204 History of Hingham. 



& 



gust following, was £8 10 ; the least, except that of Weymouth, which was 

 £G 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 dowue 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 b}' these 

 presents that we Wompatuck called by the English Josiah uowChiefe Sachem 

 of the Massachusets aforesayd and sonue 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 aud 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 Towneshij>pe 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 



