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 Idlewell (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 Idlewell. 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.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Idlewell is located in Norfolk 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 Norfolk County: Bristol, Middlesex, Plymouth, Suffolk, Worcester & Providence (RI).
Below are the counties that are near Idlewell. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Idlewell:
- Norfolk County (The home county of Idlewell)
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Weymouth Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Weymouth Heights is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weymouth Heights
- Weymouth
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58,104 people
- North Weymouth
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- North Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Weymouth
- Quincy Point
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Quincy Point is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy Point
- Quincy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Quincy is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 94,421 people
- East Weymouth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Weymouth
- Braintree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Braintree is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braintree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37,074 people
- South Weymouth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- South Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Weymouth
- East Milton
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- East Milton is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Milton
- Montclair
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Montclair is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montclair
- Norfolk Downs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Norfolk Downs is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfolk Downs
- West Quincy
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- West Quincy is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Quincy
- Bristol County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- North Easton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Easton is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Easton
- South Easton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- South Easton is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Easton
- Easton Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Easton Center is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton Center
- Easton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Easton is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,116 people
- Furnace Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Furnace Village is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furnace Village
- East Mansfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- East Mansfield is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Mansfield
- Mansfield
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mansfield is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mansfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,539 people
- Raynham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Raynham is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,560 people
- Raynham Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Raynham Center is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raynham Center
- Norton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Norton is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 19,983 people
- Taunton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Taunton is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taunton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57,675 people
- Chartley
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Chartley is located in Bristol County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chartley
- Essex County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Nahant
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Nahant is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,506 people
- Cliftondale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Cliftondale is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cliftondale
- Pleasant Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hills is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hills
- East Lynn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- East Lynn is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lynn
- Lynn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Lynn is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 94,539 people
- Saugus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Saugus is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saugus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 28,542 people
- Swampscott
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Swampscott is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swampscott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,462 people
- West Lynn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- West Lynn is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lynn
- Clifton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Clifton is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Marblehead
(19 miles [30.6 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
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- West Town Landing is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Town Landing
- Peabody
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Peabody is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peabody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 53,063 people
- Middlesex County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Cambridgeport
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cambridgeport is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridgeport
- Cambridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cambridge is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119,192 people
- Chestnut Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Chestnut Hill is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestnut Hill
- Everett
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Everett is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46,107 people
- Somerville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Somerville is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 80,935 people
- Edgeworth
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Edgeworth is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgeworth
- Eliot
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Eliot is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eliot
- Huron Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Huron Village is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huron Village
- Malden
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Malden is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59,922 people
- Newton Centre
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Newton Centre is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Centre
- Newton Highlands
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Newton Highlands is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Highlands
- Newton Upper Falls
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Newton Upper Falls is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Upper Falls
- Plymouth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- West Hingham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- West Hingham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hingham
- Hingham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hingham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hingham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,720 people
- Hull
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hull is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hull
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,484 people
- Kenberma
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Kenberma is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenberma
- Accord
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Accord is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Accord
- Bayside
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bayside is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayside
- North Abington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Abington is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Abington
- Rockland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rockland is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17,992 people
- North Scituate
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- North Scituate is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Scituate
- Abington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Abington is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 16,752 people
- Montello
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Montello is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montello
- Hanover
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hanover is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,624 people
- Suffolk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Ashmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ashmont is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashmont
- Neponset
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Neponset is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neponset
- Dorchester
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dorchester is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dorchester
- Mattapan
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mattapan is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattapan
- Savin Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Savin Hill is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savin Hill
- Mattapan Station
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mattapan Station is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattapan Station
- Point Shirley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Point Shirley is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Shirley
- South Boston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- South Boston is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Boston
- Hyde Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hyde Park is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde Park
- Jamaica Plain
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jamaica Plain is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamaica Plain
- Readville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Readville is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Readville
- Roslindale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Roslindale is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roslindale
- Worcester County
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Fayville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Fayville is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayville
- Cordaville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Cordaville is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordaville
- Milford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Milford is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 28,965 people
- South Milford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- South Milford is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Milford
- Southborough
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Southborough is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southborough
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,200 people
- Southville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Southville is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southville
- Hopedale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hopedale is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopedale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,934 people
- White City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- White City is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Providence County (RI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Burnt Swamp Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burnt Swamp Corner is located in Providence County (RI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Swamp Corner
- Arnold Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Arnold Mills is located in Providence County (RI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold Mills
- Cumberland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland is located in Providence County (RI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 35,207 people
- Cumberland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cumberland is located in Providence County (RI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Idlewell, see our County-by-County Page for Idlewell.
Cemeteries Near Idlewell ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Idlewell.
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 Idlewell - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Idlewell covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- North Weymouth Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Village Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Reed Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Fairmount Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fairmount Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Weymouth.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #90967 <1>
- Ft. Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Mt. Wollaston Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Adams Crypt
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hancock Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Christ Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Christ Church Burial Ground
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lakeside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (518 more) ...
- Pond Street Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Plain Street Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
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>
While we didn't find Idlewell in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Idlewell.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Idlewell, with the one closest to Idlewell listed first.
- Weymouth
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58,104 people
- Weymouth Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Weymouth Heights is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weymouth Heights
- East Braintree
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- East Braintree is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Braintree
- North Weymouth
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- North Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Weymouth
- Quincy Point
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Quincy Point is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy Point
- Braintree
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Braintree is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braintree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37,074 people
- East Weymouth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Weymouth
- West Hingham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- West Hingham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hingham
- Quincy
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Quincy is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 94,421 people
- South Braintree
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- South Braintree is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Braintree
- South Weymouth
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- South Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Weymouth
- Hingham Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hingham Center is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hingham Center
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Hingham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hingham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hingham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,720 people
- South Hingham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- South Hingham is located in Plymouth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hingham
- Wollaston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wollaston is located in Norfolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wollaston
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Idlewell. See our List of 1890's Communities around Idlewell.
Newspapers Published in Idlewell ...
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 56 newspapers that have been published in the area around Idlewell.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Idlewell, 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 Idlewell.
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 Idlewell:
- Websites specific to Massachusetts
- Pages specific to Norfolk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bristol County
- Essex County
- Middlesex County
- Plymouth County
- Suffolk County
- Worcester County
- Providence County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Massachusetts
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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. |
| <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> | 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 Idlewell, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Idlewell) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |