From Historical Rutland : an illustrated history of Rutland, Vermont, from the granting of the charter in 1761 to 1911 by Rev. F. E. Davison, Rutland, Vt.: P.H. Brehmer, 1911, page 6:
First Four Families
Simeon Powers, a cooper from Springfield, and his wife Lydia, established themselves in the spring of 1770, west of Otter Creek, on the so-called Kelly farm. In the fall William Dwinell, with his wife, came and resided with his relative Powers. And these four families, Mead, Powers. Dwinell and Johnnson, are the only white persons positively known to have been living in Rutland in 1770. The population of the town in that year could not have exceeded twenty-five white persons. Of the hardships endured by those early settlers, it is impossible to judge. It is related, for illustration, that a few days before the birth of William Powers, his mother and others were upset in a boat on Otter Creek, a short distance above Center Rutland falls. She floated down near the brink of the falls, where she caught hold of a slippery log and held to it until she was rescued.
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In 1770 the best land in the settlement of Rutland sold for a few cents an acre, and there was not a wagon bridge in town. Mead kept a boat each side of Otter Creek at Center Rutland for convenience in crossing.
In 1774 Rutland had a population of 35 families, a log meeting house and a Congregational Church composed of 14 members, organized October 20, 1773, which was the tenth church organized in Vermont, the second west of the Green Mountains, and the first in the County of Rutland. It was located on North Main Street opposite the old Governor Williams residence.
Among the early settlers of New England was Rev. John Graham, who came to America in 1720. He was a grandson to one of the Marquises of Montrose. He settled at Southbury, Connecticut, where he remained as pastor of the church for fifty years. The only remarkable thing known of him is that he was the father of fifty-seven children and grandchildren. His fourth son, Andrew Graham was a promminent physician of Woodbury, Connecticut, dying there in 1785.
His son, John Andrew Graham, who was educated for the law, emigrated to Rutland shortly after his father's death. Here he rose in his profession, till in the year 1790, he was called to the bar of the Supreme Court of the State. He practiced in this court until June, 1792, when at the circuit court of the United States of America for the District of Vermont, at Bennington, he was called to the bar of that court and admitted and sworn as attorney and councellor. In January, 1794, Governor Chittenden appointed him Aide-de-Camp on his staff, with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel Commandant.
During his residence in Rutland, Mr. Graham, wrote a series of letters, "inscribed to his Grace, the Duke of Montrose", descriptive of the present State of Vermont, one of the United States of America. These letters were printed in London in 1797 and form what is sometimes called 'Graham's History at Vermont'.
The tenth letter descriptive of Rutland County reads as follows:
Rutland is a shire town, and capital of the county of the same name; it lies on Otter Creek, between Killington and Ira Mountains; it is divided into two parishes, called East and West Rutland. On the east side is the main street, three miles in length, the center of which, for nearly a mile lies high, straight and level, and much resembled Hartford.