MY RHODE ISLAND FAMILY HISTORIES


By Anne McLaughlin


Welcome to my personal genealogy page. It's a work-in-progress.

My Rhode Island Family Names.

FAMILY HISTORY My family ancestors include English and Irish immigrants who came over to the U.S. to work in mills in the Pawtucket/Central Falls, Rhode Island area. Those Irish first emigrated to England to work, probably the Liverpool area. And of course, there's an unconfirmed family story of an Irish patriot(rebel?). An Irish cousin did well in America: the Hollywood music composer, Joe Lilley, a member of the RI Hall of Fame. His father was a Lilley; probably a cousin.


THE MAYFLOWER CONNECTION:A family story has proven to be true: at least one family line (Lindsey)links back to Mayflower passenger, Richard Warren.And then I discovered more via the Wrightington line.

HOW I GOT STARTED
My interest in genealogy was inspired by the family stories I grew up listening to at large family gatherings. How to find out if the stories were true? Family members filled in family information sheets. I collected obituaries, birth and death certificates, any kind of written documentation. A visit to Ireland in 1981 prompted me to find out more about the Irish relatives and where they had come from. Alas, upon visiting church cemeteries in Ireland I learned that the Irish were not always able to afford headstones, particularly during famine times, and I would need more time for further research into records there. In Massachusetts, I visited the Federal Archives at Waltham for federal census information. When I began surfing the we b I made wonderful, helpful contacts. Seeing the actual records at the library, the archives, and historical society is most valuable.

MY RI RESEARCH FAVORITES:

  • Rhode Island Historical Society
    :121 Hope Street, Providence(easy parking)
  • Rhode Island State Archives
    :337 Westminster Street, Downtown Providence(validated parking!) (birth, death and marriage records,city directories, and census information)
  • Pawtucket Public Library: local history collection with city directories, Pawtucket Evening Times on microfilm
  • RI Cemeteries Database
    : at RIHS and at local public libraries in RI including West Warwick Public Library
  • Old North Cemetery:Bristol RI,idyllic setting next to Colt State Park overlooking Narragansett Bay

    WHAT HAVE I DONE? WHAT HAVE I LEARNED?
    During my research I've visited cemeteries and libraries. I've cleared up family mysteries, learned about family secrets/scandals(!), discovered causes of death, learned of too many babies who died, and made amazing connections and discoveries, especially on the web. The hunting continues. Genealogy is a never ending story!

    Links to other sites on the Web

    My Rhode Island Family Names by Anne McLaughlin
    Rhode Island Reading Room
    Rootsweb.com/ RI Links
    West Warwick Public Library
    Cemeteries Database and Times Name Index
    Genealogical Resources for RI
    Cyndi's RI Links
    RI Consortium of Genealogical and Historical Libraries
    Family Search.Com
    Family Tree Maker.Com
    Ancestry.Com
    Providence Journal Newspaper Online
    VITAL RECORDS FOR RI
    Rhode Island Government Links

    COMMENTS? SUGGESTIONS? QUESTIONS? : msmcmuffin@yahoo.com

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