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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 Rochester (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 Rochester. 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 Rochester ...

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

  • Rochester was settled in 1638.
  • It was incorporated in 1686.

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 doctors 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.

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

  • Plymouth County     (The home county of Rochester)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester listed first.
    • Marion
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Briarwood Beach
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Weweantic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Weweantic is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weweantic
    • Wareham Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Wareham Center is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham Center
    • Wareham
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
    • West Wareham
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham
    • Mattapoisett
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Mattapoisett is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattapoisett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,427 people
    • South Middleboro
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • East Wareham
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
    • Onset Station
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Rock
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Pine Tree Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine Tree Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Tree Village
  • Barnstable County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester listed first.
    • Buzzards Bay
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
    • Monument Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
    • Pocasset
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Bourne
      (11 miles [17.7 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
    • Cataumet
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cataumet is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cataumet
    • North Falmouth
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • North Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Falmouth
    • Silver Beach
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Silver Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
    • West Falmouth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • West Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Falmouth
    • Sagamore Beach
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Beach
    • Sagamore
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • Hatchville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Falmouth
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester listed first.
    • Long Plain
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Acushnet Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Acushnet
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Acushnet is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,673 people
    • Clifford
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Acushnet Station ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Acushnet Station is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Station
    • Fairhaven
      (7 miles [11.3 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
    • Braleys
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • East Freetown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • New Bedford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Bliss Corner
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bliss Corner is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Corner
    • North Dartmouth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • North Dartmouth is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dartmouth
    • Freetown
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Dukes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester listed first.
    • Gosnold
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Gosnold is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gosnold
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75 people
    • West Chop
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • West Chop is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chop
    • Christian Town
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Christian Town is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christian Town
    • Cuttyhunk
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Cuttyhunk is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuttyhunk
    • Tisbury
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Vineyard Haven
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • North Tisbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Oak Bluffs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • West Tisbury
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Aquinnah
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Menemsha
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Menemsha is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menemsha
    • Chilmark
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Norfolk County
  • Bristol County (RI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester listed first.
    • Coggeshall
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Bristol
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Bristol is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,866 people
    • Bristol
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Warren
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Warren is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,469 people
    • Warren
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Barrington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Barrington is located in Bristol County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,015 people
    • Barrington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Annawomscutt
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
  • Kent County (RI)
  • Newport County (RI)
  • Providence County (RI)

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

Cemeteries Near Rochester ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rochester.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rochester, with the one closest to Rochester 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 Rochester had a population of 612 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Rochester had a population of 5,740 people.

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

  • Marion
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Long Plain
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Howlands
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Howlands is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howlands
  • South Wareham
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • South Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wareham
  • Tremont
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Tremont is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tremont
  • North Rochester
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • North Rochester is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Rochester
  • Acushnet
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Acushnet is located in Bristol County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,673 people
  • Mattapoisett
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Mattapoisett is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattapoisett
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,427 people
  • Wareham
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
  • West Wareham
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham
  • South Middleboro
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Clifford
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Acushnet Station ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Acushnet Station is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Station
    • Fairhaven
      (7 miles [11.3 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
    • Rock
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Rochester ...

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 97 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rochester.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rochester, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rochester.

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 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 Rochester:

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 Rochester, 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- Rochester) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.