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 Virginia (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 Virginia. 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.
Virginia 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 Virginia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Virginia:
- Oxford County (The home county of Virginia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- South Rumford
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- South Rumford is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Rumford
- Rumford
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mexico
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- West Peru
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- West Peru is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Peru
- Rumford Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Dixfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Dickvale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dickvale is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickvale
- Peru
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Hanover
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Roxbury
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- North Woodstock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- North Woodstock is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Woodstock
- East Andover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Andover is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Andover
- South Andover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Andover is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Andover
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- North Livermore
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- North Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Livermore
- Livermore
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore Falls
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Shy Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Shy Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shy Corner
- North Turner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Turner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Turner
- South Livermore
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Livermore
- East Livermore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- East Livermore is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Livermore
- Howes Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Howes Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howes Corner
- Chase Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chase Mills is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chase Mills
- Turner
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- North Leeds
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Leeds is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leeds
- Turner Center
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Turner Center is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turner Center
- Leeds
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- 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>
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- Harrison
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- North Bridgton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Otisfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Otisfield is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,819 people
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- Carthage
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Carthage is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carthage
- Population from the 2020 Census: 536 people
- Berry Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Berry Mills is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berry Mills
- East Dixfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- East Dixfield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dixfield
- Perkin's Plantation ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Perkin's Plantation is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkin's Plantation
- Weld
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- North Jay
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- North Jay is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Jay
- Dryden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Dryden is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dryden
- Jay
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Jay is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,598 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jay <1>
- Wilton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Chisholm
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Chisholm is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chisholm
- East Wilton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- East Wilton is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wilton
- Temple
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Temple is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Population from the 2020 Census: 518 people
- Farmington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- North Fayette
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- North Fayette is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fayette
- Fayette
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wayne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vernon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- North Wayne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- North Wayne is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wayne
- Vienna
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Kents Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Locks Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Locks Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locks Corner
- Readfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- North Monmouth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Coos County (NH)
- Shelburne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Virginia, see our County-by-County Page for Virginia.
Cemeteries Near Virginia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Virginia.
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 Virginia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Virginia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- Sunnyside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- East Rumford Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Wyman Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Farrington - Morton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Franklin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Byron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Demerritt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Glover Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Greenleaf Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Ellis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Rumford Point Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (239 more) ...
- Rumford Point Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pineview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Old Frye Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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>
While we didn't find Virginia in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Virginia.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Virginia, with the one closest to Virginia listed first.
- South Rumford
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- South Rumford is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Rumford
- Rumford
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Mexico
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Rumford Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- West Peru
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- West Peru is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Peru
- Dickvale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dickvale is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickvale
- Dixfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rumford Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Frye
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Frye is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frye
- Hanover
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Peru
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- East Peru
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- East Peru is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Dixfield Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dixfield Center is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixfield Center
- Berry Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Berry Mills is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berry Mills
- East Bethel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- East Bethel is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bethel
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Virginia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Virginia.
Newspapers Published in Virginia ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Virginia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Virginia, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Virginia.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Virginia:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Oxford County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Cumberland County
- Franklin County
- Kennebec County
- Coos 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 Virginia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Virginia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |