The Portland daily press., 1870-04-30
DAILY PRESS.
"oHIeLANr
SATURDAY. Morning, April 30, 1870.
History of Cushins's Point and il. Orig.
b iral Owner.

inal Owner.
Mr.. EDIToR:-I find the scene of the wreck
of the Grand Turk in 179S, of which gave
you some account recently, is by some suppos-
ed to be on the shore of Bangs Island, for the
reason that Mr.. Cushing owns the Island
and it sometimes goes by his name, and per-
haps with some propriety, as history says that
Joshua Bangs bought the Island of Col. Eze-
kiel Cushing in 1760; but all the older resi-
dents of the vicinity know that Col. Ezekiel
Cnshings large mercantile establishment was
on the point bearing his name few rods east
of the breakwater, and at the western extreln-
ity of the sandy cove west of Fort Preble.
The precise spot of his settlement is now
unocupied, although there is group of houses
little south Of it. The earth of the point has
worked away for several Iods since his day,
leaving a steep bank Of gravel some ten feet
high facing the harbor. 1t was indeed a beau
tiful location for residence or for business,
being perfectly sheltered from the sea and
within a mile of the open ocean. The surface
| of the land shows that it had been carefulIv
graded and rounded and is yet as smooth as
any lawn of the present day. His house has
disappeared, but the well-buit cellar remains
with the foundations of the out-buildipgs
showing their size and location. The house
faced the south, as most dwellings did built at
that time. There is bed of pieces of clam
shells, without whole one, showing its age,
on the eastern shore Of the Point, 10 or 12
rods long and feet deep, where it has wash
ell away; its width cannot be determined
without digging as 1t is covered several inches
deep with tough sward. 1t is probably the
accumulationsof the shells OF the clans used
for bait by many fishing vessels.
So much for the Point" About its owner
i will let Mr.. Willis tell you. He says in the
history OF Portland, page 800, Gushing, Col.
Ezekiel, was the son of Rev. Jeremiah Cush-
ing, of Scituate, where he was born April 2S,
1898. His first wife vas Hannah Doune, OF
Plymouth, born in 1908, by whom he had the
following children born in Provincetown, viz:
Loring in 1721, who graduated at Harvard
College in 1741, and died in IT'S; Ezekiel,
born 1724; Jeremiah 1729; Hannah, born
1892; Lucy 1874; Lucia 1885; Phebe 1738.
After which he moved to Cape Elizabeth and
occupied the point which has ever since borne
his name, and where part of his house re-
mains. In TAG he married the widow Mary
Parker of Boston, daughter of Dominicus Jor-
dan of Cape Elizabeth, by whom he had three
children; John, Thomas and Nathaniel. His
second wife had by her first husband four
children, one of whom, Mary, married Loring
Gushing above named. His daughter Lucia
married James Otis OF Scituate, and Hannah
married Charles Robinson. His descendants
are numerous both in the male and female
lines. He was one Of the most distinguished
men in our neighborhood and lived in line
style. He commanded the regiment of the
County, then the highest military office in
Maine was selectman of the town nine years,
and filled other important offices. He was
largely engaged in the fisheries and the West
India trade, and during his time there was
more commercial business carried on in 81
monitor Cove and on the Cape Elizabeth shore
than on the Falmouth side. He died in l765,
aged 81 years."
Mr.. Willis has not enumerated all his
children as find in the Cape Elizabeth bury
ing ground near the old meeting house the
head stone of "Nicholas, son to Mr.!Ezekiel
Gushing, who died 1745," also large slate
stone surmounted by deaths head, with
wings, with the following inscription: Here
lies buried the body of Mrs. Hannah Gushing
wife to now Ezekiel Gushing, died June 7th,
1742, in the Na9th year of her age.
His own grave is not to be found. One OF
his sons was killed by the Indians in 1765.
Parson Smith says under date of January
End, 1741, 81 was over the ice from Capt.
MoodYs beach straisht 10 Col Ggshings TO
over to Col. Cushings on the ice and might
have rode in my sleigh as intended but was
discouraged"
Mrs. Stephen Tukey, whose husband built
the house formerly projecting into Federal
street, at the corner of Franklin staeet, where
she lived until her death in 1888, aged IS,
was a daughter OF Col. Cushings third son,
Jeremiah. kShe fwas born in Cape Elizabeth
and well recollected her grandfather. From
her l got many facts.
I The mother of the late Nathaniel j. Miller
was another daughter of Jeremiah Cushing,
and was born and always lived at the Cape.
Appollos Cushing who built house on
Federal street, where he lived 40 years ago
on the site of the Park, was son of Jeremiah
and grandson of Col. Ezekiel. / recollect 40
years ago row of porcelain tiles round this
lparlor fire place, with scripture scenes, one of
which have in my possession, perhaps rel
les of the Grand Turks cargo.
Round the mantel piece
Glisten scripture tiles,
Henceforth they shall cease
Painting Egypts woes
Painting David's fight,
Fair Bathsheba's smiles,
Blinded Samson's might
Down the old house goes.
In addition to Col. Cushing's West India
and fishing business some of his vessels were
engaged in whaling, suppose along the coast.
His son Nathaniel was killed by whale. l
have in my possession joint of the back
bone of whale taken by one Of his vessels
/ duu tOWCu lutO tuC udlpOis AAb always SeooN
in Mrs. Tukeys chimney corner for stool
until her death.
Parson Smith, Sept. Is, 1745, says: "One Of
Col Cushing's sons was shot," This was his
son Nathaniel, accidentally shot by one of his
slaves. And again, July 80, 1760, Mr.. Smith
says: "Col. Gushing has lost his sloop and
negro taken by the French man-ofwar." He
had several negro servants, as most wealthy
families had at that time. July 10, 1854, Mr..
Smith says: "The Governor dined at Col.
Cushing's. The rain prevented me-"
This was Gov. Shirley here to meet the
eastern Indians to make treaty. But
enough of Cushings Point.
1 intended to say something of Simontons
Cove and Purpooduck Point, but must leave
that until another time. VIC.
Windham, April II, 1870.
WASHING HIS HANDS IN INNocENCE.-'