Question: Can you explain how I should correctly divide up ancestors who are now buried in Brockton, Massachusetts? The problem is they died in the 1770's and 1830's and I do not believe it was called Brockton then.
Answer: The region now know as Brockton was not called that until 1874. Before that time the region had been incorporated as the town of North Bridgewater since 1821. Before that time it was the North Parish of the town of Bridgewater, Mass. which had settlement since the 17th century. What I do in these cases is the following example - John Doe, died at North Bridgewater (now Brockton), Massachusetts 5 November 1832. He is buried in the Melrose Cemetery currently in the town of Brockton, Massachusetts (formerly North Bridgewater).