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 Coles (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 Coles. 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 hospitals 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.
Coles is located in Kennebec County.
To see how the shape of Maine's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Kennebec County: Androscoggin, Franklin, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Somerset & Waldo.
Below are the counties that are near Coles. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Coles:
- Kennebec County (The home county of Coles)
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- China
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Branch Mills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Branch Mills is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch Mills
- South China
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Vassalboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Vassalboro
- Albion
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Vassalboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- North Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Vassalboro
- Winslow
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- North Windsor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Windsor is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Windsor
- Vassalboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Benton Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Benton Falls is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Falls
- Benton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Benton is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,720 people
- Waterville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Benton Station
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Benton Station is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Station
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- New Sharon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chesterville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Chesterville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,348 people
- Farmington Falls
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Razorville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Razorville is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Razorville
- Burkettville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Burkettville is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burkettville
- Washington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- West Appleton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- West Appleton is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Appleton
- Lucas Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lucas Corner is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas Corner
- Stickney Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Stickney Corner is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stickney Corner
- Globe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Globe is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Appleton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Union
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hope
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- South Hope
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- South Hope is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hope
- Lake City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- West Rockport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Somerville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Somerville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
- Coopers Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- North Whitefield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- North Whitefield is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Whitefield
- Jefferson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Flanders Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Flanders Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flanders Corner
- Whitefield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Davis Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Davis Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Corner
- Alna
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Head Tide
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Head Tide is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Head Tide
- Nobleboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- North Newcastle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- North Newcastle is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newcastle
- Waldoboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Dresden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Penobscot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Dixmont
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,119 people
- East Dixmont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- East Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dixmont
- Plymouth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Newport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- East Newport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- East Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
- Newburgh
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,530 people
- South Newburgh
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Newburgh
- Newburgh Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Newburgh Village is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh Village
- Sagadahoc County
- Richmond
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Fairfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Shawmut
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Shawmut is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawmut
- Nyes Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nyes Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyes Corner
- Hinckley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hinckley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Smithfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Canaan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pittsfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Norridgewock
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Dogtown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Dogtown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
- Houston Corner
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Houston Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Corner
- Skowhegan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Detroit
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mercer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mercer is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Palermo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- North Palermo
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- North Palermo is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Palermo
- Montville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Montville is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Liberty
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Freedom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Searsmont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- West Searsmont is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Searsmont
- South Montville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Montville is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Montville
- Thorndike
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Unity
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Knox
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Knox is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
- Population from the 2020 Census: 791 people
- Winnecook
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Winnecook is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnecook
- Knox Ledge Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Knox Ledge Corner is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Ledge Corner
- Burnham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Burnham is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,243 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Coles, see our County-by-County Page for Coles.
Cemeteries Near Coles ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Coles.
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 Coles - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Coles covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- Lakeview Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- China Village Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- China Village Cemetery Extension
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- China Neck Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Haskell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dirigo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dudley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Branch Mills Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Perkins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Osgood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Libby Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (356 more) ...
- Shaw Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Goddard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Morrell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
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 Coles in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Coles.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Coles, with the one closest to Coles listed first.
- China
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Palermo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- South Albion
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- South Albion is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Albion
- Lambs Corner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lambs Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Corner
- South China
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Palermo
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- North Palermo is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Palermo
- East Vassalboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Vassalboro
- Weeks Mills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Weeks Mills is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weeks Mills
- Albion
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Vassalboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- North Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Vassalboro
- South Vassalboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- South Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Vassalboro
- East Palermo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Palermo is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Palermo
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- North Windsor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Windsor is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Windsor
- Smithton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Smithton is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithton
- Winslow
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Coles. See our List of 1890's Communities around Coles.
Newspapers Published in Coles ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Coles.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Coles, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Coles.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Coles:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Kennebec County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Knox County
- Lincoln County
- Penobscot County
- Sagadahoc County
- Somerset County
- Waldo County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maine
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> | 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 Coles, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Coles) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |