Henry Dwight Cushing was born on January 13, 1882 in Hingham, Massachusetts. His father, Elijah Hinckley Cushing, was born in 1852 in MA. The mother, Lucy Allen Clapp, was born in 1857 in MA. The parents married in 1877 and had three children. The first child, Susie Lincoln Cushing, died in infancy after only four months in 1878. The second and third children were Henry Dwight Cushing (b.1882), and Allen Hinckley Cushing (b.1895). The family lived at 304 Main Street in Hingham, MA. The father was a house carpenter. Both parents were descended from old New England families.
In September of 1899, at the age of seventeen, Henry Dwight Cushing began to attend Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
In June of 1903, at the age of twenty-one, he graduated from Dartmouth College.
After graduation he returned home to live with his parents in Hingham, where he worked as a salesman of newspaper advertising.
In 1906, at the age of twenty-four, Henry Dwight Cushing joined the National Guard of Massachusetts. He went on to have a distinguished career in the National Guard, while he continued to earn his living as a salesman in newspaper advertising.
On August 30, 1913 The Boston Evening Transcript reported that Lieutenant H. D. Cushing of the 8th Massachusetts Infantry had joined the academic staff of the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia training school at South Farmingham, MA.
In 1915, after completing officer training school, he became a Captain in the 8th Massachusetts Infantry.
On December 20, 1915 Henry Dwight Cushing married Mercedes Elodia Delores de Cortez Ramones. She was born on September 21, 1896 in Madrid, Spain and was employed as a tutor. Her uncle owned a ranch in Mexico.
On June 15, 1916, during the Mexican Border War, Captain H. D. Cushing and his National Guard regiment were activated and sent to the Mexican border, where they fought rebellious Mexican raiding parties of Pancho Villa.
Captain H. D. Cushing wrote letters to his wife describing the conflict, after which, on August 1, 1916 The Boston Post reported, "Wife Of Captain Cushing Will Join Husband At The Border." After the conflict was over he returned home as a Major in 8th Regiment of the Massachusetts Infantry.
On May 26, 1917, during the Great War, Major H. D. Cushing re-enlisted in the Army, and served as the commanding officer of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Machine Gun Battalion. They were always stationed at the front lines, where they shot down thirteen German aircraft and captured eight enemy pilots. He saw action in the Aisne-Marne, Somme, St. Michael, and Meuse-Argonne offensives. He received the Purple Heart and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre by the French Field Marshal Petain. He was honorably discharged on June 16, 1919.
During the Great War his wife, Mercedes Dolores Cushing, volunteered as a U.S. Army ambulance driver, and was stationed in Spain.
After the war he remained in the National Guard, while he also resumed his career as a newspaper advertising salesman. In 1920 he became the Advertising Manager of the American Legion Magazine, which addressed issues of concern to veterans. This magazine also published editorials by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson, whose controversial ideas to reform the U.S. Army were published in syndicated newspapers during the post-war era.
On November 3, 1921 The Schenectady Gazette reported that H. D. Cushing, advertising manager at the American Legion Magazine had devised a new campaign to inject the "Let's Go" spirit into American business by hiring one million unemployed veterans.
In 1921 H. D. Cushing's son, Dwight A. Cushing, was born.
On May 12, 1924 newspapers announced nationwide that H. D. Cushing had left his job as general manager of the American Legion Weekly Magazine.
At that same time H. D. Cushing became an automobile salesman in Great Neck, NY.
In 1924 his second son, Henry Raoul Cushing, was born.
On November 18, 1924 legal documents were registered in Albany, NY, by Warren A. Angel, Paul H. Sampliner and Morris U. Falter to charter a new incorporation called Eastern Distributing Corporation to handle sales of magazines and candy to newsstands. Morris Falter (1870-1935) was the uncle of Paul Sampliner (1898-1975), so this arrangement suggests that Morris Falter was a merely corporate proxy representative of Paul Sampliner, who thereby controlled two-thirds of the partnership, making him the dominant partner.
On January 18, 1925 H. D. Cushing's father, Elijah Hinckley Cushing, died at the age of seventy-two in Hingham, MA. After this death the widowed-mother left MA and moved to Long Island to live with her eldest son's family.
In 1925 H. D. Cushing began to work as an advertising salesman for Eastern Distributing Corporation at 45 West 45th Street.
In April of 1926 The New York Times printed several advertisements from Eastern Distributing Corporation for a business to rent a portion of their office space at 45 West 45th Street.
In July of 1926 The New York Times printed a Help Wanted advertisement from Eastern Distributing Corporation, room #502 of 45 West 45th Street for an experienced stenographer.
In 1926 Harold Hersey left Clayton Magazines and become General Advisory Editor for Eastern Distributing. His new job included Supervising Editor for Macfadden Publications, where he oversaw production of True Story, True Romances, Dream World, True Detective Mysteries, Dance Magazine, and Physical Culture. According to Harold Hersey, "I had to work on circulation, promotion, and advertising problems too, so I knew my way about in every department of magazine publishing, and I drew a princely check every Friday!"
In 1928 Harold Hersey became a publisher of his own pulp magazines. He later wrote a memoir entitled "Pulpwood Editor," in which he described his first efforts in publishing, "Wow! Them was the days! With Warren A. Angel as one of the backers and business manager of my company we were soon selling hundreds of thousands of monthly copies of Flying Aces, Underworld Magazine and twelve other titles. After Bernarr Macfadden and William M. Clayton, Warren A. Angel was the third and most brilliant of all my teachers."
The first issue of the pulp magazine Flying Stories was dated November 1928. It was produced by New Metropolitan Fiction, with editorial offices in the Macfadden Building at 1926 Broadway.
Warren Angel and Paul Sampliner gained majority control of Macfadden Publications and reorganized the company under the leadership of their affiliate, Irving S. Manheimer, who charged the founder with having recklessly depleted company funds. Bernarr Macfadden was eventually forced to retire from his own company, with the stipulation that he not publish any rival magazines for five years.
In March of 1930 Harold Hersey formed Good Story Magazine Company at 25 West 43rd Street. Advertising was handled by H. D. Cushing at 67 West 44th Street.
The May 1930 issue of Ghost Stories, which had been produced by Macfadden, was suddenly published by Harold Hersey of Good Story Magazine at 25 West 43rd Street. The volume and issue numbers of each issue continued without interruption. As with previous issues, the covers continued to be painted by Dalton Stevens.
H. D. Cushing followed the example of E. R. Crowe to establish a central advertising agency that handled all of Hersey's pulp magazines. The business was named "Man Story Magazines" at 49 West 45th Street.
The June 1930 issue of Ghost Stories Magazine listed the advertising representative as H. D. Cushing of "Man Story Magazines." The ad on the inside back cover was for the erotic book "Modern Eugenics" from Preferred Publications, whose president was Benjamin Sangor. The business was located at 56 West 49th Street.
In November of 1930 Harold Hersey's Good Story Magazine Company announced several new titles, Outlaws of the West, Quick Trigger Stories, Prison Stories, Gangster Stories, Racketeer Stories, Gangland, and Astonishing Stories.
In 1931 H. D. Cushing was identified as the advertising representative for Dance Magazine at 49 West 45th Street. The editor was listed as Harold Hersey.
The contents page of the November 1931 issue of Battle Aces identified the advertising representative as "Man Story Magazines, 67 West 44th Street."
The contents page of the December 1931 issue of Sky Birds identified the advertising representative as "Man Story Magazines, 67 West 44th Street."
The contents page of the February 1932 issue of Underworld Love Stories listed the advertising representative as H. D. Cushing at 67 East 44th Street.
On August 2, 1932 the New York Evening Post reported that 325 volunteers attended the Citizen's Military Training Camp at Fort Hancock, in College Point, NY, where they studied under Colonel H. D. Cushing of the 539th Coast Artillery.
In 1932 a trade journal of the publishing industry reported "H. D. Cushing, publisher's representative of New York has been appointed to handle advertising for Breezy Stories and Young's Magazine."
July 1933 was the date of the first issue of Broadway Follies, which was produced by the White Way Publications at 23 East 4th Street. The advertising representative was listed as "H. D. Cushing at 49 West 45th Street."
At that same time Mr. Bow and Mr. Man formed the Bow-Man Publishing Corporation at 115 West 27th Street, and produced French Night Life Stories, whose advertising was also handled by H. D. Cushing at 49 West 45th Street.
September 1934 was the premiere issue of Double Action Western Magazine from Winford Publications at 165 Franklin Street, Advertising was handled by Man Story Magazines at 49 West 45th Street.
In 1935 More Fun and New Fun produced by Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson of National Allied at 49 West 45th Street, with Lloyd Jacquet as Art Editor, and H. D. Cushing as the Advertising Manager.
In 1935 "Colonel H. D. Cushing and his wife were residents of Port Washington, Long Island, NY."
On April 18, 1935 The New York Times reported that the Federal News Company had leased office space in the McGraw Hill Building at 330 West 42nd Street.
On August 12, 1935 Doubleday, publisher of pulp magazines Short Stories, Star Novels, and Mystery Novels Magazine, sued "Man Story Group" and H. D. Cushing, who was identified as the company's president, treasurer and director, for having embezzled $7900 of advertising revenue since March 1, 1932. In his defense, H. D. Cushing denied he was the director of "Man Story Group," or that he held or controlled the company stock. He also stated that the Doubleday's magazines had failed to attain the agreed-upon minimum monthly circulation quota, which thereby reduced the value of the advertising space he had sold to his clients. The case was settled in favor of Doubleday on June 12, 1936 by the New York State Supreme Court.
On July 15, 1936 there was an explosion at the home of H. D. Cushing in Sands Point, NY, after which fire broke out and his mother suffered a heart attack. One week later, on July 23, 1936, Lucy Allen Clapp Cushing, died at the age of seventy-nine.
In October of 1936 H. D. Cushing joined with Lloyd Jacquet and Harold Hersey to form C. J. H. Publications at 49 West 45th Street. They produced innovative periodicals that were both a pulp magazine and a comic book. Their titles included Dan Dunn, Tailspin Tommy, and Flash Gordon.
The first issue of Tailspin Tommy Air Adventure Magazine included a story by Lloyd Jacquet under the pen-name "Jay Kay."
In 1936 Harold Hersey announced in The Author & Journalist Magazine that C.J.H. Publications was publishing a fourth title, Mystery Adventures, to which aspirant authors were advised to mail prospective manuscripts addressed to 49 West 45th Street.
When Mystery Adventures finally appeared on newsstands the contents page identified Harold Hersey as Editor, but the address was listed as 120 West 42nd Street, instead of 49 West 45th, and the publisher was listed as "Movie Digest," and not C.J.H. Publications. Movie Digest was a Hollywood fan magazine from Macfadden Publications,which by that time was under the control of Warren Angel and Paul Sampliner's associate, Irving S. Manheimer.
The January 1937 issue of Tailspin Tommy Air Adventure Magazine included a Statement of Ownership that identified the three owners of C.J.H. Publications as Cushing, Jacquet and Hersey. This was the last pulp magazine produced by C.J.H. Publications, after which the partnership of was dissolved.
On March 3, 1938 The New York Times reported that, "After thirty-nine years, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Dwight Cushing, regimental commander of New York's 539th Coast Artillery (anti-aircraft), U.S. Army Reserve, was relieved of his command at his own request and transferred to Inactive Reserve. In the order placing him on the inactive list, Major General Frank R. McCoy, praised Colonel Cushing's outstanding record."
On March 25, 1938 The New York Times reported that New York County Courts had determined that Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson owed $783.90 to "Man Story Group."
The April 1938 issue of Screenland Magazine listed the advertising offices of "Man Story Group" at 45 West 45th Street.
In 1938 H. D. Cushing of 49 West 45th Street produced Night Life Magazine, whose publicity described itself as, "the magazine of smart entertainment. It tells you where to go for fun, frolic and food. Night Clubbing is a most fascinating diversion - if you know where to go and what you'll find when you get there. It's vitally important however to make sure of the places you visit beforehand - sure that you won't be overcharged or run into any unpleasant situations."
On October 2, 1938 The New York Times published a want ad for two advertising salesmen for Night Life Magazine at 49 West 45th Street.
In 1940 H. D. Cushing lived at 111 Shore Drive in North Hempstead, Long Island, NY. He was listed as a publisher in the advertising industry.
In 1940 H. D. Cushing produced Behind The Headlines.
On October 30, 1940 H. D. Cushing was forced to declare bankruptcy. Behind The Headlines Magazine, which was published at 67 West 44th Street. He was presented with unpaid debts of $23,145, of which $1400 was owed to the Diamant Typographic Company and $400 to the F. M. Charlton Company. On September 8, 1941 the bankruptcy was discharged.
H. D. Cushing retired from advertising and founded Comics Premium Company as a publisher of comic books to be used as premium give-aways at retail stores. The contents were provided by Lloyd Jacquet's Funnies Incorporated comic art shop at 49 West 45th Street.
In 1949 the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal included the article "Advantages of Comic Books To Be Used as Premiums" by H. D. Cushing.
The July 3, 1948 issue of the Motion Picture Herald, a trade paper for the movie theater industry, included an advertisement for H. D. Cushing's Comics Premium Company, "Help To Stimulate Business. Comic books available as premiums and give-aways at movie theater kiddie shows. Large variety. Latest newsstand editions. Forty-eight pages. Comics Premium Company at 412 Greenwich Street, NYC."
On April 8, 1950 Box Office Magazine, another trade journal of the movie theater industry included an advertisement for Comics Premium Company.
Henry Dwight Cushing died at home in Huntington, Long Island, NY, at the age of seventy-two on January 23, 1954. He was buried at the Long Island National Cemetery in Pinelawn, NY.
© David Saunders 2017 |
