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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 Goshen (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 Goshen. 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 Goshen ...

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

  • Goshen was settled in 1761.
  • It was incorporated in 1781.

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 and doctors 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.

Goshen is located in Hampshire 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 Hampshire County: Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden & Worcester.

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

  • Hampshire County     (The home county of Goshen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • Chesterfield
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,250 people
    • Swift River
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Williamsburg
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • West Chesterfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • West Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chesterfield
    • Cummington
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Haydenville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Haydenville is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydenville
    • Plainfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Plainfield is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 663 people
    • Worthington Corners
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Leeds
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Leeds is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
    • Worthington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Worthington is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
    • North Hatfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Florence
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • West Hatfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Berkshire County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • East Windsor
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Peru
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Peru is located in Berkshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 833 people
    • Windsor
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Savoy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Savoy Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Becket
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Becket is located in Berkshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becket
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,707 people
    • Hinsdale
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Hinsdale is located in Berkshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinsdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,902 people
    • Washington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Drury
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Florida
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Dalton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Dalton is located in Berkshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,479 people
    • Arnoldville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Adams
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • South Ashfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Ashfield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Conway
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Whately
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Hawley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Hawley is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
    • West Hawley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • West Hawley is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hawley
    • South Deerfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • South Deerfield is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Deerfield
    • Buckland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Buckland is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,851 people
    • Sunderland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Shelburne Falls
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Shelburne
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Shelburne is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelburne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,840 people
    • Deerfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Charlemont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
  • Hampden County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • North Chester
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Chester Center
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Chester
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Chester is located in Hampden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,365 people
    • Montgomery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Montgomery is located in Hampden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 863 people
    • Russell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Holyoke
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • North Blandford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Blandford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Blandford is located in Hampden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blandford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,249 people
    • Hampton Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Hampton Village is located in Hampden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton Village
    • Woronoco
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Aldenville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ludlow City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Ludlow City is located in Hampden County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow City
    • Chicopee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Worcester County
  • Hartford County (CT)
  • Cheshire County (NH)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • Hinsdale
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Hinsdale is located in Cheshire County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinsdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,906 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hinsdale <1>
    • Ashuelot
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Rensselaer County (NY)
  • Bennington County (VT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen listed first.
    • Readsboro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Stamford
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Readsboro
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Readsboro is located in Bennington County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Readsboro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 720 people
    • Stamford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Stamford is located in Bennington County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stamford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 809 people
  • Windham County (VT)

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

Cemeteries Near Goshen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Goshen.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Goshen, with the one closest to Goshen 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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Goshen had a population of 75 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Goshen had a population of 1,057 people.

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

  • Chesterfield
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,250 people
  • Swift River
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • West Chesterfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • West Chesterfield is located in Hampshire County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chesterfield
  • Williamsburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Spruce Corner
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Spruce Corner is located in Franklin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spruce Corner
  • South Ashfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Cummington
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Ashfield
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Haydenville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Haydenville is located in Hampshire County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydenville
  • Conway
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Ringville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ringville is located in Hampshire County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ringville
  • Worthington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Worthington is located in Hampshire County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthington
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,176 people
  • Continue List   (21 more) ...
    • South Worthington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • South Worthington is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Worthington
    • Leeds
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Leeds is located in Hampshire County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
    • Whately
      (8 miles [12.9 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 Goshen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Goshen.

Newspapers Published in Goshen ...

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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Goshen.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Goshen, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Goshen.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Goshen:

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 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.

<3>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.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Goshen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Goshen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.