Child Cushman

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA
• Departure: 1621

Notes:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cushman


Robert Cushman the negotiator

Robert Cushman was responsible for making many of the arrangements prior to the journey aboard the Mayflower. This put his life in jeopardy along with other organizers, as they British government had grounds for an arrest by virtue of being a dissenter to the current religion, fleeing the country without legal permission. While in Holland the British still tried to arrest them. Whenever he returned to England he needed to be in hiding to avoid arrest. However, he still managed to negotiate with Weston and with the help of others to obtain provisions for the journey, and was also respponsible for negotiations with the Merchant Adventurers. He stayed behind when the Mayflower set sail, with the intention to sail on the "Speedwell," which the Puritans had purchased and had many difficulties eventually forced to return to England. While aboard he suffered from chest pains convinced him to remain that summer of 1620.

He sailed on "The Fortune" along with many others including Jonathan Brewster, son of Gov. Brewster.Shortly after arriving he preached sermon, "The Sin of Self-Love" in which he exhorted the assembly to take responsibilty for their financial debts to the many backers that helped finance their journey to America as Pilgrims. A short two weeks later he sailed back to London, England on the same ship along with beaver pelts and other goods alued at around 500 British Pounds, which cut their debt by aprox, half. Robert left his son Thomas, then 14, in the care of Bradford.The ship was seized by the French before she reached London, meaning a loss of income to the colony. Robert died in 1624/5 of the Plague. Thomas apopted by Bradford upon news of his death.

Source: Mayflower, by Nathaniel Philbrick, Viking, 2006.



ROBERT CUSHMAN (1576 - 1624)

Robert Cushman was a member of the Mayflower Group. He was sent over to England from Holland to buy supplies and work out financial arrangements with the merchants.

He started out on the Mayflower, but had to give up the voyage, probably without too great regret. He later sailed to New England on the "Fortune", sent from England. He was among 35 people who brought little in the way of food or other supplies. It soon developed that Cushman had come over only to persuade the Pilgrims to sign an agreement with the merchants - the one that they had refused to sign at Southampton, England. Also he had brought a letter telling them that a patent had been secured for them, and that if they would sign up and produce a cargo for the "Fortune", they would get supplies. They signed up. In fact, they almost had to, for the merchants by having the patent in their possession held the only legal title to the plantation.

Robert, married Mary Clarke Singleton on 3 Jun 1617 in Leiden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands. Mary was born on 9 Feb 1577 in Canterbury, Kent, England; died in 1625 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]