Vermont Biography

Biographies provide useful genealogical information such as


 * A person’s birth date and place
 * Names of family members, including maiden names
 * Education
 * Occupation
 * Social, political, and religious affiliation
 * They may also contain a physical description of the person
 * Previous residences
 * Immigration information

Biographies are the product of family knowledge or previous research about early settlers and prominent citizens of a state, county, or town. Local histories may contain biographical sketches of lesser-known people.

The University of Vermont at Burlington at http://www.uvm.edu/ and the Vermont Historical Society at http://www.vermonthistory.org/ have the largest and most representative collections of biographical materials. The Family History Library collection includes biographies of civil and military leaders and pioneers.


 * Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont. 2 vols. New York, New York: Lewis Publishing, 1903. (Family History Library book 974.3 D3cg; films 496892, item 2 and 496893; fiche 6046680.) These volumes are about leading Vermont citizens. Birth dates and places for several generations may be included. This source is indexed by surname.
 * Vermont Historical Gazetteer: A Magazine Embracing a History of Each Town, Civil, Ecclesiastical, Biographical and Military. 6 vols. in 9. Burlington, Vermont: A. M. Hemenway, 1868–1923. (Family History Library book 974.3 H2v; films 1000620–21. Digital versions are available online for volumes 3 and 4.) This book includes all towns in the state, except towns in Windsor County. Each volume contains local histories and biographical notes. Volume 6 is a comprehensive index.
 * Kent, Dorman B.E. Vermonters. Montpelier, Vermont: Vermont Historical Society, 1937. (Family History Library book 974.3 D3k; film 1000630, item 4.) This book includes an index and is arranged alphabetically by town of birth. It is a list of prominent Vermont-born business, political, military, and ecclesiastical leaders and their occupations. It is arranged chronologically by birth year under each town.
 * Ullery, Jacob G. Men of Vermont. Brattleboro, Vermont: Transcript Pub., 1894. (Family History Library book 974.3 D3u; film 1000623, item 3.) Each alphabetical biography relates political and military facts, residences, and family information.
 * Dodge, Prentiss Cutler. Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography. Burlington, Vermont: Ullery Publishing, 1912. (FHL book 974.3 D3d.) This book contains information about founders and politicians and includes governors, senators, and judges with some genealogical information. It also includes an index.

See “United States Biography” for information on nationwide biographical collections. See also “History” and “Genealogy” for additional sources.

To find biographies and published family histories on specific surnames in the Family History Library Catalog, use a Surname Search. Typing the words Vermont in the Keyword Search will help to limit the search to families in Vermont.

The Family History Library has many collected biographies and local county histories with biographical sketches of residents. These can be found in the Family History Library Catalog by using a Place Search under:

VERMONT- BIOGRAPHY VERMONT, [COUNTY]- BIOGRAPHY VERMONT, [COUNTY], [TOWN]- BIOGRAPHY

Web Sites

 * http://www.accessgenealogy.com/scripts/data/database.cgi?file=Data&amp;report=BioLocation&amp;pagename=1bio&amp;SearchTerm=Vermont
 * http://www.rockvillemama.com/vermont/index.htm