One Rhode Island Family

I had four research visits this week, this is the second. Providence Public Library The question: how to find some obituaries or other stories from Providence newspapers. The PPL has a “Rhode Island Collection” featuring the only index I know of the Providence Journal.  The newspapers are available

It’s been a busy week – I’ve visited four sites in three days. Westerly, Rhode Island Town Hall The question:  I am looking for property deeds or other information for Daniel Lanphere, who died in Westerly in 1808. Daniel Lamphere is the father of my gggg-grandfather, Russell Lamphere, Sr.  I am see

As all bloggers know, one’s blogging life tends to be a bit separate from real life. The two don’t mix all that much. But sometimes it seems appropriate to bring up the existence of the blog, when talking with someone who shares an interest in the subject matter that the blog covers. I’d like to [..

My search for the story of my ggg-grandfather Russell Lamphere’s 20-year stay in Alabama before, during, and after the Civil War has had two recent developments. 1. Russell Lamphere files a claim for Civil War losses Congressman John Turner Wait (Norwich, Connecticut) filed H.R.5889 on April 19, 188

I have come to realize over the last few months that three problems: Hannah (Andrews) Lamphere’s parents, Jesse and Sarah Andrews Lydia (Minor) Lamphere’s parents the unknown Lamphere line from which my ggggg-grandfather Daniel Lamphere descends are not all that separate, and will probably be solved

A story of race and family When you grow up in New England you don’t hear much about slavery. Despite many Rhode Island “shipping” fortunes based in the slave trade, slavery seemed to be from a remote time and place. Rhode Islanders, more than most, had reasons to want to put those days behind them.

I am always curious about how others solve a long-standing problem, so I’d like to share my recent experience. A few weeks ago I had a remarkable breakthrough on my Baldwin line.  Some Massachusetts town records were put on Ancestry.com and I managed, for the first time, to find the 1933 death recor

The other day I saw a question about finding the 1890 federal census and it made me wonder, what are the very first things you learn about genealogy in the United States, say, in the first six months, that you did not know before? The 1890 federal census pages are gone except for a few [...]

I never got into genealogy thinking that I would reunite with lost cousins.  In fact I have wonderful cousins with full contact information that I don’t manage to keep up with very well.  There’s not much point in adding to that.  I have one cousin, tracing a different side of the family, who loves

Here are some resources that have been helpful to me.  Please add your own ideas in the comments. Rhode Island State Census available on FamilySearch.org: 1885, 1905, 1915, 1925, 1935.  The data collected varies year by year and can be very helpful.  Be careful of the 1905 cards, though:  FamilySear