My previous post about Ruth Cushman and her son Oliver was just the beginning of a adventure of sorts that would lead to the discovery of a new unknown portrait. Yes, it’s one of those stories historians hope for as we pull the backs off frames looking for clues to the identity of the person we see smiling through the glass. (or a copy of the Declaration of Independence). Let’s go back.

I was alerted by a friend who said that “Cushman” portraits were being sold at an estate sale and that I should go buy them for the Lock 52 Historical Society. By the time I got to the sale, Mr. Cushman had been sold, but Mrs. Cushman and another unknown fellow remained. After hearing about a son being killed by a bridge while riding on a canal boat, I decided to look into this and purchased the photos. To be honest, a monthly column due date loomed and I figured at the best, this would make for an interesting story. At the sale, I was told that perhaps Ervin Rooker might have more history on the family members. I took the portraits down the the Rooker’s, and Ervin, Jean, and Darrin were gracious and gave me many family details. Thankfully for me, and unfortunately for Oliver, the story about the “death by bridge” checked out and proved to be quite interesting. So this all led to my post about Ruth Cushman and Low Bridges.

Meanwhile, the lady who had purchased Mr. Cushman had returned to the sale and the good folks holding the sale told this her that I was now looking for Mr. Cushman, and thankfully, she started looking for me. I posted the story as I had submitted to the paper a week early onto the website and Facebook, and (yea) this was enough to allow a connection to be made. Meanwhile, my friend purchased all the remaining portraits and donated them to the Society.

Hearing and reading that I was looking for Mr. Cushman, Rebecca contacted me offering to donate Mr. Cushman so the family could be together again. Meanwhile, I had removed the portraits from the frames looking for clues and was a bit stumped by the names written on the back. Although the writing was done in the same hand, none of the names were Cushman or Backus. Since all the portraits looked to be hand painted or tinted, I asked a friend about the style of the prints. With his decades of museum experience, he confirmed that the tinted photographs dated to 1890’s to about 1910.

Meanwhile, after reading my post, a Cushman genealogist contacted me with additional details. And then Jeanne Baker of Weedsport called to remind me that most of the people in the mural on the side of the Old Brutus Historical Society were of the Ray family (Susie Cushman had married John Ray, and it was likely a Ray boat that Oliver was killed on.)

This all took place over one week. And then, Rebecca delivered the portrait of Mr. Cushman. Hoping for more clues, I pulled off the back and found a second portrait labeled J. Rooker, Port Byron. It was clear that this was Jessie and Elizabeth Rooker, the grandparents of Ervin Rooker. It was a great find.

So allow me to introduce you to these people.

Mr. Richard Cushman was born in 1847 and died in 1906. He was a farmer. He is buried in Mt. Pleasant Cemetery in Port Byron.

Mrs. Ruth Cushman nee Backus. She was born in 1861 and when she married Richard was 14 years younger than him. She died in 1931 and is in an unmarked grave alongside Richard. Her son Oliver is buried on the other side of Richard in an unmarked grave.

Mr. William Parsell was married to Sarah Backus and lived either in or next to a house with Frank Backus on Perrine St in Auburn. He was born in 1873 and died in 1923. Why his portrait is in the Cheney house is unknown, as he is a very distant marriage relation to the family. If there are any Parsell relations who would like this portrait, the Rookers would be happy to donate him.

We have two of Jessie Rooker. Jessie was born in 1892 and was quite the dashing lad. We wondered at first if this could be Oliver Cushman, but Darrin and Ervin say that this is Jessie.

Then we have this wonderful portrait of Jessie Rooker and Elizabeth Rooker nee Cushman. Darrin spotted the word Elizabeth written around the necklace, confirming the “J Rooker” written on the back. This was hidden behind Mr. Cushman and the family had never seen it. This couple had Ruth who married Ted Cheney, and Ervin who married Neva and this leads to Ervin, Jean and Darrin who close the loop.

To be sure, I was still uncertain of Mr. and Mrs. Cushman especially after finding that the names on the portraits were of the people in the portraits. Although the family had always known the people as grandma and granddad, the “R O’Neill, Clyde, NY” written on the back of both portraits made me uneasy. Thankfully, Bob Cushman put this to rest by discovering that Roy Wilde O’Neil had married Ella Cushman, the daughter of Richard and Ruth. Perhaps they purchased the portraits?

This has been a fun story to research and perhaps now I can get back to mowing the yard.