Sylvester Gilbert - Benjamin Pomeroy Law School Notes (https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/32573738).

The Hon. Sylvester Gilbert is one of Hebron's most influential citizens. He was born in Hebron on October 20, 1755, graduated from Dartmouth in 1775, was admitted to the bar in November 1777 and practiced Law in Hebron. His family lived next door to the Hebron Congregational Church in a home built by his father, Samuel Gilbert. Sylvester Gilbert was the first Probate Court judge in Tolland County serving for 21 years and served 31 terms in the State House of Representatives, beginning in 1780 when he was 24 and earning the nick name of 'Father of the House' before departing. He served a year in Congress and held many local offices, including Hebron Town Clerk for 23 years.

Sylvester and his wife Patience had 13 children, 5 of whom were deaf. Remarkably, all of them became productive members of society.

Gilbert was one of 4 attorneys teaching Law School classes in Connecticut. Before beginning to teach, he reportedly began a thorough review of the law, stressing Connecticut law and the Statutes of 1808. The course covered 22 subjects with multiple lessons in most of them. After spending 2 years planning the course of study, he began teaching in 1810. Initially he had one or two students which quickly became 6-10. HIs reputation apparently spread quickly. Gilbert recorded 56 students completed his classes. One of these was George O. Cook, from Weathersfield, Vermont, who came to Hebron to study law. Unfortunately Cook passed away before completing the course and is buried in the Old Cemetery on Wall St.

Another student was Benjamin Pomeroy (1787-1855), grandson of Rev. Benjamin Pomeroy, minister of the Hebron Congregational Church. Pomeroy carefully transcribed the lectures. After completing Gilbert's instruction, Pomeroy was admitted to the Bar and moved to North Stonington where he was active in many Town positions.

Benjamin's notes may have been transcribed but are still written in pencil on lined paper with errors and extraneous marks evident. They are bound and legible. The notes passed to his son, Cyrus W. Pomeroy, and eventually to Cyrus's grandson Mr. Harrison Trowbridge of York, Pennsylvania who presented the document to Yale University.

Research by members of the Hebron Historical Society located the document at Yale and made arrangements to travel there to view them, with the help of Kevin Sullivan at the Douglas Library in Hebron.

The notes have been digitized and are available through the Lillian Goldman Law Library at Yale University. Just click on the following URL to see the manuscript notes of Sylvester Gilbert's law lectures:
https://collections.library.yale.edu/catalog/32573738.

Mary-Ellen Gonci
May 2023