Chronology

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1. Antebellum and Civil War · 1800–1865

2. 1848
   Property or economic transaction · Over-the-River (Norwood-Webb-Cheshire House), 210 US 70A, Hillsborough James Webb Jr. and his wife buy Over-the-River from the Norwoods and enlarge it

   John Wall Norwood and his wife sold Over-the-River to James Webb Jr. and his wife, who added to the two-story wing. The house stayed in the family and passed to James Webb Cheshire in 1936.

3. Reconstruction and the New South · 1866–1899

4. 1867
   Hillsborough James Webb Jr. advertises his Cheap Cash Store in Hillsborough

   Advertisements in the Hillsborough Recorder in 1867 offered garden seeds, white granite cups and saucers, coffee, sugar and candies at the Cheap Cash Store of James Webb Jr.

5. 1881
   Construction or physical change · 131 East Queen Street, Hillsborough James Webb Jr. builds Mid-Lawn at East Queen and North Cameron streets

   James Webb Jr. built a two-story Italianate house, later called Mid-Lawn, on the northwest corner of East Queen and North Cameron streets. David and Elizabeth Patterson bought it in 1919.

6. May 1886
   Hillsborough D. C. Parks is elected a Hillsborough town commissioner

   At a quiet town election Hillsborough chose George C. Corbin mayor and elected A. W. Graham, James Webb Jr., J. W. Hooker, William Anderson, D. M. Laws, D. C. Parks and William H. Newman commissioners.

7. February 1887
   Closing or ending · Hillsborough The Webb & Co. tobacco partnership in Hillsborough is dissolved

   James Webb Jr., Joseph C. Webb and George C. Corbin gave notice that their tobacco manufacturing firm, Webb & Co., was dissolved, leaving the two Webbs to collect its debts and wind up its business. The firm had been making tobacco in Hillsborough since at least 1881.

8. January 1890
   Hillsborough James Webb Jr. and Joseph C. Webb buy town lot 94 in Hillsborough

   George C. Corbin, who had bought the property in 1878, sold the land and house on Hillsborough's lot 94 to James Webb Jr. and Joseph C. Webb. James Webb sold the lot to the Methodist church for a parsonage in 1903.

9. Early twentieth century · 1900–1944

10. April 30, 1903
    Property or economic transaction · Lot 94, Hillsborough Hillsborough Methodist Church buys town lot 94 and its house for a new parsonage

    The church bought lot 94, with a one-story five-room house, from James Webb, son of Dr. James Webb, and used it as the parsonage. The lot later held the 1958 parsonage.

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Compiled and maintained by the Friends of the Orange County Public Library from county records, the sources named on each card, and the index’s event pages. Last updated October 2, 2026.