RESEARCH TIP #1 - Searching our website
Have you made use of the SEARCH function? We recommend that you use only a last name in your search. It, of course, will bring up many items that will not fit your search, but will avoid missing the person you want because that person used initials rather than a full first name. You may also find other relatives that will help in your search.
This search feature currently only searches text on a webpage; it does not search within links or documents.
RESEARCH TIP #2 - 18th century Vermont
A great aid in finding people in the 18th century (1700's) Vermont are Volumes 8 - 11 of the State Papers of Vermont, which contain local petitions from the years 1778-1799. These can be found in most major libraries.
Each volume has a name index and each petition is dated. Thus, you can place a person (mostly adult males) in a certain town at a certain time. In many cases, this is the only existing record which can give this information.
RESEARCH TIP #3 - Online books
Millions of books are available to read online or download to your computer using websites such as Google Books, or Internet Archive.
Each site offers their own search features, often giving you the choice between simple and advanced features.
RESEARCH TIP #4 - Free Rutland and Vermont records
Most Vermont vital records are available FREE online at FamilySearch.org. They also have Vermont Land records, Probate records, and US Census records, as well as much more! Their FamilySearch Research Wiki Page offers excellent information about numerous genealogical topics.
RESEARCH TIP #5 - Newspaper
Although there are not a large amount of Vermont or Rutland newspapers available online (as of 2018), there are a couple good resources for searchable New York state newspapers that sometimes can produce good results for neighboring Vermont towns and counties. For example, checking Washington County, NY newspapers for Rutland County, VT information may be helpful. You can find such papers at NYS Historic Newspapers, and Old Fulton, New York Postcards.
RESEARCH TIP #6 - Social Media
Social Media has become a great resource for genealogical research. On Facebook, as an example, there are many groups and pages dedicated to local genealogy, and it can be a good tool to connect with others with similar interests. "You're from Rutland, if..." is a page created by current and former Rutland residents, and includes many photos and stories about (more recent) Rutland families. "Vermont Genealogy Network" is a group that connects folks with similar research interests. "Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness - RAOGK USA" is a group that members fulfill requests from other members for all over the United States. There are also groups for Obituary look-ups.