Townshend, Windham County, Vermont Genealogy

Description
Townshend, Vermont at Wikipedia

Townshend was chartered on June 20, 1753 by Benning Wentworth. Like all New England communities the early settlers spent their time and lives farming less than ideal soils and terrain. In the late 1700’s manufacturing, retail, and hospitality related concerns began to appear and flourish. Scott Bridge, located in Townshend, is the longest covered bridge in Vermont.

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

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

Town Clerk PO Box 223 2006 Route 30 Townshend, VT 05353 Phone: 802-365-7300 Email: [mailto:townshendtownclerk@gmail.com townshendtownclerk@gmail.com] Website

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 Townshend. For location of cemeteries, see Cemeteries of Vermont, Windham County, website at this link.


 * ActonCemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Fisher Cemetery- inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Howe Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Maple Grove Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Oakwood Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Round Hill Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Sanderson Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Taft Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Twitchell Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Wiswell Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Townshend Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * Windham 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.


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

To see the churches in Townshend, 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 Townshend:

City Directories

 * 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

 * A Stitch in Time (Townshend, Vermont 1753-2003), by Castle Freeman - find this book in a library. Buy this book from the Townshend Historical Society.
 * Townshend, the way it was 'till now--1979 - find this book in a library.
 * Collections relating to the history and inhabitants of the town of Townshend, Vermont, by James H Phelps - find this book in a library.
 * Historical Townshend Photos

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


 * 1869 map of Townshend

Military
Searchable by Town

Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
For more Revolutionary War Military Records see:
 * Vermont Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783
 * United States Military Records - Revolutionary War, 1775-1783

Civil War, 1861-1865
For more Civil War Military Records see:
 * Vermont Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865
 * United States Military Records - Civil War, 1861-1865

World War I, 1917-1918
For more World War I Military Records see:
 * Vermont Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918
 * United States Military Records - World War I, 1917-1918

World War II, 1941-1945
For more World War II Military Records see:
 * Vermont Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945
 * United States Military Records - World War II, 1941-1945

Newspapers

 * The Manchester Journal
 * Brattleboro Reformer
 * Free Online Newspapers for Research at libraries.vermont.gov
 * List of Newspapers in Vermont at Wikipedia
 * Newspapers of Record at Vermont State Archives & Records Administration
 * Vermont Newspapers at FamilySearch Research Wiki

Obituaries

 * 1800s-current U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current at Ancestry - index & images, ($)
 * 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 2003-2014 (*) NewsBank (Naples, Florida) at FamilySearch Catalog - images only
 * Vermont Obituaries at FamilySearch Research Wiki

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:


 * at FamilySearch (browse only images).
 * Proprietors records, 1753-1801
 * Records of marriages, births and deaths, 1857-1881; indexes of birth, death and marriage, 1857-1945
 * Land records and deeds, 1780-1906; index, 1753-1945

Probate Records
The probate district for Townshend is Westminster. Westminster Probate Court PO Box 47 Bellows Falls, VT 05101 Phone: (802) 463-3019
 * 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

Archives
Townshend Historical Society PO Box 202 Townshend, VT 05353 Email: ths@dugrenier.com Website: Townshend

Libraries
Townshend Public Library 1971 VT Rte 30 PO Box 252 Townshend, VT 05353 Phone: 802-365-4039 Email: info@townshendlibrary.org Website: Townshend Public Library

Family History Centers & Affiliate Libraries

 * Albany New York Family History Center
 * Bennington Vermont Family History Center
 * Rutland Vermont Family History Center
 * American Canadian Genealogical Society - an affiliate library
 * Brooks Memorial Library - an affiliate library
 * Crandall Public Library - an affiliate library
 * Griffin Free Public Library - an affiliate library
 * New York State Library and New York State Archives - an affiliate library