Welcome to VTGenWeb of Washington County, Vermont

for History and Genealogy Research

 

 

Located in central Vermont, Washington County was incorporated in 1810 and organized in 1811, with Montpelier as the shire town (county seat).  It was called Jefferson County until 1814, when the name was changed to Washington.  Washington County was formed from portions of Addison, Orange, Caledonia and Chittenden counties as follows:  Montpelier, Plainfield, Calais and Marshfield were taken from Caledonia County.  Barre, Berlin, and Northfield were taken from Orange County.  Stowe, Duxbury, Fayston, Waitsfield,  Waterbury, Moretown, Middlesex, and Worcester were taken from Chittenden.  Additional towns were later added to Washington County - including Roxbury (taken from Orange County in 1820), Elmore (taken from Orleans County in 1821), Warren (taken from Addison County in 1829), Woodbury (taken from Caledonia County in 1835) and Cabot (taken from Caledonia County in 1855).

Towns and communities in Washington County include the towns below.  Select from the TOWNS LIST below to view information and links specific to each location.  Or, Select to see GENERAL Washington County information and links.

TOWNS LIST

Adamant,     Barre,      Berlin,     Cabot,     Calais,     Duxbury,     East Montpelier,     Fayston,     Marshfield,     Middlesex,     Montpelier,     Moretown,     Northfield,     Plainfield,     Roxbury,     Waitsfield,     Warren,     Waterbury,     Woodbury (aka Monroe),  and    Worcester.

Please note:  Though the information on this web page is believed to be correct, the possibility of error remains.  Please notify Ann should an error be found.

 

GENERAL WASHINGTON COUNTY, VERMONT RESOURCES

 

CEMETERIES

·       FindAGrave - for Washington County, Vermont Cemeteries

 

CENSUS

·       Index to 1790 U.S. Census Vermont Info. - Note:  Vermont joined the Union in March, 1791, so its 1790 census was actually taken in 1791.  At that time, Vermont consisted of 7 counties.  Present-day counties were later formed from all or portions of these seven counties.

·       1790 Census Info: Chittenden County - (includes towns which later became part of the counties of Franklin, Chittenden, Lamoille and portions of Orleans, Washington and Addison Counties)

·       1790 U. S. Census of Orange County, Vermont Towns which were soon to become part of Caledonia County when formed, in 1792, from Orange County, (includes towns which came to be within the counties of Caledonia, Essex, Orange, Orleans and Washington)  abstracted by Jim Dresser, dedicated Town Coordinator for Groton, VTGenWeb.  Thank you Jim!!!     Note:  This census of Vermont was actually taken in 1791.

·       1790 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1800 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1810 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1820 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1830 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1840 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1850 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1860 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1870 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1880 Census Index - Excellent resource!!!  (familysearch.org)

·       1900 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1910 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1920 Census (familysearch.org)

·       Obtaining EDs for the 1930 Census in One Step (Large Cities), by Stephen P. Morse, PhD, Joel D. Weintraub, PhD and David R. Kehs, PhD

·       1930 Census (familysearch.org)

·       1940 Census (familysearch.org)

·       USGenWeb Census Project for Vermont, coordinated by Linda Talbott

·       NARA: National Archives and Records Administration

o   The Genealogy Page.

o   About Census Records

o   Clues in Census Records, 1790-1840

o   Clues in Census Records, 1850-1930

o   Indian Census Rolls

o   Nonpopulation Census Records

o   Prologue, Spring 1996, Vol. 28, No. 1, "First in the Path of the Firemen" The Fate of the 1890 Population Census,” by Kellee Blake.

 

 

HISTORY

·       Index to The Vermont Historical Gazetteer:  A Local History of All the Towns in the State, transcribed by Rod Skinner (County Coordinator for Windham County, VTGenWeb), 2006.  The VERMONT HISTORICAL GAZETTEER is a 5 volume set of historical information, by Abby Maria Hemenway, with Volume I published in 1867, and Volume V completed in 1891 after her death.  Thank you!  Thank you to Rod Skinner!!!

·       The History of Washington county, in the Vermont historical gazetteer:  Including a County Chapter, and the Local Histories of the Towns of Montpelier,--Capital of the State, East Montpelier, Barre, Berlin, Cabot, Calais, Fayston, Marshfield, Middlesex, Moretown, Northfield, Plainfield, Roxbury, Waitsfield, Warren, Waterbury, Woodbury and Worcester, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier: The Vermont Watchman and State Journal Press, 1882.

 

HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES

 

 

 

MAPS

·       Vermont Area Map of ca. 1756: An accurate map of His Majesty's Province of New-Hampshire in New England & all the adjacent country northward to the River St. Lawrence, & eastward to Penobscot Bay, containing the principal places which relate to the present war on the continent of North America. By Saml. Langdon (1723-1797).

·       Ca. 1780 Map which shows land grants and purchases in northeastern New York State and granted townships in Vermont and parts of New Hampshire, and Massachusetts: A chorographical map of the Northern Department of North-America, drawn from the latest and most accurate observations, at Amsterdam by Cóvens and Mortier and Cóvens, junior.  By H. Klockhoff, sculp., [Amsterdam] 1780.  Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA, url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3715.ar082800>

·       Ca. 1781 Map: An Accurate map of New Hampshire in New England, from a late survey. [London, 1781].  From the Universal magazine of knowledge and pleasure. March, 1781. Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA, url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3740.ar087200>

·       Ca. 1784 Map: An accurate map of the State and Province of New-Hampshire in New England, taken from actual surveys of all the inhabited part, and from the best information of what is uninhabited, together with the adjacent countries, which exhibits the theatre of this war in that part of the world, by Col. Blanchard and the Revd. Mr. Langdon. Engraved by Thomas Jefferys. With many additions by Abel Sawyer. Boston, 1784.  Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA, url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3740.ar087100>

·       1795 Map of Vermont, from actual survey.  By Doolittle, Amos (1754-1832).  From Carey's American Atlas, Philadelphia, 1795. DLC.  Philadelphia, 1795.  Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA, url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3750.ct000093>

·       1814 Map of Vermont, from actual survey. By Carey, Mathew (1760-1839). From Carey's General Atlas of the World. DLC.  [S.l.], 1814.  Repository: Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA, url: <http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3750.ct000094>

·       Vermont Maps – Middlebury College digital collections.

 

MILITARY

·       Vermont in the Civil War, by Tom Ledoux.

 

NEWSPAPERS

·       Vermont Digital Newspaper Project

 

QUERIES

·       Visit the Rootsweb message board for Washington County, Vermont to search posts and/or join the list.

 

TOWNS / TOWNSHIPS / VILLAGES

 

 

VITAL RECORDS - births, marriages, deaths

Vermont vital records may be obtained through the town clerk of the town in which the event occurred and/or through the resources below:

·       How to Obtain Vital Records for Vermont ?

·       Vermont State Archives & Records Administration

o   Online and Informational Copies of Vital Records

·       Index to Vermont Vital Records, 1760-1954, (familysearch.org) – note this index may not be complete, some towns and records may not be included among state records.

·       Index to Vermont Vital Records, 1955-2003, (familysearch.org).

·       Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005, (familysearch.org) -  Vital and town records acquired from local town clerk offices.

 

WILL & PROBATE

Washington District Probate Court:   State & Elm Streets  P.O. Box 15 - Montpelier VT  05602;  Phone:  (802) 223-3405.

Washington County Clerk:   P.O. Box 426 - Montpelier, VT 05602-0426;  Phone: (802) 223-2091.

 

TOWNS

 

 

BARRE

·       Aldrich Public Library - 6 Washington Street - Barre, VT 05641 -  Phone: (802) 476-7550

·       Barre Museum & Archives, "The Barre Museum holds a collection of artifacts relating to the history of Barre City and Barre Town. . ."

·       Vermont History Center - Leahy Library, Barre, VT

o   Genealogy Resources at the Vermont History Center

·       Town of Barre, VT

o   Barre Town Clerk:  P.O Box 124 - Websterville, VT 05678;  Phone: (802) 479-9391.

o   Cemetery Division

§  Maplewood Cemetery

§  West Hill Cemetery

§  Wilson Cemetery

§  There are also 3 private cemeteries in town:  St. Sylvester's Church Cemetery,

·       about Hope Cemetery, Merchant Street,  Barre, VT

·       City of Barre, VT

o   History of the City of Barre

o   City Clerk:  P.O. Box 418, Barre, VT 05641; Phone: (802) 476-0242. 

§  For a fee, you may request certified copies of vital records (birth, death, marriage) by mail.

 

BERLIN

·       Berlin Town Clerk:  RD #4 Box 2375 - Montpelier, VT 05602;  Phone: (802) 229-9298.

 

CABOT - Communities include:  Cabot and Lower Cabot.  In early years, Cabot was associated with Caledonia County, Vermont.   (View a ca. 1826 Map of Vermont to see Cabot within Caledonia County.)

·       Cabot's Historic Buildings

·       VHS:  Cabot Historical Society and Cabot High School - scanned early documents (1770 - 1860) from the Thomas Osgood collection.

·       Cabot Historical Society Museum - The Cabot Historical Society website has some wonderful tidbits and many history resources.   The below items are examples.

o   First Two Centuries of Cabot, by Jennie S. Donaldson - "...Once part of Caledonia county, Cabot is situated in the northeastern part of Washington County, bounded on the north by Walden and Danville, east by Danville and Peacham, south by Marshfield and west by Woodbury..."

o   War Veterans Lists - Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War

o   Cemeteries in Cabot, VT

§  Center Cemetery (est. 1799)

§  Kimball Cemetery (est. 1814; moved)

§  Durant Cemetery (est. 1817)

§  West Hill Cemetery (est. 1817)

§  Village Cemetery (est. 1820)

§  Cabot Plains Cemetery (est. 1825)

§  South Cemetery (est. 1834)

§  East Cemetery (est. 1847)

·       Town of Cabot, VT

o   Cabot Town Clerk:  Box 36 - Cabot, VT 05647;  Phone: (802) 563-2279.

o   Cemetery Commission

·       Cabot Public Library:   3084 Main Street, Cabot, VT 05647;   Phone: (802) 563-2721.

 

CALAIS - - Communities include: Adamant, Kents Corner, East Calais, and North Calais.  Adamant is an unincorporated community in the town of Calais

·       History of Kent Shoe and Boot Shop in Calais, Vermont (VHS) - Abdiel Kent was born in 1805 in the section of Calais named after his family, Kents' Corner...In 1829, he opened a shoe and boot manufacturing shop in Calais...

·       Town of Calais, VT

·       Calais Town Clerk:  3120 Pekin Brook Road, East Calais, VT 05650;  Phone: (802) 456-8720.

 

DUXBURY

·       Town of Duxbury, VT

·       Duxbury Historical Society

·       Duxbury History Now and Then, by Alice DeLong.

·       Duxbury Town Clerk:  5421 Route 200, Duxbury, VT  05676;  Phone: (802) 244-6660.

 

EAST MONTPELIER

·       East Montpelier Town Clerk:  40 Kelton Road, East Montpelier, VT 05651;  Phone: (802) 223-3313.

 

FAYSTON

·       The History of the Towns of Plainfield, Roxbury and Fayston, Vermont : with Marshfield or Middlesex papers in fifty copies, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier:  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1882.

·       Town of Fayston, VT

o   Fayston History

·       Fayston Town Clerk:  866 North Fayston Road, Fayston, VT 05660;  Phone: (802) 496-2454.

 

MARSHFIELD

·       The History of the Towns of Plainfield, Roxbury and Fayston, Vermont : with Marshfield or Middlesex papers in fifty copies, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier:  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1882.

·       Town of Marshfield, VT

o   Marshfield History

·       Jaquith Public Library:  122 School Street - Marshfield, VT 05658;   Phone: (802) 426-3581.

·       Marshfield Town Clerk:  P.O Box 98 - Marshfield, VT 05658  Phone: (802) 426-3305.

 

MIDDLESEX

·       The History of the Towns of Plainfield, Roxbury and Fayston, Vermont : with Marshfield or Middlesex papers in fifty copies, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier:  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1882.

·       Camp Meade - Middlesex, VT - during the Great Depression and World War II...

·       Middlesex Town History, by the Central VT Chamber of Commerce.

·       Middlesex Historical Society:   84 McCullough Hill Road - Middlesex, VT 05602;  Phone: (802) 229-0499.

·       Middlesex Town Clerk:    RR 3 Box 4600 - Montpelier, VT 05602;  Phone: (802) 223-5915.

 

MONTPELIER

·       City of Montpelier, VT

·       History of Montpelier: a discourse delivered in the Brick church, Montpelier, Vermont, on Thanksgiving day, Dec. 8, 1842, by Rev. John Gridley.  Montpelier:  E. P. Walton and Sons, 1843.

·       Kellogg-Hubbard Library:  135 Main Street - Montpelier, VT 05602

·       Montpelier City Clerk: City Hall - 39 Main Street - Montpelier, VT 05602;  Phone: (802) 223-9500.

o   Vital Records

 

MORETOWN

·       Town of Moretown, VT

o   Moretown Cemetery Commission

·       Historic Note on Moretown, by by Margaret Booth, the Central VT Chamber of Commerce.

·       Moretown Memorial Public Library

·       Moretown Historical Society

o   Brief History of Moretown (pamphlet)  

·       Moretown Town Clerk:  19 Kaiser Drive, Moretown, VT;  Phone: (802) 882-8218.

o   mailing address: 19 Kaiser Drive, Waterbury, VT 05676.

·       Cemeteries:

o   Belding Cemetery

o   Cobb Cemetery

o   Fairmont Cemetery

o   Hawkes-Eaton Cemetery

o   Jones Brook Cemetery

o   Moretown Common Cemetery

o   Mountain View Cemetery

o   St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery

o   Stevens Cemetery - private family cemetery

o   Village Cemetery

 

NORTHFIELD

·       Town of Northfield, VT

·       History of Northfield, by Julia McIntire, the Central VT Chamber of Commerce.

·       Northfield Historical Society:  75 S. Main Street, Northfield, VT 05663;  Phone: (802) 485-4792.

·       Brown Public Library:  93 South Main Street, Northfield, VT 05663; (802) 485-4621.

·       Northfield Town Clerk:   Municipal Building, 51 South Main Street, Northfield, VT 05663  Phone: (802) 485-5421.

 

PLAINFIELD

·       The History of the Towns of Plainfield, Roxbury and Fayston, Vermont : with Marshfield or Middlesex papers in fifty copies, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier:  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1882.

·       History of Plainfield, by the Central VT Chamber of Commerce.

·       Town of Plainfield, VT

·       Cutler Memorial Library: High Street -  Plainfield, VT 05667;  Phone: (802) 454-8504.

·       Plainfield Town Clerk:  149 Main Street, P.O. Box 217 - Plainfield, VT 05667;  Phone:  (802) 454-8461.

 

ROXBURY

·       The History of the Towns of Plainfield, Roxbury and Fayston, Vermont : with Marshfield or Middlesex papers in fifty copies, by Abby Maria Hemenway.  Montpelier:  Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1882.

·       Town of Roxbury, VT

o   Town Charter

·       Roxbury Free Library:  Box 95 - Roxbury, VT  05669;   Phone: (802) 485-6860.

·       Roxbury Town Clerk:  1664 Roxbury Road, P.O Box 53 - Roxbury, VT 05669;  Phone: (802) 485-7840.

 

WAITSFIELD

·       Town of Waitsfield, VT

o   Waitsfield Town History

·       VT Living for Waitsfield, Vermont - Tourist Information

·       Waitsfield Village Historic Walking Tour

·       Rev. Alfred Brooks Dascomb's Waitsfield, Washington County, VT Death Records (partial), 1862-1867, Contributed by Kathy Lisai.

·       Joslin Memorial Public Library:   Box 359, Waitsfield, VT  05673;  Phone: (802) 496-4205

·       Waitsfield Town Clerk:  9 Bridge Street, Waitsfield, VT 05673;  Phone: (802) 496-2218.

 

WARREN

·       Town of Warren, VT

·       Historic USGS Maps Covering Warren, Vermont (UNH DIMOND LIBRARY).

·       Warren Public Library:   P.O. Box 287, Warren, VT  05674;   Phone: (802) 496-3913.

·       Warren Historical Society

·       Warren Town Clerk:   P.O. Box 337 - Warren, VT 05674;  Phone: (802) 496-2709.

 

WATERBURY

·       Town of Waterbury, VT

·       Waterbury Public Library:  28 North Main Street - Waterbury, VT 05676;  Phone: (802) 244-7036

·       Waterbury Town Clerk:   28 North Main Street, Suite 1 - Waterbury, VT 05676;  Phone: (802) 244-8447.

 

WOODBURY (aka Monroe) - Per a brief History of Woodbury, Vermont, "...In accordance with a petition of the inhabitants of Woodbury, the legislature changed the name of Woodbury to Monroe, November 6,1838, and again to Woodbury about four years after..."”  (Central Vermont Chamber of Commerce)

·       Woodbury History : excerpts from the Gazetteer of Washington County, Vermont 1783-1889, Hamilton Child Publication, Syracuse, New York.

·       History of Woodbury Community Library, From the book "Where The Books Are", by Patricia W. Belding.

·       Woodbury Town Clerk:  P.O Box 10 - Woodbury, VT 05681;  Phone: (802) 456-7051.

 

WORCESTER

·       Town of Worcester, VT

·       Worcester Town Clerk:  Drawer 161 - Worcester, VT 05682;  Phone: (802) 223-6942.

·       Worcester Deaths, 1893 & 1894, Washington County, VT, Contributed to the USGenWeb Archives by Harold Templeton.

Return to Vermont History <-> Genealogy Main Page.

 

PROFESSIONAL HISTORICAL GENEALOGY RESEARCH

Ann McRoden Mensch, Professional Historical Genealogist

Researching onsite and with the vast resources of The Allen County Public Library which holds one of the largest historical genealogy collections in North America.  Search the Library's online catalogue to see some of the printed resources available for a location or topic.

Return to Vermont History <-> Genealogy Main Page.

Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001-2017, by Ann Mensch.  All Rights Reserved.