Richford, Franklin County, Vermont Genealogy

Brief History
Richford was chartered on August 21, 1780 by the Vermont Legislature. Richford was one of several towns (others being Berkshire, Enosburgh, Montgomery, Wyllis (now Jay) and Westfield) granted by the fledgling Republic of Vermont as a means of raising money to support her troops (the Continental Congress had refused to help). At £8 each, the proprietors of the new town, mostly Connecticut residents, provided £480 towards the Revolution (over $27 Million in today's dollars).

Neither in England nor in New England is there another Richford after which this Vermont town could have been named. It is thus presumed to be a "made" name, probably intended to convey an image of fertile lands which would be attractive to prospective buyers and settlers (early settlers, struggling to survive, often called it "Poorford"). There are, however, two other Richfords in the US, in New York and Wisconsin. By strange coincidence (there is no discernible connection), Richford, New York is adjacent to a town named Berkshire, as is this Vermont town.

Town Histories
Richford, Vermont, frontier town : the first hundred and fifty years, by Jack C Salisbury (1987) - find this book in a library.

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

Land Records
Richford, Vermont, Land Records, 1854-1907, are available at FamilySearch (browse only images).

Probate Records
Franklin Probate Division 17 Church St. St. Albans, VT 05478 Phone: (802) 524-7948

Franklin County, Vermont Probate Records, 1860-1910, are available at FamilySearch (browse only images).

Maps
1871 map of Richford and Richford Town

Cemeteries
The following is a list of major cemeteries in present-day Richford Town. For location of all cemeteries, see Cemeteries of Vermont, Franklin County, website at this link.


 * All Saints Catholic Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * East Richford Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Hillside Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Richford Center Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * South Richford Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Troy Street Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.

Town Records

 * Town Clerk Vital and Town Records, 1799-2000, are available at FamilySearch (browse only images).
 * Richford, Vermont Town Death Certificates and Burial Permits, 2000-2006, are available at FamilySearch (browse only images).
 * The Family History Library has microfilm of original records from the Richford Town Clerk's Office. These include: Vital records of Richford, Vermont, 1857-June 2000 (including 1804-1841 for Powell family only); a pre-1870 cemetery transcription; and card index to vital records, ca. 1800-June 2000, Index to marriages, 1799-1913, and Deeds, 1800-1871; index to deeds, 1800-1900.

Richford Town Clerk 94 Main St. Richford, VT 05476 Phone: (802) 848-7751 Website: http://www.richfordvt.com/

Newspapers
St. Albans Messenger

Vermont Online Historical Newspapers

Libraries and Historical Societies
Arvin A Brown Library 88 Main St. Richford, VT 05476 Phone:(802) 848-3313 Email: arvinabrown@gmail.com Website: http://aabrown.org/

Richford Historical Society