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 Thompson (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 Thompson. 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.
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 and doctors 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.
Thompson is located in Dorchester County.
To see how the shape of Maryland's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Dorchester County: Sussex (DE), Caroline, Somerset, Talbot & Wicomico.
Below are the counties that are near Thompson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Thompson:
- Dorchester County (The home county of Thompson)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Cambridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Patamoke Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Patamoke Village is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patamoke Village
- Linkwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Linkwood is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkwood
- Algonquin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Algonquin is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algonquin
- Bucktown
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bucktown is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Salem
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Salem is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Secretary
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Church Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East New Market
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Woolford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woolford is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolford
- Lloyds
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lloyds is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloyds
- Rhodesdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Madison
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Madison is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
- Calvert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Cove Point
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cove Point is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Point
- Brianwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Brianwood is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brianwood
- Chesapeake Ranch Estates - Drum Point
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lusby
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Drum Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Drum Point is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drum Point
- Saint Leonard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Coster
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Coster is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
- Cove View
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cove View is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove View
- Dowell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Olivet
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Olivet is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
- Angelica
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Angelica is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angelica
- Another Place
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Another Place is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Another Place
- Mackall
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Mackall is located in Calvert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackall
- Caroline County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Preston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hynson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hynson is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hynson
- Bethlehem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bethlehem is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Tanyard
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Tanyard is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanyard
- Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grove is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove
- Federalsburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tuckahoe Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Tuckahoe Springs is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckahoe Springs
- Griffin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Griffin is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin
- Denton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hillsboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hillsboro is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Thomas Town
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Thomas Town is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomas Town
- Hickman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hickman is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Oil City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oil City is located in Caroline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
- Queen Anne's County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Queen Anne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Willoughby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Willoughby is located in Queen Anne's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willoughby
- Guys
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Guys is located in Queen Anne's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guys
- Bloomingdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bloomingdale is located in Queen Anne's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Grasonville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Mattapex
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mattapex is located in Queen Anne's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mattapex
- Saint Mary's County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Lexington Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sotterley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Sotterley is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sotterley
- California
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Town Creek Manor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Town Creek Manor is located in Saint Mary's County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Town Creek Manor
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Mount Vernon
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vernon is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Chance
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Dames Quarter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Deal Island
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Loretto
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Loretto is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loretto
- Monie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Monie is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monie
- Wenona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Wenona is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenona
- Eden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Eden is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eden
- Oriole
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oriole is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oriole
- Champ
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Champ is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champ
- Princess Anne
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Somersett Town ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Somersett Town is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somersett Town
- Talbot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Trappe
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Oxford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Easton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Kirkham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Kirkham is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkham
- Newcomb
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Newcomb is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newcomb
- Royal Oak
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Talbot Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Talbot Village is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talbot Village
- Neavitt
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Neavitt is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neavitt
- Riverside
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Riverside is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Leeds Landing
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Leeds Landing is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds Landing
- Bozman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Michaels
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tilghman Island
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tilghman Island is located in Talbot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilghman Island
- Wicomico County
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Mardela Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Mardela Springs is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mardela Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 351 people
- Sharptown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sharptown is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharptown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 664 people
- Bivalve
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tyaskin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jesterville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Jesterville is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jesterville
- Nanticoke
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Nanticoke is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nanticoke
- Quantico
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hebron
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Capitola
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Capitola is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capitola
- Green Hill Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Green Hill Village is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Hill Village
- Rockawalking Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rockawalking Village is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockawalking Village
- Centennial Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Centennial Village is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centennial Village
- Cedar Hurst Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Hurst Village is located in Wicomico County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hurst Village
- Kent County (DE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Hickman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hickman is located in Kent County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickman
- Adamsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Adamsville is located in Kent County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
- Andrewsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Andrewsville is located in Kent County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrewsville
- Sussex County (DE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Reliance
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Reliance is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reliance
- Bethel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Briar Hook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Briar Hook is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar Hook
- Blades
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Blades is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blades
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Heritage Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Heritage Village is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heritage Village
- Ross
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Ross is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Seaford
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Laurel
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Delmar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Scotts Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Scotts Corner is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Corner
- Bridgeville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ward
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Ward is located in Sussex County (DE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Greenwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Thompson, see our County-by-County Page for Thompson.
Cemeteries Near Thompson ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thompson.
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 Thompson - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Thompson covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Dorchester Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Airey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Christ Episcopal Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cambridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Waugh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Scotts Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Greenlawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- East New Market Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Antioch Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Trinity Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (173 more) ...
- Readly Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Insley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Paradise Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
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 in 1895, Thompson had railroad service and no post office.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
- Cambridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Linkwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Linkwood is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkwood
- Bucktown
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bucktown is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Church Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Salem
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Salem is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Secretary
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- East New Market
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dailsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Dailsville is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dailsville
- Woolford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Woolford is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolford
- Bestpitch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bestpitch is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bestpitch
- Trappe
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lloyds
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lloyds is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lloyds
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Madison
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Madison is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
- Rhodesdale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Ennalls ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ennalls is located in Dorchester County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ennalls
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Thompson. See our List of 1890's Communities around Thompson.
Newspapers Published in Thompson ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thompson.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thompson, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thompson.
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 Thompson:
- Websites specific to Maryland
- Pages specific to Dorchester County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calvert County
- Caroline County
- Queen Anne's County
- Saint Mary's County
- Somerset County
- Talbot County
- Wicomico County
- Kent County
- Sussex County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maryland
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 Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MIHP (for the Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties). More information about the MHT and MIHP can be found on their website: mht.maryland.gov. |
| <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 Thompson, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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 from Point A (ie- Thompson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |