New Vernon/Bolton History Published

"David Allis and the Birth of Vernon"

This little book published by the Vernon Historical Society and local historian Jon Roe is intended to serve two purposes:

Firstly the book presents the origin story of Vernon. We became Vernon when the North Bolton Parish separated from Bolton in 1808. Most of our history books spend little time on the 88 years we were part of Bolton. During those years we transformed from a wilderness of farmers and were about to enter the industrial age. And our country transformed itself from an English Colony to the United States of America. Our place in this transformation is worth telling.

Secondly the origin story is woven around the life of David Allis, born in 1720 the year Bolton was incorporated. David was one of our many founders forgotten to history. Yet as one of the town's leaders during its early years he helped settle North Bolton, built our first grist mill on the Tankerhoosen River, was important to creating the North Bolton Parish, and guiding us through the Revolutionary War.

Allis is barely mentioned in our history books and his early mills entirely forgotten. He came to our attention when his gravestone was found in the backyard of a Vernon Center home. The Old Burial Ground of North Bolton on Bamforth Road, our oldest cemetery, is the resting place of the men and women who founded Vernon and fought in the Revolution, yet most have been forgotten.

These stories are told as narratives for the casual reader. Those inspired to learn more will find detail and references in the Appendix.

Where To Learn More

» The book is for sale for $18 from the Vernon Historical Society (VHS) and the Bolton Historical Society.

» To purchase a copy by mail contact VHS at vernonhs@sbcglobal.net or call (860) 875-4326.

» Receive a free copy with a $100 or more donation to the newspaper digitization project.

» It is available to read at the Rockville Public Library and Bolton's Bentley Memorial Library.

» The book can be read online in pdf format.

» The material was presented at the Vernon Historical Society in 2020 as part of Bolton's 300th Anniversary and recorded by the Community Voice Channel. The full program can be viewed here.

Please Support The Rockville Newspaper Project

The Vernon Historical Society is digitizing over 100 years of Rockville and Tolland County newspapers and needs community support to complete the project and make the newspapers available to the public.

This book exists because of two letters published in the 1889 Rockville Journal by Vernon's first historian ALLYN STANLEY KELLOGG. This information appears no where else. In his letters on Rockville's early Iron Works Kellogg mentions the Allis Mills and their location, which opened the door to further research with deeds and wills.

1889 Rockville Journal headline.	Saw mill, grist mill and location reference.

Imagine what more we will learn about our community and ancestors when we can access and search the newspapers at home!

Please contribute and help us make this happen. Other books and stories are in preparation that will benefit from additional background.

» Learn more about digitizing our local newspapers and how to donate.