Manufactures and Commerce. 167 



several years by Robert W. Lincoln & Co., in the brick building 

 on West Street ; and by Douglas Easton, in the store formerly oc- 

 cupied by Capt. Seth S. Hersey, on Main Street, South Hinghara. 



The manufacture of boots and shoes has never proved to be 

 a successful industry in Hingham. It may have been from a want 

 of local encouragement, or from various other causes known to 

 those who have had experience in the business. No citizen of the 

 town, however, who has its ^welfare and prosperity in view, can 

 regret this more than the permanent resident, whether he be a 

 mechanic, trader, landowner, or laborer ; for it is to the credit of 

 this industry that other local pursuits are benefited wherever it is 

 established ; that houses and lands which have diminished in value 

 return to their former or increased rates ; and that to the rising 

 generation it offers greater opportunities for employment. It also 

 stimulates to new growth and activity in every community where 

 it is permanently located. 



There have been many enterprising residents of the town since 

 its settlement in 1635 wbo were known in olden times as " cord- 

 wainers." Their names, with their occupation given in most in- 

 stances, appear in Volumes II. and III. of this history. 



Of those who were manufacturers for Boston, New York, and 

 more distant markets, the first firm in the North Ward was Hudson 

 & Humphrey, located on South Street, West Hingham. They were 

 in the business about seventeen years, but were obliged to yield 

 to the pressure of the hard times in 1837, and the year following 

 their factory and store was closed. Mr. Hudson afterwards fol- 

 lowed the pursuit for a while in the same locality. Other persons 

 and firms whose manufactories were at West Hingham were L. & 

 W. D. Stodder, Brant & Lincoln, James S. Lincoln, Martin Wilder, 

 Melzar and Martin Stodder, Robert Clark, E. P. Tirrell, George 

 Adams, and Mead & Whiton. Whiton & Bullard and Alfred Hill 

 & Co. were in the building next north of the Universalist Church. 

 John A. Hollis was also a manufacturer of boots in this locality. 

 George A. Wolfe was in the business for several years on Lincoln 

 Street. Gardner & Abbott were manufacturers of ladies' and chil- 

 dren's boots and shoes at No. 7 Central Row, Broad Bridge (near 

 the corner of Main and South streets). After this copartnership 

 was dissolved, Mr. Abbott continued the pursuit in the same build- 

 ing in connection with other business. 



At Hingham Centre, William 0. Nash, of Weymouth, and Wil- 

 liam Whiton, of Hingham, commenced manufacturing boots and 

 shoes on Main Street, in 1841, under the firm name of Whiton & 

 Nash, which continued until 1848, when Mr. Whiton withdrew, 

 and a new firm consisting of Mr. Nash and Joseph H. French was 

 formed, under the style of Nash, French, & Co. In 1854 the busi- 

 ness was sold to George H. French, who carried on the manufac- 

 ture until his decease in 1869. Others who were in the same 

 business at the Centre were George H. Pratt, Wight '& Sprague, 

 Sprague, Dayton, & Co., Hutchings & Cloudman from 1861 to 1870, 



