Cushman family papers

The Cushman Family Papers consist primarily of letters, diaries, writings, sermons, letter books, business papers, and memorabilia of David Cushman (1795-) of West Exeter, Otsego County, New York and members of his family. The papers relate to personal, family, and business matters and have been arranged into three series: (I) Correspondence, (II) Family Papers, and (III) Business Papers.

Series I, CORRESPONDENCE, is arranged chronologically and spans the years 1832 and 1868 with the bulk of the material falling into the period 1861-1868. It consists primarily of letters exchanged among members of David Cushman's family. Of interest in this series are a group of letters between David Cushman and Gerrit Smith on anti-slavery subjects; also, on this same topic, there is an interesting exchange of letters (1839 February and March) between Cushman and a slave owning friend in Virginia. Other letters of interest include a series of letters from Edward, George, and James Cushman to members of their family while they were attending the Collegiate School of Charles Bartlett in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1847; a letter dated 1864 December 20 to George Cushman from a friend desribing Sherman's march through Georgia; and an eight-page letter from Augustine Hale (1861 December 30) to David Cushman regarding life in Nevada Territory and a great flood in California, Washington, and Oregon.

Series II, FAMILY PAPERS, consist of school boy papers from the Poughkeepsie Collegiate School, diaries, two political papers written by David Cushman, and other miscellaneous family papers. Also included in this series is a group of sermons by the Reverend Job Cushman* (1797-) who was an 1819 graduate of Brown University where he studied theology under Calvin Park.

Series III, BUSINESS PAPERS, consist primarily of letter-press copy books, 1855-1868 of David Cushman. The letters were written from various places in the Midwest and East as he was trying to collect on various accounts while apparently working for his newphew, Alonzo Ritter Cushman (1818-) who was a commission merchant in New York City. Also included are two account books and miscellaneous other business and financial papers.

The papers were given by the Misses Mary and Helen Kilborne in June 1965.

* Job Cushman was a distant cousin of David Cushman, David's father, Minerva Cushman and Job Cushman being 5th generation descendants of Thomas Cushman, the Elder (1608-1691) asthis chart shows.