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 Stow (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 Stow. 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 doctors 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.
Stow 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 Stow. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Stow:
- Oxford County (The home county of Stow)
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- North Fryeburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- North Fryeburg is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fryeburg
- Center Lovell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Lovell
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Slab City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Slab City is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab City
- Fryeburg Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Fryeburg Center is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fryeburg Center
- Sweden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Sweden is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 413 people
- Stoneham
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Stoneham is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoneham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Fryeburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Fryeburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Fryeburg is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fryeburg
- North Waterford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Waterford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Waterford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Waterford is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,602 people
- Waterford has also been known as:
- Sweats Island
- Sweet Island
- Swetts Island
- Waterford Flat
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Waterford <1>
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- West Poland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mechanic Falls
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Poland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- West Minot
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- West Minot is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Minot
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- West Bridgton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- West Bridgton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bridgton
- North Bridgton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Harrison
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bridgton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sandy Creek is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Creek
- South Bridgton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- South Bridgton is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Bridgton
- Otisfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Otisfield is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,819 people
- Naples
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cobb Cove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Cobb Cove is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb Cove
- Sebago
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- West Baldwin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- West Baldwin is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Baldwin
- Baldwin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Baldwin is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,641 people
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- Cornish
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- North Parsonsfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- North Parsonsfield is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Parsonsfield
- East Parsonsfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- East Parsonsfield is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Parsonsfield
- Parsonsfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Carroll County (NH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- Chatham
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- South Chatham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- South Chatham is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chatham
- Intervale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Intervale is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Intervale
- Kearsarge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kearsarge is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kearsarge
- Jackson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- North Conway
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Jericho
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Jericho is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Center Conway
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hale's Location
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hale's Location is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale's Location
- Population from the 2020 Census: 130 people
- Conway
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bartlett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Eaton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Coos County (NH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- Beans Purchase
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Beans Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beans Purchase
- Glen House
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Glen House is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen House
- Greens Grant
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Greens Grant is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Grant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1 people
- Pinkhams Grant
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pinkhams Grant is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinkhams Grant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9 people
- Sargents Purchase
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sargents Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargents Purchase
- Martins Location
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Martins Location is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martins Location
- Shelburne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Cutts Grant
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Cutts Grant is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutts Grant
- Hadleys Purchase
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hadleys Purchase is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadleys Purchase
- Gorham
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Thompson and Meserves Purchase
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Upper Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Upper Village is located in Coos County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upper Village
- Grafton County (NH)
- Waterville Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Stow, see our County-by-County Page for Stow.
Cemeteries Near Stow ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stow.
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 Stow - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Stow covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- Emerson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Center Chatham Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Smith Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Eastman / Charles Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Riverside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bemis Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lord Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fox Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Charles Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bradley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Abbot Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Chandler Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (292 more) ...
- Smart Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wiley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- West Fryeburg Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
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 in 1895, Stow had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Stow had a population of 466 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Stow, with the one closest to Stow listed first.
- Chatham
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- North Fryeburg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- North Fryeburg is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fryeburg
- South Chatham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- South Chatham is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chatham
- Center Lovell
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- North Chatham
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- North Chatham is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Chatham
- Lovell
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- West Fryeburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- West Fryeburg is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fryeburg
- Fryeburg Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Fryeburg Center is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fryeburg Center
- North Lovell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- North Lovell is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lovell
- Sweden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Sweden is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 413 people
- Lower Bartlett
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lower Bartlett is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Bartlett
- Intervale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Intervale is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Intervale
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Kearsarge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kearsarge is located in Carroll County (NH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kearsarge
- Fryeburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Fryeburg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- East Fryeburg is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fryeburg
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Stow. See our List of 1890's Communities around Stow.
Newspapers Published in Stow ...
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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stow.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Stow, 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 Stow.
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 Stow:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Oxford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Cumberland County
- York County
- Carroll County
- Coos County
- Grafton 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 Stow, 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- Stow) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |