PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. 



BY FRANCIS H. LINCOLN. 



HINGHAM MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY. 



The Hingham Mutual Fire Insurance Company was incorpo- 

 rated March 4, 1826. By the Act of Incorporation the persons 

 named therein and their associates were made a corporation for 

 twenty-eight years, with authority, when the sum subscribed by 

 the associates to be insured should amount to fifty thousand dol- 

 lars, " to insure for the term of one to seven years, any dwelling- 

 house or other building in the town of Hingham." 



The first meeting of the Corporation was held April 12, 1826, 

 when officers were elected and a committee chosen to " report a 

 code of By-Laws," which were adopted May 16, 1826. 



The objects of the Company are thus stated : — 



We, the subscribers, owners of Buildings within the town of Hing- 

 ham, anticipating the advantages which may arise to us from having our 

 Houses and Buildings secured against Fire, upon the only just principles 

 of Insurance ; and as an Act of the General Court has been passed, in- 

 corporating a Company by the name of the " Hingham Mutual Fire In- 

 surance Company," which provides that funds shall be raised from 

 amono" the members, to be distributed among those whose Houses or 

 Buildings should be consumed or injured by Fire, originating in any other 

 cause except that of design in the Insured, do hereby subscribe our 

 names as members of the same, and do bind ourselves, our Heirs, and 

 assigns, to observe the following articles, and such other Rules as may be 

 adopted by said Company. 



The By-Laws provided that " each policy shall be for the term 

 of seven years." By an additional Act passed Feb. 3, 1827, the 

 Company was " authorized to insure for any term of time not less 

 than one year, nor more than seven years, on any dwelling-house 

 or other building, and on household furniture in the County of 

 Plymouth," which was accepted by the Company " so far as re- 

 gards buildings." 



An additional Act was passed June 8, 1831, granting permission 

 to insure " in any part of the Commonwealth." April 4, 1833, 

 the Directors voted to insure household furniture as well as build- 

 ings, and in the same year " that no one risk be taken which shall 

 exceed $3500, on any building, including furniture." This limit 



