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Name: CUSHNEY, John William. Also spelt Cushny

Nee: bro of Robert Smith Cushny

Birth Date: 29 Mar 1862 Speymouth, Scotland

Death Date: 30 Dec 1926 Durban

First Date: 1904

Profession: One of the early stock farmers in the Molo area and also one of the first to purchase residential plots at Nakuru, he was the first owner of Crescent Island, Naivasha. Trained as a civil engineer

Area: Molo, Nakuru, Crescent Island Naivasha. HBEA 1912 - Lumbwa, 1925 Lumbwa, 1909 Lumbwa

Married: Lilian Mary Chandler b. 1875, d. 16 Aug 1935 Lumbwa

Children: John (1898 Johannesburg); Ethel Mary (1898) (Wilson); Alexander (1904); Lilian Mary (d.1935); Thomas Horatio (13 Sep 1900 Johannesburg-20 May 1977 Johannesburg)

Book Reference: Gillett, SE, HBEA, KFA, EAWL, Red 25, Hut, Playne, Drumkey, Land, Advertiser, Gazette, North, EAHB 1907, Leader14, Red Book 1912

General Information:

SE - J.W. Cushney - July 1907
KFA - Partner with Mr Drake  
Stephen Ellis's ledger shows as Bad Debt - 1909 
Memoirs of Maurice B. Tennent - met the Cushneys on the ship - they said they were sailing to SA .... they knew Kenya and had farmed at a place called Lumbwa. .... Mr Cushney said he had spent 12 or perhaps 16 years in Lumbwa having started with no capital and selling his 12 or 1600 acre farm at £1 per acre after which he had retired to SA. ......... came back to Lumbwa and became a neighbour of Tennent after the death of Mr Cushney. ....... [Lumbwa] Beyond the Vet. Dept. one came to Inglewood Farm, the property of John Stanning. Old Mr Cushney had been the original owner and he had sold to John and Gordon Stanning. ...... The Cushneys had fallen in love with the empty farm next to me which overlooked the farm where Mary and her brother Alec Cushney had spent their youth. The arrival of Mary Cushney with her mother soon led to further visitors, amongst whom was John Wilson, who in due course became engaged to Mary.
Red 25 - JP, Lumbwa
Playne - Hill Side - Mr John Cushny had previous experience in South Africa. He came to BEA in 1905. Hill Side is 1 mile from the railway station, and extends over 6,000 acres. There is excellent running water, and a sufficiency of timber for farm purposes. The buildings are of stone, with iron roofs. About 50 acres have been fenced, but gardens only are at present cultivated. ......... Mr Cushny is a member of the Land Board.
Drumkey - Member of Land Board - S.W. Cushney
Land 1909 - J.W. Cushney - Buildings, 1 acre - Nakuru - 30/6/05 - Leasehold for 25 years from 1/1/09 - Registered 17/9/09
Land 1909 - J.W. Cushny [sic] - Grazing and agricultural, 5090 acres - Lumbwa - 7/5/06 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/7/09 - Registered 15/3/10
Land - 1911 - J. Cushney - Grazing and agricultural, 976.83 acres - Nyando River - 15/8/05 - Leasehold for 99 years from 1/1/07 - Registered 17/3/11
Advertiser - 12/6/1908 - Appointments - To be unofficial members of the Road Board in their respective Provinces - Kisumu - H. Savile, J. Cushney
Gazette - 7/4/15 - Liable for Jury service, Lumbwa
North - John Cushney - arr. Mombasa from SA with wife and 3 children & dep. for Nairobi 9-9-1904; Land Grant application for Residence, Nakuru Township 30-6-1905; Landholder's Game Licence, Lumbwa 31-8-1905
EAHB 1907 - Lumbwa
Leader14 - Lumbwa Farmers Association - President
Red Book 1912 - J. Cushney - Nairobi and J. Cushney - Kericho
Gazette 15/1/1908 - Appointed non-official Member of the Land Board
Gazette - 5/7/1927 - Probate and Administration - John William Cushny late of Durban who died at Durban on 30 December 1925
1901 England census in Richmond, Surrey, as Electrical Mechanical Consulting Engineer

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