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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 Halifax (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 Halifax. 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 Halifax ...

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

  • Halifax was settled in 1670.
  • It was incorporated in 1734.

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 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 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.

Halifax is located in Plymouth 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 Plymouth County: Barnstable, Bristol & Norfolk.

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

  • Plymouth County     (The home county of Halifax)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax listed first.
    • Monponsett
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Monponsett is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monponsett
    • Bryantville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Bryantville is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantville
    • Plympton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Plympton is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plympton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,998 people
    • Oldham Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Oldham Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldham Village
    • Hanson
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Pembroke
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • North Carver
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Paper Mill Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Paper Mill Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paper Mill Village
    • Island Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Ashdod
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • East Bridgewater
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Bridgewater
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Elmwood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Elmwood is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmwood
  • Barnstable County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax listed first.
    • Buzzards Bay
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
    • Bourne
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Bourne is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bourne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,743 people
    • Sagamore Beach
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sagamore Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Beach
    • Monument Beach
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
    • Sagamore
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • Pocasset
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Sandwich
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Cataumet
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cataumet is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cataumet
    • East Sandwich
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • North Falmouth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • North Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Falmouth
    • Silver Beach
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
    • Forestdale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Plowed Neck
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax listed first.
    • Raynham Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Raynham Center is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynham Center
    • East Taunton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Raynham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • South Easton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • South Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Easton
    • Easton Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Easton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,116 people
    • Taunton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Weir Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Furnace Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Furnace Village is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • North Easton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • North Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Easton
    • East Freetown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Berkley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Berkley is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,900 people
    • Assonet ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Assonet is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assonet
  • Essex County
    • Nahant
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax listed first.
    • Cambridgeport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cambridgeport is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridgeport
    • Chestnut Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Chestnut Hill is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
    • Cambridge
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Eliot
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Centre
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Highlands
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Upper Falls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Newton Upper Falls is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Upper Falls
    • Somerville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Everett
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Huron Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Huron Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron Village
    • Newton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Newtonville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Newtonville is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtonville
    • South Sherborn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • South Sherborn is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Sherborn
  • Norfolk County
  • Suffolk County
  • Bristol County (RI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax listed first.
    • Coggeshall
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Warren
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Warren is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,469 people
    • Barrington
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bristol
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Bristol is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,866 people
    • Warren
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Barrington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Barrington is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,015 people
  • Newport County (RI)
  • Providence County (RI)

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

Cemeteries Near Halifax ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Halifax.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Halifax, with the one closest to Halifax 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 in 1895, Halifax had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Halifax had a population of 7,865 people.

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

  • Silver Lake
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Silver Lake is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
  • Plympton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Plympton is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plympton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,998 people
  • South Hanson
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • South Hanson is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hanson
  • Bryantville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Bryantville is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantville
  • Eddyville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Eddyville is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddyville
  • Hanson
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • North Carver
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • West Duxbury
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • West Duxbury is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Duxbury
  • North Hanson
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • North Hanson is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hanson
  • Pembroke
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Satucket
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Satucket is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Satucket
  • East Carver
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • East Carver is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Carver
  • Continue List   (23 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Halifax ...

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 64 newspapers that have been published in the area around Halifax.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Halifax, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Halifax.

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 Halifax:

Footnotes ...

<1>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.

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