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 Ames (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 Ames. 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 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.
Ames is located in Belknap County.
To see how the shape of New Hampshire's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Belknap County: Carroll, Grafton, Merrimack & Strafford.
Below are the counties that are near Ames. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ames:
- Belknap County (The home county of Ames)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Samoset
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Samoset is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoset
- Spring Haven
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Spring Haven is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Haven
- West Alton
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- West Alton is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Alton
- Glendale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Glendale is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Gilford
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Interlaken Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Interlaken Park is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken Park
- Laconia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Alton Bay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Wildwood Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Wildwood Village is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Village
- Alton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Winnisquam
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmanton Iron Works, Gilmanton Iw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Belmont
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Wolfeboro Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wolfeboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- South Wolfeboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- South Wolfeboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wolfeboro
- Melvin Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Federal Corner
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Federal Corner is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Federal Corner
- Fernald
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fernald is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
- Stockbridge Corner
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Stockbridge Corner is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockbridge Corner
- Tuftonboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Wolfeboro Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wolfeboro Center is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfeboro Center
- North Wolfeboro
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Wolfeboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wolfeboro
- Water Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Water Village is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Water Village
- Brookfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Brookfield is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 688 people
- Moultonborough
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Grafton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Ashland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Holderness
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgewater
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Bristol
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Plymouth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Alexandria
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- South Alexandria is located in Grafton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Alexandria
- Alexandria
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Waterville Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Campton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Campton Lower Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Campton Upper Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hebron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Groton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Merrimack County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Loudon Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Loudon Center is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loudon Center
- Northfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Shaker Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Shaker Village is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
- Pittsfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Franklin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hill is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,115 people
- Websters Mill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Websters Mill is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Websters Mill
- Canterbury
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Loudon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hill Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hill Center is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Center
- Chichester
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- East Andover
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- East Andover is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Andover
- Boscawen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rockingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Northwood Ridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Northwood Ridge is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwood Ridge
- Northwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- James City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- James City is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James City
- Deerfield Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Deerfield Center is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield Center
- Deerfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Strafford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- New Durham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Middleton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Middleton is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,832 people
- Davis
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Davis is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
- Dexter Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dexter Corner is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter Corner
- Farmington
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Strafford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Milton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Rochester
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- North Rochester is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Rochester
- Place
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Place is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Place
- Strafford Corner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Strafford Corner is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strafford Corner
- Bow Lake Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bow Lake Village is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow Lake Village
- Bow Lake Village has also been known as:
- Bow Lake
- East Rochester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- East Rochester is located in Strafford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Rochester
- Rochester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Oxford County (ME)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Porter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Porter is located in Oxford County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
- Kezar Falls
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kezar Falls is located in Oxford County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kezar Falls
- York County (ME)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Stevens Corner
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Stevens Corner is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Corner
- Mee Corners
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Mee Corners is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mee Corners
- South Effingham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- South Effingham is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Effingham
- Acton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- West Newfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- North Shapleigh
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- North Shapleigh is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Shapleigh
- Parsonsfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Shapleigh
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- North Parsonsfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- North Parsonsfield is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Parsonsfield
- Newfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Sprague City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Sprague City is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sprague City
- Ross Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ross Corner is located in York County (ME)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross Corner
- Lebanon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ames, see our County-by-County Page for Ames.
Cemeteries Near Ames ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ames.
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 Ames - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ames covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- West Alton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Swetts Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- McCoy Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Lakeview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Bayside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hillside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- St. Lambert Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Lamberts Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hersey Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Edgerly Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (253 more) ...
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
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 Ames in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ames.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ames, with the one closest to Ames listed first.
- Spring Haven
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Spring Haven is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Haven
- West Alton
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- West Alton is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Alton
- Lake Shore Park
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Lake Shore Park is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore Park
- Gilford
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mount Major
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Major is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Major
- Mirror Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wolfeboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Laconia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- South Wolfeboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- South Wolfeboro is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wolfeboro
- Center Tuftonboro
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Alton Bay
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fernald
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fernald is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Tuftonboro
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Melvin Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Alton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ames. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ames.
Newspapers Published in Ames ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ames.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ames, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ames.
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 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 Ames:
- Websites specific to New Hampshire
- Pages specific to Belknap County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carroll County
- Grafton County
- Merrimack County
- Rockingham County
- Strafford County
- Oxford County
- York County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for New Hampshire
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 Ames, 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- Ames) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |