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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 Chester (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 Chester. 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 Chester ...

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

  • Chester was settled in 1760.
  • It was incorporated in 1765.

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 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.

Chester is located in Hampden County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Hampden County: Hartford (CT), Litchfield (CT), Tolland (CT), Berkshire, Hampshire & Worcester.

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

  • Hampden County     (The home county of Chester)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Chester Center
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester Center
      • Chester Center is located in Hampden County
    • North Blandford
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Blandford
      • North Blandford is located in Hampden County
    • Blandford
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blandford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandford
      • Blandford is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
    • Russell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
      • Russell is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,787 people
    • Montgomery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Montgomery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
      • Montgomery is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 863 people
    • Woronoco
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woronoco
      • Woronoco is located in Hampden County
    • Tolland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tolland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolland
      • Tolland is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
    • Hampton Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hampton Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton Village
      • Hampton Village is located in Hampden County
    • Granville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Granville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
      • Granville is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,606 people
    • Westfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield
      • Westfield is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,063 people
    • Southwick
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Southwick have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwick
      • Southwick is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,715 people
    • Holyoke
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
      • Holyoke is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 39,921 people
    • Hosmer Corner
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hosmer Corner
      • Hosmer Corner is located in Hampden County
  • Berkshire County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Becket
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Becket have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becket
      • Becket is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,707 people
    • East Otis
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Otis have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otis
      • East Otis is located in Berkshire County
    • North Otis
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Otis
      • North Otis is located in Berkshire County
    • Otis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Otis have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
      • Otis is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,531 people
    • Washington
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Washington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
      • Washington is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 541 people
    • Peru
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Peru have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
      • Peru is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
    • Tyringham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tyringham have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyringham
      • Tyringham is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
    • East Lee
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Lee have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lee
      • East Lee is located in Berkshire County
    • Hinsdale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hinsdale have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinsdale
      • Hinsdale is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,902 people
    • Monterey
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monterey
      • Monterey is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 918 people
    • Lee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee
      • Lee is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,629 people
    • Lenox Dale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox Dale
      • Lenox Dale is located in Berkshire County
    • Lenox Station
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lenox Station have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox Station
      • Lenox Station is located in Berkshire County
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Ashfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashfield
      • Ashfield is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,720 people
    • South Ashfield
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ashfield
      • South Ashfield is located in Franklin County
    • Hawley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hawley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
      • Hawley is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
    • Whately
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whately
      • Whately is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,583 people
    • Conway
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
      • Conway is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,875 people
    • Buckland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Buckland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckland
      • Buckland is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,851 people
    • South Deerfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Deerfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Deerfield
      • South Deerfield is located in Franklin County
    • Charlemont
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charlemont
      • Charlemont is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
    • Sunderland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunderland
      • Sunderland is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,634 people
    • Shelburne Falls
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelburne Falls
      • Shelburne Falls is located in Franklin County
    • Deerfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
      • Deerfield is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,049 people
    • Shelburne
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Shelburne have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelburne
      • Shelburne is located in Franklin County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,840 people
    • Dell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
      • Dell is located in Franklin County
  • Hampshire County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Middlefield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Middlefield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
      • Middlefield is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
    • Huntington
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huntington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
      • Huntington is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,159 people
    • Worthington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Worthington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
      • Worthington is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
    • Worthington Corners
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington Corners
      • Worthington Corners is located in Hampshire County
    • Westhampton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westhampton
      • Westhampton is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
    • Chesterfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chesterfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
      • Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,250 people
    • West Chesterfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Chesterfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chesterfield
      • West Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
    • Southampton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Southampton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southampton
      • Southampton is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,162 people
    • Cummington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cummington
      • Cummington is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 873 people
    • Swift River
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Swift River have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift River
      • Swift River is located in Hampshire County
    • Goshen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
      • Goshen is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,057 people
    • Williamsburg
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamsburg
      • Williamsburg is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,462 people
    • Easthampton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easthampton
      • Easthampton is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,750 people
  • Hartford County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Hartland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hartland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Hartland is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,113 people
    • West Hartland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Hartland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hartland
      • West Hartland is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West Hartland <2>
    • East Hartland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Hartland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hartland
      • East Hartland is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for East Hartland <2>
    • North Granby
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Granby have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Granby
      • North Granby is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for North Granby <2>
    • Rising Corner
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Corner
      • Rising Corner is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • Granby
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Granby have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby
      • Granby is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,558 people
    • West Granby
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Granby
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Salmon Brook
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salmon Brook
      • Salmon Brook is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • West Suffield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Suffield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Suffield
      • West Suffield is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West Suffield <2>
    • Chatsworth Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chatsworth Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatsworth Village
      • Chatsworth Village is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • East Granby
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Granby have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Granby
      • East Granby is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,120 people
    • Suffield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Suffield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suffield
      • Suffield is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,812 people
  • Litchfield County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Colebrook
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Colebrook have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
      • Colebrook is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,396 people
    • North Colebrook
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Colebrook have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Colebrook
      • North Colebrook is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • Colebrook
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Riverton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverton
      • Riverton is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Riverton <2>
    • Clayton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clayton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton
      • Clayton is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • Norfolk
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Hampsted
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hampsted have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampsted
      • Hampsted is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • Norfolk
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Norfolk have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfolk
      • Norfolk is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,622 people
    • North Canaan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Canaan have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Canaan
      • North Canaan is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,235 people
    • Barkhamsted
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Barkhamsted have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkhamsted
      • Barkhamsted is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,587 people
    • Barkhamsted
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Grantville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Grantville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantville
      • Grantville is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • East Canaan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Canaan have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Canaan
      • East Canaan is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for East Canaan <2>
  • Columbia County (NY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Austerlitz
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Canaan Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaan Center
      • Canaan Center is located in Columbia County (NY)
    • Canaan
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Green River
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Green River have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green River
      • Green River is located in Columbia County (NY)
    • Red Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Rock
      • Red Rock is located in Columbia County (NY)
    • New Britain ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Britain have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Britain
      • New Britain is located in Columbia County (NY)
    • New Concord
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Concord have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Concord
      • New Concord is located in Columbia County (NY)
    • Copake Falls
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Moorhouse Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorhouse Corner
      • Moorhouse Corner is located in Columbia County (NY)
  • Rensselaer County (NY)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Chester, with the one closest to Chester listed first.
    • Wyomanock
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyomanock
      • Wyomanock is located in Rensselaer County (NY)
    • Brainard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Chester ...

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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Chester.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Chester, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Chester.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Chester:

Cemeteries Near Chester ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Chester.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • Pine Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Bell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Diney Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Webster Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Wright Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Wright Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Wright Cemetery
  • Middlefield Center Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Middlefield Center Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Middlefield Center Cemetery
  • North Blandford Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the North Blandford Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the North Blandford Cemetery
  • North Blanford Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the North Blanford Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the North Blanford Cemetery
  • Norwich Bridge Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • St. Thomas Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Thomas Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Thomas Cemetery
  • Converse Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Old Leonard Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Old Leonard Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Old Leonard Cemetery
  • Continue List   (352 more) ...
    • Hill Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Old Burying Ground
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Old Burying Ground have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Old Burying Ground
    • Ireland Street Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Chester had a population of 1,318 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Chester had a population of 1,365 people.

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

  • Chester Center
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester Center
    • Chester Center is located in Hampden County
  • North Blandford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Blandford
    • North Blandford is located in Hampden County
  • Littleville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Littleville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littleville
    • Littleville is located in Hampden County
  • North Chester
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Chester have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chester
    • North Chester is located in Hampden County
  • Becket Center
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Becket Center have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becket Center
    • Becket Center is located in Berkshire County
  • Middlefield
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Middlefield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middlefield
    • Middlefield is located in Hampshire County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
  • Huntington
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huntington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
    • Huntington is located in Hampshire County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,159 people
  • South Worthington
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Worthington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Worthington
    • South Worthington is located in Hampshire County
  • Becket
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Becket have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becket
    • Becket is located in Berkshire County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,707 people
  • Blandford
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blandford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandford
    • Blandford is located in Hampden County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
  • Norwich
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Norwich have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwich
    • Norwich is located in Hampshire County
  • Ringville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ringville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ringville
    • Ringville is located in Hampshire County
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Worthington
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Worthington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
      • Worthington is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
    • Otis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Otis have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
      • Otis is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,531 people
    • Russell
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
      • Russell is located in Hampden County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,787 people

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

The official website for Chester: www.chestermass.com/

The official website for State of Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 from Point A (ie- Chester) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Chester. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.2793, Longitude: -72.9787       In this case, the coordinates for Chester have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<4>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.
<5>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 Chester, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024