Washington County

Genealogy Research in washington county, Rhode island

Research in Rhode Island can be an exciting and rewarding experience. With records available for more than 400 years of the state's history, your family is sure to be found in a variety of records available online and at the many archives and libraries located throughout the state.

African American Genealogy

AccessGenealogy - Miscellaneous African American Genealogy

A Bibliography of African American Family History

A Complicated History: Charlestown Exhibit to Highlight Slavery in South County

National Archives - American Slavery, Civil Records

National Museum of African American History and Culture

A Selected List of Sources for Afro-American Genealogical Research

Slavery, Emancipation and Black Freedom in Rhode Island, 1652-1842

Slavery in the North - Slavery In Rhode Island

The South Kingstown Town Council Refuses to Free Patience, an Enslaved Woman

Wayback Machine - African Names: Living Beyond Enslavement

Archives and Libraries

Biographies

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Biographies

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Biographies

RIGenWeb Project - Washington County Biographies

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Biographies

RIGenWeb Project - Esther Clark's Diary

USGenWeb Archives - Biography of Constantine John Maguire

USGenWeb Archives - Caleb Littlefield and Nathaniel Littlefield

USGenWeb Archives - Descendants of Edward Bliven

USGenWeb Archives - Descendant of John Greene of Kings Town; and Arnold Green's Lineage

USGenWeb Archives - Edward Ball and Some of His Descendants

USGenWeb Archives - Godfrey Champlin, Founder of the Rhode Island Branch to Edward Peckham Champlin

USGenWeb Archives - James Monroe Pendleton; Colonel Eugene B. Pendleton; Ellen Fitz Pendleton

Wikipedia - People from Washington County, Rhode Island

cemeteries

census records

church records

AHGP - Westerly Washington County Christ Church Marriages

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Church

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Church Histories and Records

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Church Records

RIGenWeb Project - Exeter Baptist Church

RIGenWeb Project - Quidnesset Baptist Church

court records

AccessGenealogy - Gleanings from English Records about New England Families

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Court

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Court Records

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Court Records

RAOGK - Washington County, Rhode Island Courthouse Records

RIHS - Kings County Court Records, Miscellaneous Papers, 1730-1739

RIHS - Kings County Court Records, Miscellaneous Papers, 1740-1749

RIHS - Kings County Court Records, Miscellaneous Papers, 1750-1759

RIHS - Kings County Court Records, Miscellaneous Papers, 1760-1769

RIHS - Kings County Court Records, Record of Cases Commenced, Inferior Court of Common Plea, 1766-1771

directories

LDS Genealogy - Washington County City Directories

Disasters

Rhode Island Disasters - Narragansett Pier, RI Hotel And Casino Destroyed, Sep 1900

Rhode Island Disasters - Narragansett, RI Airplane Attack, Aug 1921

Rhode Island Disasters - Narragansett, RI Massasoit House Hotel Fire, Jul 1910

Rhode Island Disasters - Richmond Switch (Wood River Junction), RI Train Wreck, Apr 1873

estate records

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Probate

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Probate Records

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Wills

RIGenWeb Project - Washington County Wills

SAMPUBCO - Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island Probate Files

USGenWeb Archives - Will of Jeremiah Sweet of Exeter, RI, abt 1676 - 1760

history

immigration and Naturalization records

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Naturalization and Citizenship

Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild - Washington County, Rhode Island

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Immigration Records

land records

BLM GLO Records

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Land

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Land Records

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Deeds

RIGenWeb Project - Westerly Deeds

USGenWeb Archives - Elder Peter Worden V [1728-1808]

USGenWeb Archives - Hopkinton, Ri Deeds

USGenWeb Archives - Peter Worden III [1668-1732]

USGenWeb Archives - Peter Worden IV [1697-1745]

USGenWeb Archives - Dr. Samuel Worden [1646-1716]

USGenWeb Archives - Westerly, Ri Deeds Vol. 7, Fhl Film #940224

maps

David Rumsey Historical Map Collection - Washington County, Rhode Island

Digital Commonwealth - Washington County, RI Maps/Atlases

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Maps

Histopolis - Washington County, RI Map

Historic Map Works - Washington County, Rhode Island

Historical Atlases and Maps of U.S. and States - Rhode Island from 1643

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Map Records

Library of Congress - Washington County, RI Map

RIGenWeb Project - Rhode Island 1895 Map

United States Digital Map Library - Rhode Island

military records

AccessGenealogy - Military Records

AccessGenealogy - Rhode Island Forts

AccessGenealogy - Revolutionary War Records

AccessGenealogy - Civil War Records

AccessGenealogy - World War 1 Records

AccessGenealogy - World War II Records

AccessGenealogy - Korean War Casualty List

AccessGenealogy - Vietnam War Casualty List

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Military

Genealogy Quest - Washington County, R. I. Pensioners on the Rolls, 1835

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Military Records

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Military Records

National Archives - WWII Army Casualties: Washington County, Rhode Island

New Horizons Genealogy - Washington County, RI Military Records

RIGenWeb Project - G.A.R. Monument Dedication Riverside Cemetery, South Kingstown, RI, 1886

RIGenWeb Project - Exeter WWII Memorial

Tefft Historical Park - The Tefft Papers

Wikipedia - Fort Mansfield

Miscellaneous Records

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Miscellaneous Records

New Horizons Genealogy - Washington County, RI Cities & Towns

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Queries

RIGenWeb Project - General Genealogy Resources

RIGenWeb Project - Hopkinton Patriots 1776

RIGenWeb Project - Rhode Island Genealogy Resources

RIGenWeb Project - Town Council Extractions

RIGenWeb Project - Washington County Town Hall Information

RIGenWeb Project - Washington Co. Query Page

RIGenWeb Project - Westerly Patriots 1776

Municipalities

native american genealogy

AccessGenealogy - Native American Genealogy and Research

AccessGenealogy - Rhode Island Indian Tribes

American Indian Place Names In Rhode Island, Page 9

FamilySearch - Indigenous Peoples of Rhode Island

Hayner Library - Rhode Island Genealogy Research

National Archives - American Indian Records

South Kingstown - Rhode Island Historical Preservation

Wikipedia - Narragansett People

newspapers

Digital Commonwealth - Washington County, RI Newspapers

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Newspaper Gleanings

Independent Newspapers

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Newspapers

Library of Congress - Washington County, RI Newspaper

Library of Congress - Washington County, RI Periodical

The Narragansett Times

Newspaper Abstracts - Washington County, Rhode Island

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Newspaper Articles

The Westerly Sun

obituaries

Find A Grave - Washington County Cemeteries

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Obituaries and Death Notices

GNIS Search Results: List of Cemetery Locations in Washington County, RI

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Obituaries

Obits Index - Washington County, RI

Obituaries - Independent Newspapers

PA-Roots - Washington County, RI Obituaries

The Political Graveyard - Washington County, RI

Southern Rhode Island Newspapers Obituaries - West Warwick, RI

The Westerly Sun Obituaries - Westerly, RI

photos

Digital Commonwealth - Washington County, RI Photographs

Digital Commonwealth - Washington County, RI Postcards/Cards

FamilyOldPhotos - Washington Co RI

Genealogy Trails - Washington County, RI Postcards

Library of Congress - Washington County, RI Photo, Print, Drawing

USGenWeb Archives - Penny Postcards from Rhode Island

school records

LDS Genealogy - Washington County School Records

RIGenWeb Project - Kingston Academy

societies

tax records

FamilySearch - Washington County, RI Taxation

LDS Genealogy - Washington County Tax Records

RIGenWeb Project - Richmond Tax Book 1855

RIGenWeb Project - Richmond Tax Book 1872

RIGenWeb Project - Richmond Tax Book 1883

vital records

Rhode Island County Records

Many Rhode Island family records can be found online and at large state level archives and libraries in Hartford. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at county courthouses, historical societies, churches, town clerks' offices, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Rhode Island. To find these and other records, click on the links below to find more information about the specific counties where your ancestors lived in Rhode Island. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.

It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain counties in Rhode Island have changed over the past few hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent counties. Following is a complete list of Rhode Island's 5 counties along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.

County

Formation Date

1747

1750

1703

1729

County Seat

Bristol

East Greenwich

Newport

Providence

South Kingstown

Parent County

Bristol County, MA

Providence County

Rhode Island County

Providence Plantations

Kings County

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