12. Isaac Lincoln

In 1753, Isaac Lincoln became Cohasset's first selectman and played an instrumental role in the town's development, earning him the title of "virtual father of the town," according to E. Victor Bigelow, an early town historian. Lincoln was born on August 5, 1717, in Hingham's Second Precinct, to Isaac Lincoln and Sarah Cummings. He was married twice, first to Ruth Beal on December 24, 1741, with whom he had 11 children, and later to Sarah Hobart Lincoln on October 7, 1764, and had two more children. He built his house on South Main Street in 1740, north of his father's house. In 1747, Lincoln served as Cohasset Constable. In 1774, he took on a wartime position with the Committee of Correspondence. That same year, he became deacon of the Church. Lincoln served as town selectman again between 1770 and 1775 and was also moderator in 1770, 1774, and 1775 after the town separated from Hingham.