I am researching the Russells in Vermont in the 1700s and 1800s and I am puzzled by the amount moving they appear to be doing, especially between Windsor and Stowe. My gggggrandfather, John Russell (according to an Internet Family Tree) was born in Stowe, VT in 1860. I find this a little hard to believe because I have read that Stowe had no residents until 1790. John Russell married Elizabeth "Betsey" Hartwell in Fitchburg, MA. and then proceeded to have children in Windsor, then Stowe, then Windsor again. He then dies in Stowe where many descendants still live. My ggggrandfather, Hartwell Russell married Zuba Bennett in Stowe, VT in 1811. They had their children in Stowe and then in their mid 40s moved to Windsor, Vt and from there to Claremont, NH. My gggrandfather, George W. Russell, hung himself in West Windsor in 1858. His widow, Lydia Dodge Russell, remarried and brought her young sons to Michigan, bringing very few Russell family stories with them. My question is, what does all this moving mean? I thought it was difficult to get around in 1800, especially in Vermont. Was this common? What could they have been doing for a living? Could they have been some kind of migrant laborers? If so doing what? Shearing sheep? Working in construction? Does anyone have an idea of how long it would have taken in 1790 to move between Stowe and Windsor? If this was some form of Russell wanderlust it certainly disappeared as soon as they got to MIchigan. My grandfather was born lived and died in the same farm, in the same house, in the same bed. My father and ggrandfather never moved after their early adulthood. If anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it.