Burial-grounds. 365 



From 1797 to 1855 this cemetery was controlled and supported 

 by the Parish, and, singular as it may now appear, the records 

 show that from 1806 to 1811, inclusive — certain income was re- 

 ceived from letting the same annually to the highest bidder for a 

 sheep and calf pasture. Land was purchased and annexed to the 

 original site in 1804, and again in 1866. In 1885 it was incorpo- 

 rated as the " High Street Cemetery Association." The present 

 officers of the association are as follows : President, Arthur R. 

 Whitcomb ; Secretary, Loring H. dishing ; Treasurer, Alonzo 

 Cushing ; Directors, Webster Hersey, Alfred Cushing, David 

 Cushing, 2d, William Cushing, and the President, Secretary, and 

 Treasurer, ex officiis ; Siqyerintendent, Christopher B. Hill. 



The association has a trust fund for the care of lots, of which 

 Arthur R. Whitcomb is trustee. It is in a flourishing condition, 

 and additional improvements are contemplated in the near future. 



HINGHAM CEMETERY. 



The year in which the older part of this cemetery was first 

 used for burials is uncertain. It probably was not far from the 

 time the new meeting-house was erected, in 1681 ; as it had been 

 a custom in old Hingham, England, for several generations before 

 the early planters came here, to bury the dead in the grounds ad- 

 joining the church, or even antedating that period, when their 

 ancestors buried in the grounds around the old monastery which 

 stood where the famous old (St. Andrew) church, of Hingham, 

 England, which was rebuilt in 1316, does now. Some light, how- 

 ever, upon the question of the earlier burials in this cemetery 

 may be gained by the following conveyances : — 



S. R. of D., Vol. 22, p. 172 (abstract) : John Coombs of Hing. 

 " Taylor " and Elizabeth his w., in consideration of £120, sell to Nathaniel 

 Hall of Hing. " Physician," home lot of ab. 6 acres situated near the 

 meeting-house with a dwelling-house, etc. thereon ; bounded on the high- 

 way or common land S. W. and W. and N. W. ; Samuel Thaxter on the 

 E. " and some of it towards the N. E. and part of the front of which 

 lveth towards the burying place." This conveyance was recorded in 

 1703. 



II. 



S. R. of D., Vol. 27, p. 79 (abstract) : Nathaniel Hall of Hing. 

 " Physician " and Anna his w., for £125, sell to Joshua Tucker of sd. 

 Hing., all that their home lot of 6 acres (as previously described and 

 bounded) "and part of the front lying towards the burying-place, and 

 southerly upon a square rode of land bounded upon the front fence by 

 the grave of Josiah Loring, deceased, and upon a square rode of land 

 bounded upon the front fence by the grave of Rachel Fearing and upon 

 the graves at the south corner of said land," etc. This deed was acknowl- 

 edged the 28th of March, 1713. 



