158 History of Hingham. 



May 27, 1703. Agreement by Thomas Andrews, Daniel Lin- 

 coln, Aaron Pratt, Gershom Ewell, Mordecai Lincoln, Josiah Litch- 

 field, Jr., and Thomas James, reciting that they had entered into 

 an agreement to set up a forge or iron works upon a stream in 

 Thomas Andrews's lot in the third division in Conahasset ; and, 

 sensible that they shall have occasion to make use of some of his 

 land, do appoint Captain Chitenton and Lieutenant Briggs, both 

 of Scituate, and Samuel Thaxter, of Hingham, to award the dif- 

 ference in value of said Andrews's land that the referees have 

 viewed upon the day of the date hereof, being Gershom Ewell's 

 and Daniel Lincoln's land lying adjoining said Andrews's on the 

 southeast side of the said stream or river, called " Ganits River," 

 in the third division, etc. There were also iron works on the 

 stream above Pratt's mill in Cohasset. 



Jan. 13, 1703-4. Agreement reciting that Thomas Andrews* 

 Daniel Lincoln, Thomas James, Aaron Pratt, all of Hingham, and 

 Mordecai Lincoln, Gershom Ewell, and Josiah Litchfield, Jr., of 

 Scituate, have a piece of land in common amongst them in the 

 third division upon which they have erected a dam across a stream 

 in the same ; also iron works and other buildings, also a dwell- 

 ing-house on a piece of land Mordecai Lincoln aforesaid gave to 

 the owners of said works, to be held in joint tenancv for twentv 

 years, to do what the major part of the said owners of the prop- 

 erty shall think fit, etc. The iron works here referred to appear 

 to have been taxed in Hingham for a number of years after the 

 dates previously given. 



In December, 1828, the building at Thomas's Pond, in Weir 

 River, containing the furnace for the casting of iron ware, be- 

 longing to Benjamin Thomas, was consumed by fire. The build- 

 ing was nearly new, having been built but a few years (after 

 1824), and the loss was a serious one to the owner as well as to 

 the town. Another and much larger building was erected in the 

 same locality soon after by Mr. Thomas, and the business was 

 greatly increased. 



The Hingham Malleable Iron Company erected a brick building 

 on the foundry lot, near the pond, about 1840; and during the 

 few years of its existence as a corporation, its projectors held an 

 interest in the foundry plant. Among its officers connected with 

 Hingham were Albert Fearing, Benjamin Thomas, Luther Stephen- 

 son, Charles Howard, and Reuben Thomas ; Asa H. Holden was 

 its superintendent. The malleable iron business did not prove to 

 be a success, and the foundry again came into the sole control of 

 Mr. Thomas. He was succeeded by his sons Reuben and David. 

 After the decease of the latter, in 1869, there were several impor- 

 tant changes in the management within a few years. William 

 Thomas was the next person to carry on the business. He soon 

 admitted Col. Thomas Weston into a partnership, and they were 

 succeeded by the firm of Weston & Walker. This connection was 



