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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:

  • That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
  • We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
  • On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.

By learning about Plainville (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.

As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Plainville. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.

Neighboring Counties ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived:  their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the west contained birth and death records; the county to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Plainville is located in Hartford County.

To see how the shape of Connecticut's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Hartford County: Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland & Hampden (MA).

Below are the counties that are near Plainville. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Plainville:

  • Hartford County     (The home county of Plainville)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Plainville
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • East Bristol
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • East Bristol is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bristol
    • New Britain
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • New Britain is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Britain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 72,198 people
    • Farmington Station
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Farmington Station is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington Station
    • Farmington
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Farmington is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,496 people
    • New Britain
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Southington
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Southington is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,829 people
    • Bristol
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Bristol is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 59,734 people
    • Bristol
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Farmington
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Southington
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Kensington
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Fairfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Riverside
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Stevenson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • East Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • East Village is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
    • Shelton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Sandy Hook
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • White Hills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • White Hills is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hills
    • Botsford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Monroe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Newtown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Newtown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Newtown is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Shelton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Shelton is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40,957 people
    • Brookfield Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Brookfield Center is located in Fairfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield Center
  • Litchfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Terryville Station
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Terryville Station is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville Station
    • Pequabuck
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Terryville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Plymouth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Plymouth is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,552 people
    • Greystone
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Greystone is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greystone
    • Plymouth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Harwinton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Harwinton is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwinton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,400 people
    • Thomaston
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Thomaston is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomaston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,505 people
    • Thomaston
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Browns Corner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Browns Corner is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Corner
    • Harwinton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Nepaug
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Nepaug is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nepaug
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Cromwell
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Cromwell is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,772 people
    • Cromwell
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Gildersleeve
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Gildersleeve is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gildersleeve
    • Middlefield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Middlefield is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,350 people
    • Middlefield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Middletown
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Middletown is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,013 people
    • Middletown
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Portland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Portland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Portland is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,213 people
    • Durham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cobalt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Durham
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Durham is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,137 people
  • New Haven County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Wolcott
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Wolcott is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolcott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,565 people
    • Wolcott
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Meriden
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Autumn HIll
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Autumn HIll is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autumn HIll
    • Meriden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Meriden is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58,981 people
    • South Meriden
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • South Meriden is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Meriden
    • Cheshire
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Cheshire is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheshire
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28,806 people
    • West Cheshire
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • West Cheshire is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Cheshire
    • Waterville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Waterville is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterville
    • Cheshire
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Waterbury
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Waterbury is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106,826 people
    • Waterbury
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • New London County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • North Westchester
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Westchester
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Westchester is located in New London County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westchester
    • Colchester
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Hadlyme
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Tolland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Gay City ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Gay City is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gay City
    • Vernon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bolton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Bolton is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,855 people
    • Bolton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Gilead
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Gilead is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Vernon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Vernon is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,400 people
    • Windermere
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Windermere is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windermere
    • Hebron
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Hebron is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,480 people
    • Rockville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Andover
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Andover is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,228 people
    • Andover
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Ellington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Hampden County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.
    • Southwick
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Southwick is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,715 people
    • Granville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Granville is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,606 people
    • Hosmer Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Hosmer Corner is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hosmer Corner
    • Feeding Hills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Feeding Hills is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Feeding Hills
    • West Granville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • West Granville is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Granville
    • Tolland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Tolland is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Agawam
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Agawam is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agawam
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28,467 people
    • Longmeadow
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Longmeadow is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longmeadow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,624 people

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Plainville, see our County-by-County Page for Plainville.

Cemeteries Near Plainville ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plainville.

This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.

Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Plainville - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Plainville covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.

  • East Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • West Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Forestville Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Scotts Swamp Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Lake Ave. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Old Catholic Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Old St. Mary RC Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marys Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Marys Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in New Britain.
    • The St. Marys Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Old St. Mary's First Catholic Cemetery
    • St. Mary's Cemetery (Old)
    • St. Mary's Old Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1988191 <2>
  • Beth Alom Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (520 more) ...
    • Sacred Heart Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Polish Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Holy Trinity Byzantine Catholic Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)

Nearby Communities in 1895 ...

We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<3>

While we didn't find Plainville in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Plainville.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Plainville, with the one closest to Plainville listed first.

  • Plainville
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Forestville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Forestville is located in Hartford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestville
  • New Britain
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Bristol
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Unionville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Southington
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Kensington
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Farmington
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Whigville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Whigville is located in Hartford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whigville
  • Plantsville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Berlin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Newington Junction
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Newington Junction is located in Hartford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newington Junction
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Terryville Station
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Terryville Station is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terryville Station
    • Milldale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Newington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Plainville. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plainville.

Newspapers Published in Plainville ...

An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).

To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.

Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plainville.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Plainville, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Plainville.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.

To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Plainville:

Footnotes ...

<1>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<2>The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com.
<3>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Plainville, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Plainville) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.