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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 Thompson (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 Thompson. 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 doctors 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.

Thompson 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 Thompson. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Thompson:

  • Somerset County     (The home county of Thompson)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Hartland
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • West Palmyra
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • West Palmyra is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Palmyra
    • Palmyra
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Saint Albans
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Dogtown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Dogtown is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
    • Pittsfield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Houston Corner
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Houston Corner is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Corner
    • Mainstream
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Mainstream is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
    • Detroit
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Canaan
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Ripley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Ripley is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
    • Harmony
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Franklin County
    • Industry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Industry is located in Franklin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 927 people
  • Kennebec County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Clinton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Morrison Corner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Morrison Corner is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Corner
    • Benton Station
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Benton Station is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Station
    • Benton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Benton is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,720 people
    • Benton Falls
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Benton Falls is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Falls
    • Albion
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Winslow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Waterville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Oakland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • China
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • China is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for China
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,339 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for China <1>
    • North Vassalboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • North Vassalboro is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Vassalboro
    • Rome
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Rome is located in Kennebec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,013 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rome <1>
  • Penobscot County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Newport
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Corinna
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • East Newport
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • East Newport is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
    • North Newport
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • North Newport is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport
    • Plymouth
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Dexter
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Dexter is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,702 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dexter <1>
    • Stetson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Stetson is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
    • Russell Corner
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Russell Corner is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Corner
    • Etna
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Etna is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,194 people
    • Exeter
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Exeter is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,098 people
    • East Exeter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • East Exeter is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Exeter
    • Dixmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixmont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,119 people
  • Piscataquis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Wellington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
    • Parkman
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Kingsbury
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Kingsbury is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
    • East Sangerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • East Sangerville is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sangerville
    • Guilford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Kingsbury Plantation
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Kingsbury Plantation is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury Plantation
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
    • Sangerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Dover South Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
    • Abbot
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Abbot is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbot
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 687 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Abbot <1>
    • Howard Corner
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Howard Corner is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard Corner
    • Monson Junction
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Monson Junction is located in Piscataquis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monson Junction
    • Dover - Foxcroft
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Waldo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Thompson, with the one closest to Thompson listed first.
    • Burnham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Burnham is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,243 people
    • Winnecook
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Winnecook is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnecook
    • Troy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Troy is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,053 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Troy <1>
    • Unity
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Thorndike
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Jackson
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Jackson is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 588 people
    • Freedom
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Knox Ledge Corner
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Knox Ledge Corner is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Ledge Corner
    • Knox
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Knox is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 791 people
    • Brooks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Monroe Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Monroe Center is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe Center
    • Monroe
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Monroe is located in Waldo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 948 people

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

Cemeteries Near Thompson ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Thompson.

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

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

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

  • Pine Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Warren Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Fuller Corner Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Pooler Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Village Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Nevins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • West Pittsfield Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Slab City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Wing Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Jordan Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Stuart Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Weeks Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (229 more) ...

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 Thompson in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Thompson.

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

  • Hartland
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • West Palmyra
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • West Palmyra is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Palmyra
  • Palmyra
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Saint Albans
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Pittsfield
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Canaan
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Detroit
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Mainstream
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Mainstream is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
  • Newport
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Spragues Mill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Spragues Mill is located in Penobscot County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spragues Mill
  • Corinna
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Ripley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Ripley is located in Somerset County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • East Newport
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • East Newport is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
    • Harmony
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • North Newport
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • North Newport is located in Penobscot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport

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

Newspapers Published in Thompson ...

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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around Thompson.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Thompson, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Thompson.

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 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 Thompson:

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 Thompson, 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- Thompson) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.