MAPLYMOU-L Archives
Archiver > MAPLYMOU > 2009-02 > 1235354634
From: "Dale H. Cook" <>
Subject: Re: [MAPLYMOU] CUSHING, Mary Blossom - Ancestors of (part 2 - end)
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 21:03:54 -0500
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In-Reply-To: <6d7e8603d3c9c891cac709c4c387e9cf@shipstore.com>
At 07:34 PM 2/22/2009, Bob Carroll wrote:
> > Theophilus CUSHING and Hannah WATERMAN were married on 27 Aug 1723 in
> > Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts
>My copy of the Cushing genealogy says they were married 18 Sept 1723,
>Hingham.
This event illustrates why one must depend upon contemporary records
when available, because compiled genealogies vary greatly in their reliability.
The vital records of Hingham from about 1639 to 1804 were transcribed
by Reuben Hersey in two manuscript volumes between 1832 and 1844.
That transcription is in the R. Stanton Avery Special Collections
Department at the New England Historic Genealogical Society, and
images are on the NEHGS web site. I find no record of the marriage in
that transcription, which does not include intentions. According to
the "History of Hingham" 3:156 and 3:279 the couple's intention was
published at Hingham 27-Aug-1723. On those pages Lincoln did not give
a marriage date, so he did not find one in the Hingham town records,
which he used exhaustively.
The reason why there is no Hingham marriage record for this couple is
simple - they were married at Boston 18-Sep-1723. In that record they
are noted as "both of Hingham." [28th report of the Record
Commissioners of the City of Boston, p. 112].
> > [their daughter] Deborah CUSHING was born on 20 Jul 1725
>My copy says 20 July 1735. [Son Pyam was the first born in Aug 1725.
>Deborah could not be born in July 1725.]
She was born 20-Jul-1735 [LDS film 0426570]. IIRC that date comes
from Dr. Ebenezer Gay's records, rather than town records, both of
which are on that film. I cannot find a record of her birth in the
Hersey transcription.
> > [their son] viii Gen. Theophilus CUSHING was born on 5 Dec 1740 in
> > Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts.6 He died on 13 May 1822 in Hingham,
> > Plymouth, Massachusetts.
>My copy says Gen Theo died 11 March 1820; His wife Patience (Dunbar)
>died 13 May 1822.
I do not have a contemporary record for his death, but the "History
of Hingham" 3:161 gives the date as 11-Mar-1820. That work, although
secondary, is extremely accurate, so much so that it is accepted in
lieu of published Hingham vital records by the GSMD. Many years of
familiarity with the "History" lead me to agree with their assessment
of its accuracy.
Dale H. Cook, Member, NEHGS and MA Society of Mayflower Descendants;
Plymouth Co. MA Coordinator for the USGenWeb Project
Administrator of http://plymouthcolony.net
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