Cushman, Elisha (2)

Cushman, Elisha a Baptist minister, son of Reverend Elisha Cushman, was born at Hartford, Connecticut, July 4, 1813. In March 1836, he commenced, with Mr. Isaac N. Bolles, the publication of what was subsequently known as the Hartford Courier, a political newspaper. In March 1838, he began a religious paper, the Christian Secretary, the organ of the Baptists in Connecticut, which had been discontinued for a short time. In the autumn of 1839 he became a Christian, and united with the First Baptist Church in Hartford. Soon after this he retired from the editorship of the political paper, of which he had had charge, and confined his attention to the Secretary. In April 1840, he was licensed to preach, and was ordained pastor of the Baptist Church in Willington, September 30 of the same year. He now gave up his editorial work, and devoted himself to his Church, of which he remained pastor for five years, when, in consequence of ill-health, he resigned. In a year or two his health was so far restored that he was able to resume his ministerial work; and in April 1847, he accepted a call to the pastorate of the Church at Deep River, where he continued for several years. He afterwards acted as pastor of the Church in West Hartford for some time, and returned, at length, to his former position as editor of the Christian Secretary, for a season, performing the duties of pastor of the Church at Bloomfield. His death occurred at Hartford, January 4, 1876. See the Cushman Genealogy, page 408; Turnbull, in the Christian Secretary, January 12, 1876. (J.C.S.)