Willard S. Cushman, E. Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by Mike Miller


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Willard S. Cushman, M. D.  The professional ability and conscientious stewardship of Doctor
Cushman mark him as one of the representative physicians and surgeons engaged in practice in the
City of Baton Rouge, where he maintains his office at 305 Roumain Building. As touching American
history, Doctor Cushman is one of those who can claim direct descent from Robert Cushman, who
charted the ship "Mayflower" and organized the colonists who came on this historic vessel from
England and landed at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.  Representatives of the Cushman family in
the succeeding generations have become influential in various states of both the North and the
South, while the great West has claimed its quota from the members of this old Colonial New
England stock.  Willard S. Cushman, grandfather of the Doctor, was born at St. Johnsburg,
Vermont, and was a young man when he came to Louisiana.  Here he became one of the successful
representatives of plantation industry at Bayou Chicot, in what is now Evangeline Parish, and he
continued as one of the honored and influential citizens of that section of the state until the
close of his long and useful life.  There also occurred the death of his wife, whose maiden name
was Charlotte Deming and who likewise was a native of St. Johnsburg, Vermont.

At the time of the birth of Doctor Cushman, which occurred at Bayou Chicot, February 9, 1876,
that place was still in St. Landry Parish, but it later became a part of Evangeline Parish.  He
is a son of Bingham Cushman, who was born at Bayou Chicot on the 12th of November, 1842, and
whose death occurred in the City of New Orleans March 12, 1912.  Bingham Cushman received a
liberal education and became a successful teacher in the schools of St. Landry Parish, where he
remained until 1893, when he removed to New Orleans and assumed a position of responsibility in
the United States custom house, the remainder of his life having been passed in that city.  He
was a democrat in politics until the later period of his life, when his opinions concerning
governmental and economic matters led him to transfer his allegiance to the republican party.
Both he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal Church,

When the Civil war was precipitated on the nation Cushman promptly tendered his service in of
the Confederate cause.  Early in 1861 he enlisted as a member of a Louisiana regiment, and with
the same he soon entered active field service.  He took part in various engagements, and at
Murfreesboro Tennessee, he was captured by the enemy.  He was sent to the Federal war prison at
Rock Island, and as he persistently refused to take oath of allegiance to the Federal government
there held a prisoner of war until the close of the great conflict.  He married Miss Lucy Heath,
who was born at Bayou Chicot, in 1840, and whose death there occurred in 1881.  Of the children
the eldest is Lottie, who is the wife of Archie C, Stewart, a successful contractor and builder
engaged in business at Baton Rouge;  Esther H. is the wife of Richard E. Lewis, of New Orleans;
Preston Bingham, who died of pneumonia at Washington, Louisiana, in 1889, had shortly before
been graduated from Mount Lebanon University with the degree of Bachelor of Arts;  Dr. Willard
B., of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; and  Lucy Adella is the wife of Eli C.
Weiland, a contractor and builder in the City of Baton Rouge.

The public schools of his native parish were the medium through which Doctor Cushman acquired
his earlier education, and in 1897 he was graduated from the Warren Easton High School in the
City of New Orleans.  In the same year he was there matriculated in the medical department of
Tulane University, in which institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1900.  In
the meanwhile he had also served one year as a student externe of the Charity Hospital in New
Orleans.  After receiving his degree of Doctor of Medicine he was engaged in general practice at
Baker, East Baton Rouge Parish, until 1912, in which year he was elected official coroner of
this parish, a position of which he has continued the incumbent four consecutive terms, there
having been no opposing candidate at two of his re-elections.  In the year in which he assumed
this office Doctor Cushman established his residence in Baton Rouge, and here he has since
continued to maintain his professional and official headquarters, his private practice being of
substantial and representative order.  He is one of the influential members of the East Baton
Rouge Parish Medical Society, of which he has served as president, and is identified also with
the Louisiana State Medical Society, the Southern Medical Association and the American Medical
Association.  The Doctor is a democrat in political adherency, is a member of the Baton Rouge
Chamber of Commerce and the Baton Rouge Golf and Country Club, and in their home city he and his
wife are zealous members of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, South, of which he is a
steward.  In the capital city the Masonic affiliations of Doctor Cushman are as here designated:
St. James Lodge No. 47, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Washington Chapter No. 57, Royal Arch
Masons; and Lambert Council No. 22, Royal and Select Masters.  He is a member also of Baton
Rouge Lodge No. 490, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and Baton Rouge Aerie No. 1083,
Fraternal Order of Eagles.  He is vice president of the Peoples' Building & Loan Association of
Baton Rouge.  In 1924 Doctor Cushman completed the erection of his fine modern residence on
Drehr Place.  He was active in advancing all patriotic measures and enterprises in East Baton
Rouge Parish during the period of American participation in the World war, served as a member of
the exemption board of this parish, and was active in the local drives in support of the
government war loans, Red Cross work, etc., the while his personal contributions were up to the
full limit justified by his financial resources.

On the 21st of October, 1903, was solemnized the marriage of Doctor Cushman to Miss Lilah
Merritt, daughter of John B. and Lilah (Ligon) Merritt, the former of whom died in 1910, and the
latter of whom now resides in the home of Doctor and Mrs. Cushman.  John B. Merritt was a
successful planter and merchant of East Baton Rouge Parish, and died at Baker, this parish.
Mrs. Cushman is a graduate of the Silliman institute at Clinton. Louisiana.  Of the children of
Doctor and Mrs. Cushman the daughter is Mabel Buford, who is a member of the class of 1924 in
the University of Louisiana, and the younger daughter,  Helen Fields, is a member of the 1924
class in the Baton Rouge High School.  Miss Helen is preparing to enter the University of
Louisiana in the autumn of the present year, 1924, after her graduation from the high school.

A History of Louisiana, (vol. 2), pp. 103-104, by Henry E. Chambers.  Published by The American
Historical Society, Inc., Chicago and New York, 1925.