My Connection to Plymouth

I was intrigued by Jeanette's (http://journals.aol.co.uk/jlocorriere05/Welcometomytravels/entries/978) entry regarding her visit to Plymouth and Ally's grandson's Mayflower decendent, connection.   My mom's younger sister was a devout Mormon and spent years researching our family history.  She reached a stumbling block on my grandfather's side however, he was a Stern and his parents immigrated from Germany before he was born.  In some cases those immigrants names were changed because they themselves did it or the officials at Ellis Island and other points of entry, simply mis spelled their last names, because of the language barriers, etc.   But dear auntie was able to go way back on my grandmother's side of the family.  Grandma's maiden name was Johnson but even with a common name like that my aunt traced that branch of our family tree back to  the 1500's.  One Thomas Cushman was born in February 1607 or 1608 in Leider, South Holland, England.  Sometime during his life he came or was brought to the Americas and was married in  Plymouth Colony in 1636 to one Mary Allerton.  Mary had been born in June 1616 in Leyden, Holland.  It is not noted when these two ancestors of mine came across the Atlantic but I'm sure their journey was as miserable as Jeannette, wrote about in her journal entry.  Thomas and Mary Cushman had eight children, all born in Plymouth County except the last three were born in Plymouth, Mass.  My records say that the father of Thomas Cushman (also Thomas Cushman) was born in Rolvenden, Kent, England in 1538, was married to Ellinor Hubbard on July 18, 1568 at St Andrew, Canterbury, Kent, England.  It says he died in the same village where he was born in Februrary 1585.  That Thomas and Ellinor had 5 children, according to my records, all lived and died in Rolvenden, Kent, England, with the exception of their one son Richard Cushman (born 2-1578) who died in Middlesex in February of 1625.    Anyway, I could go on and on...but I'll spare you all.  Even as a non-Mormon I still feel that this information is absolutely fascinating and it's one thing I hope to work on more when I retire.  I'd like to do more research on my dad's family...the Smith's (ya, ya I know) and the Olmstead's.  My great grandfather Olmstead lived just across the driveway from us until he died when I was in the 11th grade.  I can't even find out if he had any siblings...and it really frustrates me.  Why didn't I ask him more about himself?  I even have a picture of his parents.... but do not know if he was an only child or not.  

I'm very sad for our dear little Michelle Kwan, who because of another injury has dropped out of the Olympics.  Ok...now I'm really going to get busy...

Until next time.......Linda