Fair Haven, Rutland County, Vermont Genealogy

Description
Fair Haven, Vermont at Wikipedia

Unlike so many other Vermont towns in the central and southern part of the state, New Hampshire Gov. Benning Wentworth did not charter this town. Instead, the Republic of Vermont issued the charter, making it the oldest Vermont chartered town in Rutland County. That historic date was Oct. 27, 1779.

The origin of the name Fair Haven remains a mystery. Since some of the original grantees hailed from Massachusetts, where a Fair Haven exists, that is one possible theory. Another makes more sense — that the beauty of the region was synonymous with the word "fair," and therefore Fair Haven. Up until 1861, the town was written as one word, just as it occurred in the charter. For some unknown reason after 1861, it switched to the two-word format used today.

At its formation, Fair Haven included the presented community of West Haven within its boundaries. The Legislature split Fair Haven in 1792, but regarding membership in the Vermont House, it would "be but one town with respect to representation." This policy lasted until 1823.

Like so many other Rutland County communities, Fair Haven can trace much of its wealth to stone — specifically slate. Part of Vermont's slate belt runs through the town and it has been successfully quarried since 1839. Alonson Allen and Caleb Ranney excavated the first slate on Scotch Hill north of town.

By the late 19th century, 21 slate companies operated in Fair Haven. Six firms still run today.

Between 1903 and 1924, a trolley connected Fair Haven and Rutland. It proved so successful that in 1910, the trolley company extended the line to Poultney.

Though slate proved a major industry, the United Shirt and Collar Co. served as a mainstay in the town for almost 50 years. Started in 1900, the firm, located along the Castleton River, produced Lion Brand Shirts and employed as many as 600 workers.

Downtown Fair Haven remains an architectural jewel. A number of fires have destroyed a portion of the business district, but it still retains much of its character of the 19th and 20th centuries.undefined

Populated Places
Includes Neighborhoods, Villages, Unincorporated Communities, Districts, and Census-Designated Places:

Town Records
In New England most original vital records of birth, marriage, and death can be found at the town clerk's office

Fair Haven Town Clerk
The town clerk is responsible for these records, and so most originals can be found at the town clerk's office.

Town of Fair Haven 3 North Park Place Fair Haven, Vermont (802) 265-3010 Fair Haven Town website

Vital Records
FamilySearch Historical Records Collection has Vermont birth, death, and marriage records online.

Resources
For more County and State resources see:

Biographies

 * Biographical Encyclopædia of Vermont of the Nineteenth Century. By H Clay Williams. Boston, Massachusetts: Metropolitan Publishing & Engraving Company, 1885. Salt Lake City, Utah : Family Search International, 2018. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Biographical Sketches of Vermonters. By Vermont Historical Society. Montpelier, Vermont : Vermont Historical Society, c1947. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. By Hiram Carleton. New York, New York: Lewis Pub. Co., 1903. Online at:.
 * Some Vermont Ancestors: The Bicentennial Project of the Genealogical Society of Vermont. Compiled and ed. by Joann H. Nichols. [S.l.]: Genealogical Society of Vermont, 1976. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * The Vermont Historical Gazetteer: a Magazine Embracing a History of Each Town, Civil, Ecclesiastical, Biographical and Military. By ed. by Abby Maria Hemenway. Burlington, Vermont: A.M. Hemenway, 1868-1923. Online at:.
 * The Vermont of Today: With its Historic Background, Attractions and People. By Arthur F. Stone. New York, New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co., c1929. Online at:.
 * Vermonters. By Dorman B.E. Kent. Tucson, Arizona: W.C. Cox & Co., 1974. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Vermont Biography at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Cemeteries
The following is a list of cemeteries in present-day Fair Haven. For location of cemeteries, see Cemteries of Vermont, Rutland County, website at this link.


 * Cedar Grove Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Saint Marys Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * West Street Cemetery (aka Old Fair Haven Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.


 * Fair Haven Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Rutland County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

Census

 * Vermont Census at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Church Records
Historically, the largest religious groups in Vermont were the Congregational, Baptist, Roman Catholic, and Methodist churches. For general information about Vermont denominations, view the New Hampshire Church Records wiki page. To see the churches in Fair Haven, visit. Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. The following are church records available online for the town of Fair Haven:


 * 1700s-1800s (*) Daughters of the American Revolution at FamilySearch Catalog - index & images
 * Vermont Church Records

1. First Congregational Church   2 N Park Pl    Fair Haven, Vermont 05743    (802) 265-8864

2. First Baptist Church   32 West St    Fair Haven, Vermont 05743    (802) 265-8879

3. United Church of Benson   2793 Stage Rd    Fair Haven, Vermont 05743     (802) 537-2455

4. Our Lady-Seven Dolors Church   10 Washington St    Fair Haven, Vermont 05743    (802) 265-3135

City Directories

 * 1911 Vermont, U.S., City Directories, Fair Haven at Ancestry - index and images ($),some years may be missing
 * FamilySearch Library Catalog
 * Various Dates U.S. City Directories, 1860-1960 at MyHeritage - index and images ($) some towns and years may be missing

Court Records

 * Judiciary of Vermont at Wikipedia
 * Vermont Judiciary, Resources for Media at vermont.gov, ($) - click on Records Request
 * United States District Court for the District of Vermont at Wikipedia
 * Vermont Court Records at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Land Records

 * 1600s-1900s at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images; ''Also at: Ancestry ($),
 * Vermont Land and Property

Local Histories
Historical Photos

Maps
This selection incudes town, county, state, and historical maps
 * Boundary Map of Fair Haven at HomeTownLocator
 * Fair Haven at FamilySearch Places
 * Fair Haven at Google Maps
 * Fair Haven at Mapcarta
 * McConnell's Historical Maps of the United States at Library of Congress
 * Old Maps of Vermont at Old-Maps.com
 * Town of Fair Haven at Vermont.org
 * Vermont Maps State Page


 * 1854 Rutland County, Fair Haven map

Military
Some Records are Searchable by Town

Newspapers
Rutland Herald online at this link.

Other Town Records
In Vermont, most records are kept at the town level and generally began being kept at the founding of the town. These records may include the following: The following are Fair Haven town records available online:

Town Clerk Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005, can be found on FamilySerach (browse only images) at this link.

The Family History Library has microfilm of original records in the Fair Haven Town Hall.

Probate Records
In Vermont, most probate records are kept at the town level. The following are online probate records for the town of Fair Haven:

The probate district for Fair Haven is Fair Haven.

Fair Haven Probate Court 3 North Park Place Fair Haven, VT 05743 (802) 265-3380
 * 1749-1999 Vermont, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999 at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1800-1921 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Vermont Probate Records

Libraries
Fair Haven Public Library 107 North Main St. Fair Haven, VT 05743 (802) 4265-8011

Family History Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Lebanon New Hampshire Family History Center
 * Rutland Vermont Family History Center
 * South Royalton Vermont Family History Center
 * Crandall Public Library - an affiliate library
 * The Rutland Historical Society - an affiliate library

Societies
Fair Haven Historical Society Website