Shays' Settlement in Vermont: A Story of Revolt and Archaeology

Well written account with photos. Daniel Shays is buried just a few miles away from my home here in upstate New York. As a fan of history and archeology I really enjoyed this account of his rebellion and later life in seclusion. The author skillfully blends the story of the revolt with the modern day findings at the site of his settlement with alternating chapters. Please consider reading this.

As part of my ancestry research, I have read local histories of the Connecticut River Valley in western Massachusetts. This inevitably leads one to read about Shays's Rebellion. I have some evidence that my distant ancestors were part of this and so I added this book to my collection. The book is a very interesting read, but it is quite speculative and a little short on substantiation particularly with regard to the site and it's occupants.The author does make that clear, to his credit. I enjoyed the book.. I thought the author's questions were good ones and wished for more answers. I hope the site investigation continues and names are found for the people of the colony and what became of them.

This book is relevant in today's United States where we again have a corrupt and autocratic government that seeks to devalue our Constitution. Men such as Shays, and more than a dozen of my ancestors - contemporary patriots of Shays - put their lives and livelihoods on the line to form this government and Constitution. The lesson is in this book.

Intriguing, informative, and pretty well written. I own a home in Arlington, VT and Rupert, VT, and so was thrilled when I discovered the story of Daniel Shays in VT.

I read this after seeing a presentation that the author did locally. This is an excellent summary of both the archeological research at Shays' Settlement site and Shays Rebellion itself. By moving between the archeology and the history in alternating chapters, the author is really able to tie the 2 concepts together, keeping us interested in both.In addition to literally breaking new ground at the archeological sit, the author also breaks new historical ground with his research into documents surrounding land sales to and by Shays and his fellow rebels. This introduces important new questions about the funding of Shays' group after they left Massachusetts, and sheds new light on early American political allegiances.We also see how Shays may have influenced a young Millard Fillmore after Shays left Vermont, and how this may have led indirectly to the elimination of debtors prisons in the U.S.This is a book that is fascinating for local history buffs, but also goes beyond that to look at the rebellion generally and its longer term effects.Highly recommended!

Did you know that Vermont provided home and protection for refugees from Shays Rebellion?Stephen Butz’s Shays’ Settlement in Vermont is the story of both the eighteenth century revolt and the archaeological adventure that led to the discovery of the ruins of the fortified community of refugees deep in the Vermont wilderness. This first formal study of the site’s secrets has been ongoing since 2013 and has yielded remarkable results, many pictured in Butz’s account of his team’s findings. In parallel chapters, the remarkable life of Danial Shays unfolds. From Revolutionary War captain to leader of a rebellion against injustices in post war Massachusetts, to wanted fugitive to pardoned pensioner, Shays exploits influenced the U.S. Constitution’s inclusion of individual rights and laws that put an end to debtors prisons. What a, illuminating, cearly-told and fascinating book!