West Hebron Story

The local drive in theater advertised the following movies to be shown on Fri, Sat and Sun of August 14, 15 & 16.

“The Fly” with Vincent Price and Patricia Owens. “Nightmare” with Edwin G. Robinson. And coming August 27 Debbie Reynolds in “That Happy Feeling” Also showing in August, Cecil B. DeMille’s “Union Pacific” starring Barbara Stanwyck and Joel McCrea. “Cry Terror” with James Mason and Rod Steiger.

It is possible that the newspaper was the Greenwich Journal & Salem Press. A local weekly paper that my Grandmother subscribed to. Another possibility is the Washington County Post. If anyone has any ideas on how to date this article I would appreciate any input.

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United Presbyterian Church in this village. “This congregation of Presbyterians of Hebron was organized about the year 1780, and was occasionally supplied for several years by Rev. Thomas Clark, MD and Rev. James Proudfit, ministers of Salem…

The first minister whose service was wholly given to this society was the celebrated Dr. Gray and eminent author of theological works. He was installed about the year 1795 and moved to Philadelphia in 1804.

In the fall of 1839 the Rev. Alexander Shan was ordained and installed pastor by the Presbytery of Washington. This was the first ordination within the walls of this venerable edifice. The following were ministers in succession: Rev. Joseph Kimball, Rev. Gilbert Robertson, Rev. Issac N. White, Rev. John R. Fisher, Rev. Thomas Wylie, who resigned in October 1875, after which the church was for a time without a settled pastor.

The location of the old church edifice, as fixed by a majority of the trustees, was on the north side of Isaac Lytle’s south farm, being the site of the next church. The old edifice, which was built in 1792, stood until 1855, when it was torn down and a new church built at a cost of three thousand dollars; the size was forty by sixty four feet. Ministers who preached in this edifice until 1948 were Dr. McEachron, Rev. Victor Scott, Rev. Turnbul and Rev. John C. Brownlee.

The new brick church edifice was completed in 1949 and the old building was sold to Russell Flower of Granville, who tore it down and built a restaurant of the materials. The new church was build at a cost of $100,000. A far cry from the $3,000 it cost to build a new church in 1855. The bell came from the old Methodist church in Belcher and was given by Daniel Hurd. The organ was a gift of Henry Reid, Ralph Reid, and Mrs. Marion Weinzinger in memory of their parents. The beautiful round stained glass window in the front was a gift of Edward Foster and Mrs. Nelson Pratt. The window depicts Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, praying.

Ministers in succession in the new church are Rev. John Brownlee, Rev. Bovard and Rev. Virgil Cruz.

Previous to the building of the new church, the old Associate Presbyterian church, later also a United Presbyterian church, was united with the United Presbyterian church. This church was commonly called South church and stood in the village about 200 yards east of the main corner of the village. Rev. Leigh was the last pastor of the church.

The following is an old recorded history of the church. “The first records to be found date back to 1799, in which year a meeting was held at the house of Andrew Beveridge, living about three miles north. …The first subscription for building a meeting-house is dated November 6, 1799: there were 56 subscribers….The frame was erected in 1800; the house was completed and occupied in 1802. This old house stood about a mile east of the village.” In 1831, it was taken down and rebuilt on the lot that is now the property of Guy Barkley. It was rebuilt at a cost of $1624. It was repaired in 1859, at a cost of $3200. A parsonage was built about 1860. In 1943 the building was sold and torn down. Later Guy Barkley bought the lot and proceeded to build a very attractive bungalow there.

Two churches which once existed in West Hebron are no more. We find the following record of them in history. “The Second Associate church of West Hebron was established 1841, Rev. Samuel McQuack the first minister. Elders were Abraham Johnson, Samuel Leyster and Samuel Guthrie.” Its house of worship was later to be used by the Reformed Presbyterian congregation.

“The Reformed Presbyterian congregation of West Hebron was a continuation of a society formed under the same name in the town of Hartford in the early part of the nineteenth century, though no records are now in existence dating back farther than 1825. The congregation was organized August 29, 1866, at West Hebron.” The membership in 1878 was thirty-eight. The church edifice was a substantial brick structure, erected and formerly occupied by the Associate congregation. This building is the brick building in the north end of the village that now serves as the town barn. There was quite a lapse of time between the time this church was here and when the building was purchased for the town barn. In between it was the Conventor church, a dance hall, and a meeting house for the Klu Klux Klan. It was purchased for the town barn about 1931.

One of the old religious societies to survive through the years is the West Hebron Methodist church. This church is still active and still occupies he handsome church erected by the society nearly a hundred years ago. Rev. Winchell, the pastor of the Salem Methodist church serves as pastor here today.

The following is recorded history of the Methodist church. “The first class of Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1859 with nine members. That

year the society purchased the frame of a small chapel, which had been used by the Ash Grove society….this frame was taken down, taken apart, and brought to West Hebron and erected as a church edifice and was in use until 1874…This building was later known as Ashley’s Hall….A new church edifice was erected in 1874 and dedicated by the Rev. Dr. Ives October 20 of that year…The bell was presented by Lemuel Carl of Argyle…The cost of the new edifice was $7300.” This is the same building used today. The first church is the building that is now the grange hall.

The grange in West Hebron is an active organization, doing much to keep a social side to West Hebron. It is about the only society of its kind to survive in West Hebron. The grange has flourished here since 1907. Other societies in West Hebron have been mostly of interest to the ladies; the Ladies guild, the Book club, the Missionary society, etc. West Hebron has also had a Boy Scout troop, a Cub Scout den, and 4-H clubs as well as the very active youth organizations of the churches. For several years now, an organization called “The Jolly Dozen” has existed in and around West Hebron. “The Jolly Dozen” is solely a social organization consisting of card players of about the same age group. During the summer the ladies meet at various homes in the afternoon. In the winter they hold the meetings in the evenings and invite their husbands.

Years ago, Hopkins Lodge, No. 256 I.O.O.F. existed in West Hebron and held meetings over Captain Hayes’ store. This society lasted but a few years.

In 1869, Hope Lodge, No. 295, L.O.G.T., was organized in West Hebron. This society ceased to work in 1871.

Today the older generation can look back and recall the mill, the stores, the hotel, the barber shop, the library, the churches and the high school, the livery stable, the harness shop, the stepping stones, the hitching posts and the old street lamps, but it is all gone now.

Today West Hebron is composed largely of summer homes of city people, homes of commuting workers and homes of retired people. There is today little incentive for anyone else here, but it is still none the less, the same beautiful valley that our forefathers settled years ago.

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