Worchester, Washington County, Vermont

This town in the north west of Washington County, lat. 44° 24', long. 4° 25', is bounded north and west by Elmore and Stowe, in Lamoille County, south by Middlesex, and east by Calais.

Who were the first white men that visited the town is unknown. The French and Indians passing from Canada to the older settlements on the Connecticut river, are said to have had their trail through this town, but have left no record of their names or of the place where.

The town, with its present name and limits, was chartered June 8, 1763, by Gov. Wentworth of New Hampshire, to grantees:

Grantees

The charter was for 6 miles square, to be divided into 69 rights, or lots of 4 divisions each. The 1st division 1 acre, the 2nd div. 3 acres, the 3rd div. 38 acres, the 4th 7 acres. The 1 acre lots were laid out in the center of the town and are comprised in the farm now owned by Wm. H. Kellogg; the 7 acre lots, around this one, mostly on the west; the 38 acre lots on the west side of the town, adjoining Stowe. The Governor's right in the south west corner, and the 300 acre lots comprised the rest of the town. There is now no record of any meeting of the original grantees to be found, nor any conveyances from them; and there was much litigation in regard to land titles in the early history of the town. Much of the land is now held under titles from "tax collectors," having been sold for taxes.

Washington County | Vermont AHGP

Source: History of Washington County Vermont, Collated and Published by Abby Maria Hemenway, 1882.