Brandon, Rutland County, Vermont Genealogy

Brief History
The town was chartered on October 20, 1761. The initial name of the town was Neshoba or Neshobe selected by Captain Josiah Powers for the newly chartered town in the New Hampshire Grants. In October of 1784, the name of the town was changed to Brandon.

The town grew and flourished during the 1800s with the discovery of marble, and iron ore. The establishment of the railroad in 1849 enabled the shipping of iron-based products.

As these early industries began to decline, dairy farming and tourism became increasingly important to ensured the economic survival of Brandon.

Brandon is the birthplace of Stephen A. Douglas, one of America’s most prominent 19th century statesmen, and his birthplace is now the Brandon Museum.

Brandon’s population hovers around 4,000 residents spread out over 75 miles of roads.

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


 * Congregational Church Cemetery (aka Brandon Congregational Church Cemetery, Old Town Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Forest Dale Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Gilbert-Cook-Goodrow Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Hawk Hill Cemetery (aka Ambler-June Cemetery, June Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Maple Street Cemeter (aka Maple Street Catholic Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Pine Hill Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Saint Marys Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Sugar Hollow Cemetery(aka Noyes - Hurlburt Cemetery) - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.


 * Brandon Cemeteries List at FindAGrave
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * at FamilySearch Catalog
 * Rutland 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 Brandon, 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 Brandon:

1. Brandon Baptist Church    15 Champlain St.    Brandon, VT 05733    Phone: (802) 247-3339

2. Brandon Congregational Church    74 Park St.    Brandon, VT 05733    Phone:(802) 247-6058

3. Brandon United Methodist Church    1 Franklin St.    PO Box 55   Brandon, VT 05733   Phone: (802) 247-6524

4. Forrest Dale Wesley Church    1895 Forest Dale Rd.    Brandon, VT 05733    Phone:(802) 247-6748

5. St Mary's Church    38 Carver St.    Brandon, VT 05733    Phone:(802) 247-6351

6. St Thomas Episcopal Church   19 Conant Square    Brandon, VT 05733    Phone:(802) 247-6759

City Directories
FamilySearch Library Catalog

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

Libraries and Historical Societies
Brandon Free Public Library 4 Franklin St. Brandon, VT 05733 Phone:(802) 247-8230 Website

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

1854 Rutland County, Brandon map

Newspapers
Rutland Herald online at this link.

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

The probate district for Brandon is Rutland.

Rutland Probate Court 83 Center Street Rutland, VT 05701 (802) 775-0114

Town Histories
Go to Archive.org to find published materials for this town.

Brandon, Vermont: A History of the Town Dedicated to Its Citizens, Leon S. Gay, published by the Town of Brandon, 1962. [Google Books]

Town of Brandon, Vermont, by Augusta W. Kellogg, in New England Magazine, November 1897 [Google eBook]

Historical Photographs of Brandon and Forestdale, Vermont, Deborah S. Kirby, David Read Barker, 1976 [Google Books]

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 Brandon town records available online:

Town Clerk Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005, can be found on FamilySerach (searchable and browse only records) at this link.

The Family History Library has microfilm of original records from the Brandon Town Clerks Office. These include Land records 1785-1953, and town records 1846-1881, and Records of births, marriages, and deaths, 1775-1995.

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

Brandon Town Offices 49 Center St. Brandon, VT 05733 Phone: (802) 247-3635 Website

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.