The story of the contest with the authorities is long and tedious, and
it would not serve the purpose of this article to relate it fully, but
we can see in the brief statement above that, whether the minister and
his people were right or wrong, they had in them that energy, pluck, and
persistency which men who would establish strong foundations of society
and municipal prosperity must have.
Many interesting events in the early history of the town must be passed
over. The complete history is being prepared under the authority of the
town, and he who has curiosity concerning it will, ere long, have an
opportunity to gratify it. Suffice it to say that the town suffered, in
common with all the early settlements, from the Indians, though not
extraordinarily; the usual precautions were taken to prevent assaults,
and considerable attention was paid to the maintenance of the military.
The whole civil history of the town has been one of steady prosperity,
of rather slow growth in population.
The first church in Hingham was formed in 1635, on the settlement of the
town, with Rev. Peter Hobart as its first minister.
The first house for public worship was erected by the first settlers of
the town, probably within a short time after its settlement in 1635. It
was surrounded by a palisado, and surmounted by a belfry with a bell,
and was undoubtedly a plain structure, so far as the scanty records give
any light upon it. It stood upon a hill, in front of the present site of
the Derby Academy, in the centre of what is now Main street. But the
chief curiosity of Hingham to-day is the second meeting-house, known as
the "Old Meeting-house." It is believed that no house for public worship
exists within the limits of the United States, which continues to be
used for the purpose for which it was erected, and remaining on the same
site where it was built, which is so old as this. It is said that
timbers from the first were used in the construction of the present
house. The brass tablet on its wall states:--
"This Church was gathered in 1635. The frame of this Meeting-house was
raised on the twenty-sixth, twenty-seventh, and twenty-eighth days of
July, 1681, and the house was completed and opened for public worship
on the eighth of January, 1681-2. It cost the town £430 and the old
house."
In 1881 there were elaborate commemorative services on the occasion of
the 200th anniversary of the building of the meeting-house.
The history of this parish has been remarkable for the long terms of
service of its ministers. During the two hundred and fifty years of its
existence it has had but eight ministers, of whom the eighth and the
present one is the Rev. H. Price Collier. The denomination is Unitarian.
Originally a Puritan church, it was liberalized under the sixty-nine
years' ministry of Rev. Ebenezer Gay, D.D., extending from 1718 to 1787.
Of this able divine many interesting anecdotes are told. He was a
powerful leader of religious thought, who "sounded almost the first
evangel of that more liberal faith which found its highest expression in
Channing, and its fruit in the absolute religious freedom of to-day.
Well may the Commonwealth cherish this church in high and in sacred
esteem, which, through two such men as Peter Hobart and Ebenezer Gay,
has put, in the spirit of the highest independence, its mark upon the
tablets of civil liberty and of religious thought."
The second parish (Unitarian) at South Hingham was set off March 25,
1745. Its first minister was Rev. Daniel Shute, D.D., a man of great
ability and practical sense, who was an earnest advocate of his
country's cause during the revolutionary war. He was a member of the
convention which formed the constitution of Massachusetts, and of that
which adopted the constitution of the United States.
The Third Congregational Society (Unitarian) was organized in 1807.
There is also within the town a religious society of each of the
following denominations, viz.: Evangelical Congregational, Baptist,
Methodist Episcopal, Universalist, Protestant Episcopal, Second Advent,
and Roman Catholic. It would seem as if there need be no hungering for
the "bread of life."
The military record of Hingham is worthy of notice.
In Philip's war, in 1675, it appears that "souldiers were impressed into
the country service," and provision was made by the selectmen for their
expenses.
In 1690 "Capt. Thomas Andrews and soldiers met on board ship to go to
Canada" in the expedition under command of Sir William Phips. Capt.
Andrews and most of the soldiers belonging to Hingham died in the
expedition.
In the French and Indian wars many Hingham citizens enlisted, and Capt.
Joshua Barker was in the expedition to the West Indies in 1740, and in
the wars of later years.
In the war of the Revolution there was no lack of patriotism in Hingham,
"The records indicate that nowhere did patriotism put forth in a greater
degree the fulness of its efforts and the energy of its whole soul and
spirit."
The limits of this article will not permit an extended notice of all the
acts which make up the creditable and patriotic record of the town.
Descended from those, who, through hardship and toil, labored for the
common good, and bore each other's burdens, it is naturally to be
expected that the people of Hingham aided the cause of freedom and the
liberties of their country by resolutions and votes, and by liberal
supplies of money. Nor did they hesitate to take up arms and sacrifice
their lives for their country's good. From the beginning to the end of
the Revolution, in many a hard-fought battle, in the sufferings and
hardships of camp and march, from the struggle on Breed's Hill to the
brilliant affair of Yorktown, we find the names of Hingham men mentioned
with honor. And how could it be otherwise? If heredity tells for
anything the whole history of the early struggles of the infant colonies
was a guarantee that sturdy traits would be found in the descendants of
the first settlers. In the world's history we find no higher type of
patriotism than on the barren, rocky shores of Massachusetts. It is
undoubtedly true that there were some whose sympathies were not with the
principles which inspired the majority of the people of that day, who
were distrustful of the consequences which would result from failure,
and who gave but feeble encouragement. We find such in every age and
country. But it must be put down to the credit of even these few that
they paid heavy taxes without resistance, and yielded to the popular
will after independence was once declared. "Royalists as well as
republicans, tories as well as whigs, gave of their substance to
establish the liberties of their country."
The acts and motives of the men of this town deserved to be crowned with
that success which came in due season, a priceless benefit to posterity.
It was General Benjamin Lincoln, of Hingham, the wise counsellor, the
foremost citizen of his time, the trusted friend of Washington, who was
designated to receive the sword of Cornwallis at Yorktown. Among the
many worthy and distinguished names of the sons of Hingham, that of
General Lincoln stands in the foremost rank. His monument stands in the
cemetery near the Old Meeting-house, characteristic of the man in its
rich simplicity.
In the war of 1812, although a majority of the citizens disapproved of
the State administration, "all manifested a disposition to defend their
houses and firesides against the common foe, and repaired with alacrity
to resist any invasion upon their neighbors."
In the war of the Rebellion it is the same story of patriotism and a
ready response to the call of the country. Early in the field and late
to leave it, the record of the town does not differ from others in the
State. A monument bearing the names of those who gave their lives for
the country was erected in 1870, in the Hingham cemetery, near the
statue of Governor Andrew.
The town has always made liberal provision for education, and its
schools stand to-day, as they have always stood, among the best. The
public schools have, for several years past, contained between 600 and
700 pupils, and appropriations of $13,000 to $14,000 are made annually
for their support. Besides the public schools there are a number of
small private schools, and the Derby Academy, which was established by
Mrs. Sarah Derby, who endowed it with funds for its support. She died in
1790, and the school was opened in 1791, since which time it has
continued uninterruptedly to educate many pupils in the town as well as
a number from neighboring towns. The list of graduates contains the
names of many who became distinguished in after life. It is for both
males and females, and is managed by a board of trustees. Its history is
one of credit to its founder and to the town. Mrs. Derby's first
husband, from whom she acquired her property, was Dr. Ezekiel Hersey, of
Hingham, well known as the founder of the professorship bearing his name
in Harvard College.
Among the other benefactions to the town must be mentioned the Hingham
Public Library, opened for the use of the inhabitants, in 1869, through
the liberality of the late Hon. Albert Fearing. By liberal gifts of
money from him a building was built and books were purchased. Large and
valuable donations of books were also made by other public-spirited
citizens until several thousand volumes were collected together. The
building and its contents were totally destroyed by fire, Jan. 3, 1879.
A more commodious building was immediately erected, and opened to the
public April 5, 1880. Its shelves are well filled with standard
literature. The library is managed by a board of trustees under a deed
of trust from Mr. Fearing.
The industries of Hingham are varied, and, from a business point of
view, it must be admitted that there has been a considerable decline
during the last fifty years. Although never a manufacturing town, within
the usual meaning of that term, there were formerly many small
manufactories of various articles, among which may be mentioned buckets,
furniture, hatchets, etc. The mackerel-fishery was also extensively
carried on from this port; but that has all disappeared, and Hingham is
becoming, more and more every year, a surburban town of residences. With
the increased facilities afforded by railroad and steamboat for daily
access to the city of Boston, many of its citizens, whose business is in
the city, have their residences in Hingham; and it is also the summer
home of many others. The railroad was opened in 1849, and a steamboat
has made regular trips to and from the city during the summer months for
the past fifty years. Downer Landing, the well-known summer resort, with
its pleasure-gardens, summer cottages, and hotel, the Rose Standish
House, built up through the philanthropy and liberality of the late Mr.
Samuel Downer, are within the limits of Hingham.
There is one hotel in the settled part of the town, the Cushing House.
The town is abundantly supplied with water of the purest quality for
domestic and fire purposes, from Accord Pond, situated on the southern
boundary line of the town, and there is an excellent fire department.
There is a weekly paper (_The Hingham Journal_), a national bank, a
savings-bank, and a fire insurance company, which, with numerous stores
in almost every department of domestic supplies, largely make up the
business of the town.
The Hingham Agricultural and Horticultural Society holds monthly
meetings and an annual exhibition in its spacious hall and grounds.
The views from several of the hills in Hingham are very beautiful, and
its woods and fields afford a large and varied study for the botanist.
Of a high average of intelligence, attentive to education, encouraging
morality, obedient to the laws, the people of Hingham have always stood
high in the scale of social enjoyment and prosperity. Its town meetings
are models of democratic government, and there are few places in which
this purely American institution is preserved with so much respect and
true regard for the public welfare.
It is with justifiable pride that the native of Hingham looks back
through the two and one-half centuries of her history.
"Such is the patriot's boast, where'er we roam,
His first, best country ever is at home."
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