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| Green Mountain Boy with Musket and Document" image created using DALL·E by OpenAI, generated via ChatGPT, May 2025 |
Why Vermont Took Justice Into Its Own Hands
The land we now call Vermont was caught between New York and New Hampshire. New York tried to control the region by setting up courts in counties like Cumberland and Gloucester. But those courts were a mess. They were slow, corrupt, and run by land speculators who didn’t even live there. Most cases dragged on or went nowhere.
The settlers had enough. They wanted justice that worked for real people, not just the rich or powerful. So they created their own system, one that prioritized fairness and speed over technicalities.
Community-Driven Justice
Vermont’s new courts were different. They were led by regular people who were not trained lawyers and they focused on solving problems quickly. Lawyers were often distrusted, and strict legal rules took a back seat to common sense.
The courts also played a huge role in the local economy. On the frontier, cash was scarce, so debt disputes were common. Vermont’s courts helped people settle these issues fairly, keeping communities stable and functioning.
Ethan Allen: Lawmaker with a Musket
Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys weren’t just freedom fighters; they also helped enforce Vermont’s laws. In 1779, Allen even had several New York officials arrested in Vermont to stop them from interfering. But instead of acting like tyrants, the Vermont leaders offered peace to anyone willing to support the new government.
A Legal System That Worked
Some people claimed Vermont used force to control its people, but the court records tell another story. Locals used the new legal system often and effectively. It wasn’t perfect, but it was fast, practical, and respected.
In fact, Vermont’s homegrown courts were ahead of their time. They were more democratic and responsive than many other systems in early America. What others saw as rough or unsophisticated was actually just well adapted to life on the frontier.
The Real Revolution
The article’s author, Bellesiles, argues that Vermont’s real revolution wasn’t just about independence from Britain or New York. It was about creating a system of justice that met the needs of the people. And that’s what made Vermont truly stand out in those early years.
My Family Connection
My fourth great grandfather, Hopkins Rowley, lived on the Vermont frontier during the Revolution and served as a Green Mountain Boy, walked the line between patriot and vigilante, but context matters.
Patriot:
Hopkins Rowley, as a Green Mountain Boy, fought to protect the New Hampshire land grants against British rule and New York’s competing claims. That makes him a patriot in the eyes of most Americans. He supported local control, defended settlers’ rights, and resisted outside interference.
Vigilante:
However, to New York authorities and Loyalists, Rowley and his comrades were vigilantes, unofficial enforcers who disrupted courts, arrested officials, and even used intimidation to defend their land and beliefs. The Green Mountain Boys often acted outside formal law, especially before Vermont declared independence.
As a Green Mountain Boy and early settler, Hopkins Rowley directly benefited from Vermont’s homegrown legal system. Unlike the corrupt and distant courts of New York, Vermont’s courts protected settlers like him in key ways:
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His Land Was Safe: Rowley held land through a New Hampshire grant. Vermont’s courts honored those titles, protecting him from losing his land to outside claims.
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His Actions Were Defensible: As someone who may have resisted Loyalists or New York officials, Vermont’s courts shielded him from prosecution and treated his actions as patriotic.
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His Disputes Were Settled Locally: Whether it was a boundary disagreement or an unpaid debt, Rowley could count on fast, fair, and local resolutions.
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His Voice Mattered: With local citizens serving as judges and jurors, Rowley was part of the legal process, not just subject to it.
Hopkins Rowley was a patriot, a man shaped by a place where formal justice failed and local communities took charge. Vermont’s homegrown legal system didn’t just protect men like him, it was made for them.
How Vermont’s Legal Chaos Became a Genealogist’s Dream
If you’ve ever groaned over “legal gobbledygook” in your research or this blog post, you’re not alone. Colonial courts, rival land claims, and Revolutionary chaos can make your eyes glaze over. But here's the secret genealogists know: all that legal confusion leads to records, glorious records! Their efforts to build a local justice system gave us something truly priceless: a paper trail.
Why Legal Disputes Equal Genealogy Gold
As Vermont settlers like Hopkins Rowley pushed back against outside authority, they weren’t just waving flags, they were building a whole new legal system from the ground up. They needed courts to settle debt, confirm land ownership, and keep order in a raw, cash-poor society. And every disagreement, every deed, and every decision left behind documents.
These records hold the keys to unlocking our ancestors’ lives:
Military Records
Search for:
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Revolutionary War service files
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Militia rosters of the Green Mountain Boys
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Pension applications (even if your ancestor didn’t apply, a widow or child might have)
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Fold 3
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Vermont State Archives
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National Archives
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Vermont Historical Society’s collections
Land Records
Search for:
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New Hampshire land grants
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Vermont confirmations and town charters
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Deeds and property transfers
Try:
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FamilySearch → Vermont Land Records Collection
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Local Vermont town clerk offices (like Shoreham or Addison County)
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Vermont State Archives
Court Records
Explore:
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Early county court proceedings
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Civil and criminal cases
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Justice of the peace records
Try:
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Vermont State Archives and Records Administration (VSARA)
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New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS)
Town and Vital Records
Search:
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Births, marriages, and deaths
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Town meeting minutes (especially if your ancestor served in a civic role)
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Early church and burial records
Try:
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FamilySearch Vermont Town Records
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Local historical societies and libraries
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Town offices in Hebron, Shoreham, or wherever your ancestor lived
Published Sources and Local Histories
Don’t overlook:
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County and town histories
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Published rosters of Vermont soldiers
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Biographies and Revolutionary War studies
Try:
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Vermont in the Revolution by John E. Goodrich
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The Green Mountain Boys by Allen French
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JSTOR articles for scholarly background and sources
Why This Matters
You don’t need to be a lawyer to appreciate these sources. Each one tells a story of a land purchase, a debt settled, a jury called, a pension granted. Vermont’s homemade legal system may have been rough around the edges, but it preserved the lives of ordinary people like Hopkins Rowley in ink and parchment.
So, the next time someone says, “Ugh, early American legal history is so confusing,” just smile and say: “Yes! and it leads to records. Glorious records.”
Sources
Michael A. Bellesiles, “The Establishment of Legal Structures on the Frontier: The Case of Revolutionary Vermont,” The Journal of American History, March 1987.
Gillies, Paul S. The Law of the Hills: A Judicial History of Vermont. Vermont Historical Society, 2019.
AI Disclosures
This blog post used the assistance of artificial
intelligence (AI) tools at ChatGPT4o. While the content reflects my ideas, writing,
and research. the AI was used for headings, grammar, and spelling editing.
ChatGPT4o suggested blog post titles based upon my writing and
ideas and I selected the one with edits to enhance the blog experience.
Image created using DALL·E by OpenAI, generated via ChatGPT
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