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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 Porterfield (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 Porterfield. 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 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.

Porterfield is located in Oxford 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 Oxford County: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Franklin, York, Carroll (NH) & Coos (NH).

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

  • Oxford County     (The home county of Porterfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • Merrill Corner
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Merrill Corner is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrill Corner
    • Brownfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • East Brownfield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • East Brownfield is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brownfield
    • Kezar Falls
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Kezar Falls is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kezar Falls
    • Hiram
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Porter
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Porter is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
    • Durgintown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Durgintown is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durgintown
    • East Hiram
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • East Hiram is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hiram
    • Rankins Mill
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Rankins Mill is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rankins Mill
    • Denmark
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Fryeburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • East Denmark
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • East Denmark is located in Oxford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Denmark
  • Androscoggin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • West Poland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Poland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Poland is located in Androscoggin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,683 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Poland <1>
    • Mechanic Falls
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Cumberland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • West Baldwin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • West Baldwin is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Baldwin
    • Baldwin
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Baldwin is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,641 people
    • Sebago
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Sebago is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sebago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,844 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sebago <1>
    • South Bridgton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • South Bridgton is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bridgton
    • West Bridgton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • West Bridgton is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bridgton
    • Sandy Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Sandy Creek is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Creek
    • Steep Falls
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bridgton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Naples
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Naples is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,997 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Naples <1>
    • North Bridgton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Frye Island
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Frye Island is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frye Island
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13 people
    • Harrison
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • York County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • Cornish
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • North Parsonsfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • North Parsonsfield is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Parsonsfield
    • East Parsonsfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • East Parsonsfield is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Parsonsfield
    • Parsonsfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • South Effingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • South Effingham is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Effingham
    • Limerick
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Limington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • North Limington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • North Limington is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Limington
    • Stevens Corner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Stevens Corner is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Corner
    • South Limington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • South Limington is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Limington
    • Mee Corners
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Mee Corners is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mee Corners
    • East Limington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • East Limington is located in York County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Limington
  • Belknap County (NH)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • Center Harbor
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • West Alton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • West Alton is located in Belknap County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Alton
    • Samoset
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Samoset is located in Belknap County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoset
    • Spring Haven
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Spring Haven is located in Belknap County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Haven
  • Carroll County (NH)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • Freedom
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Freedom is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,593 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Freedom <1>
    • Eaton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Eaton is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eaton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 402 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eaton <1>
    • Effingham
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • East Madison
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • East Madison is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Madison
    • Center Conway
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Madison
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Madison is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,632 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Madison <1>
    • Conway
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Conway is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,340 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Conway <1>
    • South Effingham
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Silver Lake
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Ossipee Valley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Ossipee Valley is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ossipee Valley
    • Chickville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Chickville is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickville
    • Chocorua
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Coos County (NH)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Porterfield, with the one closest to Porterfield listed first.
    • Hadleys Purchase
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Hadleys Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadleys Purchase
    • Sargents Purchase
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sargents Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargents Purchase
    • Beans Purchase
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Beans Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Purchase
  • Grafton County (NH)
    • Waterville Valley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Strafford County (NH)
    • Middleton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Middleton is located in Strafford County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,832 people

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

Cemeteries Near Porterfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Porterfield.

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 Porterfield - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Clemons Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Blake Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Emery Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Stanley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Merrill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Cotton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Hartford Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Brown Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cole Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Sargent Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Sargent Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Isaac Johnson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (313 more) ...
    • Kezar Falls Burial Ground
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Wadsworth Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Spring Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)

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>

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

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

  • Kezar Falls
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Kezar Falls is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kezar Falls
  • South Hiram
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • South Hiram is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Hiram
  • East Brownfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • East Brownfield is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brownfield
  • Brownfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • West Brownfield
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • West Brownfield is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brownfield
  • Porter
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Porter is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
  • Hiram
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • East Freedom
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • East Freedom is located in Carroll County (NH)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Freedom
  • Rankins Mill
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Rankins Mill is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rankins Mill
  • East Hiram
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • East Hiram is located in Oxford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hiram
  • Freedom
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Freedom is located in Carroll County (NH)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freedom
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,593 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Freedom <1>
  • Cornish
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • West Baldwin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • West Baldwin is located in Cumberland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Baldwin
    • Snowville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Eaton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Eaton is located in Carroll County (NH)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eaton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 402 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eaton <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Porterfield ...

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 Porterfield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Porterfield, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Porterfield.

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 professional and volunteer 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 Porterfield:

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