, another man whose life was virtually cotern-dnal with that of Plymouth Colony (Ply. ch. Recs. 1:165-66; George E Bowman, "Elder Thomas Cushman's Will and Inventory, and the Records of His Death," MD 4:37). In his will dated 22 October 1690, sworn 16 March 1691/92, he named his wife Mary, sons Thomas, Isaac, Elkanah, and Eleazer; daughters Sarah Hawks and Lydia Harlow; and the three children of his daughter Mary Hutchinson. he also had a daughter Fear (PCR 8:15), who predeceased him without issue. Family histories, not sufficiently documented, and Henry W. Cushman Historical and Biographical Genealogy of the Cushmans (Boston, 1855), and Joseph A. Cushman, ne First Seven Generations of the Cushman Family New England (1964). An important article is Mrs. John E Barclay and Anna M. Gurney, "Rebecca, Wife of Reverend Isaac Cushman" (TAG 26:144), which shows the error in undocumented published claims that the wife of Thomas Cushmans son Isaac was an Abigail Richard; she was much more likely Rebecca 2 harlow. newman A hall, "Mary Cushman, Wife of Francis Hutchinson, An isaac Allerton Line," MQ 52:28, convincingly dears up the question as to which Hutchinson she married, showing that it had to be Francis, not Edward. See also Tag 24:105 and NEHGR 122:48, 249,128:193 and the account of the Cushman family given in Small Descendants. 2:669. From the cited sources it can be seen that Cushman's daughter Mary married Francis Hutchinson: thomas married Ruth Howland, daughter of mayflower passenger John Howland; Sarah married John Howkes; Isaac probably married Rebecca Harlow; Elkanah married (1) elizabeth Cole and (2) Martha Cooke; Fear died without issue; Eleazer married Elizabeth Combes; and Lydia married William Harlow.

The will of Thomas Cushman Sr. of Plimouth dated 22 Oct. 1690, sworn 16 March 1691/2, names wife Mary Cushman; sons Thomas, Isaac, Elkanah and Eleazer Cushman; daus. Sarah Hoaks and Lidiah Harlow; the three grandchildren in Lin (Lynn), the children of daughter Mary Hutchinson, dec.

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Christened: 8 Feb 1607/08, St. Andrew, Canterbury, Kent, England 659,660

Marriage: Mary Allerton in 1635 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA

Died: 11 Dec 1691, Plymouth, Plymouth, MA at age 83 659,660

 General Notes: 

Elder Thomas2 Cushman (Robert1), of Plymouth in New Eng­land, baptized in the parish of St, Andrew, Canterbury, co. Kent, England, 8 Feb. 1607/8, came to New England with his father in the Fortune, arriving at Plymouth in Nov. 1621, and died at Plymouth 10 or 11 Dec. 1691, "neere the end of the 84th yeare of his life." He married at Plymouth, prob­ably about 1636, Mary Allerton, born at Leyden, Holland, about 1610, died at Plymouth 28 Nov. 1699, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Norris), and the last female survivor of those who came in the Mayflower in 1620.[A]

[A] For Elder Thomas Cushman and his children and grandchildren, except Thomas (4) and Desire (3, iii), cf. Genealogy of the Cushmans, pp. 84-134, and The Mayflower Descendant, passim. [A Grandson of Elder Thomas Cushman and Some of His Descendants by James Thomas Cushman, NEHGR]

 Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration: aboard the Fortune, 1621. 848

Thomas married Mary Allerton, daughter of Isaac Allerton and Mary Norris, in 1635 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA. (Mary Allerton was born on 16 Jun 1616 in Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands and died on 28 Dec 1699 in Plymouth, Plymouth, MA 659.)

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Thomas had come to Plymouth at the age of 13 on the ship Fortune in 1621 with father Robert Cushman, a prominent member of the Pilgrims' congregation in Leiden. Thomas and Mary had a surprisingly prosperous family: seven of their eight children survived to adulthood, got married, and provided at least 50 grandchildren. Thomas and Mary both lived to very old age, having never moved from Plymouth. Thomas died in December 1691, nearly reaching 85 years in age.

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Thomas was baptized at St.Andrew, Canterbury on February 8, 1607/8. He married Mary Allerton about 1636 and had eight children. He died in Plymouth on December 11, 1691. She died in Plymouth on November 28, 1699, the last of the Mayflower passengers.

Son of Robert and Sarah (Reder) Cushman23,29Christened 8 Feb 1607 St. Andrews parish, Canterbury, Kent, England. 30 He came to New England with his father in the Fourtune, arriving at Plymouth in Nov. 1621, and died at Plymouth 10 or 11 Dc 1691.

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Mary Allerton was born about 1616 in Leiden, Holland, to parents Isaac and Mary (Norris) Allerton. She came to Plymouth on the Mayflower in 1620, at about the age of four. Around 1636, she married Thomas Cushman. Thomas had come to Plymouth at the age of 13 on the ship Fortune in 1621 with father Robert Cushman, a prominent member of the Pilgrims' congregation in Leiden. Thomas and Mary had a surprisingly prosperous family: seven of their eight children survived to adulthood, got married, and provided at least 50 grandchildren. Thomas and Mary both lived to very old age, having never moved from Plymouth. Thomas died in December 1691, nearly reaching 85 years in age. Mary, who gave birth to and raised eight children, lived to the age of 83. Prior to her death in November 1699, she was the last surviving Mayflower passenger. MayflowerHistory.com

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Thomas was the Ruling Elder of the First Church of Plymouth, MA

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Pilgrim, traveled with Father on the "Fortune" in 1621. When his Father was selected as Chief Agent for the Pilgrims Thomas (only 14) was placed in Governor William Bradford's household where he was raised. His father Robert was expected to return to Plymouth but he passed away before his return. Thomas married Mary Allerton, the last surviving Pilgrim of the Mayflower.

Thomas was known by the name Elder because he was the ruling elder of the Plymouth Church from 4/6/1649 until his death.

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Came to Plymouth on the ship "Fortune" in 1621

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https://www.ancestry.com/genealogy/records/thomas-cushman_3820173

'Thomas Cushman

Born in Kent, England on 1603

to Robert Cushman and Sarah Reder.

Thomas married Mary Allerton and had 8 children.

He passed away on 10 Dec 1691 in Plymouth.

Family Members

Parents

Robert Cushman 1588-1626

Sarah Reder 1588-1616

Spouse(s)

Mary Allerton 1615-1699

Children

Thomas Cushman 37-1726

Sarah Cushman 1635-1706

Mary Cushman 1639-1790

Isaac Cushman 1639-1732

Elkanah Cushman 1641-1727

Fear Cushman 1653-1690

Eleazer Cushman 1657-1710

Lydia Cushman 1647-1718

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Immigrated with his father to Plymouth Colony on the ship "Fortune" on November 9, 1621.

Son of Deacon Robert Cushman and Sara Reder.

He was elected to be the Ruling Elder, First Church of Plymouth Colony.

He was the husband of Mary Allerton, who was the last surviving Mayflower passenger.

Father of Thomas Cushman, Jr., Sarah, Martha, Isaac, Elkanah, Feare, Eleazer and Lydia Cushman.

CUSHMAN MEMORIAL This is a granite column, twenty-five feet high, and it is by far the most conspicuous monument on the hill. It reads: ROBERT CUSHMAN, Fellow exile with the Pilgrims in Holland, Afterwards their chief agent in England, Arrived here IX November, MDCXXI, With Thomas Cushman his son: Preached IX-. December, His memorable sermon on "the Danger of self-love And the sweetness of true friendship:" Returned to England XIII December, To vindicate tho enterprise of Christian emigration; And there remained in the service of the Colony Till MDCXXV, When, having prepared to make Plymouth His permanent home.

West side: --

He died, lamented by the forefathers as "their ancient friend, - who was as their right hand with their friends the adventurers, and for divers years had done and agitated all their business with them to their great advantage."

"And you, my loving friends, the adventurers to this plantation, as your care has been first to settle religion here before either profit or popularity, so, I play you, go on. -- I rejoice -- that you thus honor God with your riches, and I trust you shall be repaid again double and treble in this world, yea, and the memory of this action shall never die." DEDICATION OF THE SERMON.

South side: --

THOMAS CUSHMAN.

Son of Robert, died X December, MDCXCI, Aged neatly LXXXIV years. For more than XLII years he was Ruling Elder oú the First Church in Plymouth, By whom a tablet was placed to mark his grave on this spot, Now consecrated anew by a more enduring memorial.

MARY,

widow of Elder Cushman, and daughter of Isaac Allerton, Died XXVIII November, MDCXCIX, aged about XC years, The last survivor of the first comers in the Mayflower.

East side:

Erected by The descendants of Robert Cushman In memory of their Pilgrim Ancestors, XVI September, MDCCCLVIII.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 25 2017, 12:58:25 UTC

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Immigrated with his father to Plymouth Colony on the ship "Fortune" on November 9, 1621.

Son of Deacon Robert Cushman and Sara Reder.

He was elected to be the Ruling Elder, First Church of Plymouth Colony.

He was the husband of Mary Allerton, who was the last surviving Mayflower passenger.

Father of Thomas Cushman, Jr., Sarah, Martha, Isaac, Elkanah, Feare, Eleazer and Lydia Cushman.

CUSHMAN MEMORIAL This is a granite column, twenty-five feet high, and it is by far the most conspicuous monument on the hill. It reads: ROBERT CUSHMAN, Fellow exile with the Pilgrims in Holland, Afterwards their chief agent in England, Arrived here IX November, MDCXXI, With Thomas Cushman his son: Preached IX-. December, His memorable sermon on "the Danger of self-love And the sweetness of true friendship:" Returned to England XIII December, To vindicate tho enterprise of Christian emigration; And there remained in the service of the Colony Till MDCXXV, When, having prepared to make Plymouth His permanent home.

West side: --

He died, lamented by the forefathers as "their ancient friend, - who was as their right hand with their friends the adventurers, and for divers years had done and agitated all their business with them to their great advantage."

"And you, my loving friends, the adventurers to this plantation, as your care has been first to settle religion here before either profit or popularity, so, I play you, go on. -- I rejoice -- that you thus honor God with your riches, and I trust you shall be repaid again double and treble in this world, yea, and the memory of this action shall never die." DEDICATION OF THE SERMON.

South side: --

THOMAS CUSHMAN.

Son of Robert, died X December, MDCXCI, Aged neatly LXXXIV years. For more than XLII years he was Ruling Elder oú the First Church in Plymouth, By whom a tablet was placed to mark his grave on this spot, Now consecrated anew by a more enduring memorial.

MARY,

widow of Elder Cushman, and daughter of Isaac Allerton, Died XXVIII November, MDCXCIX, aged about XC years, The last survivor of the first comers in the Mayflower.

East side:

Erected by The descendants of Robert Cushman In memory of their Pilgrim Ancestors, XVI September, MDCCCLVIII.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Mar 30 2019, 11:22:57 UTC

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U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Find A Grave 1,60525::0

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@R300473034@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=40323802&pid...

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GEDCOM Note

Passengers on the “Fortune”
He was left in Plymouth under the care of William Bradford, who treated him as a son. Source Link: https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000175875792831label=@S418@ Source Link: https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000175880482822label=@S767@

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GEDCOM Note

Immigrated with his father to Plymouth Colony on the ship "Fortune" on November 9, 1621.

He was elected to be the Ruling Elder, First Church of Plymouth Colony.

He was the husband of Mary Allerton, who was the last surviving Mayflower passenger.

- Find-a-Grave