William Henry Cushman

1834 - 1911  (77 years)

• Name	William Henry Cushman
  Birth	1834
  Gender	Male
  _UID	BCB1512449334B1D8156E2AF9774D7D2E242
  Death	1911
  	A direct descendant of Pilgrim passengers on the "Mayflower" and the 2nd ship "Fortune", William was the 6th born of 10 children and raised in Massachusetts. In 1863, at the age of 28, he married Harriet Robinson in her native state of Connecticut and promptly left New England by sea for the Isthmus of Panama. Reportedly crossing to the Pacific by mule, they then sailed north to San Francisco. The next leg of their journey would be by river boat north up the Sacramento River to the northwest portion of the Sacramento Valley where they would homestead a large ranch in the foothills west of the present day town of Orland, Glenn County. William's older brother Lysander Cushman had settled in this area a few years earlier. While William's original Homestead grant was for 160 acres, he amassed a much larger holding over his lifetime, estimated to be between 500 to 900 acres. He and his wife had 4 children; 2 daughters and 2 sons. His death certificate indicates cause of death as, "Lobar pneumonia." His 13 Jan 1911 obituary in the newspaper of the county seat (Willows) of Glenn County described William H. Cushman as, "one of the pioneer residents of the western part of Glenn county, [who] died at his home near Millsaps post-office last Saturday morning after a short illness. His death was entirely unexpected and came as a surprise and shock to his friends and relatives. For many years Mr. Cushman has been living in the western part of the county on his farm next to Chrome mountain. He has always taken an active part in the life of his community and was highly respected by all who knew him. ... The body was cremated in Oakland on Tuesday." The following obituary appeared in the "Orland Register" on Saturday, 14 Jan 1911 (furnished by E. Jacobson, Orland): W. H. CUSHMAN PASSES AWAY Was Honored Citizen and Pioneer of the Newville Country Another pioneer of this country has answered the final summons. This time grim Death has taken W. H. Cushman from among us. Mr. Cushman was a resident of near Chrome and was known to almost everyone in this section of Glenn county, having resided in the Newville country since 1863. He was engaged in farming and stock raising. Mr. Cushman was born in Massachusetts in 1835, and like many other young men of his time, came west to seek his fortune. Although not allied with any organization or denomination, he was a man of sterling worth and character and commanded the respect of all who knew him by his integrity. Mr. and Mrs. Cushman visited their daughter, Mrs. J. W. Birch, in Orland Christmas week and it seems that the trip home by way of Willows and Elk Creek was rather severe on Mr. Cushman and he contracted a severe cold. This developed into pneumonia, which after a brief illness caused his death Saturday morning about three o'clock. Mrs. Birch and a brother, accompanied by Dr. Goldman, arrived at the bedside during the night, but it was too late to be of any assistance. The body was taken to Oakland for cremation according to a wish expressed by the deceased. Besides a widow, Mrs. Harriet Cushman, he left four grown children as follows: Lester Cushman of Chrome, Wilfred Cushman of Dixon, Mrs. J. W. Birch of Orland, and Mrs. I. D. Luce of Newville.
  Person ID	I49692	Lanark County Origins
  Last Modified	6 Jun 2022

  
  

  Family	Harriet Stratton Robinson,   b. 1839   d. 1934 (Age 95 years)
  Marriage	1863
  Children	+ 1. Helen Emily Cushman,   b. 11 Jun 1873, California, United States d. 23 Aug 1961, Corning, Tehama County, California, United States (Age 88 years)
  Family ID	F16973	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	4 Mar 2024