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 West Brimfield (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 West Brimfield. 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 West Brimfield ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Brimfield: W. Brimfield
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 doctors and 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.
West Brimfield is located in Hampden 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 Hampden County: Hartford (CT), Litchfield (CT), Tolland (CT), Berkshire, Hampshire & Worcester.
Below are the counties that are near West Brimfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Brimfield:
- Hampden County (The home county of West Brimfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Tenneyville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Tenneyville is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tenneyville
- Palmer
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Palmer is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,174 people
- Thorndike
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Thorndike is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorndike
- Brimfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brimfield is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brimfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,679 people
- Monson
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Monson is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,750 people
- Three Rivers
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Three Rivers is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Rivers
- Wales
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Wales is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,862 people
- South Factory Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Wilbraham
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- North Wilbraham is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wilbraham
- Holland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Holland is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,469 people
- Wilbraham
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Wilbraham is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilbraham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 14,670 people
- Hampden
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hampden is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,154 people
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Smiths ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Smiths is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths
- Cooleyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Cooleyville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooleyville
- Millington ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Millington is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millington
- Shutesbury
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Shutesbury is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shutesbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,753 people
- New Salem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- New Salem is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,034 people
- Leverett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Leverett is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leverett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,836 people
- Locks Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Locks Village is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locks Village
- Moores Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Moores Corner is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moores Corner
- Morse Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Morse Village is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morse Village
- Sunderland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sunderland is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunderland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,634 people
- Wendell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Wendell is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wendell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 881 people
- Whately
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whately is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whately
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,583 people
- Hampshire County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Ware
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Ware is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ware
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,897 people
- Bondsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bondsville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bondsville
- Enfield ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Enfield is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enfield
- Belchertown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Belchertown is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belchertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,103 people
- Granby
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Granby is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,262 people
- Pelham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pelham is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,305 people
- South Amherst
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- South Amherst is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Amherst
- West Pelham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- West Pelham is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pelham
- South Hadley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- South Hadley is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hadley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 17,539 people
- East Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- East Village is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Village
- Amherst Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Amherst Center is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst Center
- Amherst
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Amherst is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40,643 people
- Worcester County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- West Warren
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Warren is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Warren
- Warren
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Warren is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,203 people
- West Brookfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Brookfield is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,713 people
- Brookfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Brookfield is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,439 people
- Fiskdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fiskdale is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiskdale
- Gilbertville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Gilbertville is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
- Old Sturbridge Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sturbridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sturbridge is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturbridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,561 people
- East Brookfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Brookfield is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,196 people
- New Braintree
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- New Braintree is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Braintree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,020 people
- North Brookfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Brookfield is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,789 people
- Globe Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Globe Village is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe Village
- Hartford County (CT)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Hazardville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hazardville is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazardville
- Sherwood Manor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sherwood Manor is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood Manor
- Enfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Enfield is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 43,559 people
- Enfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Southwood Acres
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Southwood Acres is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwood Acres
- Thompsonville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Thompsonville is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Mill Pond Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mill Pond Village is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Pond Village
- Broad Brook
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- East Windsor
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- East Windsor is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Windsor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,654 people
- Suffield Depot
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Suffield Depot is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suffield Depot
- Suffield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Windsorville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Windsorville is located in Hartford County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsorville
- Tolland County (CT)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- State Line
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- State Line is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Line
- Staffordville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Stafford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Stafford is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,834 people
- Stafford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Union
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 844 people
- Union
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Stafford Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Somers
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Somers is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,741 people
- Somers
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Crystal Lake is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
- Somersville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Willington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- East Willington is located in Tolland County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Willington
- Windham County (CT)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Westford
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Westford is located in Windham County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westford
- West Woodstock
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- West Woodstock is located in Windham County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Woodstock
- Woodstock
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock is located in Windham County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,834 people
- Woodstock Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- East Woodstock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Fabyan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Quinebaug
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Ashford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ashford is located in Windham County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,246 people
- Eastford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Eastford is located in Windham County (CT)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,800 people
- Eastford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodstock
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ashford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Providence County (RI)
- West Glocester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Glocester is located in Providence County (RI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Glocester
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Brimfield, see our County-by-County Page for West Brimfield.
Cemeteries Near West Brimfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Brimfield.
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 West Brimfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Brimfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- Palmer Center Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Oak Knoll Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Thomas Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Grouts Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Four Corners Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Anns Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hillside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hillside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Monson.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #91098 <2>
- Hillside Elementary School Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Main Street Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bethany RC Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany RC Cemetery
- The Bethany RC Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bethany Cemetery
- Bethany Road Cemetery
- Pearl Street Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2394703 <2>
- Continue List (443 more) ...
- Main Street Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Brimfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Old Warren Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that West Brimfield had a population of 130 people in 1895 with railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Brimfield, with the one closest to West Brimfield listed first.
- West Warren
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Warren is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Warren
- Palmer
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Palmer is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,174 people
- Whipples
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Whipples is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whipples
- Thorndike
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Thorndike is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorndike
- North Monson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- North Monson is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Monson
- Brimfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brimfield is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brimfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,679 people
- Warren
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Warren is located in Worcester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,203 people
- Monson
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Monson is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,750 people
- Ware
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Ware is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ware
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,897 people
- Bondsville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bondsville is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bondsville
- Three Rivers
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Three Rivers is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Three Rivers
- South Monson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Monson is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monson
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Wales
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Wales is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,862 people
- East Brimfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Brimfield is located in Hampden County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brimfield
- West Ware
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- West Ware is located in Hampshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Ware
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Brimfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Brimfield.
Newspapers Published in West Brimfield ...
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 136 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Brimfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Brimfield, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Brimfield.
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 West Brimfield:
- Websites specific to Massachusetts
- Pages specific to Hampden County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Hampshire County
- Worcester County
- Hartford County
- Tolland County
- Windham County
- Providence 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 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> | 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.
|
| <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 West Brimfield, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- West Brimfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |