Editing Windham County, Vermont (section)

==History==
Fort Bridgman, Vernon, was burned in 1755, a casualty of the [[French and Indian War]].<ref>[http://www.historicvermont.org/sites/html/history.html ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120219220846/http://www.historicvermont.org/sites/html/history.html |date=February 19, 2012 }}</ref> The Court of Common Pleas (established 1768) of the County of Cumberland (established July 3, 1766) of the Province of New York was moved to the town of Westminster in 1772. On July 4, 1776, the Province of New York became an independent state.

On January 15, 1777, Vermont declared its independence from New York, and functioned as an independent republic until statehood in 1791. Cumberland County (N.Y.) and Gloucester County (N.Y.) were extinguished when Vermont declared its independence from New York; Albany County (N.Y.) and Charlotte County (now Washington County, N.Y.) were eliminated from Vermont.<ref>Slade, 70-73; Van Zandt, 64; Williamson, C., 82-84, map facing 95, 100-102, 112-113.</ref>

Unity County was formed March 17, 1778, the eastern of the two original [[Vermont Republic]] counties.<ref>Vermont State Papers, 12:43-44.</ref> Unity County was renamed Cumberland County on March 21, 1778.<ref>Vermont State Papers, 3:13.</ref> Cumberland County and [[Bennington County, Vermont|Bennington County]] (the western original county) exchanged land, adjusting their early border.<ref>Vermont State Papers, 12:43-44</ref> On February 16, 1781 [[Rutland County, Vermont|Rutland County]] was created from Bennington County, and Orange, Windham and Windsor Counties were created from Cumberland County.<ref>Vermont State Papers, 13:5-6</ref> Some authors assume Cumberland County was renamed Windham County in 1781. Several original sources indicate Cumberland County was dissolved rather than renamed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/VT_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Vermont: Individual County Chronologies|website=Vermont Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2008|access-date=June 30, 2015}}</ref> This was probably to make a clean legal break from any connection with Cumberland County, New York, as some authors indicate the Cumberland County, Vermont Republic, records remained in Windham County. [[Newfane, Vermont|Newfane]] became the Shire Town of Windham County before 1812.