There are many sources for the history of Randolph. However, I have found Harry Cooley's "Randolph, Vermont Historical Sketches", 1979; commissioned by the town of Randolph to be the most simplistic and straight forward. Randolph begins as a town in 1781, when Vermont was an independent republic; granted to Aaron Storrs & Company petitioning from Dresden, (now know as Hanover) New Hampshire. The tract is described as being northwest of Tunbridge and Bethel about six miles square. Experience Davis five years previous established "squatter's rights" to 1500 acres near East Bethel and South Randolph. This area was South Randolph, but also known as "Davis Gore". There also was an area in South Randolph, known as "Painesville", settled by Samuel Paine. The first meeting house was at Randolph Center, then known as Randolph. East Randolph was considered the "City", while "West Randolph" but a budding area. Some folks of the Center referred to it as "Slab City" because of the many saw mills. With the coming of the railroad to West Randolph, it became the main commercial area and about 1900, the US Post Office named it Randolph. Another area which might raise some confusion is that of "Farwell's Village" which was in North Randolph. All vital records should be in the town office in the village. However, even to this day original documents are coming out of the "woodwork" from some of the very early houses built 1790-early 1800. Record keeping began on "Day One", some are very easy to search in the Town Clerk's Office. Others, elusive, viz. one unique and un-indexed book called "Liber Primus", misc. records of Randolph appears to have been entered at a much later date then the events. Individual families are bunched together, with B, M & D. It is also in this book that the description of the lay out of roads and documentation of individuals declaring allegiance to their church of their choice to avoid supporting the main one. Randolph Village is bordered by Bethel, Windsor County on the South and Braintree to the North. To the north of Randolph Center is Brookfield; South E Bethel; East, E Randolph and West; Randolph. To the north of North Randolph is Williamstown. ________ Harriet Chase