Lunenburg, Essex County, Vermont Genealogy

United States Vermont  Essex   Lunenburg 

Brief History
On July 5, 1763, Benning Wentworth, the royal governor of New Hampshire, granted to David Page and sixty-eight others the charter of the town of "Luninbourg." The claim of New Hampshire to land west of the Connecticut River was disputed by New York and in 1764 the latter state decreed that the area of Lunenburg was part of Gloucester County, New York. In 1777 Vermont declared its independence and Lunenburg was then included in Cumberland County. As the Vermont counties divided, the town was successively part of Orange County and Caledonia County. In 1798 the present Essex County was incorporated.

The first town meeting was held on September 5, 1781 in the cabin of Rueben Howe, and the town officers were elected. On December 18, 1781, another town meeting was held and the town was organized.

Lunenburg is approximately six miles square, surrounded by the towns of Concord, Victory, Granby, and Guildhall, and by the Connecticut River, which forms the border with New Hampshire.

Town Histories

 * Streeter, Nellie M. The Town of Lunenburg, Vermont, 1763-1976. Lunenburg, Vermont, Town of Lunenburg Historical Society, 1977. Family History Library book 974.325/L2 H2.
 * Jeffrey, William H. Successful Vermonters; a modern gazetteer of Caledonia, Essex, and Orleans Counties. East Burke, Vermont, The Historical Publishing Company, 1904. Online.
 * Child, Hamilton Gazetteer of Caledonia and Essex Counties, Vt. 1764-1887. Caledonia County, Vermont, Syracuse Journal Company, Printers and Binders, 1887. Online.

Vital Records
The recording by town clerks of all marriages, births, and deaths was enacted into Vermont law in 1779. In 1857, the Vermont Legislature enacted legislation requiring town clerks to file copies of vital events recorded in their towns with the State. Those conducting research for a family that resided in one particular town, should also contact the town clerk of the town where the vital event took place.

Lunenburg Town Clerk Patricia Scott, Clerk-Treasurer Mailing Address: P.O. Box 54, Lunenberg, VT 05906 Physical Address: 9 West Main Street, Lunenburg, VT 05906 TEL: (802) 892-5959 FAX: (802) 892-5100 lunenburg01@live.com HRS: M-F 8:30-3

All of the vital records in the state registry are available online. There are no restrictions on public access to Vermont vital records.


 * Vermont birth, marriage, and death records in Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-1954 and Vermont, Vital Records, 1760-2003 are available through FamilySearch.org.
 * Vermont birth, marriage, and death records from 1760-2008 are available through Ancestry.com
 * Vital records of Lunenburg, Vermont, 1857-June 2001; indexes, 1782-1991 are available on 7 microfilm reels from the Family History Library.
 * Requests for informational copies may be submitted to the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration via U.S. mail or emailed to vitals@sec.state.vt.us. Researchers may submit up to two requests at a time.

Probate Records
Probate records for the town of Lunenburg can be found in Vermont, Probate Files, 1800-1921. This collection includes an index and images of probate estate files for Essex County.

Cemeteries

 * Baptist Hill Cemetery (Find A Grave)
 * Clark - Eaton Family Cemetery (Find A Grave)
 * Lunenburg Corner Cemetery (Find A Grave)
 * Powers Cemetery (Find A Grave)
 * Riverside Cemetery (Find A Grave)
 * Spaulding Family Cemetery
 * Stuart Cemetery

Churches
Congregational Church was the first church in Lunenburg. At early town meetings sums were raised to hire a minister. A small, crude, unpainted church without a bell was built in 1802. In 1842, a larger church was built. This burned seven years later and was replaced in 1850 with the present church. The church is currently undergoing restoration and the congregation has been inactive for many years.

The second church building in Lunenburg was the Baptist Church. After several years of holding services in homes, a small church was built on Baptist Hill. Several years later this was torn down and replaced by a plain but much larger building. When the congregation dwindled, the building was sold and eventually razed.

The Methodist Church in Lunenburg was built in 1837 after the persecuted members were refused permission to continue using public buildings. The Gilman church was built in 1924. The Methodist and Congregational churches formed one parish.

The Catholics also had one parish with two churches. St. Leo's Church was moved in pieces before 1910 from the Stevens Mills area of Granby after the mill closed. St. Theresa's in Gilman was built in the early 1920s. Both of these parished are now closed. The current Catholic church is St. James the Greater in Island Pond.

Town Records
Town records include town business, road surveys, school districts, religious opinions, stray reports, and vital records. Vital records includes marriages (1804-1866), deaths (1794-1817) and family records (early to 1869) listing births and deaths.


 * Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005 - Lunenburg. Births, marriages, deaths, town records 1803-1869. (Browse digital images.)
 * Town and vital records, 1803-1869, Microfilm of original records filmed in Lunenburg, Vermont.

Newspapers
The following historical newspapers cover the town of Lunenburg.

Essex County Herald, (Guildhall, Vermont) 1873-1964, Essex County Herald Association. Dates of publication: 1873-1963. Published weekly.

The Caledonian : (St. Johnsbury, Vermont) 1837-1867, A.G. Chadwick. Dates of publication:1837-1867. Published weekly.

[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84023253/ St. Johnsbury Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vermont) 1867-1919]. C.M. Stone &amp; Co. Dates of publication:1867-1919. Published weekly.

Libraries and Historical Societies
Alden Balch Memorial Libray 24 E. Main St. Box 6 Lunenburg, VT 05906 Phone: (802) 892-5365 Lunenburg Historical Society P.O Box 195 Lunenburg, VT 05906