LINCOLN (Thomas - "the Miller")

This information is extracted from the book The History of the Town of Hingham Massachusetts, The Genealogies written by George Lincoln, originally published 1893. See the introduction to this site.


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LINCOLN - Introduction
This surname, variously written Linkhorn, Linklon, Loncon, etc., upon early documents, was a common one in Hingham, Norfolk County, England, for more that a century before our ancestors first came to New England; and the same names which occur here appear quite frequently among the baptisms registered upon the records of St. Andrew's Church in old Hingham. There can scarcely be a doubt, therefore, but that the surname Lincoln originated in Norfolk County, England; while it is more than probable, judging from a recent examination of St. Andrew's Church records, that the place of their abode prior to the seventeenth century, with perhaps one exception, was at old Hingham. Among the earlier settlers of our Hing. were eight persons (males) of mature age bearing this surname, of whom mention is made upon the records of the town. These were, Daniel Lincoln the husbandman, who died unm. 3 Apr. 1644, and his brothers Samuel Lincoln, and Thomas Lincoln the weaver; Daniel Lincoln, kn. as "the young man," and as "Sergeant" and "boatman;" Stephen Lincoln, and his bro. Thomas Lincoln the husbandman; Thomas Lincoln the cooper; and Thomas Lincoln the miller.

Thus were the four Thomases, distinguished from each other by their occupations, as cooper, husbandman, miller, and weaver; two Daniels; Samuel, and Stephen. Brief notices of these (with the exception of Daniel, who d. unm. in 1644) and of their descendants who lived in Hingham are given on the succeeding pages.


The LINCOLN (Thomas - "the Miller") Genealogies


1. Thomas, distinguished from the other three Thomases who early settled in Hing. by his vocation as a "miller," came from Old Eng. to New Eng. in 1635, and July 3, 1636, had a house-lot of five acres granted him on what is now South, near Main St. Other lots were also granted him for planting purposes. He prob. brought with him from Eng. two or three ch.; and before 1650 rem. from here with his family to Taunton, Mass., where, Dec. 10, 1665 he m. for his sec. w. Elizabeth Street, prob. the wid. of Francis Street. Tradition says that he erected at Taunton the old grist-mill, where, in 1675, King Philip and his chiefs met the pioneers of the place for a peaceful interview; and that at a later period his sons John and Samuel conveyed the old mill property to Robert Crosman. Whether there is any record to verify this statement ab. the old grist-mill or not, it is undoubtedly true that he continued in the same vocation which he had previously followed. In his will of 28 Apr. 1683, he calls himself "eighty years of age or thereabouts." Will proved 5 March foll.

Ch., all by his first w., were --

 2.   i. Thomas, bt. in Hing. Feb. 1637-38.
 3.  ii. John, ----.
 4. iii. Samuel, bt. in Hing. Feb. 1637-38.
     iv. Mary, bt. in Hing. Oct. 6, 1642, m. (1) Wm. Hack, and (2) Richard
           Stephens.
      v. Sarah, bt. in Hing. Dec. 1645, m. Joseph Willis.

2. Thomas (Thomas1), prob. b. in Eng., was bt. by Rev. Peter Hobart of Hing. Feb. 1637-38, and became an early resident of Taunton. His w. was Mary, dau. of Jonah Austin. "Oct. 11, 1662. Thomas Linkon of Taunton in New England, 'husbandman,' in consideration of 40s. sells 'to Daniel Cushing of Hingham, all my great lot, containing 16 acres, lately given to me by Thomas Linklon, my father, lying in the township of Hingham, on the Great Plaine, and was given by the inhabitants of Hingham unto the said Thomas Linkon, my father,'" etc. (S.D., vol. iv. p. 65)

Ch., prob. b. at Taunton, were --

      i. Mary, May 12, 1652
     ii. Sarah, Sept. 25, 1654
    iii. Thomas, Apr. 21, 1656.  m. Mary, dau. of Richard and Abigail Stacey.
     iv. Samuel, May 16, 1658.
      v. Sarah, July 7, 1660.
     vi. Hannah, March 15, 1663.
    vii. Constance, May 16, 1665.  m. July 13, 1687, William Briggs.
   viii. Jonah.
     ix. Mercy, Apr. 3, 1670.  m. William Caswell.
      x. Experience, was unm.

3. John (Thomas1), prob. b. in Eng.; removed from Hing. with his parents and became a resident of Taunton. The chris. name of his w. was Edith. Their ch., b. at Taunton, were --
      i. John, Oct. 11, 1665, was unm.
     ii. Thomas, Sept. 15, 1667.  m. Ester Smith.
    iii. Mary, 1679.  m. Nathaniel Shores.
     iv. Daniel, ----.  m. (1) Abigail Nichols, and (2) Mrs. Hannah Knap.
      v. Josiah, ----.  The chris. name of his w. was Jane.

4. Samuel (Thomas1), bt. in Hing. Feb. 1637-38, was also a resident of Taunton. The chris. name of his w. was Catherine. Their ch., prob. b. at Taunton, were --
      i. Samuel, June 1, 1664.
     ii. Hannah, March 24, 1665-66.  m. Daniel Owen of Braintree.
    iii. Tamson, Oct. 27, 1667.  m. Jonah Austin, Jr.
     iv. Elizabeth, Apr. 24, 1669.  m. Oct. 13, 1693, William Briggs, the s. of
           William and Sarah (Macomber) of Taunton.
      v. Ebenzer, Oct. 15, 1673.
     vi. Rachel, Sept. 16, 1677.  m. Jan. 20, 1696, Thomas Randall.
    vii. John, Sept. 15, 1679.
   viii. Thomas, Sept. 1683.
     ix. Daniel, ----. 

End of the THOMAS LINCOLN ("the Miller") genealogies