| 1742. NATHAN CUSHING |
| Sex: M
Birth: 24 September 1742 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts Death: 4 November 1812 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts Burial: November 1812 South Parish Cemetery, Norwell, Massachusetts Education: Graduated from Harvard College in 1763 Nathan was first a preacher and afterwards a lawyer. He was a delegate to the Plymouth County Congress, held at Plympton, 26 September 1774, and one of the signers of the Manifesto issued at the Plymouth Congress, 4 October 1774. In 1776 he was appointed Judge of Admiralty, and with great firmness condemned the captured British vessels, which brought him into notoriety as a patriot. He was appointed Judge of the Supreme Court in 1789, in which office he continued until 1801, when he resigned. He was afterwards a counsellor of the State. "He was a gentleman of noble form, commanding countenance and courteous manners, distinguished more for solid judgment and discretion than for eloquence." When Massachusetts became a State, action was taken by the Legislature on the subject of a state seal and under date of 13 December 1870, we have the following record: "Ordered that Nathan Cushing be a committee to prepare a seal for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts." His report was afterwards accepted and the device he recommended is still in use as the Arms of Massachusetts. H. C. 1763. Judge of Supreme Court. Father: Joseph Cushing b: 25 November 1711 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts Mother: Lydia King b: 26 December 1716 in Scituate, Plymouth, Massachusetts Marriage 1: Abigail Tilden b: 17 April 1745 in Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts Married: 11 July 1772 in Pembroke, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Sources: 1. The Genealogy of the Cushing Family (An account of the Ancestors and Descendants of Matthew Cushing, who came to America in 1638) by James Cushing, The Perrault Printing Co - Montreal, 1905. First Edition, 1877, by Lemuel Cushing, D1881 (Finished by his family). 2. Vital Records of Scituate, Massachusetts to the Year 1850, NEHGS, Boston, 1909, two volumes. 3. Joseph Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, Originally published 1860. |