Hannah Cushing

Sometime before 1880 Robert, Hannah's husband, left the family and was living by himself. The reason he left can never be known for sure. It is know that he had difficulties after the War because of some injuries he sustained and that he did drink somewhat. We can only speculate whether he left of his own accord or whether Hannah asked him to leave. It is mentioned in her committal papers that Hannah was quite poor with no personal or real estate except a small house in which she lived with her family worth $50. On March 3, 1891 a warrant for Hannah's arrest was issued after being committed to the Illinois Eastern Hospital for the Insane in Kankakee, IL. The petition for her committal had been made by her brother Garrett Cushing. The reason given for her insanity in the committal papers was "Family Problems". Family tradition claims that Hannah was paranoid and thought people were following her. Hannah died at the hospital on March 6, 1898.