Book By Renowned Local Historian Dives Into Vernon Early Vernon

VERNON, CT — The Vernon Historical Society and local historian Jon Roe have teamed up to publish a new book that dives deep into the emergence of the town.

"David Allis and the Birth of Vernon" is "a little book" that Roe said is intended to serve two purposes.

The book first presents the origin story of Vernon, beginning when the North Bolton Parish separated from Bolton in 1808, he said.

"Most of our history books spend little time on the 88 years we were part of Bolton," Rowe said. "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."

The book then dives into the life of David Allis.

Born in 1720, the year Bolton was incorporated, Allis was one of our many founders "forgotten to history," Roe said.

He added, "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."

Roe goes further, "Allis is barely mentioned in our history books and his early mills entirely forgotten."

Roe said Allis "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."

A marker in honor of Allis is there:

The stories, Roe said, are told as narratives for the casual reader. Those "inspired to learn more" will find detail and references in the Appendix, he said.

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• The book is for sale for $18 from the Vernon Historical Society and the Bolton Historical Society and will be featured at the VHS annual book sale.
• To purchase a copy by mail contact VHS at vernonhs@sbcglobal.net or call (860) 875-4326.
• 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.