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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 White Island Shores (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 White Island Shores. 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 White Island Shores ...

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 White Island Shores: White Is. Shrs. (in Canada, 'Isld.' is the more common abbreviation.)

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 southwest 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 south.

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 south 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.

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

  • Plymouth County     (The home county of White Island Shores)
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • East Wareham
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
    • Onset Station
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Onset Station is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset Station
    • Onset
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Onset is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset
    • Cranberry Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Cranberry Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry Village
    • Wareham Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wareham Center is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham Center
    • Wareham
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
    • Pine Tree Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Pine Tree Village is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Tree Village
    • South Carver
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • South Carver is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Carver
    • Briarwood Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Briarwood Beach is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
    • Weweantic
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Weweantic is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weweantic
    • West Wareham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham
    • Carver
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Carver is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carver
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,762 people
  • Barnstable County
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • Buzzards Bay
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
    • Bourne
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Bourne is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bourne
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,743 people
    • Sagamore Beach
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Beach
    • Sagamore
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
    • Monument Beach
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
    • Sandwich
      (7 miles [11.3 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
    • Pocasset
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Pocasset is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocasset
    • Cataumet
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Cataumet is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cataumet
    • Plowed Neck
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Plowed Neck is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plowed Neck
    • North Falmouth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • North Falmouth is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Falmouth
    • East Sandwich
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • East Sandwich is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sandwich
    • Forestdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Forestdale is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forestdale
  • Bristol County
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • Long Plain
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Long Plain is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Plain
    • Acushnet Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Acushnet Center is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Center
    • Acushnet
      (16 miles [25.7 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
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Clifford is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifford
    • East Freetown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • East Freetown is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Freetown
    • Acushnet Station ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Acushnet Station is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acushnet Station
    • Fairhaven
      (17 miles [27.4 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
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Braleys is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braleys
    • New Bedford
      (19 miles [30.6 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
    • Bliss Corner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Bliss Corner is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Corner
    • North Dartmouth
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • North Dartmouth is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dartmouth
    • Freetown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Freetown is located in Bristol County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freetown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,432 people
  • Dukes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • West Chop
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • West Chop is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chop
    • Tisbury
      (23 miles [37 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
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Vineyard Haven is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard Haven
    • Gosnold
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Christian Town is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christian Town
    • North Tisbury
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • North Tisbury is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Tisbury
    • Edgartown
      (28 miles [45.1 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
    • West Tisbury
      (29 miles [46.7 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
    • Cuttyhunk
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cuttyhunk is located in Dukes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuttyhunk
  • Norfolk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • Beechwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Beechwood is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Brookville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Brookville is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookville
    • Avon
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Avon is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,557 people
    • South Weymouth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • South Weymouth is located in Norfolk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Weymouth
  • Newport County (RI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores listed first.
    • Bliss Corners
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bliss Corners is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bliss Corners
    • Adamsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Adamsville is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
    • Tiverton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tiverton is located in Newport County (RI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiverton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,569 people

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

Cemeteries Near White Island Shores ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of White Island Shores.

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 White Island Shores - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from White Island Shores, with the one closest to White Island Shores 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>

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

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

  • Onset Station
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Onset Station is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset Station
  • East Wareham
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • East Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wareham
  • Buzzards Bay
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Buzzards Bay is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buzzards Bay
  • Onset
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Onset is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onset
  • Bourne
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Bourne is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bourne
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,743 people
  • Bournedale
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Bournedale is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bournedale
  • Wareham
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wareham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,778 people
  • Monument Beach
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Monument Beach is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monument Beach
  • Sagamore
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Sagamore is located in Barnstable County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore
  • South Wareham
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • South Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wareham
  • South Carver
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Carver is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Carver
  • West Wareham
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • West Wareham is located in Plymouth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Wareham
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Pocasset
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Pocasset is located in Barnstable County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pocasset
    • Sandwich
      (7 miles [11.3 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
    • Tremont
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Tremont is located in Plymouth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tremont

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

Newspapers Published in White Island Shores ...

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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around White Island Shores.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of White Island Shores, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for White Island Shores.

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 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 White Island Shores:

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>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 White Island Shores, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- White Island Shores) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.