Rhode Island Genealogical Society
 
                                        
 
Celebrating 50 Years of Family History: The Rhode Island Genealogical Society
By Anne Gardner and John Tew
 
In 1975, fueled by a national wave of interest in genealogy sparked by the upcoming Bicentennial and Alex Haley's groundbreaking Roots, a group of determined Rhode Islanders founded the Rhode Island Genealogical Society (RIGS). Fifty years later, RIGS remains a vibrant, member-driven organization dedicated to preserving, publishing, and promoting Rhode Island family history.
From its humble beginnings—a meeting in a car dealership showroom in Warwick—RIGS has blossomed into one of New England's most respected genealogical societies. With a mission rooted in scholarly excellence and community connection, RIGS has supported generations of researchers and honored the stories of those who came before us.
 
Genealogy in the 1970s: A Passionate Endeavor
Genealogists of the 1970s embraced a hands-on approach. Long before the internet made record access instantaneous, Rhode Islanders journeyed to town halls, libraries, churches, and archives, poring over dusty ledgers, handwritten indexes, and microfilm reels. They connected with one another by phone and letter, exchanging discoveries and forming friendships grounded in shared purpose. These pioneers laid the groundwork for the Society and its enduring legacy.
 
Key references like John Osborne Austin’s Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island and James N. Arnold’s Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850 were essential tools, as were trips to the Waltham branch of the National Archives and the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. Determination and patience were the genealogist's greatest assets.
 
The Birth of RIGS
On April 29, 1975, Alden C. Saunders sent a call to action: an invitation to meet and discuss the formation of a Rhode Island genealogical society. Twenty-five individuals answered that call, including three Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists. Just one month later, the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, Inc. was officially incorporated on May 29, 1975.
 
The group met for its first official gathering on Father's Day, June 15, 1975, at the William Hall Library in Cranston. Among the original incorporators were respected genealogists and community leaders: Saunders, Webb W. Wilder, Dorothy Quimby Davis, Robert Allen Greene, Gilbert H. Doane, Charles W. Farnham, Ruth Wilder Sherman, and Robert M. Sherman.
The newly-formed Rhode Island Genealogical Society, Inc. had fifty-one charter members:
 
                              Ruth P. Barton                                        Harold J. Hubbard
                              Henry L.P. Beckwith, Jr.                         Zelma M. Hubbard
                              Herman H. Bly                                        Frederick C. King
                              Gladys E. Bolhouse                                Herberet A. Luther
                              Mary Hebert Bolles                                 Martha H.Luther
                              Norman T. Bolles                                    Bruce C. McGunnigle
                              Eugene L. Brownell                                William A. MacLellan
                              Don E. Burnett                                        Phyllis C. Peloquin
                              Charles A. Calverley, Jr.                         Schuyler G. Phillips
                              Sandra N. Calverley                               Alden C. Saunders
                              Gloria M. Christensen                             Lora B. Saunders
                              Donald S. Chase                                    Morton W. Saunders
                              Margaret L. Chase                                  Anna L. Scott
                              Edwin Wilmot Connelly                           Clinton H. Sellew
                              Mrs. Oliver W. Cushman                         Lura N. Sellew
                              Dorothy Quinby Davis                             Robert M. Sherman FASG
                              William A. Davis                                      Ruth Wilder Sherman FASG
                              Gilbert H. Doane FASG                          Kendall R. Stanwood
                              David Warner Dumas                             Robert J Tarte
                              Charles W. Farnham FASG                    Annamae Trim
                              Chester A. Files, Jr.                                Robert S. Trim
                              Ethel J. Gallotta                                      Viola O. Ulm
                              Ruth C. Gorton                                       Webb W. Wilder
                              Gordon H. Greene                                  Elsie B. Williams
                              Oscar J. Greene
                              Robert Allen Greene
                              Shirley M. Greene
 
 
Legacy of Leadership and Learning
RIGS has long been a home to leaders in the genealogical world. Among our members are four Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists, including the late Robert Charles Anderson, known for the Great Migration Study Project, and Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, editor emerita of Rhode Island Roots and a renowned expert on colonial Rhode Island families.
 
Over the years, RIGS has recognized extraordinary service and scholarship through its awards, including the Doane-Farnham Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Paul Campbell Award for exemplary service by a public employee. These accolades reflect a culture of excellence and appreciation.
 
Publications That Preserve the Past
Rhode Island Roots, the Society's quarterly journal launched in 1975, has been a bedrock of Rhode Island genealogical scholarship. Early issues were hand-typed and mimeographed, but the journal soon evolved into a professional publication featuring vital records, family studies, and groundbreaking research. Today, it stands as one of the finest regional genealogical journals in the country.
 
Beyond Roots, the Rhode Island Genealogical Society has published numerous books preserving local records, family histories, and original manuscripts. The very first book published by RIGS was Peleg Burroughs’s Journal, 1778-1798: the Tiverton, R.I. Years of the Humbly Bold Baptist Minister (1981). RIGS also published The Diary of Capt. Samuel Tillinghast, John Clarke's World, and the multi-volume Richard Bowen of Rehoboth series.
 
Still Growing Strong
 
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, RIGS looks back with pride and forward with purpose. We remain committed to education, preservation, and the encouragement of sound genealogical practices. Our community continues to grow, and our mission endures.
 
To all who have shared in our story over the past five decades, thank you. Here’s to the next fifty years of finding, preserving, and celebrating Rhode Island family history.
 
RIGS Statement of Purpose
The Rhode Island Genealogical Society actively works to:
  • Unite genealogists, historians, archivists, and others professing an interest in, or concern for, the science of investigating and accurately recording the descent of persons/families from ancestors. 
  • Encourage ethical standards in genealogical practices. 
  • Take appropriate action leading to the proper preservation of invaluable and irreplaceable genealogical records. 
  • Take necessary steps to ensure professional access to the appropriate records wherever they may be located. 
  • Conduct seminars and workshops to improve the competencies of workers in the field of genealogy. 
  • Foster research and the publication of findings expanding the genealogical fields of knowledge, especially in the area of Rhode Island genealogy. 
  • Assist those seeking to enter the genealogical areas of knowledge to the end that proper records, attitudes, and incentives be fostered. 
  • Encourage the development of libraries and the acquisition of library materials essential to sound genealogical practices.
Honors and awards
Throughout the fifty-year history, the Rhode Island Genealogical Society cultivated a plethora of distinguished scholars including four Fellows of the American Society for Genealogists and recipients of regional and national awards. RIGS also honored the contributions of members and the research community.
 
Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists (FASGs)[1]
 
Robert Charles Anderson, FASG – Renowned for his leadership in the Great Migration Study Project, Robert Charles Anderson FASG was a frequent lecturer at RIGS events and contributed extensively to New England genealogical scholarship. His death in 2025 was a significant loss to the genealogical community.
Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, FASG – A long-time editor of Rhode Island Roots and an expert on Rhode Island's colonial families, Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG is a prolific author and has been a cornerstone of RIGS publications and projects.
Alicia Crane Williams, FASG – Known for her work on the Mayflower Families Through Five Generations project and her deep expertise in New England genealogy, Alicia Crane Williams FASG has been a significant contributor to Rhode Island genealogy.
Ruth Wilder Sherman, FASG – Ruth was elected to the American Society of Genealogists in the same year that the Rhode Island Genealogical Society was formed-1975. Ruth compiled Peleg Burroughs’s Journal 1778-1798, The Tiverton R.I. Years of the Humbly Bold Baptist Minister. She authored many journal articles and contributed to Mayflower Families Through Five Generations: Descendants of the Pilgrims Who Landed at Plymouth, Mass., December 1620 (Vol 13, William White), Mayflower Reader. a Selection of Articles from the Mayflower Descendant. She also served in many roles within the Rhode Island Genealogical Society.
 
Awards Presented by the Society
The Robert M. Sherman Award for Exemplifying High Qualities of Scholarship and Genealogy
  • Cherry Bamberg
  • Wayne Tillinghast
  • 2013 – Jane Fletcher Fiske
  • 2019 – William B. Saxbe, Jr.
  • 2021 – Linda Mathew
  • 2022 – Robert Grandchamp
  • 2023 – Diane Boumenot
     
The Doane-Farnham Award for Lifetime Achievement in Rhode Island Genealogy
  • 1982 – Mildred Mosher Chamberlain
  • 1982 – Kenneth Roebuck
  • 1983 – Jane Fletcher Fiske
  • 1983 – Robert Sheldon Trim
  • 1984 – Gladys Carr Bolhouse
  • 1988 – Judith Hurst
  • 1990 – Jean Carr Stutz
  • 1990 – Elizabeth J. Johnson
  • 1990 – James Wheaton IV
  • 1991 – Alden G. Beaman
  • 1993 – Bruce C. MacGunnigle
  • 1993 – Althea McAleer
  • 1993 – Beatrix Hoffius
  • 1993 – Deby Jecoy Nunes
  • 2019 – Bruce C. MacGunnigle
  • 2020 – John Sterling
     
Certificate of Appreciation
  • 1982 – Alden Clinton Saunders
  • 1990 – Ruth Wilder Sherman
  • 2012 – Otis C. Wyatt
  • 2016 – Larry Wilson
     
The Paul Campbell Award for Exemplary Service to Rhode Island Genealogy by a Public Employee
  • 2016 – Paul Campbell
  • 2017 – Kenneth Carlson
  • 2018 -- None
  • 2019 – Nellie Gorbea
  • 2020 – Laurie Arruda
  • 2022 – Thomas Frawley
  • 2023 – Kate Wells
     
 The Cherry Bamberg Award for Genealogical Writing
  • 2025—Mary Burdick
 
Rhode Island Genealogical Society Lifetime Membership Award
  • Alden Clinton Saunders
  • Cherry Bamberg
  • Robert Allen Greene
  • Elmer Palmer
  • John E. Sterling
  • Otis Wyatt
  • Thomas Clarke
  • James W. Lennox
  • Josiah L. Mason
  • Nancy Ann Norman
  • 2016 – Paul Campbell
  • 2016 – Sally Hilton
  • 2016 – Mary Ostiguy
  • 2022 – Thomas & Geri Clarke
  • 2023 – Larry Wilson
     
Recognition
  • 1992 – John Deming Bacon, Longevity
  • 1992 – Denice Ealine Mitchell, Longevity
  • 1992 – Avis Simmons, Longevity
  • 1993 – Mildred M. Sherman
  • 2023 – Cherry Bamberg, Writing contest
Timeline Highlights of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society (1975–2025)
 
1975
  • May 29: RIGS officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization.
  • June 15: First official meeting at the William Hall Library in Cranston.
  • November 15: First full-day workshop, "Finding Fun in Genealogy," held at the Aldrich House.
  • First issue of Roots
1976
  • May 23: First annual meeting at Newman Congregational Church, Rumford.
  • January 17: Lecture by FASG fellow John I. Coddington.
  • October 30 & November 13: Workshops and lectures featuring local genealogists and historians.
1977
  • Rhode Island Roots begins quarterly publication.
  • March 3: Genealogy course launched by President Alden C. Saunders.
  • May 14: Annual meeting held at Kentish Guards Armory in East Greenwich.
1981
  • Publication of Peleg Burroughs's Journal, a significant milestone in RIGS publishing.
2002
  • RIGS members celebrate the release of the 1930 U.S. Census with a midnight viewing in Waltham.
2007
  • Membership exceeds 800.
2008
  • March 7. Alden C. Saunders, founding RIGS president, passed away.
2016
  • Creation of the Paul Campbell Award for public service in genealogy.
2023
  • Cherry Bamberg honored for contributions to genealogical writing.
2024
  • Creation of the RIGS Preservation Grant for libraries and non-profits
2025
  • RIGS celebrates 50 years of excellence in Rhode Island genealogy.
  • The first Cherry Bamberg Award for Genealogical Society is presented to Mary Burdick

Books Published by the Society
The Rhode Island Genealogical Society is proud to have published a lengthy list of  books and publications in its fifty-year history:
  • 1797, the Year the Elephant Visited Providence, by Wayne G. Tillinghast. 2010.
  • Daniel Stedman’s Journal, 1826-1859, transcribed by Henry Clay Oatley Jr., edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2003.
  • The Diary of Capt. Samuel Tillinghast of Warwick, Rhode Island, 1757-1766, edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2000.
  • Elder John Gorton and the Six Principle Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2001.
  • Elm Grove Cemetery Inscriptions, North Kingstown, Rhode Island by Althea H. McAleer. 2000.
  • Emmanuel Rouse of Rhode Island, ca. 1673-1739 and Some of His Descendants by Richard Gammons Rouse. 1993.
  • John Clarke’s World by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG and Judith Crandall Harbold.  2018.
  • Newport, Rhode Island Colonial Burial Grounds by John E. Sterling, Barbara J. Austin, Letty R. Champion and Cherry Fletcher Bamberg. 2009.
  • North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island: Old Section, 1700-1848 by John E. Sterling. 2000.
  • Peleg Burroughs’s Journal, 1778-1798: the Tiverton, R.I. Years of the Humbly Bold Baptist Minister by Peleg Burroughs and Ruth Ann Wilder Sherman. 1981.
  • Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants Volume 1 - Generations 1-3, by William B. Saxbe, Jr. FASG. 2011.
  • Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants Volumes 2-4, by William B. Saxbe, Jr. FASG. 2011.
  • The RIGS Reporter. Newsletter published 1975 to present.
  • South Kingstown, Rhode Island: Historical Cemeteries, by John E. Sterling and James L. Wheaton IV, edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2004.
  • Thomas Clemence of Providence, Rhode Island and his descendants to the year 2007, by Jane Fletcher Fiske for Roberta Stokes Smith. 2007.
  • The Tillinghasts in America - The First Four Generations by Wayne G. Tillinghast. 2006.
  • A Tour of South County by John Stedman, Priscilla Chappell, Kenneth Chappell. 2012. (Audio)
  • Warwick, Rhode Island Taxes: 1779 Estimates of Rateable Estate and the 1798 Direct Tax by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG and Diane MacLean Boumenot CG. 2024.

[1] “All Fellows,” American Society of Genealogists (https://fasg.org/fellows/all-fellows/ :viewed 16 February 2025).