Samuel Cushman (June 8, 1783 – May 20, 1851) was an American attorney and Democratic politician from New Hampshire who served in both the New Hampshire House of Representatives and the United States House of Representatives during the early nineteenth century. His public career unfolded during a formative period in American political development, when party structures were solidifying and national issues such as economic policy and federal authority were vigorously contested.
Cushman was born on June 8, 1783, in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire, a major seaport and commercial center in the post-Revolutionary era. Raised in this environment of maritime trade and civic activity, he came of age as the new republic was establishing its institutions and political culture. Details of his early family life are sparse in surviving records, but his later professional path suggests that he received a sound basic education that prepared him for legal study and public service.
After completing his preliminary education, Cushman studied law, following the customary practice of reading law in the office of an established attorney rather than attending a formal law school, which was still uncommon at the time. Upon admission to the bar, he commenced the practice of law in Portsmouth. As an attorney in a busy port city, he would have been engaged in a range of legal matters, including commercial disputes, maritime issues, and local civil and criminal cases, work that provided him with practical experience and a foundation for his later legislative responsibilities.
Cushman’s political career began at the state level, where he served as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives in the 1800s. In that capacity, he participated in the legislative process of a state that was grappling with questions of economic development, internal improvements, and the balance between local and state authority. His service in the state legislature helped establish his reputation as a capable Democratic Party politician and positioned him for higher office.
As a member of the Democratic Party representing New Hampshire, Cushman was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served two terms in Congress. His tenure in the national legislature occurred during a significant period in American history, as the country confronted issues such as the role of the federal government in the economy, the legacy of the Bank of the United States, and the evolving party system that pitted Democrats against emerging Whig opposition. In Congress, he contributed to the legislative process and participated in debates and votes that shaped federal policy, representing the interests and concerns of his New Hampshire constituents within the broader national dialogue.
Cushman’s congressional service reflected the priorities of New Hampshire Democrats of his era, who generally favored limited federal intervention in local affairs while supporting measures that would benefit commerce and agriculture in the region. Although detailed records of his specific committee assignments and sponsored legislation are limited, his repeated election to office indicates the confidence placed in him by voters and party leaders. His work in Congress formed the centerpiece of a public career that linked local concerns in Portsmouth and New Hampshire to the wider issues facing the United States in the antebellum period.
After completing his service in the House of Representatives, Cushman returned to New Hampshire and resumed his legal and civic activities. He remained part of the professional and political community that had shaped his career, continuing to live in Portsmouth. Samuel Cushman died on May 20, 1851, closing a life that had spanned from the early years of the American republic through the decades of expansion and political realignment that preceded the Civil War. His career as an attorney, state legislator, and two-term Democratic member of Congress exemplified the pathways of public service available to early nineteenth-century New England lawyers and politicians.
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