BurialBennington, Benningtion Co., VT15408
FlagsGen #9
(John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of John Cushman and Sophronia (Hurd) Cushman. Served in the Confederate Army15385 He enlisted in Savannah, in the tenth Georgia Regiment until Appomattox with the Army of Northrn Virginia.15409 He may have been pressed into service. Before the war he worked as a potter in Bennington, VT. Between 1850 and 1860 the pottery industries were said to be the largesti n the town emmploying three hundred men.. The Untied State Potter went out of existence by 1860 with the potters going to Trenton,New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois and a few to Kaolin, South Carolina. Albert Cushman had gone to Kaolin from Bennington in December 1858. An 1860 census lists 21 year old Cushman as a factory worker at the Sourther Porcelain Company. James Albert Cushman enlisted in Compamy B of the 10th Georgia Regiment in Savannah on May 18 1861, where he served until September 1864, when he was detaield by the Secretary of War back to Kaolin, SC. The reason for his transer was likely because the sourhter Porcelain co. of Kaolin. SC made brownware insulators for telegraph lines during the Civil War…and pottery workers were in such short supply. His employer may have made it possible for him to get off the field of war and back to his professioin. He remained there through March of 1865. Eccept for absence due to illness in the fall of 1861 and spring of 1862 and a 25 day furlough in Feb 1862, he served until he was taken prisoner followng the surrender and paroled in May 1865. He died in Philadelphia and was returned to Bennington VT for burial.15410
Death6 Aug 1933, Corsicana, Navarro Co. TX, age: 9215384
Burial Oakwood Cemetery, Corsicana, Navarro Co. TX15411
FlagsGen #9
(John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Daughter of John Cushman and Sophronia (Hurd) Cushman. “Almost a yar after the end of the Civil War, Harriet married Confederate Capt. James Robert Blair in DeSoto, LA on March 8, 1866 and then settled in Texas in 1873, producing five children.15409
SpouseJAMES ROBERT BLAIR15411 , 15610
Birth4 Jun 1834, Toccoa Falls, Stephens Co. Georgia15411
Death18 Mar 1923, Corsicana, Navarro Co. TX, age: 8815411
Burial Oakwood Cemetery, Corsicana, Navarro Co. TX15411
Confederate Veteran, 1st Lieutenant, Co. E. Ascension Guards: The 28th Thomas’ Louisiana Infantry Regiment, CSA . Pension #32761.15411 Harriet Maria Cushman Blair is also buried in this cemetery.
Family ID5230
Birth Memoborn in a home on Main Street
FlagsGen #9
(John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of John Cushman and Sophronia (Hurd) Cushman. Had five children. 15414See research note.
Just after the Civil War, ca. 1867, Henry Theodore Cushman (5/16/1844-1922), a merchant since the age of 16, began making corks in North Bennington. At age 24, Cushman, a Bennington native, enlisted, as Regimental Quartermaster Master Sergeant, 4th Regt., March 1, 1862; Quartermaster, Jan. 29, 1863; mustered out of service, Sept. 20, 1864. He married Eliza Hall, Hiland Hall's granddaughter on October 4, 1867. They had 5 children. At some point in time he was a State Senator. A frugal Yankee, Cushman decided to manufacture mattresses stuffed with the waste from the corks he made.
In the early 1870s he started a small factory in the rear of a three story brick she factory located on the site of the McCullough Library. Cushman invented several "novelties" which he sold, including the erasers on the end of lead pencils. Eventually he sold the right to manufacture the erasers and received royalties for many years. Cushman organized a successful mail order company, The United States Mail Supply Company, one of the first in this country. He invented the first ink eraser, the first pencil and ink eraser combination, and the first childrens' "pencil box" with pencils, pen, eraser, and ruler in the box. He also made the first ink eradicator. Cushman manufactured some of the earliest roller skates, made almost entirely of wood. He also invented a pocket-sized roller skate which rolled into a tube. He sold all these items through his mail order business. Child's Business Directory of 1880-1881 lists the business as "Cushman, Henry T., manufacturer of stationers' supplies, specialties. West n[ear] Main, h[ome] Bank." This locale proved to be small, so in 1889 he moved into the Dayton Colvin Mill on Prospect Street where he founded the "H.T. Cushman Company." The building had recently been rebuilt after a fire and later served as a warehouse for the company. Shortly after moving into the building, in 1886 he began manufacturing coat and hat hangers and racks, the first real furniture he produced. About this time a salesman developed the idea of a towel rack and sponge holder for the bathroom, known as the "Ladies' Friend," which became "immensely popular." Then followed: umbrella racks; folding umbrella stands; portrait easels; music stands; jardiniere stands; wall pockets and book racks; foot rests and stools; hall trees and racks; "Jolly Catchers" [small catch-alls]; indoor grill work. Later on the company produced folding screens and fire screens, the most popular model being the "Cat Screen," showing a mother cat and two kittens in front of a fireplace, all three covered in black rabbit fur.
In 1892 the Cushman Company moved to its last location on present-day Route 67A, and on February 22, 1899 the "H.T. Cushman Company" was incorporated under the laws of the state of Vermont. President and treasurer of the company was Henry T. Cushman; vice president, Robert N. Squire, Bennington; secretary and superintendent, Arthur H. Cushman (a son). At this time the company made 150 different articles of fancy furniture. Between 30-100 people worked there.
Circa 1901 the company began manufacturing Mission Furniture. This was not an original design, nor was Cushman the only manufacturer. However, the did design the first end-shelf table in Mission style. The company made stools, stands, and wardrobe trees, utilizing mahogany. Other items invented by Cushman Company included the "Betumal," [Beat 'em all], a telephone stand with an attached hinged stool nestled within a stand when not in use and the "Shynezy" chair, which provided space under a hinged seat for household shoe shining supplies. Also manufactured were shoe polishing stools.
In the fall of 1913 a small line of smokers was introduced. This line expanded into the most popular smokers in the country. The first brick addition to the plant was added in 1919. In 1921 the first colored enamel breakfast room suites were introduced. The power plant and East Ell were added in 1922 and in 1926 a large brick addition to the main factory building was added.
By the early 1930s the demand for smoker's furniture, which peaked from 1918 to 1926, waned. In the spring of 1933, a sensation arose in the furniture industry when Cushman introduced its "Colonial Creations" line, and in spring of 1936 a "Modern Creations" line was added. Designer for the furniture was Herman DeVries from Holland. Colonial furniture had been made by others but Cushman became the first company to adapt ideas from blacksmiths' nailboxes or cobblers' benches. The maple finish and scuffing or agin effect made this brand-new furniture appear to be 150 years old. A newspaper account written in 1936 declares that for the last 8-10 years, the Cushman Company distributed 5,000-8,000 Vermont maple sugar cakes at the markets yearly. The Stone House, across the street from the factory, had been the site of the marriage and home of Mr. and Mrs. Cushman from 1867-1922. The House had already been turned into a free exhibit displaying the furniture in the 1930s.
By 1910, four sons of H.T. Cushman worked for the company. John Henry Cushman was president; William C.H. Cushman, vice-president and treasurer, who circa 1913, became the first person to use spray gins to apply varnish and shellac finishes to furniture; and Frederick B. Cushman, secretary. J.H. Cushman began with the company in 1896. As of 1953, at the age of 75 he was still alive. William began in 1899 and died in 1950. Frederick entered the business in 1907 and died in 1940. Arthur H. Cushman, the oldest son, also started at the family business, but began pursuing other business interests shortly after WWI. Burton L. Bromley began in the company in 1899 and was still director in 1953.
By the 1950s all furniture was made of yellow birch from Canada and New York which is tougher than maple, heavier than mahogany, more shock-resistant than walnut, and of greater bending strength than oak. Employed at the plant in 1953 were Hall W. Cushman, vice-president and general manager and Townsend K. Wellington, vice-president in charge of sales, who, by 1969, was managing the Stone House.
According to Burton L. Bromley (1882-1975), the Cushman Company was sold to General Industries in 1964. Mr. Bromley worked for Cushman for over 50 years. He lived on Mechanic St. from 1913 until his death. A Christmas advertisement from the Banner in November 1969 lists "Cushman/Shaw Division of General Interiors Corp., but the new company is anxious to restore the spirit of a family-owned community business to the local factory." In 1971 the Green Mountain Furniture Company, based in New Hampshire, purchased the H.T. Cushman Co., from General Industries of New York who had moved their production to other operations. Green Mountain Furniture went out of business in 1980. Photo of stone at Find A Grave.15384
1880 census shows this family in Bennington, Bennington, VT: Henry T. Cushman, Eliza D. Cushman, Athur H Cushman and John H. Cushman.15418
Notes and summaries
The materials described in this collection are located in the collections of Bennington Museum, Bennington, Vt.
H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company of North Bennington, Vt., was founded in 1886 by Henry Theodore Cushman (1844-1922) to manufacture household furniture accessories, such as coat and hat racks. The company began making mission style furniture in 1901 and by the 1920s was a highly successful manufacturer of smokers and breakfast sets. It also began making reproductions of colonial furniture in the 1920s but struggled against many other competitors for this market. In 1933, however, Cushman introduced Cushman Colonial Creations, a new line of colonial style furniture designed by Herman DeVries which featured rounded edges and a reddish maple color and proved to be very popular. It was the company's trademark line for three decades. In 1964 the company was acquired by General Interiors which owned several other furniture manufacturers. In 1971 the company's North Bennington plant was sold to Green Mountain Furniture which did not acquire the Cushman name. Green Mountain closed the North Bennington facility in 1980.
Chiefly printed catalogs and other promotional materials, primarily concerning Cushman Colonial Creations, the company's most famous product line which was introduced in 1933 and remained popular into the early 1960s. There is, however, one catalog from 1894-1895 together with some advertising material from the same period, and several catalogs for the company's popular line of smokers in the 1920s. In addition to annual catalogs and price lists, there are also specialized brochures and booklets describing particular lines of Cushman Colonial Creations, providing decorating advice to consumers, and promoting the Old Stone House in North Bennington as a showcase for Cushman furniture.15419
The Hall-Cushman family papers, 1786-ca 1930, manuscript, are located in the collections of Bennington Museum Bennignton, VT. (52 file folders.) Named persons include: Hiland Hall; Dolly Tuttle Davis Hall; Henry Davis Hall; Caroline E Thatcher Hall; Martha Bostwick Rouse Hall; Nathaniel Blachley Hall; T W Park; H H Hall; Charles Thatcher; Hall family.; Cushman family. The manuscripts include records, chiefly correspondence, of Hiland Hall and his family and Civil War and business records of Henry T. Cushman. The Civil War records of Henry T. Cushman (industrialist, husband of Eliza Hall), of North Bennington, are reports he filed during his service as quartermaster in the 4th Vermont Infantry from early 1863 through Sept. 1864. The business records of Cushman include file of correspondence from 1883 with Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, concerning the quality of erasers manufactured by Cushman and sold to Dixon. Another folder contains patent documents issued to Henry T. Cushman for a paper polisher, improvements to erasers, pencils, mucilage holders, and stocking darning lasts; and one patent to Hassan U. Allen of North Bennington for an improvement to fruit jars. There is also a short, typewritten history of the H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of furniture in North Bennington, probably dating from the late 1920s. 15420
Photo from Find A Grave.15384
HENRY THEODORE CUSHMAN.
Henry Theodore Cushman, a successful man-
ufacturer and inventor of North Bennington, and
a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Benning-
ton, Bennington county. Vermont, May 16. 1844.
His ancestry was of Puritan stock, be being .^
direct descendant of Robert Cushman, who sailed
with the Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower. His
great-grandfather. Charles Cushman, was one_of
(he leading men of historic Bennington, a Revo-
lutionary soldier, and later serving as selectman
of the town, a justice of the peace, and deacon
of the old First church.
Henry T. Cushman was the youngest son of
John and Sophronia (Hurd) Cushman. He was
educated in the academies of his native place, and
began business as a merchant at the age of sixteen
years, being left, by the death of his father, with
the care and principal support of his mother and
two sisters. He enlisted in the early part of the
Rebellion as regimental quartermaster, and was
probably the youngest quartermaster in the army.
His efficiency and faithfulness are attested by the
fact that in the absence of the brigade quarter-
master he was at times appointed to fill that posi-
tion. He was the first to offer his services to
the brigade commander. General L. A, Grant,
who said of him, in a letter to a brother soldier:
"He was not only an excellent quartermaster, but
he was a brave and gallant soldier, I shall never
forget, when the terrible battle of the Wilderness
left the old brigade with but one staff officer, how
Lieutenant Cushman and two other quartermas-
ters volunteered to serve during the emergency.
It was a gallant act of itself, and Lieutenant Cush-
man not only volunteered, but he performed con-
spicuous service all through the battle that immediately followed the Wilderness, including the Bloody Angle."
Since his removal to North Bennington in
1867. Mr. Cushnian has been engaged in the man-
ufacture of stationers' goods, he having received
letters patent on many of the articles he makes.
After prosecuting this branch of business with
success for some time, he added to it the manu-
facture of fine furniture, reaching out into all
states of the Union, and exporting also to Eng-
land, Germany and other foreign countries. He
now has one of the largest plants in town.
In 1877, at the celebration of the Centennial
of the battle of licnnington, Mr. Cushman was
adjutant general of the veterans" reunion, and was
active in locating the encampment and preparing
for the entertainment of the veterans and the
other soldiery. He is a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic, the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion of the L'nited Slates, tiie Sons of
the American Revolution, the Bennington Battle
Monument Association, and several prominent
clubs, local and state. He has been, since 1895,
president of the village where he resides, and has
been also at the head of the school committee,
taking special interest in educational matters. He
is a man of good conmion sense, agreeably sea-
soned with wit and humor. He is a Republican.
October 4, 1867, Mr. Cnsman marired Eliza,
daughter of Henry Davis Hall, and granddaugh-
er of Ex-Governor Hiland Hall; thev have five
Children: Arthur H.. John H.. William C. H.,
Caroline E. and Frederick B. Cushman. 15421
This Old Stone House sat opposite the factory office of Cushman Colonial Creations, Maple Finished Colonial Furniture Manufactured by H. T. Cushman Mfg. Co. North Bennington, VT. The old house was constructed of Vermont Blue Stone. Today, the house contains a public exhibit of Cushman Colonial Creations. This antique furniture is now highly collectible.
I have a copy of:
Title: H. T. Cushman: Civil War Soldier, Inventor and Manufacturer of Cushman Furnitur
Author: Bonser, Susan
ISBN: 9781505786866
Format: Paperback
Condition: Brand New
Publisher: Createspace
Comments: Good bio starts at page 40
Recorded as Henry F Cushman b 1843-44 in the a870 VT census.2916
Q: Can you give me some information about Cushman furniture?
Answer: Henry Theodore Cushman (1844-1922) started a factory in North Bennington, Vt., in the early 1870s and made corks and erasers. By 1880, he had a mail-order business selling stationers’ supplies and specialties. He made wooden roller skates, which were sold through his mail-order business. He held patents for a combined ruler and pencil case and for improvements to rubber erasers, stocking darners and whips. Cushman began making furniture in 1886 and was operating as H.T. Cushman Co. by 1889. Mission, Colonial and modern furniture were made. Early furniture was made in oak, maple or mahogany. Yellow birch was used exclusively beginning in the 1950s. In 1964 the company was sold to General Industries, which sold it to Green Mountain Furniture Co. in 1971. Green Mountain Furniture went out of business in 1980.
Just after the Civil War, ca. 1867, Henry Theodore Cushman (5/16/1844-1922), a merchant since the age of 16, began making corks in North Bennington. At age 24, Cushman, a Bennington native, enlisted, as Regimental Quartermaster Master Sergeant, 4th Regt., March 1, 1862; Quartermaster, Jan. 29, 1863; mustered out of service, Sept. 20, 1864. He married Eliza Hall, Hiland Hall's granddaughter on October 4, 1867. They had 5 children. At some point in time he was a State Senator. A frugal Yankee, Cushman decided to manufacture mattresses stuffed with the waste from the corks he made.
In the early 1870s he started a small factory in the rear of a three story brick she factory located on the site of the McCullough Library. Cushman invented several "novelties" which he sold, including the erasers on the end of lead pencils. Eventually he sold the right to manufacture the erasers and received royalties for many years. Cushman organized a successful mail order company, The United States Mail Supply Company, one of the first in this country. He invented the first ink eraser, the first pencil and ink eraser combination, and the first childrens' "pencil box" with pencils, pen, eraser, and ruler in the box. He also made the first ink eradicator. Cushman manufactured some of the earliest roller skates, made almost entirely of wood. He also invented a pocket-sized roller skate which rolled into a tube. He sold all these items through his mail order business. Child's Business Directory of 1880-1881 lists the business as "Cushman, Henry T., manufacturer of stationers' supplies, specialties. West n[ear] Main, h[ome] Bank." This locale proved to be small, so in 1889 he moved into the Dayton Colvin Mill on Prospect Street where he founded the "H.T. Cushman Company." The building had recently been rebuilt after a fire and later served as a warehouse for the company. Shortly after moving into the building, in 1886 he began manufacturing coat and hat hangers and racks, the first real furniture he produced. About this time a salesman developed the idea of a towel rack and sponge holder for the bathroom, known as the "Ladies' Friend," which became "immensely popular." Then followed: umbrella racks; folding umbrella stands; portrait easels; music stands; jardiniere stands; wall pockets and book racks; foot rests and stools; hall trees and racks; "Jolly Catchers" [small catch-alls]; indoor grill work. Later on the company produced folding screens and fire screens, the most popular model being the "Cat Screen," showing a mother cat and two kittens in front of a fireplace, all three covered in black rabbit fur.
In 1892 the Cushman Company moved to its last location on present-day Route 67A, and on February 22, 1899 the "H.T. Cushman Company" was incorporated under the laws of the state of Vermont. President and treasurer of the company was Henry T. Cushman; vice president, Robert N. Squire, Bennington; secretary and superintendent, Arthur H. Cushman (a son). At this time the company made 150 different articles of fancy furniture. Between 30-100 people worked there.
Circa 1901 the company began manufacturing Mission Furniture. This was not an original design, nor was Cushman the only manufacturer. However, the did design the first end-shelf table in Mission style. The company made stools, stands, and wardrobe trees, utilizing mahogany. Other items invented by Cushman Company included the "Betumal," [Beat 'em all], a telephone stand with an attached hinged stool nestled within a stand when not in use and the "Shynezy" chair, which provided space under a hinged seat for household shoe shining supplies. Also manufactured were shoe polishing stools.
In the fall of 1913 a small line of smokers was introduced. This line expanded into the most popular smokers in the country. The first brick addition to the plant was added in 1919. In 1921 the first colored enamel breakfast room suites were introduced. The power plant and East Ell were added in 1922 and in 1926 a large brick addition to the main factory building was added.
By the early 1930s the demand for smoker's furniture, which peaked from 1918 to 1926, waned. In the spring of 1933, a sensation arose in the furniture industry when Cushman introduced its "Colonial Creations" line, and in spring of 1936 a "Modern Creations" line was added. Designer for the furniture was Herman DeVries from Holland. Colonial furniture had been made by others but Cushman became the first company to adapt ideas from blacksmiths' nailboxes or cobblers' benches. The maple finish and scuffing or agin effect made this brand-new furniture appear to be 150 years old. A newspaper account written in 1936 declares that for the last 8-10 years, the Cushman Company distributed 5,000-8,000 Vermont maple sugar cakes at the markets yearly. The Stone House, across the street from the factory, had been the site of the marriage and home of Mr. and Mrs. Cushman from 1867-1922. The House had already been turned into a free exhibit displaying the furniture in the 1930s.
By 1910, four sons of H.T. Cushman worked for the company. John Henry Cushman was president; William C.H. Cushman, vice-president and treasurer, who circa 1913, became the first person to use spray gins to apply varnish and shellac finishes to furniture; and Frederick B. Cushman, secretary. J.H. Cushman began with the company in 1896. As of 1953, at the age of 75 he was still alive. William began in 1899 and died in 1950. Frederick entered the business in 1907 and died in 1940. Arthur H. Cushman, the oldest son, also started at the family business, but began pursuing other business interests shortly after WWI. Burton L. Bromley began in the company in 1899 and was still director in 1953.
By the 1950s all furniture was made of yellow birch from Canada and New York which is tougher than maple, heavier than mahogany, more shock-resistant than walnut, and of greater bending strength than oak. Employed at the plant in 1953 were Hall W. Cushman, vice-president and general manager and Townsend K. Wellington, vice-president in charge of sales, who, by 1969, was managing the Stone House.
According to Burton L. Bromley (1882-1975), the Cushman Company was sold to General Industries in 1964. Mr. Bromley worked for Cushman for over 50 years. He lived on Mechanic St. from 1913 until his death. A Christmas advertisement from the Banner in November 1969 lists "Cushman/Shaw Division of General Interiors Corp., but the new company is anxious to restore the spirit of a family-owned community business to the local factory." In 1971 the Green Mountain Furniture Company, based in New Hampshire, purchased the H.T. Cushman Co., from General Industries of New York who had moved their production to other operations. Green Mountain Furniture went out of business in 1980. Photo of stone at Find A Grave.15384
1880 census shows this family in Bennington, Bennington, VT: Henry T. Cushman, Eliza D. Cushman, Athur H Cushman and John H. Cushman.15418
Notes and summaries
The materials described in this collection are located in the collections of Bennington Museum, Bennington, Vt.
H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company of North Bennington, Vt., was founded in 1886 by Henry Theodore Cushman (1844-1922) to manufacture household furniture accessories, such as coat and hat racks. The company began making mission style furniture in 1901 and by the 1920s was a highly successful manufacturer of smokers and breakfast sets. It also began making reproductions of colonial furniture in the 1920s but struggled against many other competitors for this market. In 1933, however, Cushman introduced Cushman Colonial Creations, a new line of colonial style furniture designed by Herman DeVries which featured rounded edges and a reddish maple color and proved to be very popular. It was the company's trademark line for three decades. In 1964 the company was acquired by General Interiors which owned several other furniture manufacturers. In 1971 the company's North Bennington plant was sold to Green Mountain Furniture which did not acquire the Cushman name. Green Mountain closed the North Bennington facility in 1980.
Chiefly printed catalogs and other promotional materials, primarily concerning Cushman Colonial Creations, the company's most famous product line which was introduced in 1933 and remained popular into the early 1960s. There is, however, one catalog from 1894-1895 together with some advertising material from the same period, and several catalogs for the company's popular line of smokers in the 1920s. In addition to annual catalogs and price lists, there are also specialized brochures and booklets describing particular lines of Cushman Colonial Creations, providing decorating advice to consumers, and promoting the Old Stone House in North Bennington as a showcase for Cushman furniture.15419
The Hall-Cushman family papers, 1786-ca 1930, manuscript, are located in the collections of Bennington Museum Bennignton, VT. (52 file folders.) Named persons include: Hiland Hall; Dolly Tuttle Davis Hall; Henry Davis Hall; Caroline E Thatcher Hall; Martha Bostwick Rouse Hall; Nathaniel Blachley Hall; T W Park; H H Hall; Charles Thatcher; Hall family.; Cushman family. The manuscripts include records, chiefly correspondence, of Hiland Hall and his family and Civil War and business records of Henry T. Cushman. The Civil War records of Henry T. Cushman (industrialist, husband of Eliza Hall), of North Bennington, are reports he filed during his service as quartermaster in the 4th Vermont Infantry from early 1863 through Sept. 1864. The business records of Cushman include file of correspondence from 1883 with Joseph Dixon Crucible Company, concerning the quality of erasers manufactured by Cushman and sold to Dixon. Another folder contains patent documents issued to Henry T. Cushman for a paper polisher, improvements to erasers, pencils, mucilage holders, and stocking darning lasts; and one patent to Hassan U. Allen of North Bennington for an improvement to fruit jars. There is also a short, typewritten history of the H.T. Cushman Manufacturing Company, manufacturers of furniture in North Bennington, probably dating from the late 1920s. 15420
Photo from Find A Grave.15384
HENRY THEODORE CUSHMAN.
Henry Theodore Cushman, a successful man-
ufacturer and inventor of North Bennington, and
a veteran of the Civil war, was born in Benning-
ton, Bennington county. Vermont, May 16. 1844.
His ancestry was of Puritan stock, be being .^
direct descendant of Robert Cushman, who sailed
with the Pilgrim Fathers in the Mayflower. His
great-grandfather. Charles Cushman, was one_of
(he leading men of historic Bennington, a Revo-
lutionary soldier, and later serving as selectman
of the town, a justice of the peace, and deacon
of the old First church.
Henry T. Cushman was the youngest son of
John and Sophronia (Hurd) Cushman. He was
educated in the academies of his native place, and
began business as a merchant at the age of sixteen
years, being left, by the death of his father, with
the care and principal support of his mother and
two sisters. He enlisted in the early part of the
Rebellion as regimental quartermaster, and was
probably the youngest quartermaster in the army.
His efficiency and faithfulness are attested by the
fact that in the absence of the brigade quarter-
master he was at times appointed to fill that posi-
tion. He was the first to offer his services to
the brigade commander. General L. A, Grant,
who said of him, in a letter to a brother soldier:
"He was not only an excellent quartermaster, but
he was a brave and gallant soldier, I shall never
forget, when the terrible battle of the Wilderness
left the old brigade with but one staff officer, how
Lieutenant Cushman and two other quartermas-
ters volunteered to serve during the emergency.
It was a gallant act of itself, and Lieutenant Cush-
man not only volunteered, but he performed con-
spicuous service all through the battle that immediately followed the Wilderness, including the Bloody Angle."
Since his removal to North Bennington in
1867. Mr. Cushnian has been engaged in the man-
ufacture of stationers' goods, he having received
letters patent on many of the articles he makes.
After prosecuting this branch of business with
success for some time, he added to it the manu-
facture of fine furniture, reaching out into all
states of the Union, and exporting also to Eng-
land, Germany and other foreign countries. He
now has one of the largest plants in town.
In 1877, at the celebration of the Centennial
of the battle of licnnington, Mr. Cushman was
adjutant general of the veterans" reunion, and was
active in locating the encampment and preparing
for the entertainment of the veterans and the
other soldiery. He is a member of the Grand
Army of the Republic, the Military Order of the
Loyal Legion of the L'nited Slates, tiie Sons of
the American Revolution, the Bennington Battle
Monument Association, and several prominent
clubs, local and state. He has been, since 1895,
president of the village where he resides, and has
been also at the head of the school committee,
taking special interest in educational matters. He
is a man of good conmion sense, agreeably sea-
soned with wit and humor. He is a Republican.
October 4, 1867, Mr. Cnsman marired Eliza,
daughter of Henry Davis Hall, and granddaugh-
er of Ex-Governor Hiland Hall; thev have five
Children: Arthur H.. John H.. William C. H.,
Caroline E. and Frederick B. Cushman. 15421
This Old Stone House sat opposite the factory office of Cushman Colonial Creations, Maple Finished Colonial Furniture Manufactured by H. T. Cushman Mfg. Co. North Bennington, VT. The old house was constructed of Vermont Blue Stone. Today, the house contains a public exhibit of Cushman Colonial Creations. This antique furniture is now highly collectible.
I have a copy of:
Title: H. T. Cushman: Civil War Soldier, Inventor and Manufacturer of Cushman Furnitur
Author: Bonser, Susan
ISBN: 9781505786866
Format: Paperback
Condition: Brand New
Publisher: Createspace
Comments: Good bio starts at page 40
Recorded as Henry F Cushman b 1843-44 in the a870 VT census.2916
Q: Can you give me some information about Cushman furniture?
Answer: Henry Theodore Cushman (1844-1922) started a factory in North Bennington, Vt., in the early 1870s and made corks and erasers. By 1880, he had a mail-order business selling stationers’ supplies and specialties. He made wooden roller skates, which were sold through his mail-order business. He held patents for a combined ruler and pencil case and for improvements to rubber erasers, stocking darners and whips. Cushman began making furniture in 1886 and was operating as H.T. Cushman Co. by 1889. Mission, Colonial and modern furniture were made. Early furniture was made in oak, maple or mahogany. Yellow birch was used exclusively beginning in the 1950s. In 1964 the company was sold to General Industries, which sold it to Green Mountain Furniture Co. in 1971. Green Mountain Furniture went out of business in 1980.
BurialBennington Village Cemetery, Bennington, Bennington Co. VT15384
Daughter of Henry David Hall and Caroline E. thatcher. Henry D Hall was 15424Vermont Governor Hiland Hall’s grandaughter. 15414Referred to as Eliza D. Cushman in 1880 census.15413 Birth date may be wrong, too early to have borne a son at age 60. Photo of stone at Find A Grave.15384Referred to as Eliza D. Cushman in 1880 census.15425
Family ID1885
Marr Memoor 24 Oct 1868
ChildrenCharles Hall , 28288 (1870-1877)
ROBERT HENRY , 13742 (1873-1877)
Albert Henry , 28289 (1874-1877)
ARTHUR HALL , 5737 (1875-1936)
JOHN HENRY , 5738 (1878-1963)
WILLIAM CARROLL Hall , 5739 (1880-1950)
FREDERICK BENNETT , 5740 (1881-1940)
CAROLINE ELIZA. , 5741 (1885-1985)
Marjorie , 22499 (ca1897-)
BurialGrandview Cemetery, North Bennington, Bennington Co. VT15428
ResidenceBennington,VT
FlagsGen#10
(Henry Theodre, John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of Henry Theodore Cushman and Eliza (Hall) Cushman. By 1910, four sons of H.T. Cushman worked for the company. John Henry Cushman was president; William C.H. Cushman, vice-president and treasurer, who circa 1913, became the first person to use spray gins to apply varnish and shellac finishes to furniture; and Frederick B. Cushman, secretary. J.H. Cushman began with the company in 1896. As of 1953, at the age of 75 he was still alive. William began in 1899 and died in 1950. Frederick entered the business in 1907 and died in 1940. Arthur H. Cushman, the oldest son, also started at the family business, but began pursuing other business interests shortly after WWI. Burton L. Bromley began in the company in 1899 and was still director in 1953.15414 Photo of stone at Find A Grave. 15434See research notes.
ChildrenWESTERVELT THACHER , 14928 (1907-1916)
HALL WATSON , 14929 (1909-1982)
ELEANOR , 14930 (1910-1995)
SpouseEILEEN GERTRUDE MILLER15441 , 14931
Death24 Dec 2006, Village of Fillmore Pond, VT, age: 96508
BurialOld Bennington Cemetery, Bennington, Bennington Co. VT15104
ResidenceVillage of Fillmore Pond, VT508
Rutland Herald (VT) - December 26, 2006
Eileen M. Cushman
BENNINGTON - Eileen Miller "Billie" "GG" Cushman, 96, of the Village at Fillmore Pond, died Dec. 24, 2006. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1910, the daughter of George Henry and Gertrude (Shepard) Miller. She married Hall Watson Cushman in 1935.Survivors include a daughter, Deborah Williams of Bennington; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; a brother, John Miller of Claremont, Calif.; and several nieces...951
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BENNINGTON -- Eileen "Billie" Cushman Eileen Miller Cushman, 96, a resident of the Village at Fillmore Pond, died Dec. 24, 2006. Mrs. Cushman was known to her friends as "Billie" and to her family as "GG." She was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct., 29, 1910, the daughter of George Henry and Gertrude (Shepard) Miller. Mrs. Cushman married Hall Watson Cushman in 1935. Mr. Cushman died Nov. 9, 1982. Mrs. Cushman's daughter, Barbara Hall Cushman, died in 1975. Her son, Christopher Shepard Cushman, died in 1983. Christopher's wife, Darlene (Coonz) Cushman, and three of Mrs. Cushman's brothers, Charles Allen Miller, Carl George Miller and Elwood Eugene Miller all predeceased her. Mrs. Cushman is survived by her daughter, Deborah Cushman Williams, of Bennington and Deborah's husband John; six grandchildren, Deron Cushman, Shannon Cushman, Westervelt Cushman, Lane Williams, Amanda Jaulin, and Hall Williams;15 great-grandchildren; her brother, John Shepard Miller of Claremont, Calif., and several nieces and nephews. There will be no calling hours or funeral service. A committal service in the Old Bennington Cemetery will take place in the spring at the convenience of the family. If friends desire, contributions in memory of Mrs. Cushman may be made to either the VNA and Hospice of Southwestern Vermont Health Care or a charity of ones choice through the office of the Mahar & Son Funeral Home 628 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201. Published in Bennington Banner on December 26, 2006 15104
Eileen M. Cushman
BENNINGTON - Eileen Miller "Billie" "GG" Cushman, 96, of the Village at Fillmore Pond, died Dec. 24, 2006. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 29, 1910, the daughter of George Henry and Gertrude (Shepard) Miller. She married Hall Watson Cushman in 1935.Survivors include a daughter, Deborah Williams of Bennington; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; a brother, John Miller of Claremont, Calif.; and several nieces...951
Purchase Complete Article, of 147 words
BENNINGTON -- Eileen "Billie" Cushman Eileen Miller Cushman, 96, a resident of the Village at Fillmore Pond, died Dec. 24, 2006. Mrs. Cushman was known to her friends as "Billie" and to her family as "GG." She was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Oct., 29, 1910, the daughter of George Henry and Gertrude (Shepard) Miller. Mrs. Cushman married Hall Watson Cushman in 1935. Mr. Cushman died Nov. 9, 1982. Mrs. Cushman's daughter, Barbara Hall Cushman, died in 1975. Her son, Christopher Shepard Cushman, died in 1983. Christopher's wife, Darlene (Coonz) Cushman, and three of Mrs. Cushman's brothers, Charles Allen Miller, Carl George Miller and Elwood Eugene Miller all predeceased her. Mrs. Cushman is survived by her daughter, Deborah Cushman Williams, of Bennington and Deborah's husband John; six grandchildren, Deron Cushman, Shannon Cushman, Westervelt Cushman, Lane Williams, Amanda Jaulin, and Hall Williams;15 great-grandchildren; her brother, John Shepard Miller of Claremont, Calif., and several nieces and nephews. There will be no calling hours or funeral service. A committal service in the Old Bennington Cemetery will take place in the spring at the convenience of the family. If friends desire, contributions in memory of Mrs. Cushman may be made to either the VNA and Hospice of Southwestern Vermont Health Care or a charity of ones choice through the office of the Mahar & Son Funeral Home 628 Main St., Bennington, VT 05201. Published in Bennington Banner on December 26, 2006 15104
Family ID10292
Marriage193515442
FlagsGen#13
(Christopher, Hall, Arthur, Henry Theodre, John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of Christopher Shephard Cushman Darlene (Coonz) Cushman.
FlagsGen#13
(Christopher, Hall, Arthur, Henry Theodre, John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of Christopher Shephard Cushman Darlene (Coonz) Cushman.
FlagsGen#13
(Christopher, Hall, Arthur, Henry Theodre, John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Son of Christopher Shephard Cushman Darlene (Coonz) Cushman.
FlagsGen#12
(Hall, Arthur, Henry Theodre, John, Charles, Charles, Charles, John, Eleazer, Thomas, Robert). Daughter of Hall Watson Cushman and Eileen Gertrude (Miller) Cushman.