Robert Cushman 1664-1757 and His wife Persis Shaw (1671-1744) of Plymouth & Kingston, Mass.

Robert Cushman was born Plymouth, Massachusetts, on 4 October 1664 (calculated from age at death), the son of Thomas and Ruth (Howland) Cushman. I wrote about Thomas and Ruth here. He is my 9th great-grandfather on my grandfather Arthur Washburn Ellis Davis’ side and is a descendant of Mayflower Passengers John Howland, Mary Allerton and her parents Isaac and Mary (Norse) Allerton, Elizabeth Tilley and her parents John and Joan (Hurst) Tilley. His great-grandfather Robert Cushman was an important Pilgrim leader at Leiden.

Robert married Persis Lewis about 1697. She was born Swansea in Bristol County Massachusetts on 15 January 1671, the daughter of Thomas and Hannah (Baker) Lewis. (Swansea Vital Records p 16 and the Allerton “Silver Book”) Her age at death matches to be the Persis born in Swansea and her identity is accepted by the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. 

The births of the seven children of “Robert Cushman & Perses his Wife,” are recorded at Plymouth. (Mayflower Descendant 4:111 citing Plymouth Vital Records pg. 54) The seven children of Robert Cushman were all baptized in Plymouth on 1 June 1718 (Plymouth Church Records 1:218)

Robert born 2 Jul 1698

Ruth born 25 Mar 1700

Abigail born 3 Jul 1701

Hannah born 25 December 1705

Thomas born 25 Feb 1706 [not sure if 1705/06 or 1706/07 but either is too close to nearest sibling’s birth]

Joshua born 14 Oct 1707

Jonathan born 28 Jul 1712

I descend through Ruth who married Luke Perkins. I wrote about them here. 

Persis died 14 January 1743/4 at Kingston in her 73rd year.  She is buried at Old Burying Ground in Kingston. 

Persis Lewis Cushman gravestone

On 2 February 1744/45, at the age of 80, Robert married, second, Prudence Sherman “a maiden turned of 70” at Marshfield in Plymouth County. (Kingston Marriages, p 205)  She was born about 1674, the daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Doggett) Sherman.

The will of Robert Cushman of Kingston Senr., yeoman, is dated 9 Feb 1746/47, a codicil added 9 May 1749, and proved 7 May 1757. He names wife Prudence, sons Robert, Thomas, Joshua and Jonathan Cushman; daughters Ruth Perkins, Abigail Leonard, and Hannah Washburn.  He left a horse to his son Robert and asked him to make sure Prudence would be “suitably carted” to meeting. He had already gifted land by deed and perhaps financial gifts to each of his children. He must have been well off as he also gave bequests of ten shillings each to two sons and the considerable amount of 15 pounds to each of his three daughters. He left bequests of additional land as well as his arms and ammunition to his grandson Robert Cushman. 

Robert Cushman died Kingston on 7 September 1757 at age 92 y 11 m 9 dys. He is buried at the Old Burying Ground in Kingston; his stone is badly damaged.

Robert Cushman's gravestone

Robert Cushman Junior was named executor of his father’s estate, but he sadly died and his brother Thomas Cushman was named executor on 7 November 1757. 

On 8 March 1760, Thomas conducted an inventory of the land that Robert Junior had received by deed of gift from their father that totaled 206 pounds 8 shillings. On 24 March 1760 a brief inventory was taken of Robert Cushman Senior’s estate which totaled over 125 pounds. The only personal estate listed was apparel and arms/ammunition. 

On 4 November 1758 an account of Robert’s estate by Thomas Cushman was recorded which included doctor and funeral expenses, legacies given to Ruth Perkins, Abigail Leonard, Hannah Washburn, Thomas Cushman, and Joshua Cushman, and cows and sheep given to the widow.

On 15 January 1761, another account of his estate by Thomas Cushman was recorded which included the sale of land, the former balance, debts paid, and administration fees. 

Sources Not Listed Above:

Robert S. Wakefield and Margaret Harris Stover (compilers), Mayflower Families Through Five Generations, Isaac Allerton, Volume 17, aka “Silver Book,” published by GSMD, 1998

Torrey’s New England Marriages to 1700

Theodore S Lazuli (communicated by), Mayflower Descendant, “Death Records from the Ancient Burial Ground at Kingston, Mass.,” 7:28

James Thomas Cushman (compiler), NEHGS Register, “A Grandson of Elder Thomas Cushman and Some of His Descendants,” 72:13 (Jan. 1918)

Will: ”Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G97D-XH7X :), Probate records 1755-1758 and 1859-1862 vol 14-14E > image 228 of 498; State Archives, Boston

Inventory: ”Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-XH4Q ), Probate records 1755-1758 and 1859-1862 vol 14-14E > image 290 of 498; State Archives, Boston.

Inventory of land belonging to Robert Cushman Jr. that was deeded to him by his father Robert Sr: "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-997D-69SQ), Probate records 1758-1764 vol 15-16 > image 292 of 623; State Archives, Boston.

Accounting of Robert Cushion’s Estate: "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Records, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L97D-69R4 ), Probate records 1758-1764 vol 15-16 > image 43 of 623; State Archives, Boston.

Another Accounting: "Massachusetts, Plymouth County, Probate Reocrds, 1633-1967," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-897D-615 ), Probate Records, 1758-1764 vol 15-16 >images 360 of 623: State Archives, Boston.