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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 Simsbury (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 Simsbury. 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.

Simsbury 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 Simsbury. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Simsbury:

  • Hartford County     (The home county of Simsbury)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Simsbury
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Simsbury is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simsbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,437 people
    • Weatogue
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • West Simsbury
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • North Bloomfield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • North Bloomfield is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bloomfield
    • Tariffville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bloomfield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bloomfield is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,182 people
    • Chatsworth Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Chatsworth Village is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatsworth Village
    • Alsop Corner
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Avon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Old Avon Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Old Avon Village is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Avon Village
    • Crowleys Corner
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • North Canton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • North Canton is located in Hartford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Canton
  • Litchfield County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Barkhamsted
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hampsted
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Hampsted is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampsted
    • Puddle Town
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Puddle Town is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puddle Town
    • New Hartford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Pine Meadow
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Barkhamsted
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Barkhamsted is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkhamsted
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,587 people
    • Browns Corner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Pleasant Valley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Nepaug
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • New Hartford
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • New Hartford is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hartford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,639 people
    • Torrington
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Torrington is located in Litchfield County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torrington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 33,870 people
    • Riverton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Cromwell
      (19 miles [30.6 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
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Gildersleeve
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Portland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Portland is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,213 people
    • Portland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Middletown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Middletown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Middletown is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middletown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,013 people
    • Middlefield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Middlefield is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,350 people
    • Middlefield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Cobalt
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Lake Pocotopaug
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Lake Pocotopaug is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Pocotopaug
    • East Hampton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • East Hampton is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,747 people
  • New Haven County
  • New London County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • North Westchester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Westchester
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Tolland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Windermere
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Ellington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Vernon
      (17 miles [27.4 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
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Ellington
      (18 miles [29 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
    • Rockville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Somersville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Quarryville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Quarryville is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarryville
    • Somers
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Somers is located in Tolland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,741 people
    • Somers
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Bolton
      (20 miles [32.2 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
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
  • Berkshire County (MA)
  • Hampden County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Southwick
      (12 miles [19.3 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
      (13 miles [20.9 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
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Feeding Hills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • West Granville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Agawam
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Westfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Longmeadow
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • West Springfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Tolland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Tolland is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Merrick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Merrick is located in Hampden County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrick
    • Springfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Hampshire County (MA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Simsbury, with the one closest to Simsbury listed first.
    • Huntington
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Southampton is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southampton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,162 people
    • Easthampton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • South Hadley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Mount Tom
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • West Farms
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Westhampton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Granby
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Granby is located in Hampshire County (MA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,262 people

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

Cemeteries Near Simsbury ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Simsbury.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Simsbury had a population of 918 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Simsbury ...

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 312 newspapers that have been published in the area around Simsbury.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Simsbury. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Simsbury and those printed in the larger area surrounding Simsbury.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4> of Simsbury.

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 helpful 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 Simsbury:

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 Simsbury, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Simsbury) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.