The Early History of Ferrisburgh, Vermont

Early Charter and Land

  • Charter granted: 24 June 1762 by New Hampshire to Daniel Merrill and 66 others, divided into 70 shares, totaling 24,600 acres.

  • Survey: In 1763, Benjamin and David Ferris surveyed the township.

Geography

  • Rivers: Otter Creek (navigable to Vergennes, 8 miles), Little Otter Creek, Lewis Creek, Dead Creek.

  • Natural resources: Black marble found in northeast part of town and Long Point.

Early Settlement

  • First birth: Eunice Webster, 22 March 1773.

  • First post-Revolution settler: Zuriel Tupper, autumn 1783; he planted the first apple trees from seed.

  • First public house: Operated by Zuriel Tupper.

  • First framed house: Known as the "Blue House" or "Old Frazer House".

  • Basin Harbor settlement: Platt Rogers settled here before the Revolution.

Early Industry

  • First steamboat on Lake Champlain: Built by James I. Winans and his brother at Basin Harbor.

  • First grist-mill: Thought to have been built by Robert Hazard around 1792.

Town Organization

  • Town officially organized: 29 March 1785.

  • Territorial adjustment: 23 October 1788, about one square mile went to form Vergennes.

Population

  • 1791 census: 481 residents.

  • 1880 census: 1,684 residents.

Infrastructure

  • First Post Office: Established in 1838 in North Ferrisburgh.

Miscellaneous

  • Surveyors’ records destroyed: In 1785, Timothy Rogers’ records were lost in a fire; witnesses had to testify in Rutland to confirm details