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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 Ayer (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 Ayer. 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.

A Few Details for Ayer ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • Ayer was settled in 1668.
  • It was incorporated in 1871.

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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Ayer is located in Middlesex County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Middlesex County: Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Worcester & Hillsborough (NH).

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

  • Middlesex County     (The home county of Ayer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Devens
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Groton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • West Groton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • West Groton is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Groton
    • Shaker Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Shaker Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
    • Shirley
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Littleton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Littleton is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,253 people
    • Paper Mill Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Paper Mill Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paper Mill Village
    • Centre Village ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Centre Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centre Village
    • Forge Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Littleton Common
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • East Littleton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Boxborough
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Essex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Haggetts
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Lowell Junction
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • West Andover
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • West Andover is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Andover
    • Andover
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Shawsheen Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Shawsheen Village is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawsheen Village
    • Lawrence
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Methuen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Methuen is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Methuen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50,910 people
    • North Andover
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • North Andover is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Andover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31,460 people
    • Tozier Corner
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Ayers Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ayers Village is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ayers Village
    • Lynnfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Ward Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Norfolk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Wellesley Farms
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Wellesley Farms is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellesley Farms
    • Wellesley Hills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Wellesley Hills is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellesley Hills
    • Wellesley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Babson Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Babson Park is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babson Park
    • Needham Heights
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Needham Heights is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needham Heights
    • Charles River Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Dover
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Needham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Needham is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31,537 people
    • Brookline Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Brookline Village is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookline Village
    • Brookline
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Westbrook Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Westbrook Village is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbrook Village
    • Medfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Medfield is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,011 people
  • Suffolk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Brighton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Allston
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Allston is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allston
    • Charlestown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Highland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Highland is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
    • Jamaica Plain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • West Roxbury
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Chelsea
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Franklin Park
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Franklin Park is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Park
    • Bay Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Bay Village is located in Suffolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Village
    • Boston
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Roslindale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Roxbury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Worcester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Shaker Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Shaker Village is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
    • Harvard
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Still River
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Lunenburg Station
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Lunenburg Station is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg Station
    • North Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • North Village is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Village
    • Lunenburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Bolton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Lancaster
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Leominster
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Seventh Day Adventist Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Pratts Junction
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • South Fitchburg
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Cheshire County (NH)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer listed first.
    • Rindge
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • West Rindge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jaffrey
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Jaffrey is located in Cheshire County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jaffrey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,287 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jaffrey <1>
  • Hillsborough County (NH)
  • Rockingham County (NH)

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

Cemeteries Near Ayer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ayer.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ayer, with the one closest to Ayer 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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Ayer had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Ayer had a population of 8,211 people.

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

  • Harvard Station
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Harvard Station is located in Worcester County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Station
  • Shirley
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • West Groton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • West Groton is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Groton
  • Groton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Harvard
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Littleton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Littleton is located in Middlesex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,253 people
  • Still River
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Littleton Common
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Forge Village
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Lunenburg Station
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lunenburg Station is located in Worcester County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lunenburg Station
  • Boxborough
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • East Littleton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Graniteville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Graniteville is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graniteville
    • North Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • North Village is located in Worcester County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Village
    • Westford
      (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 Ayer. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ayer.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Ayer ...

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 166 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ayer.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Ayer. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Ayer and those printed in the larger area surrounding Ayer.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<5> of Ayer.

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 either 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 Ayer:

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>The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MACRIS (for the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System). More information about the MHC and MACRIS can be found on their website: mhc-macris.net.

When visiting the MACRIS website, you might encounter their page requiring the 'Acceptance of Terms'. With your acceptance, you'll be transfered to the desired page.

<4>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 Ayer, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>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 from Point A (ie- Ayer) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.