Who Were the Green Mountain Boys?

The Green Mountain Boys were born out of a dispute over land ownership. Settlers who owned New Hampshire titles were caught up in a struggle between New York and New Hampshire over Vermont. Fearing eviction by New York, New Hampshire settlers formed a militia. This militia could be called up to protect, by force if necessary, the ownership of the land in the New Hampshire Grants.

Ethan Allen was its first, and by all accounts very charismatic Colonel-Commandant. Some of the methods of coercion used by the Green Mountain Boys are questionable at best, violence and intimidation often occurring as they defended their lands against the hated “Yorkers”. However, this group of Yankee Vigilantes was very instrumental in resisting New York’s claims to land in what is now Vermont.

The Green Mountain Boys were one faction in Vermont, there were several factions operating in the state. It can be argued that Vermont in a state of quasi-civil war from 1770-1791, when it joined the union.