242 History of H Ingham. 



PACKETS. 



It is of course very difficult to ascertain when the first vessels 

 were in service as public conveyances ; in fact, it is doubtful if there 

 were any regular lines of packets until the latter part of the last 

 century. 



There is an entry of money paid by the town to Sergt. Daniel 

 Lincoln and Nathaniel Beal " for carrying soldiers to Boston " in 

 1671 ; but this service was probably performed with the private 

 boats which the thrifty owners were willing to use for turning an 

 " honest penny." 



About the middle of the last century Capt. Andrew Todd was 

 master of the sloop " Susanna," which was a packet, and in 1751: 

 the " Sharp-pen " was here as a packet. 



All the packets hereafter mentioned, except one, were sloops 

 of from 30 to 45 tons. In 1790 the " Hingham racket," Capt. 

 Jotham Lincoln, was the only regular packet running between 

 Hingham and Boston. The " Lincoln " was soon afterwards 

 built, probably in 1793 ; " Fairplay " in 1794 : " Union " in 1797 ; 

 "Harmony "in 1800, and "Friendship" in 1801, for Matthew 

 Burr and others. All these were built in Hingham, and all by 

 John Souther, except the " Hingham Packet," which was built 

 by Joseph Bassett. In 1802 there were five or six packets run- 

 ning regularly, and in 1815 seven or eight. 



In the early part of this century, when political party feelings 

 ran to extremes, there were two lines of packets, known as the 

 Republican and Federal lines. 



Republican Line. 



Harmony Capt. Matthew Burr. 



Friendship Capt. John Lincoln. 



Fairplay Capt. Elijah Lewis. 



Russell Capt. Hubbard Smiths 



Federal Line. 



Experiment Capt. Wilson Whiton. 



Liberty Capt. Caleb Sprague. 



Industry Capt. Elijah Whiton. 



Traveller Capt. David Whiton. 



Probably these packets did not run here at one time, as the 

 "Traveller" was not built until 1805. She was commanded 

 shortly afterwards by Capt. Elijah Whiton, and the " Liberty '' 

 closed her career about 1810. The "Experiment" was built at 

 the " Lime Kiln," Weir River. The " Rapid " was built by Daniel 

 Bassett, in 1811, for Caleb Sprague, and launched off Bassett's 

 Wharf. She was the first vessel built by Mr. Bassett. When 

 Captain Sprague was asked what color she should be painted, he 



