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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 Riverton (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 Riverton. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 east contained birth and death records; the county to the north 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.

Riverton is located in Litchfield 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 Litchfield County: Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven, Berkshire (MA), Hampden (MA), Columbia (NY) & Dutchess (NY).

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

  • Litchfield County     (The home county of Riverton)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Barkhamsted
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Barkhamsted is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkhamsted
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,587 people
    • Pleasant Valley
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Winsted
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Colebrook
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Colebrook is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,396 people
    • Colebrook
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • New Hartford
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Barkhamsted
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Winchester
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Winchester is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,548 people
    • Hampsted
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Hampsted is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampsted
    • North Colebrook
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • North Colebrook is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Colebrook
    • Pine Meadow
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Burrville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Burrville is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrville
    • Grantville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Grantville is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantville
  • Hartford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Hartland
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hartland is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
    • West Hartland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hartland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Hartland is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,113 people
    • East Hartland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • North Canton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • North Canton is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Canton
    • Canton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Canton is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,230 people
    • Granby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Granby is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,558 people
    • North Granby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • West Granby
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Canton Center
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Canton Valley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Canton Valley is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton Valley
    • West Simsbury
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Canton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Middlesex County
    • Cromwell
      (30 miles [48.3 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
  • New Haven County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Wolcott
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Waterville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Waterville is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterville
    • Wolcott
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Wolcott is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolcott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,565 people
    • Waterbury
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Waterbury is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106,826 people
    • Waterbury
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Middlebury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Middlebury is located in New Haven County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlebury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,829 people
    • Middlebury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Tolland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Somersville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Windermere
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Windermere is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windermere
    • Ellington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Ellington is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,652 people
    • Ellington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Rockville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Somers
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Somers is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,741 people
    • Somers
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Vernon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Vernon is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,400 people
    • Vernon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Berkshire County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • South Sandisfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • South Sandisfield is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sandisfield
    • Sandisfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sandisfield is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandisfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 887 people
    • East Otis
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • East Otis is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otis
    • Southfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Southfield is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southfield
    • Gomorrah
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Gomorrah is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gomorrah
    • New Marlborough
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • New Marlborough is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Marlborough
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,450 people
    • Clayton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Clayton is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
    • Otis
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Otis is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,531 people
    • Mill River
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Mill River is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill River
    • Monterey
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Monterey is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 918 people
    • Ashley Falls
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Ashley Falls is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashley Falls
    • Hartsville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Hartsville is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
    • North Otis
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • North Otis is located in Berkshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Otis
  • Hampden County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Tolland
      (8 miles [12.9 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
    • West Granville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • West Granville is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Granville
    • Granville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Granville is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,606 people
    • Southwick
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Southwick is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,715 people
    • Blandford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Blandford is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
    • Hosmer Corner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hosmer Corner is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hosmer Corner
    • Woronoco
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Woronoco is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woronoco
    • North Blandford
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • North Blandford is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Blandford
    • Russell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Russell is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,787 people
    • Westfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Westfield is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,063 people
    • Feeding Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Feeding Hills is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Feeding Hills
    • Hampton Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hampton Village is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton Village
    • Montgomery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Montgomery is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 863 people
  • Hampshire County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Huntington
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Huntington is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,159 people
    • Southampton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Southampton is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,162 people
    • Middlefield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Middlefield is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
    • Westhampton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Westhampton is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westhampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
    • Easthampton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Easthampton is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easthampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,750 people
    • West Farms
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • West Farms is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Farms
    • Worthington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Worthington is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
    • Chesterfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,250 people
    • Bay State
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bay State is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay State
    • Mount Tom
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Tom is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tom
    • South Hadley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • South Hadley is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hadley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,539 people
  • Columbia County (NY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Weed Mines
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Weed Mines is located in Columbia County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weed Mines
    • Copake Falls
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Ancramdale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Copake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Dutchess County (NY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Riverton, with the one closest to Riverton listed first.
    • Spencer Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Spencer Corners is located in Dutchess County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer Corners
    • Millerton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Amenia Union
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Amenia Union is located in Dutchess County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amenia Union
    • Irondale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Irondale is located in Dutchess County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irondale
    • Leedsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Leedsville is located in Dutchess County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leedsville
    • Amenia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Wassaic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Smithfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Smithfield is located in Dutchess County (NY)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithfield

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

Cemeteries Near Riverton ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Riverton.

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 Riverton - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Riverton Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Old North Road Burying Ground
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Colebrook River Burying Ground
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Hemlock Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Forest View Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Barkhampsted Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • West Hartland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • South Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Center Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Danbury Quarter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (420 more) ...
    • Dubois Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Pine Grove Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Riverton had a population of 350 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Robertsville
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Robertsville is located in Litchfield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robertsville
  • Hartland
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Hartland is located in Hartford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
  • Winsted
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Valley
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • West Hartland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Colebrook
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • New Hartford
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Barkhamsted
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mill Brook
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Mill Brook is located in Litchfield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Brook
  • Pine Meadow
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • East Hartland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • North Colebrook
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • North Colebrook is located in Litchfield County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Colebrook
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Winchester Center
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Burrville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Burrville is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrville
    • North Canton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • North Canton is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Canton

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

Newspapers Published in Riverton ...

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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Riverton.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Riverton, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Riverton.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Riverton:

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>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 Riverton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Riverton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.