Deacon Elkanah Cushman and Martha Cooke

Transcribed from The Descendants of Robert Cushman, The Puritan, From the year 1617 to 1855
by Henry Wyles Cushman, 1855

Deacon Elkanah Cushman and Martha Cooke

7 V ELKANAH, Dea. (22) b. 1 June 1651, and d. at Plympton 4 Sept. 1727, in his 77th year. He m. 1st Elizabeth Cole, dau. James Cole, Jr., 16 Feb. 1676-7. She d. 4 Jan. 1681-2, and he m. 2d Martha Cooke, dau. Jacob Cooke of Plymouth, 2 Mch; 1682-3. She was b. 16 Mch. 1659-60, at Plymouth, and d. 17 Sept. 1722, in her 63d year. He had 8 chil. Three by his first and 5 by his second wf. He was Deacon of the chh. at Plympton (of which his brother Isaac was Pastor) about nine years. In 1723 he was the Representative in the General Court from Plympton, and held the office of Ensign in the military company in that town, - in those days, an office of considerable distinction. The Plympton Chh. Records say, - "At a chh . meeting in Plympton, December ye 26. 1718, Ensign Elcanah Cushman" (and two others) "were chosen Deacons."

"Memorandum, that on Sabbath daye some time in March in ye year 171 Samuel Sturtevant, Elcanah Cushman and Daniel Bosworth were ordained Deacons by the imposision of hands."

His house stood on the highway leading leading eastward from Plympton Green to Kingston, and was the first dwelling house northward of the bridge over Colchester brook, on said road.

His Will was dated 14 Oct. 1725 - two years before his death - and was recorded in Book 5, page 330, of the Plymouth Records.

>
the gravestones of Deacon Elkanah(1651-1727) and Martha Cooke Cushman (1659/60-1722)
located in "Ye Olde Burial Grounds" Plympton, Mass.
Third Generation

He was buried at Plympton, and the following is the inscription on his Grave Stone; 

HERE   LYES   BURIED
YE   BODY    OF
DEACON    ELKANAH
CUSHMAN  WHO   DECd.
SEPT.  Ye  4th
1727  IN
Ye  77th  YEAR
OF    HIS   AGE.

He was probably a member of the Plympton chh. near thirty ye as his name stands first in the, list of those who joined after the chh. was first formed . He was, undoubtedly, "a pious, godly man," devoted to the prosperity of the chh., for no other could hold the important office of Deacon in those days.

On 16 Feb 1676/77, Elkanah married ELIZABETH COLE, daughter of James Cole Jr., M (1625/1626-1712) & Abigail Davenport, (abt 1630-), in Plympton, Massachusetts. Born in 1655 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. On 4 Jan 1681, Elizabeth died in Plympton, Massachusetts at the age of 26. 

They had the following children:
 23.  II.   James, b. 20 Oct. 1679, probably d. young
24  III.   Jabez, b. 28 Dec.1681, d. May 1689.

On 2 Mar 1683, Deacon Elkanah married MARTHA COOKE, daughter of Jacob Cooke, (abt 1616- abt. 21 or the 28 Dec 1675) & Damaris Hopkins, (aft 1627-aft Jan 1665/6 and bef 1 Nov 1669), in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. born on 16 Mar 1659/60 in Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts. On 17 Sep 1722, Martha died at the age of 63. They had the following children: 

25  IV.   ALLERTON (80) b. 21 Nov. 1683, d. 9 Jan. 1730-1 as. 47 years 1 iso. 18 days;
          in. 1st Mary Buek, 11 Jan. 1710-11. She l. 15 Oct.. 1725, and he in. 2d Elizabeth Sampson,
          dau. Geo. Sampson, 15 Sept. 1726. He and both of his wives were members of the chh. 
          in Plympton, of which his father was Deacon and his uncle Isaac  was Pastor. 
          His wife Elizabeth d. 17 Apl. 1744.
26    V.  ELIZABETH, b. 17 Jan. 1685-6, d. Mch. 1724-5, m. Robert Waterman, 5 Dec. 1723. Had no chil.
27   VI.  JOSIAH. (86) b. 21 Mch. 1687-8, d. 13 Apl. 1750, ae. 62 years 'and 
          22 days. He m. Susanna Shurtleff, dau. Capt. Wm. Shurtleff, 29 Dec. 1709, 
          by Rev. Isaac  Cushman. She was b. at Plymouth in 1691, d. 27 July 1763, 
          in her 73d year. 
          He was a Lt. in the militia and lived in that part of Plymouth that is now Carver.
          He was a highly respected and useful man. He joined the chh. during the 
          ministry of his uncle, Rev. Isaac Cushman.


          The following is a copy of the introductory part of his Will made in June, 1742,
          recorded in Plymouth Colony Records, vol. 12, p. 275:


         "Imprimis, I will and bequeath my soul unto God who gave it me and my body
          to the dust to be decently interred, at the discretion of ny Executor  herein 
          after named, nothing doubting but at ye general resurrection I shall receive 
          the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly 
          estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life," &c.

 
          The inventory of his personal property amounted to �207 19s. 6d.


          A great grandson of his (Elisha P. Cushman, Esq., of Bloomfield, Indiana,)
          gives the following tradition of him:
         "I recollect, my Grandfather telling how his father (LI. Josiah) bought a 
          negro boy in Kingston, Mass. There were several of them for sale; he lifted
          up some of them, and they all cried, but when he took hold of the one he
          purchased, he looked up into his face and laughed. His name was called
          King. He is said to have been a very faithful and good negro. When my
          great grandfather died he gave King to my grandfather's brother, who offered  
          to give him his freedom; but the old negro refused, saying, 'they had had
          the meat and must then pick the bone."


          We give the foregoing as illustrating the state of society and civilization
          of that day. It was not uncommon, at that time, even in Mass., for the best
          men to hold  slaves! What a change a century has produced in that
          particular!



28  VII.  MARTHA, b. ___, married Nathaniel Holmes, 6 June 1717. She was baptized in 1691.
29 VIII.  MEHITABLE, b. 8 Oct. 1698, Baptized same year. Never m.

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