History of Addison County Vermont

This collection is a resource on the history and people of Addison County, Vermont. It includes detailed town histories, covering topics such as early settlements, churches, industries, military service, and municipal organization for communities like Addison, Bridport, Bristol, and Cornwall. In addition to these town histories, the collection features hundreds of individual biographies and biographical sketches of the men and women who shaped the county’s development—from early settlers and local officials to business leaders, clergy, and veterans. Each title listed serves as a link to its respective article, allowing readers to explore Addison County’s history through its communities and the lives of its residents.

Probably the first European to gaze upon the green peaks of Vermont was the French navigator, Jacques Cartier. On the 2d of October, 1535, he was conducted by an Indian chief to the summit of Mount Real, which now overlooks the city of Montreal, and there “in that bright October sun” was opened to his enraptured gaze the beautiful country for many miles around. Before him the mighty St. Lawrence, coming solemnly from an unknown land, rolled on majestically toward the ocean; the distant horizon was bounded by the lofty mountains of Vermont, crowned with perpetual verdure; while illimitable forests, robed in the gorgeous hues of autumn, were spread out before him in every direction. Donnacona, the Indian king who conducted him to the summit of the mountain, informed him that he might sail westward on the great river for three moons-passing through several immense lakes– without reaching its source; that the river had its origin in a sea of fresh water to which no limits were known. Far to the southwest, he continued, there was another great river (Ohio River), which ran through a country where there was no ice or snow; to the north, there was an inland sea of salt water (Hudson’s Bay), extending to a region of perpetual ice, while southward there were rivers and smaller lakes, penetrating a beautiful and fertile country, belonging to a powerful and warlike nation called the Iroquois-including within its limits the present territory of Addison county.

Addison County occupies a position on the western line of the State, between 40 50′ and 44 10′ north latitude, and between 3 38′ and 4 18′ east longitude, and is bounded west by Lake Champlain; north by the towns of Charlotte, Hinesburg and a part of Huntington, in Chittenden; northeast by a part of Huntington, and by Warren and Roxbury, in Washington county; southeast by Braintree, in Orange county, and Rochester in Windsor county; and south by Benson, Sudbury, Brandon and Chittenden, in Rutland county. It is nearly thirty miles long from north to south, and thirty-three miles wide from west to east, and contains an area of about seven hundred square miles, divided into the following townships: Addison, Bridport, Bristol, Cornwall, Ferrisburgh, Goshen, Granville, Hancock, Lincoln, Leicester, Middlebury, Monkton, New Haven, Orwell, Panton, Ripton, Salisbury, Shoreham, Starksboro, Weybridge, Whiting and Waltham, exclusive of the territory occupied by Vergennes.

History of Addison County Vermont

Biographies of Addison County Vermont

Names are alphabetical by given name.

Biographical Sketches of Addison County Vermont

Names are alphabetical by given name.

Collection

Smith, H. P. History of Addison County Vermont: With Illustrations And Biographical Sketches of Some of Its Prominent Men And Pioneers. Syracuse, N.Y.: D. Mason & co., 1886.

Topics:

Biography, History,

Locations:

Addison County VT, Addison Vermont, Bridport Vermont, Bristol Vermont, Cornwall Vermont,

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