Arnold’s Rhode Island Vital Records through 1850
Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636-1850, First Series: Births, Marriages and Deaths is a series of 21 volumes compiled by James N. Arnold. These books were published prior to 1923 and are no longer under copyright.
The volumes have been digitized and I have managed to find all of them available for free on the internet. Some of the copies are poor quality, however, they may be better than nothing if you are far from a library that holds these. The links, below, will download the books from the sites that are hosting them. Google Books require a “captcha” first.
Well into middle age, Arnold was sometimes photographed with his crutches. 3-59, “Photographs, James N. Arnold”, James N. Arnold Collection, Rhode Island Collection, Providence Public Library.
Here are the volumes linked from where they can be downloaded. IF you have the Firefox browser, the pdf may try to preview within the browser – something that is slow and faulty for a large book. To change that setting and open all pdf’s in Adobe Acrobat Reader, go to TOOLS – OPTIONS – scroll down to Portable Document Format and use the pull down to choose Acrobat Reader.
For volumes 1 – 6, pagination begins with each town SECTION, so for a citation, you need to cite the volume AND section, plus page; for the later volumes, volume and page are enough.
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.1 (opens the pdf link to the FamilySearch.org download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 1 contains:
- COVENTRY Births and deaths
- COVENTRY Marriages
- EAST GREENWICH Births and deaths
- EAST GREENWICH Marriages
- WARWICK Births and deaths
- WARWICK Marriages
- WEST GREENWICH Births and deaths
- WEST GREENWICH Marriages
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.2 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 2 contains:
- CRANSTON Births and deaths
- CRANSTON Marriages
- JOHNSTON Births and deaths
- JOHNSTON Marriages
- NORTH PROVIDENCE Marriages
- NORTH PROVIDENCE Births and Deaths
- PROVIDENCE Births
- PROVIDENCE Deaths
- PROVIDENCE Marriages
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.3 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page). I am seeking to link to a better copy of this document.
Volume 3 contains:
- BURRILVILLE Births and deaths
- BURRILLVILLE Marriages
- CUMBERLAND Births and deaths
- CUMBERLAND Marriages
- FOSTER Marriages
- FOSTER Births and deaths
- GLOCESTER Births and deaths
- GLOCESTER Marriages
- SCITUATE Births and deaths
- SCITUATE Marriages
- SMITHFIELD Births and Deaths
- SMITHFIELD Marriages
Title page, Vital Record of Rhode Island, volume 3
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.4 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 4 contains:
- JAMESTOWN Births and deaths
- JAMESTOWN Marriages
- LITTLE COMPTON Births and deaths
- LITTLE COMPTON Marriages
- MIDDLETOWN Births and deaths
- MIDDLETOWN Marriages
- NEW SHOREHAM Births and deaths
- NEW SHOREHAM Marriages
- NEWPORT Births and deaths
- NEWPORT Marriages
- PORTSMOUTH Births and deaths
- PORTSMOUTH Marriages
- TIVERTON Births and deaths
- TIVERTON Marriages
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.5 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 5 contains:
- CHARLESTOWN Births and deaths
- CHARLESTOWN Marriages
- EXETER Births and deaths
- EXETER Marriages
- HOPKINTON Births and deaths
- HOPKINTON Marriages
- NORTH KINGSTOWN Births and deaths
- NORTH KINGSTOWN Marriages
- RICHMOND Births and deaths
- RICHMOND Marriages
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Births
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Deaths
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Marriages
- WESTERLY Births and deaths
- WESTERLY Marriages
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.6 (opens the pdf link to the FamilySearch.org download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 6 contains:
- BARRINGTON Births and deaths
- BARRINGTON Marriages
- BRISTOL Births
- BRISTOL Deaths
- BRISTOL Marriages
- WARREN Births
- WARREN Deaths
- WARREN Marriages
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.7 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 7 contains:
- KINGSTOWN Kings Towne Friends, p. 202
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. p. 330
- NARRAGANSETT Narragansett friends, p. 131
- RHODE ISLAND FRIENDS records, p. 1
- SMITHFIELD Smithfield Friends, p. 160
- SWANSEE Swansey Friends record p. 277
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.8 (opens the pdf link to the Google Books download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 8 contains:
- BARRINGTON Congregational Church records, p. 69
- BRISTOL Baptist Church records, p. 515
- BRISTOL Congregational Church records, p. 239
- BRISTOL Episcopal Church records, p. 145
- BRISTOL Methodist Church records, p. 565
- BRISTOL Dr. Shepard’s record of deaths, 1834-1857, p. 481
- LITTLE COMPTON Congregational Church records, p. 1
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. p. 1, 270
- NEWPORT First Congregational Church records, p. 400
- NEWPORT Second Congregational Church records, p. 439
- NORTH KINGSTOWN Baptist Church records, p. 598
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Baptist Church records, p. 616
- TIVERTON Baptist Church record, p. 495
- TIVERTON Congregational Church records, p. 49
- WAKEFIELD Records of the Church of the Ascension, p. 577
- WARREN Baptist Church records, p. 521
- WARREN Episcopal Church records, p. 95
- WARREN Methodist Church records, p. 559
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.9 (opens the pdf link to the Google Books download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 9 contains:
- PAWTUCKET Births, p. 371
- PAWTUCKET Births, p. 371
- PAWTUCKET Deaths, p. 421
- PAWTUCKET Newman Congregational Church records, p. 459
- PAWTUCKET Marriages and intentions, p. 297
- SEEKONK Births, p. 189
- SEEKONK Deaths, p. 247
- SEEKONK Marriages and Intentions, p. 1
- SEEKONK Newman Congregational Church records, p. 459
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.10 (opens the pdf link to Family History Books (familysearch.org) for immediate download download).
Volume 10 contains:
- BARRINGTON First Congregational Church records, 1728-1740, p. 231
- COVENTRY Maple Root Baptist Church record, p. 245
- CRANSTON Marriages performed by Rev. Otis W. Potter, 1833-1852, p. 299
- EAST GREENWICH Baptist Church records, p. 291
- EAST PROVIDENCE Baptist Church records, p. 117
- EXETER Baptist Church records, p. 399
- HOPKINTON First Sabbatarian Church to 1785. p. 93
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. p. 299, 305, 310
- NARRAGANSETT St. Paul’s Church records, 1718-1075, p. 333
- NEWPORT Trinity Church records, p. 427
- PAWTUCKET Births, p. 61
- PAWTUCKET Marriages and intentions p. 1, 43
- PAWTUCKET Marriages performed by Rev. David Benedict, p. 310
- PROVIDENCE Congregational Church, west side, records, p. 197
- PROVIDENCE First Congregational Church records, p. 155
- PROVIDENCE King Church (now St. John’s) records, p. 135
- PROVIDENCE Westminster Congregational Church records, p. 185
- RICHMOND Marriages performed by Edward Perry-Justice of Peace, p. 305
- SMITHFIELD Second Freewill Baptist Church records, p. 297
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Narragansett Baptist Church records, p. 545
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Queen’s River Baptist Church records, p. 387
- WEST GREENWICH West Greenwich and Exeter Union Church, Baptist, p. 279
- WESTPORT Record of Friend3 Births and Deaths, p. 75
- WESTPORT Record of Friends Marriages, p. 63
- WICKFORD First Baptist Church records, p. 553
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.11 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 11 contains:
- CROSS MILLS First Baptist Church records, p. 261
- EAST GREENWICH Baptist Church records, p. 437
- EAST GREENWICH Methodist-Episcopal Church records, p. 457
- EAST GREENWICH St. Lake’s Church records, p. 517
- HOPKINTON Rookville Seventh Day Baptist Church records, p. 373
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. p. 339
- NEWPORT Sabbatarian Baptist Church records, p. 297
- NORTH KINGSTOWN Quidnessett Baptist Church records, p. 419
- NORTH KINGSTOWN Marriages performed by Joshua Babcock, Justice, p, 339
- RICHMOND First General Baptist Church records, p. 387
- RICHMOND Second Baptist Church records, p. 239
- SOUTH KINGSTOWN Second Baptist Church records, p. 265
- STONINGTON Pawcatuck Congregational Church records, p. 347
- WESTERLY Christ Church records, p. 1
- WESTERLY First Baptist Church records, p. 205
- WESTERLY First Christian Church records, p. 309
- WESTERLY Grace Church marriages, p, 145
- WESTERLY Pawcatuck Congregational Church records, p. 347
- WESTERLY Pawcatuck Sabbatarian Baptist Church records, p. 273
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.12 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page). This is a faint copy, I am looking to link to a better one.
Volume 12 contains:
- “Cowell’s Spirit of 76”, Index to, p. 91
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS. p. 1, 73
- NEWPORT Herald, Deaths, p. 81
- NEWPORT Marriages, p. 73
- NEWPORT Mercury, Deaths, p. 37
- NEWPORT Marriages, p. 1
- PROVIDENCE Providence Journal Deaths, 1820-1829. A-R, p. 397
- Rhode Island Officers and Pensioners of the Revolution, p. 301
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.13 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 13 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Journal Deaths, 1820-1829. S-Z, p. 21
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.14 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 14 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Gazette Deaths, K-Z, p. 21
- PROVIDENCE Providence Gazette Marriages, A-C, p. 457
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.15 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 15 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Gazette Marriages, D-Z, p. 21
- PROVIDENCE United States Chronicle Deaths, p. 467
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.16 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 16 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE American Journal Deaths, p. 133
- PROVIDENCE American Journal Marriages, p. 140
- PROVIDENCE Impartial Observer Deaths, p. 148
- PROVIDENCE Impartial Observer Marriages, p. 151
- PROVIDENCE Providence Journal Deaths, p. 155
- PROVIDENCE Providence Journal Marriages, p. 179
- PROVIDENCE Providence Semi-weekly Journal, marriages 1820-1829, p. 201
- PROVIDENCE United States Chronicle Marriages, p. 21
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.17 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 17 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Phoenix, Providence Patriot and Columbian Phenix. Marriages, A-R, p. 23
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.18 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 18 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Gazette Deaths, A- J, p. 101
- PROVIDENCE Providence Phoenix, Providence Patriot and Columbian Phenix. Deaths, A-M p. 209
- PROVIDENCE Providence Phoenix, Providence Patriot and Columbian Phenix. Marriages, S-Z, p. 23
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.19 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 19 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Providence Phoenix, Providence Patriot and Columbian Phenix. Deaths, M-Z, p. 23
- PROVIDENCE Rhode Island American Marriages, A-G, p. 269
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.20 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 20 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Rhode Island American Deaths, A-B, p. 503
- PROVIDENCE Rhode Island American Marriages, H-Z, p. 21
Arnold Rhode Island VR v.21 (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
Volume 21 contains:
- MARRIAGES, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
- PROVIDENCE Rhode Island American Deaths, C-S, p. 21
Arnold Vital Record of Rehoboth, 1642-1896 [Massachusetts] (opens the pdf link to the Internet Archive download, or, browse book online and download from this page).
The Rehoboth volume contains:
- MARRIAGES, INTENTIONS, BIRTHS, DEATHS
- With Supplement Containing the Record of 1896, Colonial Returns, Lists of the Early Settlers, Purchasers, Freemen, Inhabitants, the Soldiers Serving in Philip’s War and the Revolution.
I’m coming very late to the game here, but THANK YOU Diane for putting this page together. I have only recently downloaded all vols. to my laptop, including your excellent Table of Contents (this page), and including the typed compiled town TOC document you link here. This page implies it by the use of page numbers from vol. 7 onward, but from a citation standpoint, it’s important to note that vols. 1-6 use section-specific pagination, while the remainder have continuous pagination. I have also haven’t found a copy of vol. 3 online which has the whole-volume title page (it just starts with the Glocester section TP). Again, THANKS! — Nat Taylor, Barrington
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Such excellent advice, Nat, thank you. I will work the page numbering clarification back into my text. I have recently acquired several of the early volumes in paper, out of frustration with the bad reproductions online. I will see about that missing title page, which would be helpful for citations.
Basically, I spent 10 or 15 hours seeking these out online and never wanted anyone to have to do that again. Glad it helped you.
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really enticing for the genealogy buff There is never a complete Library and
one is never to have a completed genealogy. Thank you
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Thank you so much for providing this wonderful resource! I found many of my Ancestors names so now I have my work cut out for me in sorting them out!!
Thank you, thank you for all your hard work!!
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I’m trying to find the marriage record of William Champlain and Susannah Carpenter married in 1779 at her father,, Daniel Carpenters home in North Kingston.. He was a Rev War soldier. His parents were Jeffrey Champlin and Mary Gardiner. All supposedly from Exeter RI..I can find a birth? date of a William 1756, I had that he was born in 1758 but this could be him…and his son Jeffrey was born in 1785, i did find a Jeffrey born in 1783,William died in Exeter in 1826 according to the Rev War pension files. I am trying to connect Williams son Jeffrey with my ggg grandfather Jeffrey who died in Laurel County Ky in the early 1800’s I think William was given a land grant for Iredell Co, NC as so many soldiers were, and Jeffrey came out that way. So appreciate this site…what a wealth of information.
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I believe the dauighter of my ancestor, Stukely Westcott, named Demaris married an Arnold – maybe Benedict. Would I find that record here? Just came upon this.
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Hi. The Arnolds were wealthy and powerful in that era and may have been among the first to leave vital records. Yes, try these compilations. You might find Arnolds in Providence, Warwick or Newport (among other places) in that era. Also see my post “Meet the Arnolds” to find some of the books published on the Arnolds. There are two Arnold families … you do not want the Smithfield Arnolds, you want the other one, sometimes called Pawtuxet Arnolds.
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There is information regarding Stukley Westcott in Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stukely_Westcott. Damaris is shown as marrying one of the Benedict Arnolds. There are several references to the Arnold family.But you’ve probably searched there and on Google.
Bill
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But of course, Bill, we both want Anonymous to find reliable information. What’s floating around on websites is often unsourced and not reliable. Since he or she is talking about a fairly well known branch of the Arnolds, it will be detailed in several of the books I led her to. Oh, these Arnolds. Wish there was a really good book on them.
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Diane
I am well aware of the validity of much of what we find on the web. But it’s always worth repeating.
One thing that I found in the Wikipedia article on Stukley Westcott was a good sized Bibliography and References as you can see in the *screen capture* below. I wonder if Anon. might find the Society of Stukley Westcott, and the /History and Genealogy of the Ancestors and some Descendants of Stukley Westcott/ book which is downloadable from Google books at https://books.google.com/books?id=qIxYAAAAMAAJ of interest.
Happy Thanksgiving, Bill
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Those suggestions sound great. thanks!
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I am a descendant of Damaris Westcott and Benedict Arnold(1st governor of RI) by their daughter Damaris who married John Bliss. Please note: the genealogy of the ancestors of Benedict Arnold being a descendant of royalty has been proven to be false. Benedict (William, Nicholas) has been proven to be correct.
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Thanks for noting that, Carolyn.
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Hello – looking for information on Henry Champlin who owned a property in Warren RI. Was a ship captain and built my families house on Miller Street. Would love to know more about him and a picture would be great. I think one of his children married the child of the people that owned the building which is now the George Hail Free Library on Main Street in Warren RI.
thank you,
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Hi Geri. Sounds like you live in a historic house! Perhaps someone will see your query and have something to tell you, but generally, learning about the folks that came before us is all about doing our own research – a trip to the library, looking at deeds at the town hall, that sort of thing. I wish you success in your search! Diane
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Hi, Diane. Am ‘working’ on James Arnold. DOB 9-30, 1719 R.I. but no town. He married, Freelove Burlingtame DOB July 7, 1725 also no town. Am trying to see if James is related to a , John Arnold who was the jailer at Salem and also, Boston during the Witch Trials. Am also trying to find out if James had an ancestor related to any of the Mayflower passengers. The Arnold’s came here in, 1635. James Arnold had a son named, George DOB 1754 married, Sep.7, 1782 to a Mary Hopkins DOB 1760. Am hoping to find George was with the, Pawtuxet Rangers in the Am. Rev. War. Anything is a help from any one. Thanks, Allan.
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Allen, see my post, “Meet The Arnolds.” There are two Arnold families in Rhode Island. They are unlikely to have Mayflower roots although any family could have married in so anything is possible. If you have one ancestor from the Revolutionary war era, you must have many, you should learn about sources for such information in each state they lived in. No way around that anyway since if you applied for membership in a lineage society you would need plenty of documentation. I doubt any Rhode Islanders were related to Salem residents in the late 1600s except as distant cousins. Arnold is an extremely common name and James Arnold even more so – there would have been a dozen or two in ANY decade in R.I. To learn more about any Rhode Island militia during the Revolutionary War, try to access the bibliography for R.I. published recently by the DAR. It will tell you where to find resources. This stuff is not easy and won’t be found on the web. Wish you a lot of success with the Arnolds.
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I am having trouble with Volume 8. It keeps coming up empty even with I go to another site for download. Any ideas?
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Hi Frances. Thanks for visiting. I get this question from time to time. I’m no computer expert, but the problem may be that you have downloaded a bunch of items today, and somehow filled up your short term memory or something. Try completely shutting down and re-starting your computer. Or try again tomorrow. Good luck!
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Thank you so much for this – I have gone as far back as John Arnold (1763-1843) from Cranston and then it just gets too confusing, I think everyone in my branch named their son John. I plod along . . . but this is a wonderfule resource – Thanks again, Alison Arnold
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Thanks for commenting, Alison. Don’t miss this post on the Arnolds: https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/2014/01/27/meet-the-arnolds/
Good luck with your Arnold research!
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Diane. Thank you so, so much for this generous gift for all of us who have Rhode Island ancestors. What a labor of love. You are a gem!. I’m looking forward to the Conference in April.
Martha-Lee from New York State.
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Diane, Thank you for this wonderful and easy-to-use resource.
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Diane, Rhode island Rocks! Thanks for saving me from making calls to the blue-haired babes. Sayles & Rice families… Great Job!
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Thank you so very much! What a labor of love you’ve accomplished. I’ll be enjoying your site and all the great info you’ve gathered for quite some time as I find my Brown ancestors.
Beth G. Decatur, GA
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Thank You! Thank You! Diane, this is wonderful! So much lost info I have been looking for!!! Catherine P. in Mandeville, LA. Formerly of Hopkinton, RI.
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Thank you very much Diane for taking the time to create this page with the PDF files for downloading. Great appreciated!
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Thank you so much for the Arnold pdfs, Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, and the Providence Index! I go back to 17th century Rhode Island and Massachusetts families and it’s wonderful to be able to get pdfs and not have to save each individual page from Ancestry! Thank you, so very much!
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I don’t understand why in Volume 4 all pages have to open at once in order to see them. 1400 some pages?
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Hi. Volume 4 is 1388 pages (it’s an old volume there every other page is blank). I notice, lately, that Firefox (if that’s what you’re using) tries to open pdf’s in the browser – VERY slowly – but you should see a choice, up top, to switch to another method (which should be Adobe Reader) – use that. I have been irritated by the exact same problem for about a week now.
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Thank you Diane!
Mickey
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You’re welcome! Thanks for visiting!
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Thank you, thank you, thank you!
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Thank you. My husband has deep roots in RI. I appreciate your time to do this.
B. Jay Van Alstyne, TX
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Thanks Bev – and Jean – hope it helps!! — Diane
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! I live in New Mexico with roots in Rhode Island. It’s impossible to locate the actual books way out west. This is wonderful.
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Thank you so much from another researcher, whose family also goes back many hundreds of years!
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Thanks its a great help
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Glocester is spelled that way, no? Folks using a search engine won’t find it.
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Randy, it is indeed correct as you have it. I corrected my page. Many thanks, I really want this to be right.
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Thank you for this wonderful resource, Diane!
Linda J. from Sacramento, CA
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