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 Topsham (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 Topsham. 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 doctors and 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.
Topsham is located in Sagadahoc 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 Sagadahoc County: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec & Lincoln.
Below are the counties that are near Topsham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Topsham:
- Sagadahoc County (The home county of Topsham)
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Pejepscot
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Pejepscot is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pejepscot
- Bowdoinham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Bath
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bath
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bowdoin Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- Sabino
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sabino is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabino
- Days Ferry
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Days Ferry is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Days Ferry
- Woolwich
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bowdoin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,222 people
- Harwards
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Harwards is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwards
- Phippsburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Arrowsic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Lisbon Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Durham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lisbon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Drinkwater Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Drinkwater Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drinkwater Corner
- Penley Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Penley Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley Corner
- Sabattus
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Danville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Danville is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Wales
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Wales is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,640 people
- Lewiston
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rumford Junction
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rumford Junction is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumford Junction
- Auburn
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Littlefield Corner
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Littlefield Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlefield Corner
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Brunswick
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Pennellville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pennellville is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennellville
- Bunganuc Landing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bunganuc Landing is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunganuc Landing
- Harding
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Harding is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding
- Merepoint
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Merepoint is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merepoint
- East Harpswell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Harpswell
- Freeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harpswell Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Harpswell Center is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harpswell Center
- Cundys Harbor
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Freeport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Harpswell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bustins Island
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bustins Island is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bustins Island
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Litchfield Corners
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
- Litchfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- South Monmouth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- South Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monmouth
- Batchelders Crossing
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Batchelders Crossing is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchelders Crossing
- Purgatory
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Purgatory is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purgatory
- West Gardiner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- West Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Gardiner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,376 people
- South Gardiner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- South Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gardiner
- East Monmouth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- East Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Monmouth
- Monmouth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- East Pittston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- East Pittston is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Pittston
- Gardiner
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pittston
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pittston is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,819 people
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Hatchs Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hatchs Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs Corner
- South Dresden
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- South Dresden is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dresden
- Westport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Westport is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 732 people
- Former name for Westport:
- Westport Island
- Trevett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Southport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Wiscasset
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Boothbay
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Edgecomb
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Mouse Island
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Mouse Island is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mouse Island
- West Boothbay Harbor
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- West Boothbay Harbor is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Boothbay Harbor
- Dresden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Boothbay Harbor
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Hebron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Oxford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Otisfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- East Otisfield is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otisfield
- Spurrs Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Spurrs Corner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spurrs Corner
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Topsham, see our County-by-County Page for Topsham.
Cemeteries Near Topsham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Topsham.
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 Topsham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Topsham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Riverside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pines Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Varney Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varney Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Varney Cemetery is located in Brunswick.
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Brunswick.
- The St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. John Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #90507 <2>
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- First Parish Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Topsham Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Topsham Cemetery
- The Topsham Cemetery has also been known as:
- First Parish Cemetery
- First Parish Meeting House Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2308231 <2>
- Rogers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Maquoit Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Meadows Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elmlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (375 more) ...
- Gatchell Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hilltop Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jones Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
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 Topsham had a population of 800 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Topsham had a population of 8,942 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Topsham, with the one closest to Topsham listed first.
- Brunswick
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Hillside
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hillside is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside
- Cathance
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Cathance is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cathance
- South Durham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- South Durham is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Durham
- Harding
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Harding is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding
- Bowdoinham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Freeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Harpswell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- North Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Harpswell
- East Harpswell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- East Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Harpswell
- Bath
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- North Bath
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- North Bath is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bath
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Bowdoin Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- Durham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- West Bowdoin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- West Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bowdoin
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Topsham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Topsham.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Topsham ...
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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Topsham.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Topsham. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Topsham and those printed in the larger area surrounding Topsham.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4> of Topsham.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Topsham:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Sagadahoc County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Cumberland County
- Kennebec County
- Lincoln County
- Oxford 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 Topsham, 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- Topsham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |