Tips and Helpful Hints For New Researchers to this Board
TipsIf you are new to this board or genealogy research, when the home page opens for RI in the right hand corner of this page are the Counties for this area...So take a lookin those counties also.....................Also many persons over look the county postings...
and remember if youlike us researchers to to help you in your research postings use
WHONamesFirst and last names and anyone you think connects as a relative(Many families lived togetherespecially if they came here from other countries)
WhatYou need and dont need if you have exhausted census records please include the census record years
Whendates of Births...deaths ...Marriage to the best of your ability you can use ABOUT Dates if You dont know actual dates
WhereWhere were these persons found or lived...If you say just Rhode Island,There are many counties in Rhode Island.....Kent...Washington....Providence....Bristol....
Newport.......so when you find a record look at the county of that record usually info is on top of a census page.......Also many Villages here in Rhode Island these also listed on top of a census page.......Such as CAROLINA....Carolina was a Village not a county....Rocky Brook was a Village
One More Thing.....Bristol County Rhode Island 1850 and back...If you are researching this area...Check Massachusetts...............and also many records of Rhode Island could be in Massachusetts..Why...Because when when Rhode Island broke into its own colony Town Halls in Massachusetts didnt pack up records and say these are your vital records and these are ours....Many were left right where they began.........I just recently helped someone that stated my family was in Bristol Rhode Island 1850,s....Well yeah they are listed in Bristol RI however the records were all found in Bristol Massachusetts.......Learn your History and if New dont over look Massachusetts.............In my very own research I found that my people lived in Pawtucket and East Providence 1850 and back...Well guess where I found my Vital Records??? Yup Massachusetts...Pawtucket and East Providence area was Attleboro and there is where I found my records.....Pawtucket and East providence records were also found in Rehobeth...especially the Blackstone area.....................Westerly RI and Foster area and Exeter and Coventry was once Connecticut....and some of Connecticut was Rhode Island...so if you dont find a early census record for the person you are looking for in RI take a peak at Connecticut....Also same rule applied Town Halls didnt box up there records some records may be in Connecticut................................Did you know parts of Maine were actually Massachusetts............................Etnic Groups researching ...French Canadians...This place has records you would never think existed American-French Genealogical Society - AFGS - , Woonsocket, Rhode Island, ................If your family came from Sweden to Rhode Island check into the early Church records for the specific religous groups...There is a church in Riverside RI that has original records still in exixtence in there church...Churches Kept execellant records that still exist today........I found my mother in laws Swedish roots in Riverside Church
Enjoy your Research...ask for help but please helpus to help you by remembering genealogy 101..........WHO>>>>>>>>>>WHAT>>>>>>>>>>WHERE>>>>>>>>>>>
WHEN>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Remember a Surname Such as Smith or Jones was used often.....So when you post a message such asIm looking for my Jones Family RI.....Be specific.......Nothing more frustrating to aresearcher trying to help you without specifics..........
Good Luck
Flo