Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont Genealogy

Brief History
Rupert was chartered by Governor Benning Wentworth on Aug. 20, 1761. The first meeting of proprietors was held in Bennington on April 16, 1765. One of Rupert's first settlers was Reuben Harmon, the metalsmith who was given the right to mint coins for the Republic of Vermont in 1785. Harmon's Mint was in East Rupert on a small stream now known as Hagar's Brook.

Cemeteries
The following is a list of cemeteries in present-day Rupert. For location of cemeteries, see Cemeteries of Vermont, Bennington County, website at this link.


 * Hay Family Private Burial Ground - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Hopkins Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Kent Hollow Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * North Rupert Cemetery- inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Pawlet Mountain Road Cemetery (Cemetery on the Hill) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Rupert Street Cemetery (aka Rupert Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * West Rupert Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.

The gravestone inscriptions of Rupert, Bennington County, Vermont.


 * Rupert Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Bennington County Cemeteries at FamilySearch Places

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 Rupert, 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 Rupert:

1. Rupert Congregational Church   2890 Vermont Hwy 153    Rupert, VT 05768    Phone: (802) 394-2501

City Directories
The Family History Library has microfilm of Rupert City Directories

Historical Data
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. Also available online in PDF format at this link.

Land Records
The following are online land records for the town of Rupert:

Libraries and Historical Societies
R. K. Kittay Public Library 2827 St. Rt. 153, P.O. Box 53 West Rupert, VT 05776 Phone: (802) 394-2444 Email: rkkittay@myfairpoint.net Website: http://www.rupertkittaylibrary.org/

Rupert Historical Society Rte. 153, Main Street Rupert, VT 05768 Mailing Address: Box 2, Lewis Road, Rupert, VT 05768 Email: R.K.Kittay@sover.net Phone: (802) 394-7864

Maps
The following are online maps of the town of Rupert:

1856 Map of Rupert

Newspapers
The Manchester Journal

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

The probate district for Rupert is Manchester. Manchester Probate Court P.O. Box 446 Manchester, VT 05846 Phone: (802) 362-1410

Town Histories
Rupert, VT; historical and descriptive, 1761-1898, George Sayre Hibbard, Tuttle Publishing, 1899.

Early Memories of West Rupert, VT, Samuel Sterling Sherman, Barnard &amp; Miller Print, 1912- Family History Library has film of book.

A Glimpse of the Early History of Rupert, VT, Naomi Sheldon Guibord - Family History Library has film of book.

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 Rupert town records available online:

The Family History Library has microfilm of original records from the Rupert Town Clerks Office. These include Births, marriages, deaths, 1820-1954 (approx.); index, 1858-1972 (approx.), Land records, 1780-1915; index to land records, 1780-1972, and Proprietors records and land surveys, 1765-1882.

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

Rupert Town Clerk Mailing Address: P.O. Box 140 West Rupert, VT 05776 Physical Address: 187 East Street West Rupert, VT 05776 Phone: (802) 394-7728 Email: rupert187@myfairpoint.net

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

Marriage book of Wm. Putnam Rallson William Rallson kept records of marriages for the following towns and years: Keeseville, 1873-1874; Essex, 1874-1875; Waterford, 1879-1880; Jonesville, 1880-1883, 1900-1902; Gloversville, 1883-1886; Mechanicville, 1886-1892; Salem, 1892-1896; Rupert, Vt., 1897; Brandon, Vt., 1898-1899; Vergennes, Vt. 1888-1892; Ferrisburg, Vt. 1888-1892; Schoharie, 1903-1904; Guilderland, 1905-1908; Richmondville, 1908-1912.