Hebron History Timeline

Hebron Historical Society 15 November 2024

1675	On February 29, Joshua (also known as Attawanhood), son of Uncas, signed his will granting land to the Saybrook Legatees. This included land now known as Hebron, Connecticut.
1704	Husbands and wives of the Shipman and Phelps families were reunited at Prophet's Rock (Burrows Hill Road). Shipman and Phelps were busy establishing themselves as the first settlers of Hebron. Legend has it that their wives, who were still in the original settlements, decided to find their husbands many miles away. It became late in the day, they decided to find shelter/protection from wild animals on this large rock, shouted for their husbands and were found!
1707	On February 19, proprietors who had purchased land from the Saybrook Legatees selected a committee to petition the Connecticut General Assembly to name their township “Hebron.” It was confirmed at the May session. It is the first time the name Hebron appeared in a legal document
1708	On May 26, Hebron was formally incorporated as the 41st town in the State of Connecticut, by act of the General Assembly. First Town Meeting, although the record of it is illegible, was probably held on September 20.
1709	A diamond was voted at the December Town Meeting to be the “town brand” for cattle; the diamond is still reflected in the Town’s logo.
1716	By act of the Connecticut General Assembly, First Society of Hebron was organized. John Bliss named first minister and ordained in 1717.
1734	Following dissatisfaction of parishioners, Reverend John Bliss was dismissed from First Society, and organized an Anglican parish. Rev. Benjamin Pomeroy succeeded Mr. Bliss as next minister of the First Ecclesiastical Society
1735	Birth of the Rev. Benjamin Trumbull in Gilead. Trumbull wrote the first complete history of Connecticut. Birth of the Rev. Samuel Peters in Gilead. Peters, an Anglican minister, and Tory wrote ”histories” of both Hebron and the State of Connecticut
1748	In May, the Connecticut General Assembly approved setting off the Gilead area of Hebron as a separate parish. The Gilead Ecclesiastical Society was formed on June 13 and held its first meeting, following the establishment of this new, distinct parish area. Members agreed to a tax to fund the building of a church and school that same year.
1775	About 60 men from Hebron responded to the Lexington Alarm
1787	On September 26, Cesar and Lowis Peters were seized by David Prior, a southern slave trader, and his gang of hired men. Hebron residents rescued Cesar, Lowis and 7 of their 8 children in Norwich on September 27, right before they were loaded onto a boat headed for the Carolinas.
1785	Hebron left Hartford County to become a member of the newly incorporated Tolland County.
1789	Cesar and Lowis Peters and their children were granted formal emancipation from slavery by the Connecticut General Assembly. Hebron residents and the Selectmen provided numerous affidavits in support of their freedom.
1793	On January 29, Samuel Morey of Hebron exhibited his first patent for a “steam spit.” This was one of the first 50 patents issued in America. With this concept, Morey built a quasi-steamship, which Robert Fulton later enhanced for his own steamship patent.
1798	Missionary Society of Connecticut was organized at a meeting held in Hebron.
1831	John S. Peters, born in Hebron in 1772, was elected governor of Connecticut, a position he held until 1833.
1838	The second (and current) Gilead Congregational Church building was raised on July 23. The Methodists built a church in the center of town in 1838, and abandoned it a few years later. Today that building is known as “Old Town Hall.”
1863	Phineas W. Turner established the first “Turnerville” Post Office on April 8.
1882	On April 17, the Great Fire destroyed almost all of the north Green area, including the Hebron Congregational Church, and damaged buildings on south Green; the Center School on south Green was also destroyed, and rebuilt as a two-room schoolhouse.
1883	The Hebron Congregational Church was rebuilt and began holding services again on May 8.
1888	From March 11-13, the “Great Blizzard” resulted in 3 feet of total snow accumulation, with snow drifts and banks being as high as 20 feet in the Amston area.
1891	On March 16, the white Train made a complete trip from NYC to Boston over what is now referred to as the “Air Line Trail.”
1899	The original Hebron Library was built and formally dedicated on June 21.
1908	Hebron celebrated its 200th anniversary of incorporation from August 23 through August 25. Read an account of the celebration and 200 years of Hebron’s history: http://www.archive.org/stream/hebronconnecticu1910biss/hebronconnecticu1910biss_djvu.txt
1912	Charles Ams purchased P.W. Turner’s land and lake on December 4. Within months, he changed the name of the village from “Turnerville” to “Amston.”
1917	The Ams Sterling Automobile Factory opened in Amston, and was bankrupt by 1919. Only about 40 cars were sold.
1920	On September 18, eighty-one Hebron women registered to vote following the ratification of the 19th Amendment; this increased the Hebron voter list by almost one-third.
1937	The Hebron Volunteer Fire Department was officially established, and the town’s first fire truck, a 1937 Ford Sanford, was purchased. United Distillers began manufacturing alcoholic beverages in Amston on July 7.
1938	The famous “Hurricane of ‘38” destroyed many buildings, farms, farming equipment, cars and barns on September 21. Hardly a building in Hebron was untouched, although no one was killed.
1942	Hebron sent its “great Cannon” from WWI on September 5 to be melted down for the WWII effort; it was a huge public event on the Green.
1946	The Amston Volunteer Fire Company was established on July 10.
1949	The “Hebron Elementary Consolidated School” (now know as Hebron Elementary School) opened its doors on August 20, ending the era of Hebron’s one-room schoolhouses
1957	Regional School District 8 opened, giving Hebron students their first high school. Andover and Marlborough are partnering towns in the district.
1958	Hebron Celebrated its 250th birthday from July 18 through July 20.
1960	The present Amston Post Office opened on June 27. The Postmaster was P. John Perham.
1983	Hebron Celebrated its 275th birthday from July 18 through July 20.
1993	On July 20, the deed was filed in Hebron making the residents of Amston Lake the owners of the lake.
2002	The new RHAM schools opened their doors in February. The old RHAM school building subsequently demolished.
2003	Hebron residents approved building a new fire company #2 building on March 6.
2004	On August 26, Hebron residents approved the purchase of Lombardi Property at 150 East as open space. The purchase includes the Historic Peters House.
2008	Hebron celebrated its 300th anniversary
2011	On October 29th, the “Halloween Nor’easter” dumped 10 inches of heavy, wet snow while leaves were still on many trees, causing massive tree and property damage and knocking out electrical power for many residents for several days.
2013	“Blizzard of 2013”, the worst blizzard since 1888, from February 9-11, dumped over 3’ of snow on Hebron.

The Hebron Historical Society

Hebron, Connecticut

Hebron History Timeline