Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1867-10-04
TO TIE PROPRlEroRs OF LANDS, LAND
HOLDERS AND TIE LEGAG PROBES
SION IN TIE STATE.

" IL lAiff hiI4A lAf VT isA NifF'f INN ~
HOLDERS AND TIE LEGAI PROBES
SION IN TIE STATE.
RUTLAND CouNN CtGnNs OFrIcE,
September %, 1867.
It Is known only TO q few of the proprictors Of
lands and and-holdrrs iu this State. that the roc-
ords of lands Of a large portion of the towns, as
well on the east side 90 the mountain as on the
west, from Che earliest settlement of the State 10
The Declaration of Independence Of the State ia
lli5, aud even since that time, are recorded in
tlia Slice.
Tbo reason for this. without going into the his
tory OF the organization of the State, aud in few
words, is this:-
llc territory on the west side OF the mountain
which iu l712 corgituteh the county Of Charlotte,
was iu lf19 erected into one county. by the name
OF the county Of Bennington, except a small p0r-
tion OF which for a time was styled the county Of
Albany, aud extended ON ihe west line ot the
State Go Cauaia line. thence on that line so far on
the east side oi the mountain AS Go comprise most
of .ho towns on That sdo then settled. The re-
mauiUg territory on ~ east side oi the mountain
was embraced in Cumberland County Many
deeds also in the towns now comprised no the
counties oi Windsor and Nindham are here record
ed. Thus decd, from almost all parts OF tho state,
from l1GI. the date of the earliest, continued TO
Doe recorded in tins office, until Che constitution ia
i117 and the Legislature, hy Act Of 1919, made
provision requiring conveyance of lands 20 be re-
corded n Tine office oi the Clerk Of the town in
which the land les.
When these records came into the hands Of the
present incumbent OF this office. they were pa no
proper condition ior reference; the first volume
was merely stitched together unbound with a
newspaper cover, aud without any index, and the
index OF All the volum.s were very imperfect and
not such US are now required bv law iu all Town
Clerks offices were not arranged alphabetically
iu the nnules ot guntor aud grantee. but under
the towns. the names of mauy oi which had been
long since changed Or become obslete IL was ABB
sJlutc.y necessary, boo order 70 refer to them with
any hope Of success, that they should Ue thorough
by examined page by page aud make such am n
deN as would enable one 20 end NOT only the grant
or of a decd. but tl.e grantee.
10 is also known Go but o few of the legal pro
fesion of the State that the docscts, records anC
file, OF the Supreme Court are deposited la thl
Office when such court was held alternately on th,
? east and west side of tle mountain in almost ever,
Important town in the State. prcyou, to the estab
l-hed organization of the Supreme Court in eAcl
county, separately aud independent of each other
The dockeis came into ny hands from ever,
count, iu the State, IN every form and size, witl
paper covers and without Indexes The files De
ing pr0miscously tied together in bundles, without
any form or Arrangement. whatever, it was almos
impo siole 60 iind papsr inquired for. howsye
important It was only through au index partial
J., made ti4t two gentlemen irom Canada we're en-
a1led TO find two docum4uts of which they were ID
search.
So valuable we're these papers thtt most Of th
compilation of SIR. Sllle n his State papers Wa
taken lrom them. aud 80 loosely we're they hei
/ thai some ol them taken for public purposes ha'
b not been returned
When the attention oil Chief Justice William
was called 10 the subject such was tho interest b.
took Ia this matter that be immediatcy procure
an Order signed by ail the Judges of the supreme
an, County Courts directing the clerk of thIs Co
10 make a general index of an the deeds rsvorde,
in volumes, which has been done.
Suc0ud--r rhs docket, OF ths Supreme ami Co
r Cou,ts to De arranged anl bound which has beel
done 10 volumes
Tnuly-Ihe files OF the Supreme Court TO b.
. colieoted, arranged numbered aud bound. whic
has been done n ten volumes aud a general in
, dcx OF the whole has been made.
Fouahl,-The ndeN of the causes on the dock
ets OF The supreme Cou.t has not yet been coul