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 Plum Island (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 Plum Island. 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.
Name Variations for Plum Island ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Plum Island: Plum Is. (in Canada, 'Isld.' is the more common abbreviation.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Plum Island. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Plum Island.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Plum Island is located in Essex 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 Essex County: Middlesex, Suffolk & Rockingham (NH).
Below are the counties that are near Plum Island. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Plum Island:
- Essex County (The home county of Plum Island)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- Salisbury
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salisbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
- Newbury Old Town
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Newbury Old Town is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbury Old Town
- Newburyport
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Newburyport is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburyport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,495 people
- Newbury
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Newbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,175 people
- Amesbury
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Amesbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amesbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17,537 people
- Byfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Byfield is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byfield
- Rowley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rowley is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,393 people
- West Newbury
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- West Newbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Newbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,781 people
- Ipswich
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ipswich is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ipswich
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,091 people
- Merrimac
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Merrimac is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,972 people
- Rocks Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Rocks Village is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocks Village
- Georgetown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Georgetown is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,789 people
- Middlesex County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- North Reading
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Reading is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Reading
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,904 people
- West Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Village is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Village
- Montrose
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Montrose is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Reading
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Reading is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- Population from the 2020 Census: 25,535 people
- Tewksbury
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Tewksbury is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tewksbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 30,970 people
- Wakefield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wakefield is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wakefield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,051 people
- Wilmington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wilmington is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23,287 people
- Dracut
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Dracut is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dracut
- Population from the 2020 Census: 31,423 people
- Lindenwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lindenwood is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindenwood
- Melrose
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Melrose is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27,790 people
- Mishawum ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mishawum is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mishawum
- Stoneham
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stoneham is located in Middlesex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23,961 people
- Suffolk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- Franklin Park
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Franklin Park is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Park
- Revere
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Revere is located in Suffolk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Revere
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52,375 people
- Hillsborough County (NH)
- Pelham
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Pelham is located in Hillsborough County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,306 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pelham <1>
- Rockingham County (NH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- South Seabrook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Seabrook is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Seabrook
- Hampton Beach
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Hampton Beach is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton Beach
- Seabrook
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Great Boars Head
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Great Boars Head is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Boars Head
- Hampton Falls
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fogg Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fogg Corners is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fogg Corners
- Nason Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Nason Corners is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nason Corners
- South Hampton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hampton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hampton is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,950 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hampton <1>
- Sanborn Corners
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sanborn Corners is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanborn Corners
- Kensington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Monahan Corners
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Monahan Corners is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monahan Corners
- Strafford County (NH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- Glenmere Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Glenmere Village is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenmere Village
- Durham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Durham is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 16,441 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Durham <1>
- Lee
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Lee is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,597 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lee <1>
- Madbury
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Madbury is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,879 people
- Dover
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dover is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 32,443 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dover <1>
- East Barrington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- East Barrington is located in Strafford County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Barrington
- Rollinsford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Barrington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Plum Island, see our County-by-County Page for Plum Island.
Cemeteries Near Plum Island ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plum Island.
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 Plum Island - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Plum Island covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- First Parish Burying Ground
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Parish Burying Ground
- To give a relative sense of its location, the First Parish Burying Ground is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Newburyport.
- The First Parish Burying Ground has also been known as:
- First Parish Burial Ground
- Newbury First Parish Burying Ground
- Jump to the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System: MACRIS ID #NEW.800 <2>
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #90981 <3>
- Long Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- First Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Green Street Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- First Burial Ground
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Old Town Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wildwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- True Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Belleville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (372 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hillside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Plum Island in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Plum Island.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Plum Island, with the one closest to Plum Island listed first.
- Salisbury Beach
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Salisbury Beach is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury Beach
- Salisbury
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salisbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
- Newburyport
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Newburyport is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburyport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,495 people
- Newbury
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Newbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,175 people
- Knights Crossing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Knights Crossing is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knights Crossing
- South Seabrook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Seabrook is located in Rockingham County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Seabrook
- Salisbury Point
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Salisbury Point is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury Point
- South Byfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Byfield is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Byfield
- Seabrook
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Amesbury
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Amesbury is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amesbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17,537 people
- Byfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Byfield is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byfield
- Rowley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Rowley is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,393 people
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Hampton Falls
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- South Hampton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Merrimacport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Merrimacport is located in Essex County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimacport
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Plum Island. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plum Island.
Newspapers Published in Plum Island ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plum Island.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Plum Island, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Plum Island.
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 Plum Island:
- Websites specific to Massachusetts
- Pages specific to Essex County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Middlesex County
- Suffolk County
- Hillsborough County
- Rockingham County
- Strafford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Massachusetts
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> | 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 Plum Island, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Plum Island) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |