162 History of Hingham. 



military trimmings, and to carry on the same business as pursued 

 by the late firm of J. Baker & Son." 



Messrs. Baker and Fearing have since deceased, and John 0. 

 Remington has become a member of the firm. The firm name re- 

 mains the same. The spacious structure which the firm now 

 occupy on Cottage Street was erected in 18G5, and was dedicated 

 Jan. 15, 1866. 



The establishment of this industry in Hingham has been a pub- 

 lic benefit from its inception. Its continuance through more than 

 half a century lias given steady employment to a host of opera- 

 tives, and many deserving families have been assisted thereby. 

 It would have been well for the town if other manufacturing inter- 

 ests in times past had been as firmly established as the one here 

 referred to. 



A manufactory of silk and worsted fringes, gimps, cords, tassels, 

 etc. was commenced about 1846 in the Welcome Lincoln Building, 

 lately David Cain's, on South Street, by the new firm of Lincoln, 

 Bampton & Co., which, upon the retirement of Mr. Bampton was 

 succeeded, May 31, 1847, by Lincoln, Leavitt, <fe Mayhew. After 

 the dissolution of this copartnership, the firms which followed 

 were Lincoln & Leavitt, and Lincoln, Wilder, & Co. Shortly after 

 the death of Capt. Barnabas Lincoln, May 13, 1850, the business 

 was removed to Cazneau's Building, and on Dec. 6, 1850, the re- 

 maining members of the firm of Lincoln, Wilder, & Co. dissolved 

 their copartnership. Farrar & Company, of Boston, were the next 

 proprietors. They sold out to J. Sprague & Co.. who were located 

 on the original site of the industry at the corner of North and Main 

 streets. Their successors were Leach & Xesmith. The business 

 was afterwards disposed of to Messrs. Burr, Brown, <v Co., and the 

 industry, which at first looked so promising as an activity for the 

 west part of the town, entered into the history of the past. 



R. & W. Bampton were manufacturers of silk fringes and ladies 1 

 dress-trimmings in the Thaxter (now Thayer) Building at the 

 corner of North and Main streets in 1857. As a firm, they re- 

 mained in Hingham but a short time. 



Sewing-silk was manufactured at Hingham Centre in 1843, and 

 perhaps later, by Lincoln Jacob. It was spun from cocoons which 

 Mr. Jacob raised. His plantation of mulberry trees from which 

 the worms were fed, was on the northerly side of Main near Pleas- 

 ant Street, and the silk which he produced was said to be fully 

 equal to the imported article. Owing to the uncertainty of the 

 mulberry tree in this locality, and the limited encouragement 

 which the industry received, the project here as well as elsewhere 

 throughout New Eno.la.nd was abandoned. 



A manufactory of woollen and knit goods was commenced in 

 December, 1868, by Washington Brown and Frederick Long, in the 

 building owned by George Bassett, which had formerly been one 

 of the factory buildings of J. Baker & Son, and afterwards of 



