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 Smithfield (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 Smithfield. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Smithfield is located in Somerset 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 Somerset County: Franklin, Kennebec, Penobscot, Piscataquis & Waldo.
Below are the counties that are near Smithfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smithfield:
- Somerset County (The home county of Smithfield)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Norridgewock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mercer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mercer is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Starks
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Starks is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- Hinckley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hinckley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hinckley
- Nyes Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Nyes Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nyes Corner
- Fairfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Shawmut
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Shawmut is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawmut
- Madison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Skowhegan
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Anson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Barron Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Barron Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barron Corner
- East Madison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- East Madison is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Madison
- Canaan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Livermore Falls
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Shy Corner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Shy Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shy Corner
- East Livermore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Livermore
- North Livermore
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- North Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Livermore
- North Leeds
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- North Leeds is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leeds
- South Livermore
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- South Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Livermore
- Leeds
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Leeds is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,320 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Leeds <1>
- Livermore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Curtis Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Curtis Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtis Corner
- Howes Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Howes Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howes Corner
- North Turner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- North Turner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Turner
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- New Sharon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Farmington Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Chesterville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chesterville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,348 people
- Industry
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Industry is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
- Population from the 2020 Census: 927 people
- North Chesterville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- North Chesterville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chesterville
- Farmington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- West Farmington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- West Farmington is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Farmington
- East Wilton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- East Wilton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wilton
- Fairbanks
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Fairbanks is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbanks
- New Vineyard
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- New Vineyard is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Vineyard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 777 people
- Dryden
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dryden is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
- Temple
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Temple is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
- Wilton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Rome
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Belgrade Lakes
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Belgrade
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Belgrade is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Belgrade
- Oakland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Vienna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Belgrade
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Waterville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winslow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vernon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Benton Station
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Benton Station is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Station
- Morrison Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Morrison Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Corner
- Vassalboro
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Locks Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Locks Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locks Corner
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Somerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Somerville is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
- Coopers Mills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Whitefield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- North Whitefield is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Whitefield
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Canton Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Canton Point is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton Point
- Gilbertville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilbertville is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Canton is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,097 people
- Peru
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Penobscot County
- Newport
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Piscataquis County
- Wellington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Burnham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Burnham is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,243 people
- Winnecook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Winnecook is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnecook
- Palermo
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Unity
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- North Palermo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Palermo is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Palermo
- Freedom
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Thorndike
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Troy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Knox Ledge Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Knox Ledge Corner is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Ledge Corner
- Liberty
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Montville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Montville is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smithfield, see our County-by-County Page for Smithfield.
Cemeteries Near Smithfield ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smithfield.
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 Smithfield - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smithfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Whitehouse Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Gould Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Lado Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Hampshire Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Riverview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sunset View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Old Oak Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lakeview Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Friend Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Covell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Greenleaf Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Swan Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (284 more) ...
- Tozier Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lewis Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Longley Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Smithfield had a population of 118 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Smithfield had a population of 1,008 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smithfield, with the one closest to Smithfield listed first.
- Rome
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Mercer
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- East Mercer is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Mercer
- Larone
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Larone is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larone
- Norridgewock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Mercer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mercer is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- North Belgrade
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Belgrade is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Belgrade
- North Fairfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- North Fairfield is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fairfield
- Oakland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfield Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Fairfield Center is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfield Center
- Starks
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Starks is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- New Sharon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Vienna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Madison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Mount Vernon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Belgrade
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smithfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smithfield.
Newspapers Published in Smithfield ...
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 98 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smithfield.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smithfield, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Smithfield.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Smithfield:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Somerset County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Franklin County
- Kennebec County
- Lincoln County
- Oxford County
- Penobscot County
- Piscataquis 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 Smithfield, 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 from Point A (ie- Smithfield) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |