Researching your Roots in Rhode Island

New England town records represent a unique resource for Family historians. Early settlers from England brought their traditions of town governance to the new world, including their ideas of legal matters and record keeping. The result is a treasure trove of documents that capture aspects of our ancestors’ lives as they went about their day-to-day business. These records are especially valuable for the 17th and 18th centuries as many other records may not have survived. This webinar covers not only vital record sources but also records from the Town Treasurer, Overseers of the Poor, and the Selectmen.

Looking for Rhode Islanders in the Revolutionary War era, or 1865-1935? The Rhode Island colonial and state census collections offer amazing details, but each enumeration is quite different. Looking for all men 16 and over in 1777? Exact dates of birth? Civil War service? Name of school attended? Learn how to navigate the arrangements online and match family members to their records.

Just as some New Englanders left their declining farms and headed west, industrialization arrived in New England and our ancestors' lives and records changed forever. The days when deeds and probate would solve genealogical problems gave way to a dizzying array of new census collections, state mandated vital records, poorhouse, prison and asylum records, sturdier cemetery markers, and military pensions. Let's re-teach ourselves as we trace 1800's ancestors.

Researching ancestors who lived in colonial New England can be challenging. This webinar begins by tracing settlement patterns, setting the stage for understanding key records and where to find them. For the 17th century, many unique published resources exist to help the family researcher. During the colonial years, several conflicts such as King Philip’s War and the Seven Years War affected settlement and thus the surviving records. The 18th century culminated in the Revolutionary War, but also saw the continued growth of settlement and ultimately resources for the family historian.

Before railroads, New Englanders traveled by water along the coast from CT to RI and MA to ME. Records for those following a seafaring life (and their families) can be found in archives and other repositories along the coast.

Epidemics of smallpox, measles, yellow fever, diphtheria and other illnesses were common ailments in New England from colonial times up through the 19th century. Learn more about these diseases, why they were so greatly feared by your ancestors, and remedies they may have used.

We'll talk about original sources such as town records books as well as the many printed and database options. Learn how to use the "tan books," vital records from 1841, and all the other lesser known resources available.

What methods and best practices might work well for YOUR Rhode Island brick wall ancestor? Five stories of breaking through brick walls will help you find new strategies for your own research.

Given Rhode Island's unique and fascinating history, it's no surprise that today's repositories of records and artifacts are quite varied. Learn about the best sites for various record types, and how to navigate the sources of your family's story in person, near the beaches and seafood of Rhode Island.