1925 Biography - Willard S. Cushman

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.

Contributed 2021 Nov 04 by Mike Miller, from A History of Louisiana, by Henry E. Chambers, published in 1925, volume 2, pages 103-104.