Benjamin Lincoln (1733–1810) was born in Hingham, Massachusetts in 1733. He followed in his father's footsteps into local office. He also worked his way up in the local militia until he was Lt. Colonel by 1772. In 1776, he was promoted to Brig. General, then Maj. General then commander of all Massachusetts troops in the Boston area. After the British evacuation of Boston, Lincoln joined General George Washington at New York, commanding the right wing at the Battle of White Plains. Shortly after seeing action at Fort Independence , he was commissioned into the Continental Army as a Major General.

Lincoln moved south with General Washington and then was sent to the Northern Department to help against Maj. General John Burgoyne's campaign. After recovering from a severe wound, Lincoln was appointed Southern Department Commander in September 1778. He failed to reclaim Georgia and then surrendered Charleston in May 1780. After being exchanged, he soon returned to Washington's main army, even leading it south to Virginia and playing a major role in the Yorktown surrender on October 20, 1781.

He helped to surpress the 1787 Shay's Rebellion.

Following the war, he stayed active in public life in various capacities until his retirement in 1809. He died in Hingham in 1810.