no HISTORY OF COHASSET. 



reserve land for the purpose of split boards, without the 

 consent of Constable Edmond Hobart, Sr. 



Loose hogs were a nuisance, and in April, 1639, double 

 damage was assessed for hogs in the cornfields or the 

 meadows. The offensive rooters when caught must wear 

 thereafter a yoke. 



This hog nuisance was so prevalent in all parts of the 

 colony that the General Court ordered each town to pro- 

 vide a pound. The first poundkeeper in Hingham was 

 John Stoddard ; and from April 22, 1640, no hogs were 

 allowed to run loose, upon a fine of twelvepence. 



The rail splitting and grubbing of stumps and breaking 

 of ground was going on with much energy, and neces- 

 sarily so, because there were about three hundred people 

 gathered here by the year 1640. 



The newcomers were not given lands immediately, but 

 made private arrangements with the earlier pioneers for 

 places to dwell and pastures or planting lots for their 

 livelihood. Of course some were dissatisfied with this 

 method of getting a pioneer's portion ; but the first comers 

 had appropriated to themselves all the choice land where 

 their houses were built, and the new ones were not willing 

 to carve out a new settlement upon ungranted lands. 



The marshes at Cohasset, however, were desirable for 

 hayfields and for pasturing cattle in the fall ; so a move- 

 ment was begun to have them divided. 



Accordingly, on July 6, 1640, it was "agreed by joiDt 

 consent that, after the newcomers which come short and 

 of others, the old planters' accommodations be made up 

 by equal proportions, according to their stocks and neces- 

 sities — that the remaining part of Conyhasset shall be 

 divided by equal proportions according to the men's heads 

 and stocks — 25 pounds in stock to go by equal propor- 

 tion to a head." 



This ambiguous ordinance meant a provision for the 

 newcomers' live stock and a bit of good meadow in Co- 



