author
Robert Cushman
d. 1625
A key but often overlooked figure behind the Mayflower voyage, he helped organize the Pilgrims’ plans from Europe and later served Plymouth Colony from England. He also wrote and preached, leaving a strong mark on the early history of the colony even though he never became as famous as some of its settlers.
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About the author
Born in Kent in 1577, Robert Cushman was an English Separatist, lay preacher, and writer who became one of the main practical organizers behind the Pilgrims’ journey to North America. He worked closely with the Leiden congregation and acted as their chief agent in London, helping negotiate the arrangements that led to the Mayflower voyage in 1620.
Cushman is remembered less as a passenger than as a planner, fundraiser, and go-between. He helped manage the difficult relationship between the Separatists and their financial backers, and later served as an agent for Plymouth Colony. Historical accounts also note his writing and preaching, including the work later published as Cry of a Stone.
In 1621 he traveled to Plymouth on the Fortune with his son Thomas, preached an influential sermon there, and then returned to England. He died in 1625, but his role in making the Pilgrims’ migration possible has made him an important figure in the story of Plymouth Colony.