242 History of Hingham. 



brothers, and two or three of his little sisters, following as sol- 

 emnly as youth and a bright day will permit. Just stepping out 

 of his door is Benjamin Lincoln, whose wife, Sarah, with her 

 little son John and six-years-old Margaret, are stopping to greet 

 their uncles, John and Israel Fearing, who live next door. 

 Rounding the corner of Bachelor's Row, with a brisk stride and 

 erect carriage, we see Ensign John Thaxter, who has come down 

 from the fort on Fort Hill, where all seems tranquil, leaving Ser- 

 geant Daniel Lincoln in charge while he attends meeting and 

 holds a council of war with Captain Hobart. On his way we 

 presume he stopped at the garrison house at Austin's Lane to 

 speak a word of warning and make a kindly inquiry for Mrs. 

 Bate and the four-days-old girl ; and only a moment ago we saw 

 a sterner look as he sharply inquired of the luckless inmate of 

 the stocks what folly had made him a victim on this Sabbath 

 morning. Near a large tree upon the hill, and against whose 

 broad trunk rest half a dozen muskets, quietly awaiting Ensign 

 Thaxter, stands one of Hingham's two foremost citizens, the late 

 speaker of the House of Deputies and captain of the town forces. 

 Captain Hobart is sixty -two years of age, and among the darker 

 locks the gray hairs are thickly scattered, yet in his well-knit 

 figure there is little sign of age ; a strong, able, brave, wise man, 

 loaded with all the honors in the gift of his townsmen, faithful 

 for many years in their service, he is crowning his work by a care 

 and watchfulness which will save those whose confidence is so 

 well reposed in him from the horrors which have devastated so 

 many sister communities. Even now he might have been seen 

 coming along the path among the trees that runs between the 

 meeting-house and the central fort, the garrison of which latter 

 he has in part relieved for the services of the day. 



As the soldier in long boots, short-belted coat and sword, with 

 his alert military air waits, we note the similarity and yet the 

 dissimilarity between him and the slightly bent and older figure 

 which in long cloak and buckled shoes is rather slowly mounting 

 the hill, though declining the proffered arm of Ensign Thaxter. 

 It is Parson Hobart himself, ten years the senior of his distin- 

 guished brother, and in disposition scarcely less a soldier. His 

 long ministry is drawing near its close, but there is little diminu- 

 tion in the sparkle of his eye or the vigor of his manner. We 

 can almost see the grave salute with which the Captain greets 

 the Elder, and the equal gravity with which it is returned ; we 

 seem to hear the brief inquiry and reply, after which the one 

 passes into the presence of his assembling congregation, while 

 the other remains for a short interview with his subordinate. 



Within the house are the Hobarts, brothers and nephews of 

 the old parson, the Beals, Dr. Cutler, Joseph Church, Daniel and 

 Samuel Stodder, with numerous members of their large families, 

 Joseph Joy, Samuel Thaxter, and many others. Even now we 



