Hingham : a story of its early settlement and life, its ancient landmarks, its historic sites and buildings . ne-story ell; but this has now sometimesgiven place to a modern construction at the back of the of the outside doors keep their brass thumb-latches andknockers, and in some of the humbler cottages the old-fashionedleathern latch-string: to lift the roug-h wooden latches of theinside doors may still be seen. The windows have woodenshutters within ; and the outside blinds on some of the moreancient dwellings are constructed in one piece with very broadslats. The Thaxter Mansio
Hingham : a story of its early settlement and life, its ancient landmarks, its historic sites and buildings . ne-story ell; but this has now sometimesgiven place to a modern construction at the back of the of the outside doors keep their brass thumb-latches andknockers, and in some of the humbler cottages the old-fashionedleathern latch-string: to lift the roug-h wooden latches of theinside doors may still be seen. The windows have woodenshutters within ; and the outside blinds on some of the moreancient dwellings are constructed in one piece with very broadslats. The Thaxter Mansion. — Some of the handsomest of thesehomesteads have been destroyed, but their fame is still fresh inthe village memory. One of them, the Thaxter Mansion onNorth Street, which occupied the site of the present EomanCatholic Church, was removed in 1864. It was a fine oldcolonial mansion, with tapestried walls, broad, tiled fireplacesand decorated door-panels. The tapestries were brought fromEngland by Samuel Thaxter, a son of Col. Samuel Thaxter, whowas a classmate of Dr. Gay. Mr. Thaxters widow afterward. Ul (n DO I 1/5UJCJ q: Joo oa zenO zo 1/5 z< X< I UJ It- COLONIAL HOUSES. 83 married the Rev. John Hancock, of Braintree, and was themother of the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. In a blind passage in this house, to which a secret door gaveaccess, Tories from Marshfield were concealed during a searchmade for them by the Committee of Safety. From this pointthey were later successfully smuggled to Boston. Thomas Thaxter, the first of this name in Hingham, boughtthis house and land in 1652. It was occupied by Thaxters in adirect line for five generations. The last of* the name to live init was Major Samuel Thaxter. He was an officer in the Frenchand Indian Wars, and was present at the massacre of FortWilliam Henry, when, having been captured by the Indians andtied to a tree, he appealed for protection to two French officerspassing by. Pulling out his commiss
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookidhinghamstory, bookyear1911
