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 Colby (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 Colby. 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 hospitals and 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.
Colby is located in Merrimack 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 Merrimack County: Belknap, Grafton, Hillsborough, Rockingham, Strafford & Sullivan.
Below are the counties that are near Colby. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Colby:
- Merrimack County (The home county of Colby)
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Henniker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Contoocook
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hopkinton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Dunbarton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dunbarton is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbarton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,916 people
- Lower Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lower Village is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Village
- Warner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Melvin Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Melvin Mills is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin Mills
- Bow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Bow is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,063 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bow <1>
- Webster
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bow Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Bow Junction is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow Junction
- Concord
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Penacook
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Penacook is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penacook
- Bradford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Belknap County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Allens Mills
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Allens Mills is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Mills
- Gardners Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Gardners Grove is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardners Grove
- Tilton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sanbornton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Belmont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmanton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lower Gilmanton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lower Gilmanton is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Gilmanton
- Gaza
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Gaza is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaza
- Barnstead
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Winnisquam
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Gilmanton Iron Works, Gilmanton Iw
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Laconia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wildwood Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wildwood Village is located in Belknap County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Village
- Cheshire County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Mill Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Mill Village is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Village
- Stoddard
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Eastview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Eastview is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastview
- Bonds Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bonds Corner is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonds Corner
- Harrisville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Nelson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Nelson is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 740 people
- Marlow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Marlow is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 733 people
- Dublin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sullivan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Roxbury
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Roxbury is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 221 people
- Gilsum
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Jaffrey
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lower Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lower Village is located in Cheshire County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Village
- Grafton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- South Alexandria
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- South Alexandria is located in Grafton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Alexandria
- Grafton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bristol
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- East Grafton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- East Grafton is located in Grafton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Grafton
- Hillsborough County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Chase Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Chase Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chase Village
- North Weare
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Weare
- Slab City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Slab City is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slab City
- Weare
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,100 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Weare <1>
- East Deering
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Deering is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Deering
- Deering
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Deering is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,970 people
- Hillsborough
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Hillsborough is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsborough
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,019 people
- Hillsborough has also been known as:
- Hillsboro
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hillsborough <1>
- Tavern Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tavern Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tavern Village
- Holton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Holton is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holton
- Hillsboro Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Hillsboro Center is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsboro Center
- Hillsboro Lower Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hillsboro Upper Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Antrim
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rockingham County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Auburn
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Candia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Wilson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wilson is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Deerfield Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Deerfield Center is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield Center
- Deerfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- James City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- James City is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for James City
- East Candia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- East Candia is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Candia
- Londonderry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Northwood Ridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Northwood Ridge is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwood Ridge
- Chester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Derry Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Derry Village is located in Rockingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Derry Village
- Derry
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Raymond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sullivan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Washington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Goshen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lempster
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lempster is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lempster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,177 people
- Sunapee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fernwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Fernwood is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernwood
- Lower Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Village is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Village
- Twin Lakes Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Twin Lakes Village is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes Village
- Georges Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Newport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Acworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Acworth is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- South Acworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- South Acworth is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Acworth
- Croydon Flat
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Croydon Flat is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croydon Flat
- Kelleyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Kelleyville is located in Sullivan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelleyville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Colby, see our County-by-County Page for Colby.
Cemeteries Near Colby ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Colby.
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 Colby - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Colby covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- Plummer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Chase Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Collins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Goss Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Friends Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bartlett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Quaker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Eaton Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Henniker Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henniker Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Henniker Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Henniker.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1978878 <2>
- Friends Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Colby Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Dow Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (317 more) ...
- South Quaker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pine Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Weare.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2137979 <2>
- Center Square Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Square Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Center Square Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Weare.
- The Center Square Cemetery has also been known as:
- Weare Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #103167 <2>
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 Colby in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Colby.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Colby, with the one closest to Colby listed first.
- North Weare
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- North Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Weare
- West Hopkinton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- West Hopkinton is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hopkinton
- Henniker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Clinton Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Clinton Grove is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Grove
- Weare
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,100 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Weare <1>
- East Deering
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Deering is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Deering
- East Weare ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- East Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Weare
- Hopkinton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Contoocook
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Hillsborough
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Hillsborough is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsborough
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,019 people
- Hillsborough has also been known as:
- Hillsboro
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hillsborough <1>
- Deering
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Deering is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,970 people
- South Weare
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Weare is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Weare
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Everett ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Everett is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Everett
- Tyler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tyler is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
- Davisville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Davisville is located in Merrimack County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davisville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Colby. See our List of 1890's Communities around Colby.
Newspapers Published in Colby ...
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 224 newspapers that have been published in the area around Colby.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Colby, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Colby.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Colby:
- Websites specific to New Hampshire
- Pages specific to Merrimack County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Belknap County
- Cheshire County
- Grafton County
- Hillsborough County
- Rockingham County
- Sullivan 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 Colby, 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- Colby) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |