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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 Hanson (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 Hanson. 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 Hanson ...

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

  • Hanson was settled in 1632.
  • It was incorporated in 1820.

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 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.

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

  • Plymouth County     (The home county of Hanson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson listed first.
    • Oldham Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Oldham Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldham Village
    • South Hanover
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Bryantville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Bryantville is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantville
    • Whitman
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Whitman is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,295 people
    • Pembroke
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Curtis Crossing
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hanover
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Abington
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • North Pembroke
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • North Pembroke is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pembroke
    • Rockland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Rockland is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,992 people
    • Monponsett
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Monponsett is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monponsett
    • Halifax
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • East Bridgewater
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Barnstable County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson listed first.
    • Buzzards Bay
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
    • Sagamore Beach
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sagamore Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Beach
    • Bourne
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • Monument Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
    • Sandwich
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pocasset
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson listed first.
    • South Easton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • South Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Easton
    • Easton Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Easton
      (11 miles [17.7 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
    • North Easton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • North Easton is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Easton
    • Raynham Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Raynham Center is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynham Center
    • Raynham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Furnace Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Furnace Village is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
    • East Taunton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • East Mansfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Taunton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Norton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Weir Village
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Mansfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Essex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson listed first.
    • Nahant
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Cliftondale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • East Lynn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Lynn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Pleasant Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Hills is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hills
    • Saugus
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Swampscott
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • West Lynn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Clifton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Marblehead
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Marblehead is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marblehead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,551 people
    • West Town Landing
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • West Town Landing is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Town Landing
    • Salem
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Middlesex County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson listed first.
    • Cambridgeport
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Cambridgeport is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridgeport
    • Chestnut Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Chestnut Hill is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
    • Cambridge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Eliot
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Centre
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Highlands
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Newton Upper Falls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Newton Upper Falls is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Upper Falls
    • Everett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Huron Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Huron Village is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron Village
    • Newton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Somerville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Waban
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Edgeworth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Edgeworth is located in Middlesex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgeworth
  • Norfolk County
  • Suffolk County
  • Providence County (RI)

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

Cemeteries Near Hanson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hanson.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hanson, with the one closest to Hanson 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 Hanson had a population of 422 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Hanson had a population of 10,951 people.

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

  • North Hanson
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • North Hanson is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hanson
  • South Hanson
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • South Hanson is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hanson
  • Bryantville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Bryantville is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryantville
  • South Hanover
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Whitman
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Whitman is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitman
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,295 people
  • Pembroke
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • West Hanover
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • West Hanover is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hanover
  • Curtis Crossing
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hanover
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Abington
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Rockland
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockland is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,992 people
  • North Pembroke
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • North Pembroke is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pembroke
  • Continue List   (22 more) ...
    • North Hanover
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • North Hanover is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hanover
    • East Bridgewater
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Satucket
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Satucket is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Satucket

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

Newspapers Published in Hanson ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hanson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hanson, 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 Hanson.

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 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 Hanson:

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