The Hermethenean, Volume 1, 1833-1834. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives

The Club of the Incogniti was one of Trinity’s first secret societies, formed in the early 1830s. Although the exact date of its founding is unknown, the society emerged during a time when Trinity, then known as Washington College, was actively fostering literary excellence among its students. As such, the Club is believed to have been a literary society.

True to its secretive nature, little is known about the group itself. However, one of its most notable achievements was the publication of The Hermethenean, a literary magazine considered to be the first of its kind in the United States. The magazine ran for five issues between October 1833 and February 1834 and aimed to highlight the literary talent of Trinity and the wider Hartford community.

The Hermethenean received considerable praise during its brief run. Among its contributors was the renowned poet Lydia Huntley Sigourney, known as “the Sweet Singer of Hartford.” Her poem, featured in the magazine’s fifth and final issue, helped cement the publication’s reputation for literary excellence. Despite its success, The Hermethenean ceased publication after February 1834, likely due to financial difficulties. The Club of the Incogniti soon vanished from campus life, remembered primarily for its bold literary ambition in the college’s formative years.

Trinity Tripod, 03/20/1990.

The History of Trinity College (1967) by Glenn Weaver, pp. 56-57.

The Trinity Tablet, 03/13/1905.

The Trinity Tablet, 07/1868.