One Rhode Island Family

If there’s one thing I’ve become sure of in genealogy, it’s that no matter what the location, local genealogists know a lot, and happily share what they know in the local genealogy journals.  Rhode Island is fortunate to have a high-quality journal devoted to genealogical research, Rhode Island Roots from the Rhode Island Genealogical Society.

I want everyone to realize what a treasure this is, not just because of the caliber of the writing and editing, but because Rhode Island genealogists have a lot of information to share with researchers – old bible records, civil war letters, loose papers found deep in a drawer in a town hall, cemetery transcriptions, and family genealogies, for instance.  You can find work by outstanding genealogists complete with the footnotes that will give you great ideas, and help you understand how certain conclusions were reached.

I decided to review the whole run of the journal, looking for a few things I noticed over the years and wanted to find again. I also wanted to remember where to find sources for several types of research.  I decided to make a list of articles I wanted to remember and that idea quickly got out of hand, and here is the list.  This took a long time because I had to stop and read.  A lot.

Rhode Island Roots has been published since 1975.  To see back issues (over 5 years old; but currently more like 7 or 8 years old) of Rhode Island Roots, visit this page.  To obtain your own subscription and membership, visit this page.

ALWAYS use an index to look for your Rhode Island ancestors; annual index pages are included in the journal and the link to the online version allows for digital searching.  The only way to see volumes and index pages for the most recent years is to subscribe, or visit a library.

My Favorite Articles

1. Early Seventh-Day Baptists in Rhode Island by Melinda and Shirley Greene.  Rhode Island Roots 4:3 (Fall 1978) p. 1, 4-7.  Continued in 4:4 (Winter 1978) : p. 14-16.
2. Mayflower Families in Rhode Island by Ruth Wilder Sherman.  Rhode Island Roots 5:3 (Fall 1979) 5.  Continued in vol. 6, no. 1, p. 3-5.
3. First Postmasters in Rhode Island and Where They Served transcriber not given; taken from “Rhode Island Postal History”.  Rhode Island Roots 6:4 (Winter 1980) p. 84-88.
4. The Colonial Records of the Town of Westerly, Rhode Island by Robert Charles Anderson.  Rhode Island Roots 7:3 (Sep 1981) p. 25-27.  [contains an explanation of the contents and numbering of each re-bound early record book in the Town Hall]. 
5. Hopkinton Historical Cemetery #6 at Rockville by Virginia (Southwick) Chappell, from the files of the late Henry Cassidy in South Kingstown, RI.  Rhode Island Roots 7:3 (Sep 1981) p. 30-35. Continued in 7:4 p. 54-56 and 8: 1 (March 1982) p. 10-13.
6. The Rhode Island 1777 Military Census transcr. by Mildred Mosher Chamberlain.  Rhode Island Roots 7:4 (Dec 1981) p. 43-51. Continued in 8: 1 (Mar 1982): p. 2-8.  8: 2 (Jun 1982) p. 27-38.   8: 3 (Sep  1982) p. 54-66.  8: 4 (Dec 1982) p. 79-92.  9: 1 (Mar 1983) p. 11-24.  9: 2 (Jun 1983) p. 37-50.   9: 3 (Sep 1983) p. 61-75.   9: 4 (Dec 1983) p. 93-99.  10: 1 (Mar 1984) p. 10-21.  10: 2 (Jun 1984) p. 36-45.  10: 3 (Sep 1984) p. 60-70.
7. Rhode Island Town Names – An Etymological Study – The Meanings and Origins of the Names of Rhode Island’s 39 Cities and Towns by Bruce Campbell MacGunnigle.  Rhode Island Roots 8:3 (Sept 1982) p. 45-50.  Continued in 8: 4 (Dec 1982) p. 73-78.
8. Rhode Island Men Who Served from New York in the Old French War, 1755-1764 by Jane Fletcher Fiske.  Rhode Island Roots 9:4 (Dec 1983) : p. 83-88.
9. James Newell Arnold by Robert S. Trim, from notes of Clinton W. Sellew.  Rhode Island Roots 10:1 (Mar 1984) p. 4-7.  [a biographical sketch of the important Rhode Island record compiler, James N. Arnold].  See also James Newell Arnold Obituary transcr. by Andrew Boisvert, 27:2 (Jun 2001) p. 82-84. 
   
10. Rhode Island Men Made Freemen 1760 To 1762 by Jane Fletcher Fiske, FASG.  Rhode Island Roots 10:4 (Dec 1984) p. 81-82.  Continued in 11:1 (Mar 1985): p. 7.  11:2 (Jun 1985) p. 17-19.  11:3 (Sep 1985) p. 43-47.  11:4 (Dec 1985) p. 73-76.  12:1 (Mar 1986) p. 10-11.  12:2 (Jun 1986) p. 33-36.  12:3 (Sep 1986) p. 54-58.  12:4 (Dec 1986) p. 72-85.
11. Corrections and Additions to Arnold’s Published Barrington, R.I. Vital Records compiled by H.L. Peter Rounds.  Rhode Island Roots 10:4 (Dec 1984) p. 83-86.
12. A Valuation of the Rateable Property of the Town of Johnston.  Rhode Island Roots 11:2 (Jun 1985) p. 35-37.
13. First Tax List for Foster RI After Division from Scituate RI  transc. by Margery I. Matthews.  Rhode Island Roots 12:2 (Jun 1986) p. 29-32.
14. Revolutionary War Veterans with R.I. Service or Residence, Listed in Connecticut Revolutionary Pensioners, Comp. by Conn. DAR submitted by Dorothy Chapman Saunders.  Rhode Island Roots 13:1 (Mar 1987) p. 14-16.
15. Tables of Contents to the Land and Notarial Records of Rhode Island, from notes of Mary T. Quinn. [characterized as “Collection in the Secretary of State’s Office, Archives Division, State House, Providence, R.I.” this would be today be a collection in the Rhode Island State Archives.  Volume 1 abstracts have been published elsewhere in book form; this series is for volume 2-6.]  For volume 2 (1671-1708): Rhode Island Roots 13:2 (Jun 1987) : p. 27-33.  Continued in 13:3 (Sep 1987) : p. 55-59.   13:4 (Dec 1987)  p. 81-87.  For volume 3 (1708-1721):  14:1 (Mar 1988) p. 18-19.  14:2 (Jun 1988) p. 51-55.  14:3 (Sep 1988) p. 85-89.  14:4 (Dec 1988) p. 109-110.  For volume 4 (1721-1741): 15:1 (Mar 1989) p. 11-15. 15:2 (Jun 1989) p. 47-49.  15:3 (Sep 1989) p. 60-67. 15:4 (Dec 1989) p. 95-99.  16:1 (Mar 1990) p. 10-15.  16:2 (Jun 1990) p. 57-58. For volume 5 (1741-1753): 16:3 (Sep 1990) p. 89-93.  16:4 (Dec 1990) p. 120-125.  17:1 (Mar 1991) p. 20-25.  17:2 (Jun 1991) p. 51-55. 17:3 (Sep 1991) p. 76-79.  17:4 (Dec 1991) p. 112-117.  18:1 (Mar 1992) p. 27-30. For volume 6 (1753-1758):  18: 18:2 (Jun 1992) p. 54-60. 18:3 (Sep 1992) p. 90-95.  18:4 (Dec 1992) p. 122-128. 19:1 (Mar 1993) p. 28-29.   [Buyers, sellers, date and location are listed for early land transactions filed with the state, not the towns, and later books are mostly Powers of Attorney, bonds, ship bills of sale, and Protest (a procedure followed by ship captains) records.]
16. South Kingstown 1757 Tax List.  Rhode Island Roots 13:2 (Jun 1987) p. 37-40.  Continued in 13:3 (Sep 1987) 63-67.
17. St. Patrick’s Cemetery, East Greenwich, R.I. – Places of Origin in Ireland from Tombstones by David W. Dumas.  Rhode Island Roots 14:1 (Mar 1988) p. 14-17.  See also Old Catholic Cemetery, Wakefield, R.I. for similar information 20:4 (Dec 1994) p. 100-105.
18. Elder Matthew Stillman’s Marriages transcribed from a Westerly Sun transcription by Dorothy Stewart and Vera Robinson.  Rhode Island Roots 14:1 (Mar 1988) p. 20-26.  Continued in 14:2 (Jun 1988) p. 56-60. 14:3 (Sep 1988) p. 77-84.  14:4 (Dec 1988) p. 104-108.   [these are from Hopkinton, Rhode Island]
19. Kent County Divorces from Court Records by Katherine Bruce and Violet E. Kettelle.   Rhode Island Roots 14:2 (Jun 1988) p. 41-50.
20. Smithfield’s Town Poor, 1850 by Elizabeth J. Johnson and Roger D. Joslyn.  Rhode Island Roots 15:1 (Mar 1989) : p. 22-23.  [by combining information from an 1850 printed book, identifying inmates in R.I. poor farms by initials only, with the 1850 federal census that provides names of inmates, the authors compiled of list of “cause of poverty” and “birthplace” for each inmate, and suggested the procedure could work for all Rhode Island poor farms in 1850.  A great idea.]
21. Coffin Plates Made by Silversmith Thomas Perry of Westerly transcribed by Vera M. Robinson from the Westerly Sun.  Rhode Island Roots 15:2 (Jun 1989) p. 44-46.  Continued in 15:3 (Sep 1989) p. 75-77.  15:4 (Dec 1989) p. 100-102.  16:1 (Mar 1990) p. 24-26. 
22. Colony Mortgages, Newport Historical Society abstr. by Bertram Lippincott III.  Rhode Island Roots 16:2 (Jun 1990) : p. 46-53.  Also, Wills at the Newport Historical Society by the same author.  17:2 (Jun 1991) p. 59-62.
23. John Tefft and His Children: A Colonial Generation Gap by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 18:3 (Sep 1992) : p. 76-80. [see also errata in 19:1 (Mar 1993) p. 32. ]
24. The Glocester 1778 Tax List transcr. by Jane Fletcher Fiske.  Rhode Island Roots 19:2 (Jun 1993) p. 47-57.   Continued in 19:3 (Sep 1993) p. 87-95.  20:1 (Mar 1994) p. 21-30.  20:2 (Jun 1994) p. 55-62.  20:3 (Sep 1994) p. 72-80.  20:4 (Dec 1994) p. 112-120.
25. Petitions to the Rhode Island General Assembly from the Rhode Island State Archives. Volume 1 (1725-1729): Rhode Island Roots 20:1 (Mar 1994) p. 5-7.  Volume 2 (1728-1733): 20:2 (Jun 1994) p. 41-45.  Volume 3 (1734-1738): 20:3 (Sep 1994) p. 87-93.  Volume 4 (1739-1742): 20:4 (Dec 1994) p. 121-126.  Volume 5 (1739-1743):  21:1 (Mar 1995) p. 25-29.  Volume 6 (1743-1748): 21:2 (Jun 1995) p. 44-48.  Volume 7 (1748-1750):  21:4 (Dec 1995) p. 118-122.  Volume 8 (1751-1754)  23:1 (Mar 1997) p. 13-20.  
26. Smithfield Tax List (A List of the Polls and Estates Real and Personal of the Proprietors and Inhabitants of the Town of Smithfield in the State of Rhode Island … 1778).  Rhode Island Roots 21:1: (Mar 1995) p. 17-23.  21:2 (Jun 1995) p. 57-62.  21:3 (Sep 1995) p. 90-94.  22:1 (Mar 1996) p. 25-28.  22:2 (Jun 1996) p. 54-57.  22:4 (Dec 1996) p. 120-131.  23:1 (Mar 1997) p. 21-29.
27. Indentures at the Dexter Asylum, 1828-1844 by Maureen Taylor.  Rhode Island Roots 22:3 (Sep 1996) p. 68-70.
28. Blacks in the 1774 Census of Rhode Island by David Lambert.  Rhode Island Roots 22:3 (Sep 1996) p. 90-94.
29. State Farm Records: Abstracts, 1871-1872 by Jean Therrien.  Rhode Island Roots 23:2 (Jun 1997) : p. 51-56.  23:3 (Sep 1997) p. 76-79.  23:4 (Dec 1997) p. 112-115.  25:1 (Mar 1999) p. 17-20.
30. Major Henry Rice of Warwick and His Family by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 24:1/2 (Mar/Jun 1998) p. 1-60.  See also John Rice of Warwick, Rhode Island 24:3/4 (Sep/Dec 1998) p. 153-168 and John2 Rice, Jr. of Warwick, Rhode Island 25:3 (Sep 1999) p. 81-118 also 26:3 (Sep 2000) p. 57-84 and 27:1 (Mar 2001) p. 1-26.  See also addenda 28:3 (Sep 2002) p. 153 also 29:1 (Mar 2003) p. 50-53 and 29:2 (Jun 2003) p. 108
31. Burial Records from the State Institutions at Howard by Florence Patenaude.  Rhode Island Roots 24:1/2 (Mar/Jun 1998) p. 71-110. Continued in 24: 3/4 (Sep/Dec 1998) p. 191-258.  24:1 (Mar 1999) p. 24-35.  25:2 (Jun 1999) p. 51-71.  26:3 (Sep 2000) p. 19-41. See additional note 27:1 (Mar 2001) p. 46.
32. Rhode Island Families in Print: Some Notes on Recent Work by David W. Dumas.  Rhode Island Roots 24:1/2 (Mar/Jun 1998) p. 119-122.
33. Shortcomings of the 1850 Census by Jeffrey Howe.  Rhode Island Roots 24:3/4 (Sep/Dec) p. 259-264.  [I saw this article years ago and was anxious to find it again; it opened my eyes to the numerous versions of each census page. Sure, the census can be wrong, but that is also compounded by the duplication processes that happened while the copies that we access today were being made.  This article is a gem.]
34. Rhode Island Loyalists by Paul J. Bunnell.  Rhode Island Roots 25:1 (Mar 1999) p. 21-23.
35. Irons Family Genealogy – First Draft [by a group of RIGS members, working briefly to put a draft together, to be followed by member input and corrections.  Not to be cited as a source.]  Rhode Island Roots 26:1 (Mar 2000) p. 1-152.
36. The Parents of Hezekiah Herendeen: A Mystery Three-Quarters Solved by William B. Saxbe.  Rhode Island Roots 26:4 (Dec 2000) p. 109-112. See also errata 28:2 (Jun 2002) p. 101. [A Smithfield family].
37. Members of the Coventry Church of Christ 1824-1897 transcr. by Margery I. Matthews.  Rhode Island Roots 27:3 (Sep 2001 – note page displays 2000 in error) p. 93-130.
38. Walter5 Spencer (Benjamin4, Walter3, Benjamin2, John1 of East Greenwich and his Descendants by Violet Kettelle and Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 28:1 (Mar 2002) p. 1-26.
39. Dr. Jeremiah Greene and His Family: A Cautionary Tale for Genealogists by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 28:3 (Sep 2002) p. 105-120.  [this article makes you wonder if divorce/murder/insanity stories might be hiding in plain sight in your family tree … ]
40. The Family of Bartholomew2 Johnson (Elkanah1): Coventry to New York by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 28:4 (Dec 2002) p. 157-172.  See addenda 29:3 (Sep 2003) p. 161.
41. The Unknown Parents of Daniel5 Walling, Grandson of Daniel3 Hix and James Walling by William B. Saxbe.  Rhode Island Roots 29:1 (Mar 2003) p. 1-8.
42. Warnings out from Coventry Town Council Minutes transcr. by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 29:1 (Mar 2003) p. 9-30.
43. Some Rhode Islanders in Surinam: Notes from the Records of John Waterman by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 29:2 (Jun 2003) p. p. 77-86.
44. Deaths from the Bills of the Overseers of the Poor, Richmond, Rhode Island, 1820-1850 by Vera M. Robinson.  Rhode Island Roots 29:2 (Jun 2003) p. 87-88.  See addenda 29:3 (Sep 2003) p. 161.
45. A Line of Descent from Elkanah1 Johnson of Coventry Through his Son John2 and Grandson Obadiah3 Part 1 by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 29:3 (Sep 2003) : p. p. 113-137. Part 2  29:4 (Dec 2003) p.169-181. Part 3 30:2 (Jun 2004) p. 117-141. see also addenda 30:4 (Dec 2004) p. 205 and errata 32:2 (Jun 2006) p. 96-100.  Other work on this family appears in 31:3, 33:3, 33:4, 34:1, 34:2. Addenda 34:2 (Jun 2008) p. 96. Another line is followed in 38:3, 38:4 and 39:1. See also a note in 39:2 (Jun 2013) p. 105.  
46. Rhode Island Casualties in the Spanish-American War: Information from the Rhode Island State Archives by Kenneth S. Carlson.  Rhode Island Roots 29:3 (Sep 2003) p. 156-181.
47. The 1774 Census of Rhode Island A New Look at an Old Friend by the Editors.  Rhode Island Roots 29:3 (Sep 2003) p. 165-166.  Charlestown and Westerly 29:4 (Dec 2003) p. 182-199.  Exeter, Hopkinton and Richmond 30:1 (Mar 2004) p. 15-40.  North Kingstown and South Kingstown 30:2 (Jun 2004) p. 87-109.  East Greenwich and West Greenwich 30:3 (Sep 2004) p. 142-159.  Warwick 30:4 (Dec 2004) p. 194-205.  Coventry 31:1 (Mar 2005) p. 23-31.  Providence  31:2 (Jun 2005) p. 66-87.  Smithfield 31:3 (Sep 2005) p. 128-141. Glocester 31:4 (Dec 2005) p. 181-195.  Cranston  32:1 (Mar 2006) p. 23-32.  Cumberland and North Providence 32:2 (Jun 2006) p. 73-85.  Scituate 32:3 (Sep 2006) p. 135-150.  Johnston  32:4 (Dec 2006) p. 109-134. Warren 33:1 (Mar 2007) p. 23-27.  Barrington  33:2 (Jun 2007) p. 90-92. Bristol 33:3 (Sep 2007) p. 113-137. Tiverton 33:4 (Dec 2007) p. 169-193.  Little Compton 34:1 (Mar 2008) p. 26-31.  Middletown 34:2 (Jun 2008) p. 72-75.  Portsmouth 34:3 (Sep 2008) p. 133-137.  Jamestown 34:4 (Dec 2008) p. 189-191.  Newport 35:1 (Mar 2009) p. 9-20, also 33:2 (Jun 2009) p. 81-92 and 35:3 (Sep 2009) p. 130-139.
    
48. Warning Out in Rhode Island: The Example of Barshaba (Berry?) (Peirce) Herrington by Iain H. Bruce.  Rhode Island Roots 30:1 (Mar 2004) : p. 1-14.
49. Visiting Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries by John E. Sterling.  Rhode Island Roots 30:1 (Mar 2004) p. 41-44.
50. The Three Captains Joseph Tillinghast of Proividence by Wayne G. Tillinghast.  Rhode Island Roots 30:2 (Jun 2004) p. 57-86.
51. One Line of Descent from Robert Vickery: Making Sense of the Record by George Braningan.  Part 1 Rhode Island Roots 30:4 (Dec 2004) p. 171-193.  Part 2  31:1 (Mar 2005) p. 1-22.  31:2 (Jun 2005) p. 49-65.  See addenda 31:3 (Sep 2005) p. 158.
52. Guardianships from the Town of Scituate, R.I. 1762-1799 by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 30:4 (Dec 2004) p. 206-228.
53. Residency Certificates from the Warwick Archives by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 31:1 (Mar 2005) p. 32-39.
54. Black and Indian Sailors Born in Rhode Island: Bristol Customs House Protection Papers by Jeffrey Howe.  Rhode Island Roots 31:1 (Mar 2005) p. 91-98 and 31:3 (Sep 2005) p. 143-155. New London  31:4 (Dec 2005) p. 196-200.  New Bedford  32:1 (Mar 2006) p. 43-44.  New Bedford 32:2 (Jun 2006) p. 91-93.  Providence  32:3 (Sep 2006) p. 156-163 also 32:4 (Dec 2006) p. 197-207, 33:1 (Mar 2007) p. 34-49.
55. One Line of Descent from Benjamin Horton of Scituate, Rhode Island by Margaret R. Jenks.  Rhode Island Roots 31:4 (Dec 2005) p. 161-180.
56. Archibald Campbell, Esq.: Ancestors and Descendants by Bruce C. MacGunnugle.  Part 1 Rhode Island Roots 32:1 (Mar 2006) p. 1-22. Part 2 32:2 (Jun 2006) p. 53-72. Part 3  32:3 (Sep 2006) p. 109-134.
57. Manumissions in Providence, 1784-1800 by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 32:4 (Dec 2006) p. 193-196.
58. The Probably Origins and Ancestry of John Crandall, of Westerly, Rhode Island (1618-1676) by Paul M. Gifford.  Rhode Island Roots 32:4 (Dec 2006) p. 165-185.
59. Caesar, Murray and William Lippitt of Warwick, Rhode Island by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 33:2 (Jun 2007) p. 57-89.  Addenda 33:4 (Dec 2007) p. 206-208.
60. Some Northern Rhode Island Men Unable to Equip Themselves as Required by Law, 1776 by Linda L. Mathew.  Rhode Island Roots 33:2 (Jun 2007) p. 106-110.  See also Exeter and Richmond 35:1 (Mar 2009) p. 34-37. North Kingstown 37:3 (Sep 2011) p. 142.
61. Checklist of R.I. Photographers from City Directories by Stephen P. Gross. This project was introduced in 33:2 (Jun 2007) p. 101-105.  [This series was continued for several years and covered many R.I. cities and towns, as an aid to those trying to identify a photograph.]
62. 1783 Rateable Estates and Polls of Newport by Charles A. Watson.  Rhode Island Roots 34:2 (Jun 2008) : p. 91-95.
63. Smithfield, R.I. Manumissions: Glasco, Jenne, and Their Children by Charlotte Scozzafava.  Rhode Island Roots 34:2 (Jun 2008) : p. 98-101.
64. Ichabod Northrup, “Soldier of the Revolution” and His Descendants by Bruce C. MacGunnigle.  Rhode Island Roots 34:3 (Sep 2008) p. 113-132. also 34:4 (Dec 2008) p. 169-188.
65. John Millard (John1) and His Descendants by Judith Crandall Harbold.  Part 1 Rhode Island Roots 35:3 (Sep 2009) : p. 113-129. Continued in 35:4 and 36:1.
66. Notes on Mary Carder of Warwick by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 35:1 (Mar 2009) p. 3-33.
67. Pawcatuck Seventh-Day Baptist Church, Westerly: Records of Jonathan Maxson by Jane Hoxie Maxson.  Rhode Island Roots 35:2 (Jun 2009) p. 100-109.
68. Free People of Color in the 1825 Census of Providence, R.I. by Jeffrey Howe.  Rhode Island Roots 36:1 (Mar 2010) p. 26-32.
69. Joshua Rathbun and His Family by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 36:1 (Mar 2010) p. 33-44. Continued in 36:2,
70. 21 Jabez Bowens by William B. Saxbe, Jr.  Rhode Island Roots 36:2 (Jun 2010) p. 57-78. Additional note 38:3 (Sep 2012) p. 147.
71. The Family of Vincenzo Lautieri in Italy and Rhode Island by Shellee A. Morehead.  Rhode Island Roots 36:3 (Sep 2010) p. 113-124.
72. Unexpected News from the 1810 U.S. Census of East Greenwich, R.I. by Bruce Campbell MacGunnigle.  Rhode Island Roots 36:3 (Sep 2010) p. 125-133.
73. Eliza Blackington, Wife of Philip4 Sweet by Jane Belcher.  Rhode Island Roots 37:1 (Mar 2011) p. 1-12.
74. Navigating the Shoals of the 1810 Census and Beyond by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 37:1 (Mar 2011) p. 13-16.  [This had me looking back at all my 1810 census records. There is definitely a problem. ]
75. An Ulster Transplant: Thomas Cammett of Salisbury, Massachusetts and Warwick, R.I. by Michael F. Dwyer.  Rhode Island Roots 40:1 (Mar 2014) p. 3-22. Cont. in 40:2.
76. “Ensign Beriah Hopkins His Book” by Rachel Peirce.  Rhode Island Roots 40:1 (Mar 2014) p. 23-35.  [My ancestor Philip Andrews was mentioned at Fort Stanwix, Rome, N.Y.]
77. Henry Straight of Portsmouth and East Greenwich, R.I. and His Family. by Patricia R. Reed.  Rhode Island Roots 40:3 (Sep 2014) p. 115-134. Cont. in 40:4.  See errata 40:4 (Dec 2014) p. 225.
78. “Martyrs to the Cause of Liberty”: Hopkinton Boys in the Fighting Fourth by Robert Grandchamp.  Rhode Island Roots 40:3 (Sep 2014) p. 135-143.
79. Hannah Gray, Wife of Kendal Burdick by David Kendall Martin.  Rhode Island Roots 40:4 (Dec 2014) p. 171-184.
80. Amy (Smith) Russell and her Family by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 37:2 (Jun 2011) p. 57-78.
81. Who Was Ruth, the First Wife of Nathan Eldred of Rhode Island and Vermont?  by Nancy Smith.  Rhode Island Roots 41:3 (Sep 2015) p. 159-167.
    
82. Some Tips on Using Quaker Records by Elizabeth Cazden.  Rhode Island Roots 37:2 (Jun 2011) p. 103-106
83. The Missing Wife in a Line of Joseph Churches by Jeffrey Howe.  Rhode Island Roots 37:3 (Jun 2011) p. 113-118.
84. Notes on Thomas Ward of Newport by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 38:3 (Sep 2012) p.148-164.
85. Joseph Crandall (1798-1888) of Franklin County, N.Y. by Judith C. Harbold.  Rhode Island Roots 38:2 (Jun 2012) p. 59-72.
86. West Greenwich, R.I. Earmarks in 1741 by John F. Capron III.  Rhode Island Roots 41:1 (Mar 2015) p. 26-29.
87. Smallpox in Providence, 1777-1779 by Linda L. Mathew. Part 1 Rhode Island Roots 38:1 (Mar 2012) p. 1-22. Part 2 Part 2 38:2 (Jun 2012) p. 85-97.
88. Genealogical Clues from Newport, R.I. Customs District Records by John F. Capron III.  Rhode Island Roots 38:1 (Mar 2012) p. 33-54.
89. Margaret (Ward) (Bradley) Wrightington by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg and Michael F. Dwyer. Part One: Piracy and Piety in Newport Rhode Island Roots 38:4 (Dec 2012)  p. 169-183. Part Two: George3 Bradley (George1) 39:1 (Mar 2013) p. 1-14. Part Three: Margaret Wrightington’s Descendants. 39:2 (Jun 2013) p. 57-84.
90. Men of Color in the R.I. Regimental Book for 1781 by Bruce C. MacGunnigle. Part One: Piracy and Piety in Newport Rhode Island Roots 38:4 (Dec 2012) : p. 206.
91. A Line of Descent from Ambrose Taylor, Chairmaker of Warwick, Rhode Island by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 39:3 (Sep 2013) p. 113-134.
92. “Aunt Hat” and the Bigamy King by Rachel Peirce.  Rhode Island Roots 39:3 (Sep 2013) p. 135-150.  [One of my favorite articles.] 
93. Gardner Thurston’s Baptisms by Bert Lippincott III.  Rhode Island Roots 39:2 (Jun 2013) p. 97-103.
94. Sarah Charles, Josias Budgel, her Husband, and Their Children by Nelson Tamakloe.  Rhode Island Roots 39:4 (Dec 2013) p. 171-202.
95. Warwick Records in 1776 by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 39:4 (Dec 2013) p. 203-206.
96. The Ledoux/Sweet Family of Quebec, Vermont, and Pawtucket, R.I. by Michael F. Dwyer.  Part One.  Rhode Island Roots 41:4 (Dec 2015) p. 171-190.
97. The 1762 Tax List of East Greenwich by Bruce C. MacGunnigle.  Rhode Island Roots 41:4 (Dec 2015) p. 224-230
98. Winsor Fry of East Greenwich, Rhode Island and His Descendants by Bruce C. MacGunnigle. Part One Rhode Island Roots 41:1 (Mar 2015) p. 30-40.  Part Two 41:2 (Jun 2015) p. 75-89.
99. Notes on Deaths at the Smithfield Town Farm and Asylum, 1865-1870 by Mickey Finn-Jordan.  Rhode Island Roots 41:4 (Dec 2015) : p. 191-200.
100. Arnold Tifft of Smithfield and His Family by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg.  Rhode Island Roots 41:4 (Dec 2015) : p. 201-223.

I’ve mentioned before the important annual “Gleanings” issues of Rhode Island Roots that contain transcribed early town records.  Look them over here.

“Gleanings” – special issues of Rhode Island Roots.

The post you are reading is located at:  https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/2016/02/26/my-favorite-100-rhode-island-roots-articles

Wouldn’t it be nice to see some of the original records of the General Court of Trials, held in various Rhode Island locations around the state during the 1600’s and early 1700’s.

So it turns out you can see some of them, for free.  If you go to the bottom of this web page on Helin Digital Commons,  the last 5 entries (scroll all the way down …) from 1724 contain over 400 pages of original Rhode Island court records.  Pulling up any one of the five books shows you a download button in the top corner, for that book only, and an index spreadsheet towards the bottom of the page.  There are five book parts and one index.

Helin Digital Commons page for Part 1. Note the download button, to store it permanently on your computer, and the index link at the bottom – the index downloads as a spreadsheet.

If you are interested in this sort of thing, I would suggest you download the 5 parts and the index, and store them on your own computer.  This is publicly available but you never know when something will go away.

The Index

I downloaded the index, which is a spreadsheet, opened it in Excel, selected the whole sheet, used Sort & Filter –> Custom Sort –> and set it to sort by the following columns in this order:  B, A, D, C.  This made the index really useful.  To sort by the other side, I sorted the columns in this order:  D, C, B, A.

I quickly spotted several of my ancestors who were either litigious or got into some trouble. There are some “Indictments” in the list as well as civil suits, so this seems to cover civil and criminal matters, but by no means is it complete.

The web page gives the range of page numbers found in each book.  The page numbers from the index refer to the handwritten page number at the top corner of every page (not the electronic image number).  Once you know the page you want, you find which book has that page.

Looking at the records

George Lanpheare of Westerly sued Jonathan Babcock for 48 pounds. R.I. General Court of Trials, page 441.  You can see the page number is right in the corner.

I looked for this entry:  George Lampheare v. Jonathan Babcocke – 1724 – 441.  Only the page number is needed to find the record.  It was in Part 5.

Lanpher to Babcocke [in margin].  George Lanpheare of Westerly in the Colony oforesd, Labourer Petn on Accon of Debt by Bond Damage £48 : Currt money of New England Jonathan Babcocke of Westerly Labourer Debt the Deft made Default Therefore It is Considered by the Court that he the sd George Lanphere have & recover of & agst the sd Jonathan Babcocke fifteen Pounds Nineteen Shillings & fix fence Debt & Damages & Costs of Suit £3 : 5 : 4 Execution Granted.

I found page 441 to look over this Lanpheare case (probably belongs to my 8th great-grandfather George Lamphere).  Noting something unexplained about fence debt, I looked around a bit at the surrounding pages and found another entry for him, unindexed, where he is ordered to pay some fence debt.  I think if items are close together, they seem to have one index entry only.

Although I did not see my 11th great-grandparents Mary or Richard Pray in the index, they were mentioned in a charge of copulation against Shadrack Manton in 1672 (page 8 of Part 1).  Shardack pled not guilty and the jury found him not guilty.

Upon an Indictment by the Genl Salisoter against Shadrack Manton of providence, for having Carnall Copulation with mary pray the wife of Richard pray. [06 May 1672].

Other published early court records

For access to additional records,  two volumes have been compiled with more thorough indices:

• Fiske, Jane Fletcher. Gleanings from Newport Court Files 1659-1783. Boxford, Massachusetts: 1998.
• Fiske, Jane Fletcher, transcriber. Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1671-1704. Boxford, Massachusetts, 1998.  (still for sale at R.I. Genealogical Society:  http://www.rigensoc.org/forsale.php  )

I had fun looking at these old pages.  I only wish more of the Rhode Island judicial records were online.

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State- and County-wide Genealogical Books and Resources

for Providence County, Rhode Island

Comprehensive overviews

• Bamberg, Cherry Fletcher. “RI Genealogy FAQ.” Rhode Island Genealogical Society website. http://www.rigensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=24 : 2015.
• Leclerc, Michael J. Genealogist’s Handbook for New England Research, 5th Edition. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2012.
• Taylor, Maureen A. “Genealogical Research in Rhode Island.” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 88 (March 2000): Image copy. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/ngsq_archives [see vol. 88] : Accessed 2015.

Map of Providence County, 1936. From John Hutchins Cady, Rhode Island Boundaries 1636-1936 (Providence, Rhode Island Tercentenary Commission, 1936), p25.

Cemeteries

• Sterling, John E. North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island, Old Section 1700-1848. Greenville, Rhode Island: Rhode Island Genealogical Society, 2000.
• Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Commission. Search Web Databases. Database. http://www.rihistoriccemeteries.org/ : 2015. [builds on more than a century of work by Rhode Islanders such as James N. Arnold and John Sterling to offer a compiled index to what were previously separate resources. Click on “details” for the entry to see further info and, sometimes, a picture.]
• Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Commission. Map of Rhode Island Cemeteries: http://www.rihistoriccemeteries.org/cemmap.aspx [a very helpful map to many of the Rhode Island cemeteries – some are very tiny and away from the road. Clicking a location brings up the cemetery information.]

Census records

[In addition to the federal census 1790-1940, there are specific census collections for Rhode Island.]

• Bamberg, Cherry Fletcher. “Early Rhode Island Censuses.” Rhode Island Genealogical Society website. http://www.rigensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=32 : 2015.
• Bartlett, John R., “arranged by.” Census of the Inhabitants of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 1774. 1858. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 1969. [Access on Ancestry.com at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3081 ]
• Chamberlain, Mildred M. The Rhode Island 1777 Military Census. Baltimore: Clearfield, published under the direction of the R.I. Genealogical Society, 1985. [Access on Ancestry.com at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49316 ]
• Holbrook, Jay Mack. Rhode Island 1782 Census. Oxford, Mass.: Holbrook Research Institute, 1979.
• MacGunnigle, Bruce C. Rhode Island Freemen, 1747-1755. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1982.
• Rhode Island. “Rhode Island, State Censuses, 1865-1935.” Database with images. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4721 : 2015 [no 1895 state census available. Be sure to check out the 1865 census whenever possible; it is incredibly thorough. When searching by time period on Ancestry.com know that all years are indexed under “1935.” When looking at the 1905 cards, go to the NEXT card to see the back of each card – 1905 collects some important data including birth date.]

1905 R.I. census for Catherine (Young) Ross, my gg-grandmother – the only record of her birth date.

• Rhode Island. “Rhode Island, State Censuses, 1885-1935“. Database with images. Familysearch.org. http://www.familysearch.org : 2015 [note: no 1895 state census available].
• Waterman, Katherine U., transcriber. “The Rhode Island Census of 1782.” New England Historic Genealogical Register, volumes 127 (1) (January 1973) through 129 (4) (October 1975). [this is preferred to the Bartlett book, above, as explained in Cherry Fletcher Bamberg’s article at the top of this section.]

Church Records

• Inventory of the Church Archives of Rhode Island. Society of Friends. Providence: Historical Records Survey, 1939. [ online: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015049869467 ]
• Inventory of the Church Archives of Rhode Island. Baptist. Providence: Historical Records Survey, 1941. [online: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/mdp.39015049870267 ]
• Arnold, James N. Vital Records of Rhode Island, 1636-1850. [Note: Volumes 11 – 21 contain many church records. For a guide to all volumes, and links, see https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/free-r-i-vital-records/ ]

Court records

• Fiske, Jane Fletcher. Gleanings from Newport Court Files 1659-1783. Boxford, Massachusetts: 1998.
• Fiske, Jane Fletcher, transcriber. Rhode Island General Court of Trials 1671-1704. Boxford, Massachusetts, 1998.
• Rappaport, Diane. New England Court Records. Burlington, Mass.: Quill Pen Press, 2006. [a guide to finding records in the New England states]

Early settlements

• Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Study Project, including The Great Migration Begins (3 volumes) and The Great Migration (7 volumes). Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995-2011. [this is the most authoritative compiled source for the earliest New England settlers, arriving 1620-1640. Many original Rhode Island settlers first arrived in Massachusetts during those years. Try the master index: The Great Migration Directory to be sure you are seeing all entries.]
• Austin, John Osborne. One Hundred and Sixty Allied Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2009.
• Austin, John Osborne. The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island; Comprising Three Generations of Settlers who Came Before 1690. With Additions and Corrections. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1978. [The most important book in early Rhode Island genealogy. Always use a version with the additions and corrections; there are some notable mistakes in the 1885 original which is available online.]
• Bartlett, John Russell. Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England. Volumes 1 – 10. Reprint, New York: AMS Press, 1968. [contains many personal details including date of freeman status, military appointments, state purchases from residents, tensions between towns, roads, and criminal matters. Can be accessed online, see https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/records-of-the-colony-of-rhode-island/  ]

Title page from Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, volume 1.

• Bowen, Richard LeBaron. The Providence Oath of Allegiance and Its Signers 1651-2. Providence: Issued from the General Court of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, 1943.
• Field, Edward. Tax Lists of the Town of Providence During the Administration of Sir Edmund Andros and His Council 1686-1689. Providence: Howard W. Preston, 1895.
• Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. “American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI).” Database on-line. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=3599 Original data: Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT, USA: Godfrey Memorial Library. [A complied index to many of the holdings of the Godfrey Memorial Library (a genealogy library in Connecticut); an index of names. Also available at larger genealogy libraries in hard copy (over 200 volumes). Once a citation is found, Godfrey has a photocopy service where they will, for a fee, copy the particular item that was cited. Content includes the Genealogy Column of the Boston Transcript, which is likely to contain a reader query about an ancestor and, possibly, in a subsequent entry, an informed response from a genealogist.]
• Rhode Island Land Evidences, Volume 1, 1648-1696. ABSTRACTS. Providence: 1921. [access online: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE7738541 ]

History

• Bayles, Richard Mather, ed. History of Providence County, Rhode Island. 2 volumes. New York, W. W. Preston, 1891. [access online at Hathitrust.org: http://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009580123 ]
• Parker, J. Carlyle, compiler. Rhode Island Biographical and Genealogical Sketch Index.   Turlock, CA, Marietta Publishing Co., 1991. [a handy guide to various “mug books” published in the late 1800’s, useful if your ancestor was prominent during that period. ]

Immigration

• Taylor, Maureen A. Rhode Island Passenger Lists – Port of Providence 1798-1808; 1820-1872 – Port of Bristol and Warren 1820-1871; Compiled from United States Custom House Papers.  Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1995.
• Ancestry.com. “Rhode Island, Indexes to Naturalization Records, 1890-1992.” Database on-line. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2897

Manuscript and archival collections

• Rhode Island Archival and Manuscript Collections Online (RIAMCO). http://library.brown.edu/riamco/index.html [note: only the index, not the materials, are online. Advanced Search points you to paper archives at various locations in Rhode Island.]
• Rider, Sidney S., editor. Rhode Island Historical Tracts. Series 1, 1 – 20, Series 2, 1 – 5. [mostly quirky historical topics, but check the index to series 1, found in volume 20. Access all volumes here: https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/rhode-island-historical-tracts/ ]

Military

• Ancestry.com. “U.S., Civil War Draft Registrations Records, 1863-1865”. Database on-line. Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1666
• Chapin, Howard M. Rhode Island in the Colonial Wars: A List of Soldiers and Sailors in King George’s War 1740-1748 and A List of Rhode Island Soldiers and Sailors in the old French & Indian War 1755-1762. 1918 & 1920. Reprint, Genealogical Publishing Co, 2010. [access online: https://dcms.lds.org/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE3190801]
• Cowell, Benjamin. Spirit of 76 in Rhode Island, or, Sketches of the Efforts of the Government and People in the War of the Revolution. 1850. Reprint, Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1973. [Cowell assisted many veterans with their pension applications in Rhode Island in the decades leading up to the publication of the book.]
• Peirce, Ebenezer W. Peirce’s Colonial Lists: Civil, Military and Professional Lists of Plymouth and Rhode Island Colonies, 1621-1700. Reprint, Baltimore: Clearfield, 2001.
• Rhode Island Historical Society. Register of Seamen’s Protection Certificates from the Providence, Rhode Island Custom District 1796-1870. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1995.
• Rhode Island in the American Revolution: A Source Guide for Genealogists and Historians by Eric G. Grundset for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR Source Guides on the American Revolution Series No. 4), 2014.  [An excellent bibliography – not limited to military – also covers any materials from that era]

Rhode Island in the American Revolution, A Source Guide for Genealogists and Historians

• Smith, Joseph Jencks. Civil and Military List of Rhode Island. 1647-1800. Providence: Preston and Rounds, 1900. [See also New Index to the Civil and Military Lists of Rhode Island by Joseph Jencks Smith, 1907.]

Newspapers

• Chronicling America: U.S. Newspaper Directory. Database. http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/titles/ Search “Select State” = Rhode Island. [there are 742 different titles – click “Libraries that Have It” to see if you can find it at a nearby library.  This is just a guide; there are no online R.I. newspapers at that site yet.]
• Genealogy Bank. Image database. http://www.genealogybank.com/  [Browsing by state is possible.]
• Marks, Kenneth R. “Rhode Island Online Historical Newspapers Summary – Updated 2015.” The Ancestor Hunt. 8 June 2015. http://www.theancestorhunt.com/blog/rhode-island-online-historical-newspapers-summary-updated-2015  : 2015.

[The most needed newspaper resource for Providence County would be an indexed, digital archive of The Providence Journal since 1829. This does not yet exist.]

Probate

• Ancestry.com.  “Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932.” Ancestry.com. http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9079 : 2015.

Vital Records

• Arnold, James N. Vital Records of Rhode Island, 1636-1850. Volumes 1 – 21. [for a guide to all volumes, and links, see https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/free-r-i-vital-records/  ]
• Beaman, Alden G. Rhode Island Vital Records, New Series. Volumes 1 – 13. [Some coverage in Newport, Washington, and Kent Counties only. Vital records often gleaned from other types of records, like gravestones or probate. May be useful as an index to seek out the original record to make your own interpretation. ]
• “Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914. “ Abstracts. FamilySeach.org.  https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675525 : 2015. [“compiled from a variety of sources” “not complete for any region.”]
• “Rhode Island, Deaths and Burials, 1802-1950. “ Abstracts. FamilySeach.org.  https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675536 : 2015. [“compiled from a variety of sources” “not complete for any region.”]
• “Rhode Island, Marriages, 1724-1916.” Abstracts. FamilySeach.org.   https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1675538 : 2015. [“compiled from a variety of sources” “not complete for any region.”]
• Torrey, Clarence Almon. New England Marriages Prior to 1700. Volumes 1 – 3. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2011.   [Torrey is essentially a bibliography of any mention of the married couple in various older sources. Consult the sources noted for specifics. Use the most recent edition of Torrey available to benefit from modern additions and corrections.]

Journals

• Narragansett Historical Register, 1-9, 1882-1891, published by James Newell Arnold.  Facsimile reprint published by Heritage Books. [See all original copies online here: https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/2012/05/28/the-narragansett-historical-register-free/ ]
• Rhode Island Genealogical Register. Volumes 1 – 20, 1978-1996. Rhode Island Families Association (founded by Alden Beaman). [not available online. Contains vital record abstracts, articles, and brief genealogies. Volume 16 “Rhode Island Will Index” is a compiled index of will abstracts contained in volumes 1 – 15.]
• Rhode Island History. Rhode Island Historical Society. [Search and access 1942-2010: Rhode Island History. http://www.rihs.org/publication_search.php ]

The newly renamed Mary Elizabeth Robinson Research Center of the Rhode Island Historical Society, Hope Street, Providence.

• Rhode Island Roots, 1975-present. Rhode Island Genealogical Society. [To search and access back issues of Rhode Island Roots see the instructions on the RI Genealogical Society website: http://www.rigensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=14 . ]

[Additional note: Rhode Island families can be found in any of the major U.S. genealogy journals, or statewide journals. For instance, Vermont and New York State were common destinations for those who left Rhode Island around 1800. Try the journal search at the NEHGS AmericanAncestors.org site. ]

Local

Burrillville

• Keach, Howard A. Burrillville: As It Was and Is. Providence: Knowles, Anthony & Co., printers, 1856.

Central Falls  

• Haley, John Williams, Roscoe Morton Dexter, Mrs. Herbert Gould Beede. The lower Blackstone river valley; the story of Pawtucket, Central Falls, Lincoln, and Cumberland, Rhode Island; an historical narrative. Pawtucket, R.I.: E.L. Freeman Co., 1937.

Cranston

• Clauson, J. Earl. Cranston: A Historical Sketch. Providence: T.S. Hammond, 1904.

Cumberland

• Balfour, David W and Joyce Hindle Koutsogiane. Cumberland by the Blackstone: 250 Years of Heritage. Virginia Beach: The Donning Company: 1997.
• Ray, Judith Jenckes. Founders and Patriots of the Town of Cumberland, Rhode Island.  Baltimore : Gateway Press, 1990. 
  
• Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission. Historical and Architectural Resources of Cumberland, Rhode Island. RIHPC: 1990.
• Simpson, Robert. North Cumberland: A History.[Chelsea, Vt.] : [Acorn Press], [1975].
• Sprague, Abigail A. (Field). “Abigail Sprague’s History of Cumberland.” Mss. 1023. The Rhode Island Historical Society Research Center, Providence, Rhode Island.

East Providence

• Conforti, Joseph. Our Heritage: a history of East Providence. White Plains: Monarch, 1976.

Foster

• Faig, Kenneth W, Charles C. Beaman, Casey B. Taylor. Early Historical Accounts of Foster, Rhode Island. Glenview, Ill.: Moshassuck Press, 1993.

Glocester

• Fiske, Jane Fletcher, transcriber. Glocester 1778 Tax List: “A List of the Polls and Estates Real and Personal of the Proprietors and Inhabitants of the Town of Glocester in the State of Rhode Island.” Rhode Island Roots, volumes 19 (1993) through 20 (1994).
• Perry, Elizabeth A. A Brief History of the Town of Glocester, Rhode Island. Providence: Providence Press Co, 1886.

Johnston

• Nebiker, Walter, Russell Wright, and the Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission. Preliminary survey Report: Town of Johnston. Providence, R.I.: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commission, 1976.

Lincoln

• Greene, Welcome A. Historical Sketch of the Town of Lincoln, in the State of Rhode Island. Central Falls, R.I.: E.L. Freeman, 1876.

North Providence

• Angell, Frank C. Annals of Centerdale In the town of North Providence, Rhode Island Its Past and Present. 1636-1909. By author, 1909.

North Smithfield

• Nebiker, Walter E. The History of North Smithfield. North Smithfield Bicentennial Commission, 1976.
• Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission. Historical and Architectural Resources of North Smithfield, Rhode Island: A Preliminary Report. Providence: RIHPC, 1980.

Pawtucket

• Historical Sketch of the Town of Pawtucket, Rhode Island, prepared by Rev. Massena Goodrich. Originally Pawtucket, R.I., 1876, reprinted Heritage Books, 2012.

Providence

• Bamberg, Cherry Fletcher. 1776 Census of Providence, Rhode Island. New England Historic Genealogical Register, 159 (Jan 2005): 12-24 and (April 2005) 141-154.
• Hopkins, Charles Wyman. Home Lots of the Early Settlers of the Providence Plantations. 1886, reprinted Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co, 2007.
• Lemons, J. Stanley. Baptists in Early North America: Volume II, First Baptist Church in Providence. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 2013.
• Mathew, Linda L. “Gleanings from Rhode Island Town Records: Providence Town Council Records, 1770-1788.” Rhode Island Roots. Special Bonus Issue 2006 (April 2006).
• Mathew, Linda L. “Gleanings from Rhode Island Town Records: Providence Town Council Records, 1789-1801.” Rhode Island Roots. Special Bonus Issue 2007 (April 2007).

“Gleanings” – special issues of Rhode Island Roots.

• The Providence House Directory and Family Address Book, various issues, 1895-1935. Providence: Sampson & Murdock Co.  Image copy. Providence City Archives. https://www.providenceri.com/archives/providence-house-directory-0    : 2015. [note: see a few other directories at https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/providence-city-directories/ ]
• Rogers, Horatio, George Moulton Carpenter and Edward Field. The Early Records of the Town of Providence, v. 1 – 21. Providence: Snow & Farnham, 1895. [note: contains many personal references, for instance, early marriage banns were read at the town council, instead of church. Access all volumes here: https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/early-records-of-the-town-of-providence/   ]
• Woodward, Wm. McKenzie and Edward F. Sanderson. Providence: A Citywide Survey of Historic Resources. Providence: Rhode Island Historic Preservation Commission, 1980.
• Cady, John Hutchins. The Civic and Architectural Development of Providence 1636-1950. Providence: The Book Shop, 1957. [note: reviews the growth and development of the various neighborhoods.]

Scituate

• Grandchamp, Robert. “With Their Usual Ardor”: Scituate, Rhode Island and the American Revolution. Westminster, Maryland: Heritage Press, 2006.
• Mathew, Linda L. “Gleanings from Rhode Island Town Records: Scituate Town Council Records, 1731-1786.” Rhode Island Roots. Special Bonus Issue 2011 (April 2011).

Smithfield

• [Fiske, Jane Fletcher, transcriber?] Smithfield 1778 Tax List: “A List of the Polls and Estates Real and Personal of the Proprietors and Inhabitants of the Town of Smithfield in the State of Rhode Island.” Rhode Island Roots, volumes 21 (1995) through 23 (1997).
• Sanborn, Melinde Lutz. “Smithfield, Rhode Island Death Records Culled from Probates.” New England Historic Genealogical Register 146 (October 1992): 343-351.
• Steere, Thomas. History of the Town of Smithfield from its Organization, in 1730-1, to its Division, in 1871. Providence: E.L. Freeman, 1881.

Woonsocket

• Richardson, E. History of Woonsocket. Woonsocket: S.S. Foss, Printer: [note: contains a genealogy section. Access book online at: https://archive.org/details/historyofwoonsoc00rich ]

[Additional note: various city directories are also available on Ancestry.com: http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8778 ]

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