Step-by-Step Vermont Research, 1880-Present
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Step 1. Find out everything possible from living relatives and their family records.
Every good genealogy project starts with finding all the clues that can be gathered from living relatives — both from their memories and from documents or memorabilia in their homes.
What are the best questions to ask?
In order to extend research, ask for names, dates, and places. Everything about who a relative was and when and where they lived is a clue to a new record search. For ideas, see :
- 50 Questions to Ask Relatives About Family History at ThoughtCo.com
- Creating Oral Histories at FamilySearch Wiki
What documents should be collected or copied?
Because these records cover names, dates, places, and relationships, they are a valuable source of clues. Look for them in your home, your parents' home, and ask living grandparents to check for them.
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Step 2. Find ancestors in every possible census record, 1850-1950, online.
- A census is a count and description of the population for a given date. A census took a "snapshot" of a family on a certain day.
- For each person living in a household (depending on the year), their name, age, birthplace, relationship to head of household, place of birth for father and mother, citizenship status, year of immigration, mother of how many children and number of children living, native language, and whether they were a veteran of the military can be listed.
- Searching for a family in census records every ten years can identify all the children in a family.
- Searching in earlier census records to find someone as a child can identify parents.
Using clues to lead to census record searches.
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This marriage certificate, found in old family papers, gives clues on when and where to begin searching in census records.
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The first step would be to search for Kenneth Rushlow in the 1950 Vermont census.
There are no Kenneth Rushlow entries in the 1950 census of Vermont, at least any that the available indexes can find. There is a Kenneth Rushlow, the only one in the Vermont 1940 census, living in Montgomery, Franklin County, Vermont, age 4, in the home of William Rushlow. That would make him 22 years old when John Rushlow. Further proof is needed that this is John's father. This is a great record though, because also living in the home are Kenneth's grandparents, William and Elizabeth Rushlow.
William Rushlow, the younger is living next door to William Rushlow, Sr. in 1930. In 1920, he is a young man in his parent's home. In 1910, William Rushlow, the younger is a teenager in his parents' home, and in 1900, a 4 year old chiild.
Also notice that here in 1900, the birth date of William Rushlow, Jr. is November 1895, and the birth date of William Rushlow, Sr. is given as as December 1866.
Finding the next earlier generation.
Again, in 1900, the birth date of William Rushlow, Sr. is given as as December 1866. There is no 1890 census, but the next step would be to look for him in the 1880 census as a 14-year-old living in his parents' home.
In the 1880 census of Vermont there is William Rushlow, a 13 year old child in the home of Nelson and Julia Rushlow.
In the 1870 census, William Rushlow, Sr., is listed as a 3 year old child, with his parents Nelson and Julia spelled "Rushlo".
Look for ancestors in as many censuses as possible. Use the clues from each census for hints where to find families in both earlier and later census records.
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For more information, see Vermont Census and United States Census.
Step 3: Find birth, marriage, and death certificates for ancestors and their children.
States, counties, or (even towns in some states) recorded births, marriages, and deaths.
- In addition to the child's name, birth date, and place of birth, a birth certificate may give the birthplaces of the parents, their ages, and occupations.
- A marriage certificate might list the parents of the bride and groom.
- A death certificate may give the person's birth date and place, parents' names and birthplaces, and spouse's name.
Using census clues to lead to a birth certificate.
Census information gives approximate birth years and probable birth places, and that information leads to finding important birth records. In addition to basic birth date and place, a birth certificate can give age, birthplace, occupation, etc. about the parents.
Notice that in this birth record, the parents' ages and birth places are given.
Using census clues to lead to a marriage certificate.
Finding marriage records can:
- establish the full identity of the wife, with her maiden name and possible birth details.
- find the names of the parents of the bride and groom.
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Notice that the marriage records give the parents' names of the bride and groom and their birth places. |
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Using the census clues to lead to a death certificate.
Moving forward in time, older generations stop showing up in the census. That is a clue that they probably died in the last 10 years. The death certificate is important because of all the possible secondary data beyond just the date and place of death:
- birth date and place of the deceased
- maiden name of the wife
- names of the deceased's parents
- birth places of the deceased's parents.'
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Some of the databases available provide index entries. That means for each of them an actual, original, full certificate exists. It will contain many details not given in the index. In some cases, the image of the original is found online. Instructions are given below on obtaining the original certificate in other cases.
Gather as many birth, marriage, and death records as possible.
How to Find the Records
There are basically three ways to find these indexes or full original certificates:
- online databases
- writing to a town clerk
- purchasing them through the mail at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov
| Birth, Marriage, and Death Records |
| Towns: abt. 1760 |
| Statewide: 1857 Law for town clerks |
| Centralized Registration: 1919 |
Online databases, usually indexes, with some images
Town Clerk Records
Vital records were first kept in Vermont from the earliest permanent settlement, about 1760. All original records are maintained by the town or city and can be viewed at the town or city clerk’s office. The present vital registration law was enacted in 1857. This statute required that all vital events be recorded in the town where they occurred. A centralized registration system was established in 1919.
The central registration of birth, marriage, death, and divorce records have been divided into the responsibilities of two state agencies. For vital records from 1760 to 5 years ago, use:
- 1700-2008 Vermont: Births, Marriages and Deaths, 1700-2008 at American Ancestors - index & images ($)
- 1732-2005 Vermont, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1732-2005 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1850-2005 Vermont, Town Records, 1850-2005 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
For Vital Records for the 5 most recent years, contact:
- Where to Write for Vermont Birth, Marriage, Death and Divorce Records at Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.gov
For more information on birth, marriage, and death records in Vermont, see How to Find Vermont Birth Records, How to Find Vermont Marriage Records, and How to Find Vermont Death Records.
Step 4: Try to find additional details about ancestors in obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records online.
There are additional record collections available, based upon a person's death: obituaries, cemetery records, and Social Security records. These are a great source for more details about a person. Here are some examples; notice the level of details.
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Obituaries
- 1930-Current U.S., Obituary Collection, 1930-Current at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1980-2014 United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages 1980-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 2001-2014 Currentobituary.com index, 2001-2014 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- Find Online Obituaries, Newspapers, Cemetery and Death Records at Archives.com — index & images ($)
- Newspaper and Funeral Home Obituaries at MyHeritage — index ($)
- United States Obituary Notices in World at Findmypast — index ($)
- Vermont Genealogy Queries at GenealogyBuff.com — index
- Vermont Obituaries at Legacy.com — index & images
- Vermont Obituaries at ObitsArchive.com — index & images ($)
- Vermont Obituaries Help and Genealogy Resources at ObituariesHelp.org — index
Cemeteries
- 1949-1969 United States, Cemetery Abstracts, 1949-1969 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- BillionGraves — index & images
- BillionGraves Index at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Findmypast ($)
- FindaGrave — index & images
- Find a Grave Index at FamilySearch — How to Use This Collection; index; Also at: Ancestry ($)
- Vermont Cemeteries at I Dream of Genealogy — index
- Vermont Cemeteries at USGenWeb Tombstones — index
- Vermont Cemetery Records at LDS Genealogy — index
- Vermont Cemetery Records at New Horizons Genealogy — index
- Vermont Death Records and Vermont Cemetery Records at Interment.net — index
- VOCA Cemetery Database at Vermont Old Cemetery Association — index & images
U.S. Social Security Death Index and Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
- The U.S. Social Security program began in 1935 but most deaths recorded in the index happened after 1962.
- The Social Security Death index includes those who had a Social Security number and/or applied for benefits.
- You can search these records online at
- 1935-2014 U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014 at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry — index ($); Picks up where the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) leaves off by providing information filed in the application or claims process
- 1962-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- If you find an ancestor in the SSDI index, you can order a copy of their original Social Security application (SS-5). If you can prove the individual has died (by sending an obituary or copy of their cemetery headstone), the application will also give the deceased's parents' names, if listed.
For more information, see Vermont Obituaries and Vermont Cemeteries.
Step 5: Search military records: World War I and II draft cards.
There are many different types of military records: draft records, enlistment records, service records, pension records, etc. Information in military records can vary from a simple lists of name, age, and residence, to more detailed records including name, residence, age, occupation, marital status, birthplace, physical description, number of dependents, pensions received, disabled veterans, needy veterans, widows or orphans of veterans, and other information.
Example of a World War I draft card.
Example of a World War II draft card.
Search the World War I and World War II Draft Collections for male relatives.
- 1917-1918 United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1942 United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
For more information and additional collections, see Vermont Military Records.
Step 6: Look for church records online.
Church records function as vital records.
- An infant christening or baptism record documents a birth.
- Many, if not most, people are married in a church, and then a record is created by the minister.
- Likewise, ministers presided over funerals, then creating a burial record, which documents a death.
Church records are particularly helpful prior to the advent of civil registration.
Search for church records that can provide additional birth, marriage, and death information.
FamilySearch
- 1765-1908 Vermont Births and Christenings, 1765-1908 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1791-1974 Vermont Marriages, 1791-1974 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
- 1871-1965 Vermont Deaths and Burials, 1871-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index
Lutheran
- 1800-1947 U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Methodist
- 1787-1922 New England, Select United Methodist Church Records, 1787-1922 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
Presbyterian
- 1701-1970 U.S., Presbyterian Church Records, 1701-1970 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- For help with church records kept in Vermont, see Vermont Church Records.
- To search records by denomination, if you know your ancestors religion, go to Searching for Church Records by Denomination.
Step 7: Search for online wills and probate packets.
- County probate records include probate proceedings, petitions, affidavits, orders for sales, reports of sales, administrators' and executors' bonds, guardianship papers, wills, and letters of administration.
- In a will book, usually just a transcription of the will is recorded. But all of these other records are kept in a probate packet.
- Administrations are probate proceedings that handled an estate if no known will existed.
Search these indexes and images for probate records.
- 1749-1999 Vermont, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1800-1921 Vermont Probate Files, 1800-1921 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Probate Information in County Wiki Articles
Each Vermont county Research Wiki page lists additional probate sources, including where to write for records: Vermont Counties
For more information, see Vermont Probate Records and United States Probate Records.
Step 8: If any ancestor was an immigrant, search immigration and naturalization records online.
The census records may show that an ancestor was born in another country. It will be necessary to try to find the town or city they were born in to continue research in the country of origin. Searches of immigration records (usually passenger lists) and naturalization (citizenship) records would be the next step.
Look for immigrant ancestors in shipping lists and citizenship sources.
Vermont Immigration Records
- 1500-1999 U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s at Ancestry — index ($)
- 1795-1925 U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1895-1954 Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
Vermont Naturalization and Citizenship Online Records
- 1787-1906 United States, New England, Petitions for Naturalization, 1787-1906 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1790-1954 Vermont, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1790-1954 at Ancestry — index & images ($)
- 1791-1906 United States, New England Petitions for Naturalization Index, 1791-1906 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
- 1908-1987 Vermont Naturalization Records, 1908-1987 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
For more information, see Vermont Emigration and Immigration and Vermont Naturalization and Citizenship.
Step 9: Search for printed local histories or biography collections online.
Local Histories
- Published histories of towns, counties, and states sometimes contain biographies and accounts of early or prominent families.
- Here are several websites that feature online copies of printed county histories: Vermont; that will bring up too many hits. Just use the name of the county and "county": for example, "Hyde County"
- Google Books. Use keywords "Vermont" and the county name. Hits will list online readable books, lists of libraries that carry the book, and purchasing opportunities.
- Family History Books
- County and Town Histories
- Internet Archive. Use keywords "Vermont" and the county name.
- Ancestry.com ($). In the Card Catalog search box, use Vermont and the name of the county.
FamilySearch Collected Local Histories
- Local histories are extensively collected by the FamilySearch Library, public and university libraries, and state and local historical societies.
- If you have access to the FamilySearch Library or a FamilySearch center, you can find local histories by:
- Go to the FamilySearch Catalog.
- In the "Place" field, type the name of your county and click "Search".
- A list of subheadings for the county will appear. Local histories containing genealogies and biographies will be found under Biography, Genealogy, History, or History - Indexes.
Biography Collections
These collections of biographies can be searched online. Most have a table of contents and an index. Or use the "Find" function on a computer.
- 1894 Vermont Men, 1894 at Ancestry — index ($)
- American Biographical Library at Ancestry — index ($)
- County and Town Histories, Vermont at LearnWebSkills — index & images
- Encyclopedia, Vermont Biography; A Series of Authentic Biographical Sketches of the Representative Men of Vermont and Sons of Vermont in Other States, by Dodge, Prentiss C. Burlington, Vermont: Ullery Publishing Company, 1912. Online at: HathiTrust
- Genealogical and Family History of the State of Vermont, by Carleton, Hiram. New York and Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1903. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust
- One Thousand Men, by Kent, Dorman B.E. n.p.: Vermont Historical Society, 1915. Online at: HathiTrust
- The Vermont Historical Gazetteer: A Magazine, Embracing a History of Each Town, Civil, Ecclesiastical, Biographical and Military, by Hemenway, Abby Maria. Burlington, Vt: Miss A. M. Hemenway, 1867-1891. Online at: Vol. 1 - HathiTrust; Vol. 2 - HathiTrust; Vol. 3 - HathiTrust; Vol. 4 - HathiTrust; Vol. 5 - HathiTrust
- Vermont Biographies Project at Rockville Mama — index
Step 10: Contact a local historical or genealogical society.
This online directory by GenealogyInc. lists historical and genealogical societies by county: Click on the map to select a county, then scroll down to the historical or genealogical society listings.
Step 11: Use other FamilySearch tools.Historical ImagesRecords collected and digitized by FamilySearch can all be found through their Historical Images feature.
Vermont Online Genealogy RecordsSearch any other online records listed in Vermont Online Genealogy Records. The steps given here are intended to list record sources which can most efficiently identify descendants. Many other online records which might or might not mention descendants are listed in the Vermont Online Genealogy Records page, including immigration records, land records, military records, newspapers, and probate records, and others. These can be records that cover a smaller group within the population, such as men who served in the military, etc.
Step 12: Study the Research Wiki pages for any county in Vermont.This article focused more on Vermont state or state-wide records. There is a separate Wiki article for each county in Vermont. These articles give information, office addresses, and links to county records.
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