St. Johnsbury, VT was named for Michel Guillaume St. Jean de Vrevecoeur, also known as J. Hector St. John, author of Letters from an American Farmer. St. John was a friend of Washington and Franklin, as well as a correspondent of Ethan Allen, and had an enthusiasm for the Republic of Vermont and for place names.

He suggested the names Vergennes, Danville and St. Johnsbury. Realizing that several places already bore the name of St. John, J. Hector suggested the longer name, St. Johnsbury, which remains the only place with that name in the world. St. John became a naturalized citizen of the new country and in 1793 he was appointed to the post of French Consul in New York City.

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