RI Genealogical Society -- Early RI Censuses

Cherry Fletcher Bamberg

Although censuses of freemen, black and white servants, Indians, and militia members were taken routinely in Rhode Island during the eighteenth century, most genealogists limit themselves to the 1774 colony census, the 1777 military census, and the 1782 state census. It's not hard to see why: these returns have been published with indexes and are easily accessible to the researcher. There is a great deal more available, but understanding what each one includes and where to find it is difficult. I have been keeping notes for the last three or four years for personal use, with an eye toward eventual publication. While the list is still evolving, others may find my notes useful in this forum. I would be very grateful to learn of additional sources.

For other suggestions see Evarts B. Greene and Virginia Harrington, American Population Before the Federal Census of 1790 [1932] (repr., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1981, 1993), pp. 61-69.

1708
In April 1708, at the behest of the Board of Trade. the Rhode Island General Assembly ordered a list of freemen, servants black and white, and militia members, to be prepared by October 1st. The towns––Newport, Providence, Portsmouth, Warwick, Westerly, New Shoreham, Kingstown, Jamestown, and Greenwich––look a little strange to the modern eye as many of them later divided, some many times over. Totals only are shown in the report. The governor Samuel Cranston apologized to the Board of Trade for his inability to determine growth, "by reason that there was no list ever taken before this" (John R. Bartlett, Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England [10 vols., Providence R.I.: Alfred Anthony, 1857-1865] 4:33, 44, 59).

1730
In June 1730, the General Assembly ordered another census to be sent by town clerks to the governor for transmittal to Board of Trade in London (Bartlett, Records of the Colony of Rhode Island, 4:438). This one showed the population of the colony at about 18,000, including 1,500 black slaves and fewer than 1,000 Indians. Surviving originals of this census are scanty. See Ruth W. Sherman, "1730 Census of Portsmouth, R.I.," Rhode Island Roots, Vol. 7, No. 2 (June 1981), pp. 16-17, and Jane Fletcher Fiske, "1730 Census, South Kingstown RI," Rhode Island Roots, Vol. 10, No. 1 (March 1984), p. 8. Originals of these towns were in town halls at the date of publication.

Rhode Island Freemen, 1747-1755, A Census of Registered Voters
This volume was compiled by Bruce C. MacGunnigle in 1977 from lists published by Sidney S. Rider in 1875 and original material at Rhode Island State Archives. Repr. Clearfield, 1999. It is not a census as the others are, showing heads of household on a specific date. Rather it gives the year during this span of time in which some men (all white) became freemen. A useful addition to Bartlett's Records of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in New England.

"Account of the people...of Rhode Island, whites and blacks...," Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts, Rhode Island Census 1755, Mss 9003, Volume 12, p. 12, enumeration only, by town.

Number of blacks in each town in Rhode Island in 1755, Rhode Island Citizens Historical Association Providence Notes and minutes 1883-1888, Mss 677, RIHSL, p. 47.

1774 Census of Rhode Island

Original at R.I. State Archives. Microfilm also available. Categories for males and females over and under sixteen for whites, Indians, and blacks. New Shoreham (Block Island) has numbers but no names. Names for heads of household only.
There is a widely used printed version: John R. Bartlett, Census of the Inhabitants of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations 1774 (1858, repr. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1969). It has two serious deficiencies: alphabetical order and totals only for Indians and blacks. See "The 1774 Census of Rhode Island: A New Look at an Old Friend," Rhode Island Roots, Vol. 29, No. 3 (Sept, 2003) for a description of the problems.
Starting with the December 2003 issue, a faithful transcription of the original is being published town by town in Rhode Island Roots. These towns are indexed in the December issue of the year in which they were printed. It is planned that the transcripts will be issued on a CD when all towns have been finished.

Barrington, June 2007
Charlestown, Dec. 2003
Coventry, March 2005
Cranston, March 2006
Cumberland, June 2006
East Greenwich, Sept. 2004
Exeter, March 2004
Glocester, Dec. 2005
Hopkinton, March 2004
Johnston, Dec. 2006

North Kingstown, June 2004
North Providence, June 2006
Providence, June 2005
Richmond, March 2004
Scituate, Sept. 2006
South Kingstown, June 2004
Warren, Mar. 2007
Warwick, Dec. 2004
West Greenwich, Sept. 2004
Westerly, Dec. 2003

1777 Military Census of Rhode Island

Original at R.I. State Archives. Microfilm available.
Names of men 16–50, 50–60, and 60+ who were "A" (able to bear arms) or "U" (unable to bear arms). Natural rather than alphabetical order is extremely useful in determining who was living where. Only source for men who were not heads of household. Men counted out of their place of settlement are noted. Certain towns are missing: Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth, New Shoreham (Block Island), Exeter, and Little Compton.
Published version: Mildred M. Chamberlain, The Rhode Island 1777 Military Census [serialized in Rhode Island Roots 1981-1984] (repr., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1985). Some omissions.

1782 Census of Rhode Island

Fragile original at Rhode Island Historical Society Library in the Theodore Foster Papers, Mss 424. Microfilm, with a later, very useful index, is included in film of the Theodore Foster papers at RIHSL.
Although this is regarded as a state census, it was taken in compliance with a directive from the Continental Congress. Categories for males and females under 16, 16-22, 22-50, over 50 for whites, Indians, mulattoes, and blacks (most extensive attempt to determine race). Unlike other censuses, this one alternates male and female data by age. Names for heads of household only. Some missing towns: Barrington, Johnston, Smithfield, North Providence, Richmond.
The most common printed version is that of Jay Mack Holbrook, Rhode Island 1782 Census (Oxford, Mass.: Holbrook Research Institute, 1979). The author says that it is a composite of the "original" (location unspecified) and tax lists for missing towns. This version shares the faults of Bartlett's edition of the 1774 census: it is strictly alphabetical and compresses the collected data on people of color into totals only. Detailed analysis of numbers. A better version is that done before 1945 by Katharine U. Waterman. Her work appeared, after her death, in the NEHG Register 1973-1975 in a long series, "The Rhode Island Census of 1782." Waterman at least respected the original order, if she too gave only totals for minorities. A summary of totals appears in Bartlett, Colonial Records of Rhode Island, 9:652.

1790 U.S. Census of Rhode Island

Original at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Can be seen on online services such as Ancestry.com or HeritageQuest. Printed version: Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States Taken in the Year 1790: Rhode Island [1908] (repr., Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992).
Categories are free white males of 16 and over, free white males under 16, free white females of all ages, all other free persons, and slaves. Gender, age, and civil status are the only information that can be found. Names for heads of household only.

Anomalies in later censuses

1800 U.S. Census.
No column for race, but at Warwick black heads of household are followed by "B.M," presumably for "black man."
1810 U.S. Census.
In East Greenwich the names of wives are given.
In Warwick the censustaker substituted "B" for the names of black heads of household with the result many black and Indian heads of household appear to have left town. There are 230 "free blacks" and one slave, all with no information.

PROVIDENCE ONLY

1762 Census of Providence
Fragmentary record of a census of Providence residents on the west side of the bridge in the Warner. Papers (No. 410) at Rhode Island Historical Society Library. Totals only, no names. The categories are somewhat different and illuminating from a sociological if not genealogical point of view: number of houses, seven categories for whites by age and gender, totals for black males and females, and "Children from 5 to 14 Which are Fit for Schooling."

1768: Rhode Island Historical Society Manuscripts, Providence Census 1768, Mss 9003, Vol. 2, p. 105: Census recap shows 47 blacks residing in Providence.
Rhode Island Citizens Historical Association Providence Notes and minutes 1883-1888. Provides numbers of l55 black women and 184 black men in Providence in 1768, Mss 677, p.12-13.

1770 census of Providence freemen on the east side of the river. Providence Voter Lists, Mss 214, sg 14, folder 1, RIHSL. List of 186 names with statistics on how many were freemen and how many of those lived in other towns.

1776 Census of Providence. Original at R.I. State Archives. No microfilm. Categories for males and females over and under sixteen for whites, Indians, and blacks. Names for heads of household only. Includes many Bostonians and Newporters dislocated by the Revolution. Transcript by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, "The 1776 Census of Providence," NEHG Register 159 (Jan. and April 2005). Researchers can find out more about Providence that year in Providence Town Meeting Records, Vol. 6 (1772–1783) (originals at Providence City Hall): a list of ninety men unable to equip themselves for military service (February 1776), p. 39, and a register of two hundred voters for general officers (April 1776), p. 41.

1778: Mss 424 Theodore Foster Papers, ca. 1640s-1820s. Bulk 1746-1823. Providence Tax List 1778 Vol. 16 (oversized): Polls and estate of Providence, 1778, pp. 1-6. 1778 tax list of Providence includes number of slaves owned (slaves are not individually named).

1791 Census of Providence. 1791 Census of the Town of Providence, Providence Census Collection, Vol. 1, Manuscript Collection, Rhode Island Historical Society Library. Microfilm available at RIHSL. No printed version. Shows number of dwelling houses, white males and females over and under 18, 18-45, 45-75, and over 75, all other free persons, and slaves. The notation "/Negro/" was used in the early pages after black heads of household, but the copyist discontinued the notes in the middle of the census.

1798: Direct Tax.
Providence returns are at RIHSL (MSS 232 sg4; .mf HJ9013 P9).
List of owners of residences and shops, with names of tenants, and owners of slaves. Excellent published version: Henry R. Chace, Owners and Occupants of the Lots, Houses and Shops in the Town of Providence Rhode Island in 1798 (Providence, R.I.: The Author, 1914). This book includes names of owners of the properties in 1759 as well as well as extensive maps. maps. Reprint available through Higginson.
Mss 232 sg 4 Rhode Island Board of Commissioners Rhode Island Tax 1798 Page 70-7l has "summary abstract of all slaves owned and superintended... On p.19 it states that lists should be prepared showing names and ages of slaves.

1822: "A list of names of colored heads of families and the owners of their residences," RIHSL, Providence Town Papers, Mss 214, sg 1, series 3, vol. 112, No. 0039155.
Shows names of all adults in the household, the owner of the house, the street in which it was located, as well as whether the people had a legal settlement in Providence.

1824: List of People of Color on the East Side of the River August 9, 1824
Providence Town Papers, Vol. 184, Providence City Archives. As of March 2007 the Archives staff was unable to locate this volume.

1825: Census of Providence by Noah Smith, mss, RIHSL.
Whites and non-whites listed separately in alphabetical order. White males and females have four age categories––under 18, 18-45, 45-75, and over 75––and "coloured" people have three––under 18, 18-50, and over 50.
More info on free men in Providence Voter Lists, Mss 214, sg 14, box 1, folder 4, RIHSL.

1845: City Census for 1845, for one half of ye second ward, RIHSL.
List of names of heads of household only for a small part of the city, from names including Benefit St. The partial 1845 census of Providence, lists heads of household, and counts "Colored Persons", male and female, aged under 10, 24 to 36, 36-55, 55-100, and over 100. Apparently, those between the ages of 10 and 23 were not counted. Most interesting part is a list of people 75 years old or older, which gives name, age, race, and in some cases the household in which they lived. It is unclear whether this list covered only the second ward.