RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Maine >> Aroostook County >> Colby >> Genealogy HelperIndex...










Learn About
The Commemorative
Quarter for
Maine

The Commemorative Quarter for Maine





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 Colby (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 Colby. 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 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.

Colby is located in Aroostook County.

To see how the shape of Maine's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Aroostook County: Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset & Washington.

Below are the counties that are near Colby. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colby:

  • Aroostook County     (The home county of Colby)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
    • New Sweden
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Sweden have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
      • New Sweden is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 563 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for New Sweden <2>
    • Perham
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Barretts
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barretts
      • Barretts is located in Aroostook County
    • North Lyndon
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lyndon
      • North Lyndon is located in Aroostook County
    • Westmanland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Westmanland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmanland
      • Westmanland is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Caribou
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Caribou have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caribou
      • Caribou is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,622 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Caribou <2>
    • Washburn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Washburn have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn
      • Washburn is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,533 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Washburn <2>
    • Grimes Mill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grimes Mill
      • Grimes Mill is located in Aroostook County
    • Stockholm
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Adaline
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adaline
      • Adaline is located in Aroostook County
    • Hurd
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hurd have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurd
      • Hurd is located in Aroostook County
    • McGraw
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGraw
      • McGraw is located in Aroostook County
      • McGraw has also been known as:
      • McGraw Siding

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

Newspapers Published in Colby ...

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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colby.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Colby, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Colby.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Colby:

  • Genealogy information for nearby counties

Cemeteries Near Colby ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colby.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.

  • Woodland Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Woodland Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Woodland Cemetery
  • Johnson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Johnson Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Johnson Cemetery
  • Williams Family Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Williams Family Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Williams Family Cemetery
  • Nilsen Ackerson Family Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Nilsen Ackerson Family Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Nilsen Ackerson Family Cemetery
  • Capitol Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Capitol Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Capitol Hill Cemetery
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Fairview Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Fairview Cemetery
  • West Road Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the West Road Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the West Road Cemetery
  • New Holy Rosary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the New Holy Rosary Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the New Holy Rosary Cemetery
  • Westmanland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Westmanland Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Westmanland Cemetery
  • Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Jemtland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Jemtland Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Jemtland Cemetery
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (117 more) ...
    • Holy Rosary Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Holy Rosary Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Holy Rosary Cemetery
    • Sacred Heart Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hedman Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hedman Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hedman Cemetery

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.<5>

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

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

  • New Sweden
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Sweden have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • New Sweden is located in Aroostook County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 563 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for New Sweden <2>
  • Perham
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • North Lyndon
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lyndon
    • North Lyndon is located in Aroostook County
  • Washburn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Washburn have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washburn
    • Washburn is located in Aroostook County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,533 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Washburn <2>
  • Caribou
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Caribou have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caribou
    • Caribou is located in Aroostook County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,622 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Caribou <2>
  • Jemtland
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Jemtland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jemtland
    • Jemtland is located in Aroostook County
  • Acadia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Acadia have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acadia
    • Acadia is located in Aroostook County
  • Hurd
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hurd have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurd
    • Hurd is located in Aroostook County
  • East Lyndon
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Lyndon have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lyndon
    • East Lyndon is located in Aroostook County
  • Roberts
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Roberts have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
    • Roberts is located in Aroostook County
  • Parkhurst
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Parkhurst have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkhurst
    • Parkhurst is located in Aroostook County
  • Castle Hill
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Castle Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Hill
    • Castle Hill is located in Aroostook County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 390 people
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Limestone
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Limestone have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
      • Limestone is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,164 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Limestone <2>
    • Mapleton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mapleton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleton
      • Mapleton is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,824 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mapleton <2>
    • Caswell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Caswell have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caswell
      • Caswell is located in Aroostook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people

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

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Colby. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for Aroostook County: www.aroostook.me.us/

The official website for State of Maine: https://www.maine.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Colby) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Colby. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 46.9003, Longitude: -68.1359       In this case, the coordinates for Colby have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<4>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.
<5>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 Colby, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

Copyright 2024
All Rights Reserved

Thank you for visiting our website.

In closing, please keep in mind that we can not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information on this website, so use with care. We encourage you to double-check the information that is critical to you.

If you've found an error or have additional information that you would like to share, please don't hesitate to write: Click here to contact us.

This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024