Orson Cushman, Waterford, Vermont: Sugarhouse, Family, More

The 1875 Beers map of Waterford (from the County Atlas of Caledonia County 1875) shows O. Cushman as the leading landowner in District 14 -- that is, West Waterford -- at the time. Orson Cushman also owned a sugarhouse which may then have been the oldest in town. Working with the map at the last meeting of the Waterford History Group, we decided the sugarhouse must have been roughly at the land currently owned by Pike Industries and the town of Waterford (transfer station, town garage). And it's gone.

Orson Cushman (April 2, 1820-June 13, 1904) was the son of Soule Cushman (1792-) and Esther Hendrick (1799-1879), and grandson of Waterford settlers Soule Cushman (1748-1795) and Thankful Delano (1757-1814). Orson married Julia Ann Morse (1825-1901; daughter of Oliver Morse, 1762-1841, and Betsey Morrill, 1788-1872, of the Danville Morrill and Varnum lines).

According to Child's Gazetteer of Caledonia and Orleans Counties 1764-1887 (published May 1887), Orson owned 800 sugar trees, as well as 14 cows. His brother Ezra Hendrick Cushman, who lived in Lower Waterford, owned 1000 sugar trees and 10 cows at that time, a good comparison. As another comparison, the Lower Waterford postmaster at that date, Claudius Davison, had 600 sugar trees and 40 head of cattle; Lorenzo Green, for whose family the Green School was named, showed 800 sugar tree, 12 cows, and 19 "head of other stock."

The photo here is of one of Orson and Julia's daughters: Nellie/Ella May Cushman (born Nov. 5, 1859).

More later on the links to the Cushman family cemetery on Walsh Road.