My Descent from Matthew Cushing

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Matthew Cushing-Nazaerth Pitcher
Daniel Cushing-Lydia Gilman
Theophilus Cushing-Mary Thaxter
Seth Cushing-Lydia Fearing
Margaret Cushing-Samuel Darling
Samuel Darling (2)-Priscilla Weston
Samuel Darling (3)-Esther Dingley
George Darling-Eliza Duncan
Francis Woods Darling-Anna Evelyn Keene
Laura Keene Darling-Edward Payson True
Edward Keene True-Mildred Louise Richenburg
James Duncan True

The early Cushing ancestry has been traced from the Viking, Hrolf Nefja Jarl, mentioned in the Scandinavian Sagas relating to the latter half of the eighth century, through his descendants in later centuries in Normandy and in England to a Galfridua, Gerard or Geoffrey Cusyn who was born in Norfolk County, England, in the latter part of the thirteenth century. He possessed estates in Hardingham, Norfolk County, for which in 1327 he was assessed to the King's subsidies. Galfridua's descendants remained in Norfolk County until our immigrant ancestor, Matthew Cushing, moved to America in 1638. James S. Cushing, The Genealogy of the Cushing Family, 1905, pp. 13-20. The spelling of the name developed from Cusyn, Cosyn, Cussheyn, Cushyn to the current spelling of Cushing.

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Matthew and Nazareth (Pitcher) Cushing

Husband:
Matthew Cushing		Baptized: in Hardingham, Norfolk County, England, 2 March 1588/9.
Died: in Hingham, Massachusetts 30 September 1660.
Parents: Peter and Susan (Hawes) Cushing (who were first of Hardingham, and after 1600, of Hingham, Norfolk County, England).
Wife:
Nazaerth Pitcher		Baptized: in England 30 October 1586.
Died: in Hingham, MA 6 January 1681/2.
Father: Henry Pitcher, of the famous family of Admiral Pitcher of England.
Married: in England 5 August 1613.

Matthew was about 50 years old when he and his wife, their five children, and his wife's sister, who was the widow of Francis Riecroft and who died a few weeks after their arrival, embarked in the ship Diligent of Ipswich, England, John Martin, Master, which sailed from Gravesend, 26 April 1638, with 133 passengers including their rector, Robert Peck. "The immediate occasion of their departure seems to have been trouble in ecclesiastical matters. Their rector, doubtless with the sympathy and aid of most of those constituting the emigrating party, had pulled down the rails of chancel and altar, and leveled the latter a foot below the church, as it remains to this day." James S. Cushing, The Genealogy of the Cushing Family, 1905, p. 21.

Matthew built his home on a house lot of five acres which was granted to him in Hingham, MA in 1638. This house remained in the family until 1887. He was engaged in the public affairs of the town as well as being a deacon in Rev. Peter Hobart's church (the Old Ship Church in Hingham, MA).

Matthew and his wife Nazareth (Pitcher) Cushing had five children, all born in Hingham, Norfolk County, England:

  • Daniel, bpt. 20 April 1619; m. (1) Lydia Gilman; m. (2) Elizabeth (Jacob) Thaxter.
  • Jeremiah, bpt. 21 July 1621; was a mariner, died at sea; m. Elizabeth -----.
  • Matthew, Jr., bpt. 5 April 1623; d. ca. 1700; m. in 1653, Sarah Jacob, daughter of Nicholas and Mary (Gilman) Jacob. This couple did not have any children.
  • Deborah, bpt. 17 Feb. 1625; d. 25 Sept. 1700; m. in Hingham, MA 9 May 1648 Matthias Briggs.
  • John, b. in 1627; d. in 1708; m. in 1657 Sarah Hawke, daughter of John and Margery (Eames) Hawke. This couple lived in Scituate, MA. Their son, John, became a judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts; their grandson, John, was also a judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts for 24 years; and their great-grandson, William, became Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and administered the oath to President Washington on his second inauguration.
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Daniel Cushing

Husband:
Daniel Cushing		Baptized: in Hingham, Norfolk, England 20 April 1619.
Died: in Hingham, MA 3 December 1699-1700.
Father: Matthew Cushing.
Mother: Nazareth Pitcher.
First Wife:
Lydia Gilman		Born: in England in 1619.
Died: in Hingham, MA 12 March 1688/9.
Father: Edward Gilman.
Mother: Mary Clark.
Married: in Hingham, MA 19 June 1645.
Second Wife:
Mrs. Elizabeth
(Jacob) Thaxter		Born: in England 1632.
Died: in Hingham, MA 24 November 1725.
Father: Nicholas Jacob.
Mother: Mary Gilman.
Widow of: Captain John Thaxter.
Married: probably in Hingham, MA 23 March 1690/1.

Daniel was an active business man and magistrate, freeman in 1671, selectman in 1665, and for many years thereafter, town clerk from 1669 until his death, and delegate to the General Court in 1680, 1682, and 1695. Daniel wrote at least two manuscripts from which much information about the Town of Hingham and its early settlers has been derived. He resided in the paternal homestead on Main St. below Pear Tree Hill.

Daniel and his first wife Lydia (Gilman) Cushing had six children, all born in Hingham, MA:

  • Peter, b. 29 March 1646; m. Hannah Hawke, daughter of Matthew and Margery Hawke.
  • Daniel, Jr., b. 23 July 1648; m. Elizabeth Thaxter, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Jacob) Thaxter.
  • Deborah, b. 13 Nov. 1651; m. (1) Henry Tarleton; m. (2) Benjamin Woodbridge.
  • Jeremiah, b. 3 July 1654; m. Hannah Loring.
  • Theophilus, b. 7 June 1657; m. Mary Thaxter, daughter of John and Elizabeth (Jacob) Thaxter.
  • Matthew, b. 15 July 1660; m. Jael Jaob, daughter of John and Mary (Russell) Jacob.
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Theophilus Cushing

Husband:
Theophilus Cushing		Born: in Hingham, MA 7 June 1657.
Died: in Hingham, MA 7 January 1718.
Father: Daniel Cushing.
Mother: Lydia Gilman.
Wife:
Mary Thaxter		Born: in Hingham, MA 19 August 1667.
Died: in Hingham in 1731.
Father: John Thaxter.
Mother: Elizabeth Jacob.
Married: in Hingham, MA 28 November 1688.

Capt. Theophilus Cushing was a farmer and lived on Main Street, South Hingham, MA. He was a selectman in 1697, 1707, 1715, and representative to the General Court several times between 1702 and 1713. In his will, he left his home to his son, Theophilus. Also, among other bequests, he gave, "to wife, Mary, thirty two shares in the second part of the 3rd division in Cohasset, land at Planter's Hill." He distributed other property and money among his other children.

Theophilus and his wife Mary (Thaxter) Cushing had eleven children, all born in Hingham, MA:

  • Nehemiah, b. 18 July 1689; m. (1) in 1711 Sarah Nichols; m. (2) in 1750 Hannah Thomas.
  • Mary, b. 9 Feb. 1691; d. in Boston, MA 8 Aug. 1699.
  • Adam, b. 1 Jan. 1693.
  • David, b. Dec. 1694; m. Rachel Lewis.
  • Abel, b. 24 Oct. 1696.
  • Rachel, b. 17 Aug. 1698; d. 9 Sept. 1699.
  • Mary, b 26 Sept. 1701; d. 30 Aug. 1716.
  • Theophilus, Jr., b. 16 June 1703; m. Hannah Waterman.
  • Seth, b. 13 Dec. 1705; m. Lydia Fearing.
  • Deborah, b. 26 Sept. 1707; d. 20 Nov. 1730.
  • Lydia, b. 13 Feb. 1710; d. 7 Jan. 1718.
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Seth Cushing

Husband:
Seth Cushing		Born: in Hingham, MA 13 December 1705.
Died: possibly in Stoughton, MA 17 May 1761.
Father: Theophilus Cushing.
Mother: Mary Thaxter.
Wife:
Lydia Fearing		Born: in Hingham, MA 3 September 1709.
Died: date and place unknown, but possibly in Stoughton, MA.
Father: John Fearing.
Mother: Margaret Hawke.
Married: probably in Hingham, MA 9 January 1728/9.

Seth kept an inn in his dwelling, "on North, near Lincoln Street," Hingham, MA. He sold his property consisting of dwelling house, barn, shop, and land (approximately 8 acres) to Jedidiah Lincoln by deed dated February 26, 1753 for, "consideration of 196 pounds, current money of New England." Tradition says that he moved about this time to Stoughton, MA.

Seth and his wife Lydia (Fearing) Cushing had six children, all born in Hingham, MA:

  • Mary, b. 10 May 1730; m. John Johnson.
  • Seth, Jr., b. 6 Aug. 1732.
  • Ezekiel, b. 8 Sept. 1734; d. 1745.
  • Margaret, b. 9 May 1736; m. Samuel Darling.
  • Deborah, b. 15 Nov. 1738; d. 1739.
  • Deborah (again), b. 14 Nov. 1740; m. Simeon Sampson.
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Margaret Cushing

Wife:
Margaret Cushing		Born: in Hingham, MA 9 May 1736.
Died: possibly in Duxbury, MA 30 May 1792.
Father: Seth Cushing.
Mother: Lydia Fearing.
Husband:
Samuel Darling		Born: in Plympton, MA August 1735.
Baptized: 17 August 1735.
Died: in Duxbury, MA 3 May 1790 (family Bible says 19 May 1790).
Father: David Darling.
Mother: Marcy Churchill.
Married: in Plympton, MA 25 November 1756.

See the entry on Samuel Darling for details of this family.

Samuel Darling Prior Page Line of Descent Pedigree Chart Index of surnames The Cushing Bibliography Other sites of interest Home Page

The Cushing Family Bibliography

Cushing, J. S., Ancestors of Cushing, Burr, Philbrook and Others, privately printed.

Cushing, Lemuel, The Genealogy of the Cushing Family, Montreal, Canada: Lovell Printing Co., 1877.

Cutter, William R., Genealogical and Personal Memoirs Relating to Families of State of Massachusetts.

Links to Sites of Interest

The New England Historic Genealogical Society
Home page for the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS).

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James D. True
jimsancestry@hotmail.com
© Edward K. & Mildred True, and James D. True
Last Update October 31, 1999

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