Deane’s History of Scituate is still regarded as the best introduction to the early history of the town and its settlers. The first half of the book gives a concise treatment of the town’s settlement and progress, ecclesiastical history, manufacturing, military affairs, and so on. The final 250 pages of the work, however, feature several hundred family sketches–arranged alphabetically from Adams through Young–tracing the pioneers, in most cases, from their arrival in town over several generations.