The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-12
$4,000 TO TOWN
TAKING HIS NAME.
Request Of Former Lieutenant
Governor Of Massachusetts
Soon Open to Country.

iis wy Woodbury. eou 1En
Iowa, makes a bid, for the $4,000 left
/ by Henry w. Cushman, lieutenant
governor of Massachusetts half cen
fury ago, which is to be given to the
town Of not less than 1000 inhabitants
which shall "take and forever retain -
| Whether Correctionville will be the
! lucky town will not be known for five
years.
Mr.. Cushman provided that his native
place in this state, Bernardston, should
have the first chance to assume his
name and win the $4,000. If Ber-
nardston failed to take advantage of
the offer, the legacy was to be open to
any town in Massachusetts,, and, at the
| town assuming the name, the offer was
/ open to any town in the United States.
i Bernardston, after a general discus
SION of the matter, rejected the PROPOSE.
tion by the vote of 1O3 to 5.
Mr.. Cushman had lavished upon Der
nardston most Of his fortune, the
amounts aggregating $4,000. The ques-
bountiful benefactor or preserve its
ancient name with all it's rich traditions
was delicate one to decide.
The name of Barnardston was given
the town in honor of Sir Francis Bar
nard, provincial governor Of Massachu-
sets, appointed by King George III.
The act giving the name Of Bernardston
was signed March 6, 1872, by Sir Fran
els himself.
Sir Francis was an unbending tory
and supporter of the authority Of his
royal master in the new world, and this
fact had long disturbed many Bernard
ston people, who disliked to think of
their. town bearing the name of one who
was hostile to the spirit Of 1776.
But. after all, the name disassociated
from It's tory source was too dear in
associations and traditions to allow
them to change it, even to honor, sc
generous a benefactor as the late lieu
tenant governor. ~
The name of Cushman will always be
associated with Bernardston Material
monuments of his generosity to the towr
are the library, Cushman hall, Cushman
Unitarian church.
There are school fund, a Sunday
school fund and cemetery fund estab
llshed by him, and by his will the towr
will benefit as residuary legatee to the
amount of about $4,000. Further
: more, it no town shall assume the name
OF Cushman the fund Of $4,000 is tt
, revert to Bernardston.
. Mr.. Cushman was born in Bernardsto1
August 8, 1905, the son of <Polycarpu
+ |. Cushman and Sally Wiles Cushman
IL was educated in the common schools
= Deerfield and New Salem academies an,
a Captain Alden Partridge's militar,
= academy, at Norwich, Vt. From the lat
: ter institution he received degree O.
:, Master of Arts in 1921.
Finishing his education he labored o,
> his farm and taught school, but yer,
early gave himself up to the activitie
l. Of public life and literary research.
IN 1887, 1889, 1910 and 1874 he sa
IN the house Of representatives, and il
1874 he was elected to the senate.
peculiar result Of that election was tina
ne sat by the side of his father, to whor
g he was opposed in politics.
e In lS47 and for five years succeedin
s he was democratic candidate for lieu
: tenant governor. He never was electe
r by the people to that office, but in 1876
: no choice having been made by the bee
0 pie, he was chosen lieutenant governo
e by the legislature. :