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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 Point Independence (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 Point Independence. 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 Point Independence ...

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 Point Independence: Pt. Independence

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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.

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

  • Plymouth County     (The home county of Point Independence)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence listed first.
    • Onset
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Onset is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset
    • East Wareham
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
    • Onset Station
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Onset Station is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset Station
    • Wareham
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
    • White Island Shores
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • White Island Shores is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Island Shores
    • Wareham Center
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Wareham Center is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham Center
    • Briarwood Beach
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Briarwood Beach is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
    • Weweantic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Weweantic is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weweantic
    • West Wareham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham
    • Marion
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Marion is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,189 people
    • Cranberry Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Cranberry Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Village
    • Pine Tree Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Tree Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Tree Village
    • Rochester
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Rochester is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,740 people
  • Barnstable County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence listed first.
    • Buzzards Bay
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
    • Bourne
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Bourne is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bourne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,743 people
    • Monument Beach
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
    • Pocasset
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pocasset is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocasset
    • Cataumet
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Cataumet is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cataumet
    • Sagamore
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • North Falmouth
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • North Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Falmouth
    • Sagamore Beach
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Sagamore Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Beach
    • Silver Beach
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Silver Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
    • Sandwich
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Sandwich is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandwich
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,151 people
    • Forestdale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Forestdale is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestdale
    • West Falmouth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • West Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Falmouth
    • Hatchville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Hatchville is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchville
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence listed first.
    • Long Plain
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Long Plain is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Plain
    • Acushnet
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Acushnet is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,673 people
    • Fairhaven
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairhaven is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,103 people
    • Acushnet Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Acushnet Center is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Center
    • Acushnet Station ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Acushnet Station is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Station
    • Clifford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Clifford is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
    • East Freetown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • East Freetown is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Freetown
    • New Bedford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • New Bedford is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bedford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95,517 people
    • Braleys
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Braleys is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braleys
    • Bliss Corner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Bliss Corner is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Corner
    • Apponagansett
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Apponagansett is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apponagansett
    • North Dartmouth
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • North Dartmouth is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dartmouth
    • Smith Mills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Smith Mills is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Mills
  • Dukes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence listed first.
    • West Chop
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • West Chop is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chop
    • Tisbury
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Tisbury is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tisbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,128 people
    • Vineyard Haven
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Vineyard Haven is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard Haven
    • Gosnold
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Gosnold is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gosnold
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75 people
    • Oak Bluffs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Oak Bluffs is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Bluffs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,696 people
    • Christian Town
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Christian Town is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christian Town
    • North Tisbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • North Tisbury is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Tisbury
    • West Tisbury
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • West Tisbury is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Tisbury
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,927 people
    • Edgartown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Edgartown is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgartown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,383 people
    • Cuttyhunk
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cuttyhunk is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuttyhunk
    • Chilmark
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Chilmark is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chilmark
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
    • Katama
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Katama is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katama
    • Menemsha
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Menemsha is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menemsha
  • Bristol County (RI)
    • Coggeshall
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Coggeshall is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coggeshall
  • Newport County (RI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence listed first.
    • Bliss Corners
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bliss Corners is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Corners
    • Adamsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Adamsville is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
    • Tiverton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Tiverton is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiverton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,569 people
    • Little Compton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Little Compton is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Compton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,462 people
    • Tiverton Four Corners
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tiverton Four Corners is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiverton Four Corners
    • Tiverton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Tiverton is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiverton

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

Cemeteries Near Point Independence ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Point Independence.

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 Point Independence - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Point Independence, with the one closest to Point Independence 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.<4>

While we didn't find Point Independence in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Point Independence.

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

  • Onset
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Onset is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset
  • Buzzards Bay
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
  • East Wareham
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
  • Onset Station
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Onset Station is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset Station
  • Monument Beach
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
  • Bourne
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Bourne is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bourne
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,743 people
  • Wareham
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
  • Pocasset
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Pocasset is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocasset
  • Cataumet
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Cataumet is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cataumet
  • Bournedale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bournedale is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bournedale
  • South Wareham
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • South Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wareham
  • Marion
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Marion is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,189 people
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • North Falmouth
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • North Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Falmouth
    • Sagamore
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • West Wareham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham

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

Newspapers Published in Point Independence ...

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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Point Independence.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Point Independence, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Point Independence.

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 helpful 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 Point Independence:

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>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Point Independence) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Point Independence, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.