Thomas Lincoln

     Thomas Lincoln 'Thomas, the 'cooper,' and also known as 'maltster,' came from the west of England, says tradition, and settled in our Hing. ab. 1735-6. His name, however, does not appear upon our records until 1636, when there was 'granted unto Thomas Lincoln, cooper, five acres of land at the west end of the town for a house-lot, butting on the town street eastward, and upon the common westward, and with the land of Francis Smith northward, and with the land of Thomas Nichols southward.' This lot he afts. sold or exchanged for one on North, near Beal St., which was his homestead. He also had a small triangular lot of land granted him subsequent to the first disttribution of lots in 1635, at what is now the corner of North and Lincoln Sts. This (the triangular lot he afts. gave with malt-house, etc., to his youngest son, Benjamin. ... At the time the present meeting-house of the First Parish was erected (1680-81), Thomas Lincoln, cooper, was one of the five elderly gentlemen to whom was assigned a sitting 'in the seate under y^e pulpit;' while for Mrs. Lincoln a place was allotted 'in the second seate next y^e pew.'' He died on 28 September 1691.