USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hingham > History of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, vol 1 > Part 20
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Main Street runs through the village, passing THE COMMON, lying east of the public library, and on the west side of the road at this point a fine old-fashioned residence, which was in earlier days a tavern. A short distance beyond, opposite the Grand Army Hall, is a deep depression on the north side of the road, containing a small sheet of water, now hardly more than a puddle, which was often referred to in old deeds as BULL's POND. An ALMSHOUSE formerly stood on the site of the Grand Army Hall.
After a turn to the westward, about a quarter of a mile further on, the street turns abruptly south at COLD CORNER, and a few rods beyond is entered by Hobart Street, near the corner of which was the old TOWN POUND, where stray cattle were im- pounded. Half a mile or so beyond, the road crosses a little stream by TOWER'S BRIDGE. From this bridge to the south line of the town, the country bears the general title of GREAT PLAIN,
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W. CORTHELL, SCH
GLAD-TIDINGS ROCK.
although particular portions are more specially designated. The road winds up a slight rise from Tower's Bridge, and High Street, a few rods beyond, runs west to Weymouth. Just off this street is WHITE-HORSE POND. Free Street is opposite to High, on Main Street, and runs east to Lasell Street. Just north of Free Street is a small conical height called CROW HILL, formerly a famous resort for the birds of that feather. Near by is CROW- HILL SWAMP.
A short distance further south Main Street crosses the stream coming from Cushing's Pond by WILDER'S BRIDGE. From this bridge to Mayse's (Liberty Pole) Hill, is GLAD-TIDINGS PLAIN. After surmounting another rise in the road, we find on the west side the church of the Second Parish.
This village is South Hingham, and the street is very wide and straight for a long distance, running between extensive bordering lawns and fine rows of trees. Baek of the houses on the east side is a high granite ledge, known as GLAD- TIDINGS ROCK.
In King Philip's War, a famous hunter, John Jacob by name, went out to shoot deer near where the church now stands. He is said to have frequently declared that he never would allow him- self to be taken alive by the Indians if he encountered them. They ambushed and shot him dead near this roek, and one tra- dition says that his friends, overjoyed to find that he had been killed outright and not captured to be tortured to death by the savages, called it Glad-Tidings Roek. Another tradition re- counts that a woman, lost by her friends, was discovered by them from the top of the rock, and that from this circumstance the ledge received its name.
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History of Hingham.
We will turn eastward into South Pleasant Street, on the cor- ner of which is a notable mansion, the home of the celebrated Rev. Daniel Shute, D. D., the first pastor of the Second Parish. The house is inhabited at the present day by one of his lineal descendants.
South Pleasant Street is shaded by noble elms, set out by a former member of the old Cushing family ; whose lands, for generations, have extended far and wide in this section, and do still, for hereabouts the population is largely composed of Cushings.
FULLING-MILL POND is on the right of the road, and at its out- let, which is a little stream called FULLING-MILL BROOK, once stood the FULLING MILL. The bridge across this brook is PAGE'S BRIDGE. Between Page's Bridge and Lasell Street, on the south side of the road, is LITTLE POND. This is a sluice-way of clear water which never freezes, and is on a piece of land of about three acres in extent, which was leased by the town to the Rev. Dr. Shute for nine hundred and ninety-nine years ! The hill be- yond Page's Bridge is rightly named STONY HILL.
Now we will strike off into Lasell Street, a wild and pretty road, winding mostly through woods and between shrubby way- sides.
On the easterly side of this street, about one eighth of a mile from Free Street, and just north of a rocky rise, there is in a thickly overgrown and woody field, the OLD LASELL PINE.
It seems probable that this ancient giant may be one of the few mighty trees yet remaining of the primeval forest. The shat- tered branches, rent by the stormns of ages, would themselves form large trees, and the vast trunk, standing grimly amid its own ruins, presents but a picturesque suggestion of the old pine's earlier majesty.
ROCKY RUN is a little stream flowing under the street.
Entering Union Street, we find that FEARING'S BRIDGE crosses Weir River a short distance further northward, where it flows among willows. Now, turning about, we will keep to the south- ward over this street. At the first bend to the east, on rising ground, there is a gateway, through which a cart road leads to TRIP-HAMMER POND. A short distance beyond this gateway LONG- BRIDGE LANE runs eastward from Union Street, winding through woods to granite quarries, and then crosses Beechwoods River. Near the entrance to this lane is COAL-PIT HILL. A few rods further south the road crosses Beechwoods River at SPRAGUE'S BRIDGE, and then passing the place where South Pleasant Street enters it, rises on to high land, and over what is called THE MOUNTAIN, or MOUNT BLUE ROAD, Mount Blue being in Norwell across the line.
The view west and south from this vicinity is very fine, and the drive over this road, thence over Beechwood Street into Cohasset, is a most delightful one.
SPRAGUE'S BRIDGE, UNION STREET.
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Beechwoods is a very sparsely settled district, mostly heavily wooded with beech and oak, and with much of the beautiful holly growing at intervals. That rare and delicate shrub, the ink-berry, is not uncommon on the open roadsides of Union Street.
Retracing our way, and taking South Pleasant Street, we will turn south into Charles Street by Stony Hill. Here is MAST- BRIDGE PLAIN, where formerly fine masts were cut from the for- est to equip the vessels building at the harbor. MAST-BRIDGE MEADOWS lie along Beechwoods River. This little stream is crossed by HERSEY'S BRIDGE. The noble height to the east is PROSPECT HILL, the highest in Hingham. The view from the summit is very extensive.
After crossing Hersey's Bridge the road turns southward. To the westward is THE WIGWAM, a most interesting locality. Here dwelt the Indians in considerable numbers, and the stone fire- places of their wigwams were standing within the remembrance of persons now living. Many of their implements of domestic use and of the chase have been found here.
There remains but one part of Hingham which has not been explored for the landmarks. To cover that, we will start at Cold Corner and take Central Street, a road laid out within a few years, which near the Ropewalks runs over a marsh which was once known as CHRISTMAS POND. No trace now remains, however, which would indicate that a pond had ever existed here. Turning west into Elm Street, we soon pass over rising ground, the portion of which on the right, between Elm and Hersey streets, was called POWDER-HOUSE HILL. A red POWDER HOUSE formerly stood upon it, in which was stored a supply of gunpowder. It was moved here from the hill just north of the New North Church, on Lincoln Street.
Near the corner of Elm and Hersey streets, there stood until within a few years a beautiful wood, known as TRANQUILLITY GROVE. It was long made use of for picnics and various other sorts of gatherings, social, political, and religious. The early abolitionists used it for some of their stirring meetings.
The lower part of Hersey Street, from Elm to South streets was in early times AUSTIN'S LANE, taking its name from Jonas Austin, one of the first settlers in 1636, who had his homestead granted on Town Street (now South) at the north end of this lane.
South Street, which was, like North Street, first called Town STREET, begins at North Street opposite the old Gay mansion, im- mediately crosses Magoon's Bridge, and runs west. After cross- ing Main Street, and just before Lafayette Avenue is reached, it until within three years passed by a homely old provincial build- ing, which was in the last century the ANCHOR TAVERN. General Lafayette once lodged in it when he had occasion to pass the night in Hingham, during the Revolutionary War. It was the
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History of Hingham.
country home of John A. Andrew, the war governor of Massa- chusetts, for one summer during the great rebellion. The short street which connects South with North Street, immediately west of the railroad depot, crosses the town brook, and is known as THAXTER'S BRIDGE. In the old days the WHIPPING POST was located here. About a quarter of a mile further on, and a few rods east of AUSTIN'S LANE (now Hersey 'Street), formerly stood the old PINE-TREE TAVERN. On the site of it there now stands a large white house which was built by General Lincoln for his son-in-law and private secretary, Mr. Abner Lincoln. The road runs west and enters Fort-Hill Street after crossing the Town Brook at DERBY'S BRIDGE. On the south side of the street at. this point formerly stood the mansion of Madam Derby, who applied the property left for the purpose by her first husband, Dr. Ezekiel Hersey, to founding Derby Academy. Many stories are told of this able but eccentric woman. Among others is this one, applicable to her home.
She had a rustic seat arranged among the branches of one of the trees near her house, from which she could observe her la- borers in the fields. She was upon one occasion sitting there decidedly in dishabille, when she saw a carriage some distance off, containing visitors whom she had expected to arrive later in the day, but with whom she was not well acquainted. She jumped down from her perch, ran round to the back of the house,. caught a brace of chickens on the way, twisted their necks and flung them to the cook with orders to broil them for dinner at. once, ran through the house, and (her house servants not being at home) received the guests, who did not know her in her role. of servant, showed them to their rooms, and hastening to her own, dressed and descended to the parlor to welcome them as. Madam Derby ; and they did not recognize the servant who had ushered them to their apartments in the lady of the mansion who received them in state.
When the money for the endowment of Derby Academy was. brought from Salem to Hingham by Nathan Lincoln and his wife (he was a nephew of Dr. Ezekiel Hersey), it was concealed in a bucket which stood on the floor of a chaise, between Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln. Madam Derby caused stones in the cellar wall of her house to be removed, and the money, enclosed in woollen bags, was built into the wall, for concealment and safety.
When this old mansion was burned, in the early part of this. century, there had been living in it people whose habits of life were far from being such as invited the approval of the neighbors. And certain old women who were gathered together watching its destruction, averred that they saw fiends and witches ascending. in the smoke and dancing in the flames.
The nineteenth century would appear to be a little subsequent. to the era of unseemly performances on the part of individuals
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Ancient Landmarks.
of that ilk ; but the old ladies who witnessed their antics at the fire aforementioned were wives of respectable citizens of the West End, and their statements are not to be lightly called in question by the incredulous.
You have now been with me among the landmarks of these old towns, from the grim ledges off the eastern shore, where the surf beats itself incessantly to foam and spray on Cohasset rocks, to the singular rolling gravel mounds at the west end of Hing- ham, where the glacier of the last ice-period has left such in- disputable proofs of its former presence, - from the pretty landlocked harbor at the north, the ancient " Bare Cove," to the secluded woodlands which cover the greater part of the southern portion of these townships ; and where the ponds, those scarcely ruffled sheets of blue water, lie among green meadows and for- ests like sapphires among emeralds, - through old streets and lanes full of points of interest to the antiquarian, and over beau- tiful hills, whose graceful contour forms the background of every landscape.
We maritime New Englanders breathe a double inspiration from our surroundings, for, dwelling by the ocean, upon which our people have proved themselves worthy descendants of the Northmen, we are at the same time practically mountaineers. Our rocky hills are the foot-hills of the mountain ranges a few miles west and north of us, which on the coast of Maine actually invade the realm of the sea. Even upon Boston Bay, look at those Blue Hills of Milton, whose tops are sometimes above the clouds. A short distance inland, and Wachusett and Monadnock show their heads, while Mount Washington itself is visible from the sea-coast.
In the atmosphere of such surroundings, what wonder is it that upon rolls containing the Hingham and Cohasset names of Lincoln, Cushing, Hobart, Tower, Gay, Thaxter, Shute, Sprague, Pratt, Hersey, Stoddard, Fearing, and others, should be found many which have adorned the professions of the ministry, law, and medicine ; which have become eminent as those of poets, literati, artists ; of men who have achieved the fortune and prac- tised the liberality of merchant princes ; who in the battle line by land and sea have, from sailors at their guns and soldiers in the ranks to great generals, shed lustre upon the Colony and the Republic ; who have, as deputies, or congressmen, or governors, or ambassadors, reaped honorable laurels in this and in foreign lands ; or lastly, in the presidential chair itself, won a simple, homely, but illustrious fame which will through all our future history go hand in hand with that of Washington !
Even as the Ancient Landmarks of Hingham and Cohasset tell a story of the existence and physical progress of the race and community of which those families were the type, so have
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History of Hingham.
the lives and deeds of the leading spirits of those families served as landmarks in the annals of the Great Republic; which is herself the brightest landmark in the present, as we devoutly hope she will be for the ages of the future, in the history of mankind.
EARLY SETTLERS.
BY JOHN D. LONG.
HINGHAM is one of the oldest towns in Massachusetts. There were settlers here as early as 1633. Its first name was Bearcove or Barecove, more likely the latter, in view of the exposure of al- most its entire harbor at low tide, and as appears also in the spelling of the name in the order of the General Court referred to below. So far as it had any legislative incorporation, it was in- corporated, and this has been the usual statement of writers, Sept. 2, 1635, only eleven towns having in that respect an earlier date. Perhaps, however, the term incorporation is not appropriate in this connection, the brief order which the General Court, consist- ing of the Governor, assistants, and deputies, adopted and entered on that day being as follows, - a form used before, and afterwards, in the case of several other towns: - "The name of Barecove is changed and hereafter to be called Hingham."
Who was the first settler, or at what exact date he came, it is impossible to say. Mr. Solomon Lincoln, the historian of the town in 1827, gives the following interesting facts : -
" The exact date at which any individual came here to reside cannot be ascertained. Among the papers of Mr. Cushing, there is a ' list of the names of such persons as came out of the town of Hingham, and towns ad- jacent, in the County of Norfolk, in the Kingdom of England, into New England, and settled in Hingham.' From this list we are led to believe there were inhabitants here as early as 1633, and among them Ralph Smith, Nicholas Jacob with his family, Thomas Lincoln, weaver, Edmund Hobart and his wife, from Hingham, and Thomas Hobart with his family, from Windham, in Norfolk, England. During the same year Theophilus Cushing, Edmund Hobart, senior, Joshua Hobart, and Henry Gibbs, all of Hingham, England, came to this country. Cushing lived some years at Mr. Haines's farm, and subsequently removed to Hingham. The others settled at Charlestown, and in 1635 removed to this place. In 1634 there were other settlers here, and among them Thomas Chubbuck ; Bare Cove was assessed in that year. In 1635, at the May court, Joseph Andrews
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History of Hingham.
was sworn as constable of the place. There was a considerable increase of' the number of settlers, and in that year grants of land were made to up- wards of fifty individuals, of which a record is preserved. It was in June of that year that Rev. Peter Hobart arrived at Charlestown, and soon after settled in this place.
" I here subjoin the names of those who settled or received grants of land here, in the respective years mentioned. Possibly there may be some names omitted, which have escaped my observation, and those of others in- serted to whom lands were granted, but who never settled here. The list is as perfect, however, as long, careful, and patient examination of public- and private records can make it.
" In 1635, in addition to those before-mentioned (namely : Joseph An- drews, Thomas Chubbuck, Henry Gibbs, Edmund Hobart, Sen., Edmund Hobart, Jr., Joshua Hobart, Rev. Peter Hobart, Thomas Hobart, Nicholas. Jacob, Thomas Lincoln, weaver, Ralph Smith), were Jonas Austin, Nicholas. Baker, Clement Bates, Richard Betscome, Benjamin Bozworth, William Buckland, James Cade, Anthony Cooper, John Cutler, John Farrow, Daniel Fop, Jarvice Gould, Wm. Hersey, Nicholas Hodsdin, Thos. Johnson, An- drew Lane, Wm. Large, Thomas Loring, George Ludkin, Jeremy Morse, William Nolton, John Otis, David Phippeny, John Palmer, John Porter, Henry Rust, John Smart, Francis Smith (or Smyth), John Strong, Henry Tuttil, William Walton, Thomas Andrews, William Arnall, George Bacon,. Nathaniel Baker, Thomas Collier, George Lane, George Marsh, Abraham. Martin, Nathaniel Peck, Richard Osborn, Thomas Wakely, Thomas Gill, Richard Ibrook, William Cockerum, William Cockerill, John Fearing, John Tucker.
"In 1636, John Beal, senior, Anthony Eames, Thomas Hammond,. Joseph Hull, Richard Jones, Nicholas Lobdin, Richard Langer, John Leavitt, Thomas Lincoln, Jr., miller, Thomas Lincoln, cooper, Adam Mott, Thomas Minard, John Parker, George Russell, William Sprague, George- Strange, Thomas Underwood, Samuel Ward, Ralph Woodward, John Winchester, William Walker.
" In 1637, Thomas Barnes, Josiah Cobbit, Thomas Chaffe, Thomas- Clapp, William Carlslye (or Carsly), Thomas Dimock, Vinton Dreuce,. Thomas Hett, Thomas Joshlin, Aaron Ludkin, John Morrick, Thomas Nichols, Thomas Paynter, Edmund Pitts, Joseph Phippeny, Thomas Shave, Ralph Smith, Thomas Turner, John Tower, Joseph Underwood, William Ludkin, Jonathan Bozworth.
" In 1638 there was a considerable increase of the number of settlers. Among them were, Mr. Robert Peck, Joseph Peck, Edward Gilman, John Foulsham, Henry Chamberlain, Stephen Gates, George Knights, Thomas Cooper, Matthew Cushing, John Beal, Jr., Francis James, Philip James, James Buck, Stephen Payne, William Pitts, Edward Michell, John Sutton, Stephen Lincoln, Samuel Parker, Thomas Lincoln, Jeremiah Moore, Mr. Henry Smith, Bozoan Allen, Matthew Hawke, William Ripley.
" All of those preceding, who came to this country in 1638, took passage in the ship ' Diligent,' of Ipswich, John Martin, master. In ad- dition to these, the following named persons received grants of land in the year 1638, viz. : John Buck, John Benson, Thomas Jones, Thomas Lawrence, John Stephens, John Stodder, Widow Martha Wilder, Thomas Thaxter.
" In 1639 Anthony Hilliard and John Prince received grants of land. The name of Hewett (Huet) and Liford, are mentioned in Hobart's Diary,
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Early Settlers.
in that year, and in the Diary the following names are first found in the respective years mentioned; in 1646, Burr, in 1647, James Whiton ; in 1649, John Lazell, Samuel Stowell ; in 1653, Garnett and Canterbury.
" The number of persons who came over in the ship 'Diligent,' of Ips- wich, in the year 1638, and settled in Hingham, was one hundred and thirty- three. All that came before were forty-two, making in all one hundred and seventy-five. The whole number that came out of Norfolk (chiefly from Hingham, and its vicinity) from 1633 to 1639, and settled in this Hingham, was two hundred and six. This statement, on the authority of the third town clerk of Hingham, must be reconciled with the fact that there was a much larger number of settlers here in 1639 than would appear from his estimate. They undoubtedly came in from other places, and I am inclined to believe that there may be some omissions in Mr. Cushing's list. It may be remarked here, that many of the names mentioned in the previous pages are now scattered in various parts of the country. Many of the first settlers removed to other places during the militia difficulties which occurred within a few years after the settlement of the town ; and a considerable number had previously obtained lands at Rehoboth.
" The earliest record to be found of the proceedings of the town in rela- tion to the disposition of the lands is in 1635. In June of that year grants were made to a considerable number of individuals, and on the 18th of September, as has been before stated, thirty of the inhabitants drew for house-lots, and received grants of other lands for the purposes of pasture, tillage, etc.
" It was in July, 1635, that a plantation was erected here; and on the 2d of September following that, the town was incorporated by the name of Hingham, from which it appears that there are but eleven towns in this State, and but one in the county of Plymouth, older than Hingham. I can- not ascertain satisfactorily when the first meeting for civil purposes was held. It is stated by Mr. Flint in his century discourses, to have been on the 18th of September, 1635. There is as much evidence in our town re- cords, and in those of Cushing's MSS. which I have examined, that the first town-meeting was held in June of that year, as in September. The state- ments in the same discourses, that the inhabitants of Hingham arrived in 1635, and that they obtained deeds of land from the natives to form the town previously to holding the first town-meeting, are unquestionably erro- neous, being at variance with our town records, Cushing's MSS., and the Indian deed itself.
" The house-lots drawn on the 18th of September, 1635, were situated on the 'Town street,' the same which is now called North Street. During that year the settlement was extended to 'Broad Cove Street,' recently named Lincoln Street. In the year following, house-lots were granted in the street now called South Street, and in the northerly part of 'Bachelor Street,' now Main Street.
" Some idea of the relative wealth of several towns in 1635 may be estimated from the following apportionment of the public rate for that year. Newton and Dorchester were assessed each £26 5 ; Boston, £25 10; Salem, £16; Hingham, £6; Weymouth, £4, etc. In 1637 the number of men furnished by this town to make up the number of one hundred and sixty to prosecute the war against the Pequods, were six ; Boston furnished twenty-six ; Salem, eighteen ; Weymouth, five; Medford, three ; Marble- head, three. The assessment upon this town at the General Court in Au-
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History of Hingham.
gust following, was £8 10; the least, except that of Weymouth, which was £6 16. Property and population appear to have been unequally distributed and often fluctuating. In 1637 we find the first record of the choice of a town clerk. Joseph Andrews was chosen, and in 1638 the first record of the choice of assessors."
The following is a literal copy of the deed of the township of Hingham, given by the Indians in 1665 : -
"WHEREAS divers Englishmen did formerly come (into the Massachusets now called by the Englishmen New England) to inhabit in the dayes of Chickatabut our father who was the Cheife Sachem of the sayd Massachusets on the Southward side of Charles River, and by the free Consent of our sayd father did set downe upon his land and in the yeare of our Lord God one thousand six hundred thirty and four divers Englishmen did set downe and inhabit upon part of the land that was formerly our sayd fathers land, which land the Englishmen call by the name of Hingham, which sayd Eng- lishmen they and their heires and assosiats have ever since had quiet and peaceable possession of their Towneshippe of Hingham by our likeing and Consent which we desire they may still quietly possess and injoy and be- cause ther have not yet bin any legall conveyance in writing passed from us to them conserning their land which may in future time occasion differ- ence between them and us all which to prevent - Know all men by these presents that we Wompatuck called by the English Josiah now Chiefe Sachem of the Massachusets aforesayd and sonne and heire to the aforesayd Chick- atabut ; and Squmuck all called by the English Daniel sonne of the afore- sayd Chickatabut and Ahahden - Indians : for a valueable consideration to us in hand payd by Captaine Joshua Hubberd and Ensigne John Thax- ter, of Hingham aforesayd wherewith wee doe acknowledge our selves fully satisfyed contented and payd and thereof and of every part and percell thereof doe exonerate acquitt and discharge the sayd Joshua Hubberd and John Thaxter their heires executors and Administrators and every of them forever by these presents . have given granted bargained sold enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents doe give grant bargaine sell Enfeoffe and confirme unto the sayd Joshua Hubberd and John Thaxter on the behalfe and to the use of the inhabitants of the Towne of Hingham aforesayd that is to say all such as are the present owners and proprietors of the present house lotts as they have bin from time to time granted and layd out by the Towne; All That Tract of land which is the Towneshippe of Hingham aforesayd as it is now bounded with the sea northward and with the River called by the Englishmen weymoth River westward which River flow from the sea ; and the line that devide betwene the sayd Hingham and Wey- moth as it is now layd out and marked, until it come to the line that devide betwene the colony of the Massachusetts and the colony of New Plimoth and from thence to the midle of accord pond and from the midle of accord pond to bound Brooke to the flowing of the salt water and so along by the same River that devide betwene Scittiate and the said Hingham untill it come to the sea northward ; And also threescore acres of salt marsh on the other side of the River that is to say on Scittiate side according as it was agreed upon by the commissioners of the Massachusets colony and the com- missioners of Plimoth colony Together with all the Harbours Rivers Creekes Coves Islands fresh water brookes and ponds and all marshes unto
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