Josiah Nelson Cushing Explained

Josiah Nelson Cushing (J. N. Cushing) was born on 4th of May, 1840, at Attleboro, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States.^{[1] [2]}

Josiah Nelson Cushing was an American Baptist missionary who worked in Burma from 1866 to 1905.^[3] He was the author of the first English Grammar of the Shan Language (1871) and the first Shan-English Dictionary (1881). He was also responsible for the translation of the Holy Bible into the Shan language.^{[4] [5] [6]} In the task of translation, he was aided by a fellow missionary, Edwin D. Kelley, who died before the translation could be completed.^[7] In addition to translating the Bible into Shan, Cushing and his team of translators also worked on a catechism in related dialects.^[8]

At the age of 65, he died on May 17, 1905, in St. Louis, Missouri, USA.^{[9] [10]}

Family

His father was Alpheus Nelason Cushing, and his mother was Charlotte Everett Foster.^[11] He was married to Ellen Howard Cushing and they had a son, Herbert Howard Cushing.^[12]

Publications

• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Grammar of the Shan Language. American Mission Press, 1871.
• Cushing, J. N. A Shan and English dictionary. Rangoon: Bennett, 1881.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson, translator. The New Testament Translated into Shan from the Original Greek. 1st edition, American Baptist Mission Press, 1882.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. The Shan Mission. Americ. Baptist Miss. Union, 1886.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Elementary Handbook of the Shan Language: By Rev. Josiah Nelson Cushing. C. Bennett Trübner, 1880.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. The Holy Bible ... Translated into Shan from the Original Languages [by Josiah Nelson Cushing], Etc. American Baptist Mission Press, 1892.
• Cushing, Josiah Nelson. Buddhism in Southern Asia. [publisher not identified], 1905, http://books.google.com/books?id=-OA3AQAAMAAJ.
• Hsinbyushin, and Josiah Nelson Cushing. The Po U Daung Inscription Erected by King Sinbyuyin in 1774 A.D. Printed by the Superintendent, Gov’t. printing, 1891.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Massachusetts Births and Christenings, 1639-1915 . 2024-10-22 . www.familysearch.org.
2. Web site: Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing . 8 January 2017 .
3. Book: Kaloyanides, Alexandra . Baptizing Burma: Religious Change in the Last Buddhist Kingdom . 2023 . Columbia University Press . 978-0-231-19984-1 . 10.7312/kalo19984.8.
4. Web site: Palm Leaf Manuscripts . Brown University Library. October 25, 2024.
5. Web site: October 25, 2024 . Harn . Yawnghwe . 13–14 . Bible Translation 1 . Saint Timothy’s Banner (News Letter).
6. Web site: October 25, 2024 . Simon . Wong . 50–52 . Towards a History of Bible Translation Among the Dialects and Languages of China: Jingpo . Bible Society of Korea.
7. Web site: Kelley, Edwin D. 1846 - 1873: Missionary (ABMU Shan Mission): Baptist: Burma . Dictionary of Christian Biography in Asia . October 25, 2024 .
8. Web site: Orthography and related material . Keita . Kurabe . Masao . Imamura . August 2016 . The Newsletter, International Institute for Asian Studies . October 25, 2024 .
9. Web site: Burial, Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States of America . 2024-10-22 . www.familysearch.org.
10. John, Wallace St. Josiah Nelson Cushing: Missionary and Scholar, Burma, 1912, p. 30
11. John, Wallace St. Josiah Nelson Cushing: Missionary and Scholar, Burma, 1912, pp. 12-13.
12. Web site: Rev. Dr. Josiah Nelson Cushing . 8 January 2017 .