EARLY CUSHING ANCESTORS
The remote ancestry of the Cushing family has been the subject of a number of investigations, which have succeeded in tracing the family to very early times. The first work of importance was undertaken by the Hon. Caleb Cushing. He traced the family to Norfolk Co., Eng., and finding himself unable to give the necessary time to the research, engaged the late H . G. Somerby of London, a well known genealogist, to continue it. Mr. Somerby entered on the task with enthusiasm, as evidenced by his letters, some of which are in the writer's possession. During the years 1851-1853 he examined the ancient manuscripts in t he British Museum, the Subsidy Rolls and Heraldic Visitations for Norfolk, the parish registers and ancient deeds and wills connected with various estates and manors in Hardingham, Hingham, and other places. His efforts were crowned with unexpected succes s; he established the fact that the Cushings were one of the leading families in Norfolk County during the 15th and 16th centuries, being lords of numerous manors, and he published his results in several important papers before historical and genealogical societies in Great Britain.
The late Mr. Lemuel Cushing, having received the papers and correspondence relating to the subject from the Hon. Caleb Cushing, continued the work, adding many details, and published the whole in the first edition of the Genealo gy of the Cushing Family in 1877. In this work he traces the family back to Thomas Cushing of Hardingham, Norfolk Co., who lived in the early part of the 15th century.
After Mr. Lemuel Cushing's death, Mr. Frank Hamilton Cushing continued the investigation. Assisted by various recent publications on the early history of Norfolk County, and obtained valuable evidence of the descent of the Cushings from the DeLimisi family who owned numerous manors in Norfolk County in the 11th and 12th centuries. His early decease interrupted the work, but, through the kindness of his widow, the papers containing the results of his work were submitted to the present writer. As one or two links of the chain are still missing, it was thought best to publish Mr. Frank Hamilton Cushing's manuscript verbatim, in the hope that at some future time the work may be completed and to commence the genealogy of the family at a point from which the actual descent from father to son rests on direct documentary evidence.
Mr. Cushing's manuscript is as follows:
"In the Scandinavian Sagas relating to the latter half of the Eighth Century-750-800, A.D.-which may be regarded as the period in which reliable Norse History begins, frequent mention may be found of the Viking Hrolf Nefja Jarl and his ancestors in Throndjem and the Maeras of Norway ; and in later centuries, of his descendants in Normandy and England as well.
According to these Sagas, and the earliest Norman accounts, Hrolf Nefja, (1), had at least one son Malahjulc, (2); and a daughter, Hild or Ragnhild The daughter married Rognvald Maera-Jarl, who, in return for assistance rendered by him to Harald (or Harold) Fair Hair, in the conquest of Norway, was made chief ruler over not only the two Maeras; but also Ramsdal. They had three sons and a daughter. The second son, Gongu Hrolf (Walking Rolt), became early a great Viking leader, especially in the East. Returning from one of his expeditions soon after Harald's conquest, he committed acts of depredation in Vikin. King Harald, who wa s then in Vikin, was very angry when he heard of this, for he had strictly forbidden robbery within his land. He therefore announced at a Thing that he made Hrolf an outlaw from Norway. When Hrolt's mother Hild heard this she went on behalf of her family t o the King to ask for pardon for Hrolf; but the King was so angry that her prayers were of no avail. Hence Hrolf, accompanied by his uncle Malahjulc, as Councillor, and a numerous following of disaffected Hersirs sailed for the Hebrides; whence they made conquests, ultimately gaining from Valland (now France), about 912 A. D., the great Jarls' realm, known soon after as Normandi.
Thus Hrolf, so well known in later history as Rollo, became the founder and first Earl or Duke of Normandy, establishing, according to nearness of kin with his own and the families of his chief leaders, the great Ruda-jarls (or feudal nobility of Ruen), ancestors of the Sovereign families and Norman Barons of Normandy and England alike, in later centuries.
In this manner Malahjulc became possessed of Toesini and Conches ; and is referred to in old records as Malahulcinus de Toecsini (or Toecdini). He had issue Hugo de Toecsini, (3), who became lord of Cavalcamp in Nuestria, and had two sons, Ralf(4), and Hugo, Archbishop of Rouen, 942-980 . Hugo gave to his brother Raif the estates of Toesini, which descended therefore to his son Ralph(5) or Ranulf of Apulia: celebrated for his conquests of the latter and other places; and So, to Ralf (6) his son, who was appointed Castellan of Tillieres jointly with Nigel, Viscount of Coutances, in 1011. Ralf had issue, Roger de T\'9c sini, surnamed D'Espagne, on account of his prowess against the Saracens in Spain, progenitor of the DeToesinis, Hereditary Standard-bearers of Normandy, Barons of Toesini and Conches, and of Stafford and Belvoir in England, ancestors of the English houses of Cholmondeley Egerton, Grisley and others, and Hugh de Toecsini (7), (Brother of Roger de Espagne), surnamed de Limesi (Limesay) from his Norman Seigneurie. He was living in 1060. He had several sons who accompanied the Conqueror (to whom they were related as nephews through their mother who was William the Conqueror's half-sister) ; among them were Ralf (8) and Baldrick, progenitor of Scottish Lindsays. William gave to Ralf the barony of Oxburg, or Oxenburg in Norfolk, and 41other manors in several counties with the lands of Christina one of the sisters of Prince Edgar, -whom Ralf married.
They had Ralf (9) who married Hadewise and had Alan (10), whose son Gerard (11) married Amy, (daughter of Trian de Hornelade of Bidun Limisi), whose son John married Alice, daughter of Robert of Harcourt, died in 1198 and left a son, Hugh, who is said to have died without issue some time after 1223. Through John's sister (and co-heir) part of the barony passed by marriage with David de Limisey to the Lindsays, or Lindseys of Scotland.
Ralf(12) surnamed Le Cusyn or Le Cosyn de Limisi is said to have been a younger son of Gerard, brother of John de Limisi, since he is found holding Choseley in the land party of England about this time, and since his arms, with merely a change of tincture, were the same as those of the de Limisis. From him were Roger (13) and Richard Cosyn, from one of whom (probably the. former) Galfridus Cusyn was descended .
Galfridus, Gerard or Geoffrey Cusyn (14) was born in Norfolk county, England, in the latter part of the thirteenth century. He possessed estates in Hardingham, Norfolk County, for which in 1327 he was assessed to the King's subsidies, Edward First "
