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United States Vermont  Franklin   Swanton 

Brief History
Swanton was chartered on August 17,1763. It is located in the northwestern corner of the state bordering Lake Champlain on its west and Quebec Province in Canada on its north. Within the town is located the villages of Swanton and Fonda, as well as most of the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge.

Swanton is one of the few places in Vermont where Natives are known to have had a permanent settlement. From about 1700 to 1758, the important Abnaki village of Missisiasuk was on the Missisquoi River. The village's name, meaning "people of the great grassy meadows", helps to bear out the translation of Missiquoi itself as "great grassy meadows". The Abnaki name for the mouth of the river was Maskwenozakek, literally "the place where muskelunge abound", which would have been a good enough reason in itself for establishing a village nearby.

Historical Data
Historical Photos of Swanton, courtesy of the Swanton Historical Society.

Town Histories

 * The history of the town of Swanton, by Perry and Barney (1882) - view a digital copy of this book online.
 * The history of Swanton, Vermont, by Rodney R. Ledoux (1988) - view a digital copy of this book online.
 * An Outline of Swanton’s History, courtesy of the Swanton Historical Society.

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

Land Records
Swanton, Vermont, Land Records, 1883-1903, 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 Sheldon Town and Sheldon, Sheldon East, Junction Town

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


 * East Sheldon Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Grace Episcopal Church Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Missisquoi Valley Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * North Sheldon Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Rice Hill Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Saint Anthonys Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Sheldon Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Sheldon Poor Farm Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.
 * Webster Cemetery - inscriptions at Find A Grave site.

Town Records
Town Clerk Vital and Town Records, 1799-2000, are available at FamilySearch (browse only images).

The Family History Library has microfilm of original records from the Swanton Town Clerk's Office. These include: [https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/348075?availability=Family%20History%20Library Town and vital records of Sheldon, Vermont, 1798-Sept. 2000], and Deeds, 1794-1852.

Town of Swanton 1 Academy St. P.O. Box 711 Swanton, VT 05488 Phone: (802) 868-7418 Email: townadmin@swantonvermont.org Website: http://townofswantonvermont.weebly.com/

Newspapers
St. Albans Messenger

Vermont Online Historical Newspapers

Libraries and Historical Societies
Swanton Public Library 1 1st St. Swanton, VT 05488 Phone:(802) 868-7656 Email: wantonpub@yahoo.com Website: http://www.swantonlibrary.org/

Swanton Historical Society 58 S River St. P.O. Box 235 Swanton, VT 05488 Phone: (802) 868-5436 Website: http://www.swantonhistoricalsociety.org/