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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 French Settlement (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 French Settlement. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

French Settlement is located in Penobscot 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 Penobscot County: Aroostook, Hancock, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo & Washington.

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

  • Penobscot County     (The home county of French Settlement)
    • The following are listed by their distance from French Settlement, with the one closest to French Settlement listed first.
    • West Old Town
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • West Old Town is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Old Town
    • Old Town Landing
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Old Town Landing is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Landing
    • Alton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Alton is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 858 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alton <1>
    • Milford
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Old Town
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Stillwater
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Stillwater is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwater
    • Costigan
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Costigan is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costigan
    • Bradley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Lucky Landing
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lucky Landing is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucky Landing
    • Orono
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Orono is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orono
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,636 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Orono <1>
    • Webster
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Webster is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
    • Glenburn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Glenburn is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,567 people
    • Hudson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Hudson is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,499 people
  • Hancock County
    • The following are listed by their distance from French Settlement, with the one closest to French Settlement listed first.
    • Dedham
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Amherst
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Amherst is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 256 people
    • Aurora
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Great Pond
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Great Pond is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Pond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
    • Mariaville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Mariaville is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariaville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 540 people
    • Otis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Otis is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 659 people
    • Bucksport Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Bucksport Center is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucksport Center
    • North Ellsworth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • North Ellsworth is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ellsworth
    • Waltham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Waltham is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 340 people
    • Bucksport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • East Orland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Orland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Osborn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Osborn is located in Hancock County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
  • Piscataquis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from French Settlement, with the one closest to French Settlement listed first.
    • Boyd Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Boyd Lake is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd Lake
    • Medford Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Medford Center is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford Center
    • Atkinson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Atkinson is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
    • Atkinson Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Atkinson Mills is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson Mills
    • Medford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Medford is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
    • Milo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Milo is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,314 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milo <1>
    • South Dover
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • South Dover is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dover
    • Dover South Mills
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
    • Adams
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Adams is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Brownville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake View Plantation
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Lake View Plantation is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View Plantation
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Dover - Foxcroft
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sebec
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Sebec is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebec
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 597 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sebec <1>
  • Somerset County
    • Detroit
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Waldo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from French Settlement, with the one closest to French Settlement listed first.
    • North Winterport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • North Winterport is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Winterport
    • Winterport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Frankfort
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Prospect Ferry
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Prospect Ferry is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Ferry
    • Monroe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Monroe is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 948 people
    • Prospect
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Monroe Center
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Monroe Center is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe Center
    • North Searsport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • North Searsport is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Searsport

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

Cemeteries Near French Settlement ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of French Settlement.

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 French Settlement - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from French Settlement, with the one closest to French Settlement 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 French Settlement in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of French Settlement.

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

  • Pea Cove
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Pea Cove is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pea Cove
  • West Old Town
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • West Old Town is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Old Town
  • Alton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Alton is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 858 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alton <1>
  • Old Town
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Milford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Great Works
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Great Works is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Works
  • Bradley
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Costigan
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Costigan is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costigan
  • Orono
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Orono is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orono
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,636 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Orono <1>
  • Webster
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Webster is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
  • Argyle
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Argyle is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
  • Glenburn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Glenburn is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,567 people
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Basin Mills
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Basin Mills is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basin Mills
    • Hudson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Hudson is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,499 people
    • Cardville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Cardville is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardville

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

Newspapers Published in French Settlement ...

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 101 newspapers that have been published in the area around French Settlement.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of French Settlement, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for French Settlement.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 French Settlement:

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 French Settlement, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- French Settlement) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.