09/20/2026
Why is that called that?
Johnson Hill Road.
Jesse Johnson was one of the original 52 settlers of Murrayfield (later Chester). He brought his family from Southampton and at a proprietors meeting in 1763 he drew lot 116 which today would be in Middlefield, however he transferred for lot 44 which was at the top of what is today Johnson Hill Road. That is where he cleared the land and built his house.
The original settlers had to meet certain goals in order to obtain their lot for free, including building a house, clearing the land and remaining on the land for 6 years. Of the original 52 settlers 36 achieved the goals and received their land, including Jesse.
In 1769 he was on the committee to negotiate the contract and salary with the first called minister, the Reverend Aaron Bascom, and when the church was formed he was one of the first deacons.
During the Revolutionary War he served on both the Committee of Correspondence and the Committee of Safety and Inspection, as well as answering the Bennington Alarm as a MinuteMan.
You can learn more about Jesse and his fellow MinuteMen at Chester’s observance of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Saturday, October 17 at 1pm, First Church of Chester, 334 Skyline Trail.
