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Saturday, May 18, 2024
RIGS Full-Day Annual Meeting
8:30 am to 3:00 pm New England Institute of Technology, 1 New England Tech Boulevard, East Greenwich, RI 02818
The Annual meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, May 18, 2024. This in-person event will be held at New England Institute of Technology. (Videos of the speaker's programs will be uploaded and available online at a later date for our members to access.) Please pre-register for this event using our online registration form. Box Lunch ordering ended May 10, 2024.
Proxy voting ended May 16, 2024 and results will be announced at the meeting.
This full-day meeting will begin at 8:30 am for registration and coffee and light refreshments. If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated. The RIGS Business meeting will begin at 9 am, along with news and announcements. Everyone is invited to attend, so bring along your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy. This is a free event and open to the public. Mark your calendar! We hope you will join us!
The theme of our meeting will be "Writing and Publishing Famlly History" and will include members of the Association of Rhode Island Authors (ARIA) and a local RI Historical Societies Exhibition & Showcase during lunch.
Our Speaker program will begin at 9:30 am.
Drew Bartley - Writing it up Right
Scott Andrew Bartley, is a genealogical researcher with twenty years of experience in colonial US, New England and eastern Canada. He will be presenting “Writing it Up Right.”and will discuss the ways in which you create your research to publish, the purpose, why it is important, and how to write it up. He will cover the various styles and the elements making them up.
Michael Leclerc, CG - Writing for your Genealogy Journal
Michael Leclerc is a popular genealogical presenter, teacher, author, and editor worldwide and will discuss “Writing for your Genealogy Journal.” He has been a facilitator and instructor in Boston University’s Genealogy Studies Program for over a decade. He holds credentials as a Certified Genealogist® from the Board for Certification of Genealogists.
Jenifer Kahn Bakkala - Beyond Names and Dates: Using Social History to Color Your Ancestors’ Stories
Jenifer Kahn Bakkala, is a professional genealogist and author who specializes in a biographical narrative approach to family history. Her talk, “Beyond Names and Dates: Using Social History to Color Your Ancestors’ Stories” will offer tips for all levels and experience. She is past president of the New England Chapter of the Association of
Professional Genealogists. She currently sits on APG’s Board of Directors.
DIRECTIONS:
From the North: Head south on I-95. Take Exit 24A - RI-2 East Greenwich/West Warwick. Turn right at the end of the ramp onto RI-2 S/Quaker Ln. At the traffic light, turn right on to Division Road. At the traffic Circle, continue straight to stay on Division Road. Take the first left and follow the road left to the front of the building.
From the South: Head north on I-95. Take Exit 24A - RI-2 South to RI-4, East Greenwich. Merge on to RI-2. At the traffic light, turn right on to Division Road. At the traffic Circle, continue straight to stay on Division Road. Take the first left and follow the road left to the front of the building.
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Sunday, March 24, 2024
RIGS Membership Half-Day March Meeting
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Virtually on Zoom
The March Membership meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 12:30 - 3 pm and will be virtual only via Zoom. An e-mail reminder with the link will be sent prior to the meeting. Grab some snacks and get yourself logged in by 12:30 am on Sunday, March 24th. Questions may be asked after each talk or typed into the chat box. There will be brief breaks between speakers.
Our first speaker, Mark Arslan, will begin at 1pm.
Armenian Immigration Project Database
Mark Arslan will present an overview of his Armenian Immigration Project database, which is a free searchable online collection of abstracts of primary documentary sources relating to Armenians who came to the United States and Canada prior to World War II. The types of sources include ship manifests, naturalization applications, federal censuses, military draft registrations, passport applications, missing persons ads, and vital records. Most of the families who settled in the Rhode Island area during this timeframe are represented in the database.
Mark is ¼ Armenian, through his paternal grandfather Dikran Arslanian, who immigrated to America in 1906 from Keghi, Erzurum, Turkey in the Ottoman Empire. Mark has been researching his Armenian genealogy since 1971 and expanded his research to include all those of Armenian descent who came to America (USA and Canada) from the mid-1800's to the early 1900's. Mark is retired from a 35-career at IBM Corporation in technical services and sales. Mark grew up mostly on the west coast and has lived in North Carolina since 1990. He is married with three children and three grandchildren. His hobbies include genealogy and historical research, hiking, and travel.
Our second speaker, Keith W. Stokes, will begin at 2:00 pm.
The Gilded Age Rhode Island in Color
The story of Newport, Rhode Island in the Gilded Age (1865-1915) is anchored by the economic, social and civic achievements of many of America’s wealthiest individuals and families, notably the Vanderbilts, Astors, Belmonts, Oelrichses and Berwinds. These names represent the critical economic and cultural growth period of late 19th- and early 20th-century America. Newport also was home to many important African heritage business entrepreneurs who would leverage their commercial enterprises to promote economic security and build wealth to invest in and advance civic, recreational, social and political interests. Newport’s earliest African heritage doctors, dentists, teachers, hospitality entrepreneurs and elected officials appeared during the Gilded Age. This exhibition explores a largely unknown but important chapter in American history in which African heritage families could come together and promote their economic and social well-being through self-reliance, entrepreneurism, political advancement and cultural interchange.
In all of the various roles in his four decades of public service to Rhode Island Keith W. Stokes is driven to create community for all who call the ocean state home. From elected city official in his beloved home of Newport to statewide office as a gubernatorial appointment on economic development to his service for the City of Providence, Stokes sought to braid public dollars with private development to foster a beloved community. Keith took an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and his formative graduate work on public policy was obtained at the University of Chicago. Woven into the formal education are the stories of a generation of ancestors whispering long shared stories of a time before the American Revolution and the lens to see the present. Keith is presently Vice President with the 1696 Heritage Group. He has also been an Advisor for Rhode Island with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and served on numerous local, regional, and national business and public boards, including Preservation Society for Newport County, Touro Synagogue Foundation, Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission Historical Review Board, Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, Quonset Development Corporation, Rhode Island Foundation, and the American Antiquarian Society. His current passion is borne of a heritage that extends before the republic and ground his roots in the land of Rhode Island. From his father the cerebral and equally physical baseball, and from his mother a grounding in history and a curiosity to learn more about his African, Jewish and Caribbean family roots. He frequently appears on national historical programs, including C-SPAN, Fox News Legends & Lies, and Ted Talk. Recently, he was the lead researcher and author of “A Matter of Truth” publication for the examination and documentation of the role of the City of Providence and State of Rhode Island in supporting a “Separate and Unequal” existence for African heritage, Indigenous, and People of Color. He is a 9th generation Rhode Islander and calls Newport home with his beloved wife Theresa and is the father of four children, and an extended clan of Pit Bull dogs that he rescues and nurtures.
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Saturday, January 20, 2024
RIGS Membership Half-Day January Meeting
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Meeting location change: Fully virtual via Zoom
The January Membership meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, January 20, 2024 from 12:00 - 3pm virtually on Zoom. Please check your email for the Zoom link.
This half-day meeting will begin at 12:00 pm for online conversation and will be followed by news and announcements. Everyone is invited to attend, so feel free to share the link with your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy! An e-mail reminder with the link will be sent prior to the meeting.
The speaker handouts for this meeting have been uploaded for active members in the Downloads (Members Only) area of the website and will be provided to all attendees during the meeting.
Our speakers will begin at 1pm:
Using Tools to Organize and Analyze Your Autosomal DNA Matches
Now that you have your results, how do you organize it to make the most of the information? Learn how to make your matches work for you. Use tools like Excel and OneNote to get yourself organized and make progress in your search. Learn some tips and tricks to get the most out of your results.
Kelli Bergheimer is a writer, teacher, editor, and international genealogical speaker. Kelli holds a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Master’s in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, and a Master’s in Business Management. Kelli is the Director of Curriculum and Assessments for Blue Kayak, a K-12 textbook company. She also works as the Director of Education for Your DNA Guide. Kelli runs a small business—Mess on the Desk, a genealogical organization company with a YouTube channel. Kelli is the facilitator for Genetics, Genealogy, and You, an online DNA Interest Group. Kelli is a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and the Genealogical Speaker's Guild.
DNA Painter and Chromosome Mapping
DNA Painter is a colorful, easy-to-use tool for understanding the chromosome segments you received from an ancestor. This free programs lets you map DNA segments and assign or "paint" them various colors on your different chromosomes. Learn how to create a chromosome map for your own research using DNA results from FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, MyHeritage or GEDmatch. Please note that AncestryDNA cannot be used in DNA Painter unless you have transferred your results to GEDmatch.
Pamela Guye Holland lives in Swampscott, Massachusetts, and has been researching family roots found in Ireland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Germany for over twenty years. Pam works for Research Services at the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) and as the US-based genealogist in the Green Room at https://youririshheritage.com/. Her research specialties are Irish and Genetic Genealogy. Her website is https://www.GenealogyByPamHolland.com.
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Saturday, November 18, 2023
RIGS Half-Day Membership Meeting
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Weaver Library - East Providence Public, 41 Grove Ave, East Providence, RI 02914
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 in person at the Weaver Library and virtually on Zoom.
This half-day meeting will begin at 12:00 pm with coffee and light refreshments, along with news and announcements. If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated. Everyone is invited to attend, so bring along your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy. Free and open to the public. Mark your calendar! An e-mail reminder with the link will be sent prior to the meeting.
The meeting will host the following guest speakers & topics, which will begin at 1 pm:
U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps
John Tew will provide a brief history of the creation and purpose of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps. The location, content, and use of the Cadet Nurse database on Ancestry.com will be reviewed with particular attention to what kind of genealogical facts and information may be gleaned from this little-known resource.
John was born in Providence and grew up living in all the New England states except Maine and Vermont due to his father’s career in Sears Roebuck store management. The family moved to New Jersey when his father was transferred to the Sears Territorial Office in Philadelphia. He graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. and M.S. in Psychology and obtained his J.D. from American University in Washington, DC. After nine years in private practice in Virginia he entered federal government service with the Navy Litigation Office, Office of the General Counsel, in Washington–where he served for twenty-five years before retiring as a Senior Trial Attorney, Team Chief, and Assistant Director. John’s interest in genealogy began in his teens but became a serious avocation during breaks from study in the law library in Library of Congress while living on Capitol Hill. He has a family history/genealogy blog called Filiopietism Prism and has had articles published in American Ancestors Magazine as well as Rhode Island Roots. John is a member of NEHGS, NGS, SAR, and he is a Mayflower descendant of Richard Warren. He currently serves on the RIGS Board and as Recording Secretary. He is married to Molly (O’Kane) Tew. They have two sons (both attorneys) and three granddaughters.
 George E. Matteson: The Man and His Maps
We treasure his wonderful maps, beautifully illustrated with local landmarks, legends, and folklore. His maps hang in pictorial map collections locally and abroad, bringing us all twinges of nostalgia. George Matteson was from Scituate and was a forest ranger for over 40 years. He served as a search and rescue specialist taking part in more than 9000 rescues of lost hunters and hikers, 100 plane crash rescue missions and myriad forest fire patrols. He would fly over forest fires, drawing quick maps of the terrain, landmarks, trails and roads, which were dropped by parachute to ground crews to aid them in reaching the heart of a fire. Did you know his father drove a hitch of a dozen or more horses for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus? In collaboration with George Matteson’s grandson, Paul St. Amand, conscientious custodian of his grandfather’s extraordinary collection, the Scituate Preservation Society will present a program to reveal more about this mapmaker who spent a lifetime surveying the backwoods, digging into local legends, and preserving our rich history. This program will be presented by Steven and Linda Kornatz and they will be bringing many of the maps for viewing in person. We plan to have some still photos for the online viewers.
Steve and Linda Kornatz are a retired military couple that moved their family all over the world for 30 years, including living overseas in Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Japan. Steve is a retired Navy Captain who was a pilot. In addition to sea duty assignments, he served at the White House and as an operational test pilot. He finished his career as a professor and Deputy Dean teaching at the Naval War College in Newport. In addition to her many volunteer activities with Military spouse groups, Linda held many teaching positions over the years teaching English language classes at Nagasaki International University, on military bases for Japanese Army officers, and locally at the Community College of Rhode Island. For the last ten years before retirement, she was an instructor at the Command Leadership School at the Naval Leadership and Ethics Center in Newport. They are happy to have finally put down roots here in Rhode Island where they live in the 1700’s era Potter Homestead in Scituate.
This program will not be recorded for later viewing so please join us.
DIRECTIONS:
From the North: Head south on I-95 S. Take Exit 36A toward for US-6 E toward I-195/E. Providence/Cape Cod. Take exit 1B-C for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Keep left to continue on exit 1C, follow signs for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Turn right onto Grove Ave.
From the South: Head north on I-95 N. Take Exit 36A toward for US-6 E toward I-195/E. Providence/Cape Cod. Take exit 1B-C for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Keep left to continue on exit 1C, follow signs for US-44 E/Taunton Ave. Turn right onto Grove Ave.
From East: Head west on I-195 W. Take exit 2 toward US-44. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for US-44. Merge onto Broadway. Turn left onto Grove Ave.
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Saturday, September 23, 2023
September RIGS Member Meeting
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm Cranston Public Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Road, Cranston, RI and Virtually on Zoom
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, September 23rd at the Cranston Public Library, Central Library, 140 Sockanosset Cross Rd., Cranston and virtually on Zoom. This half-day meeting will begin at 12:00 pm with coffee and light refreshments, along with news and announcements.
Our meeting is hosting the following guest speakers & topics:
From Finding Aid to Final Film: Researching Blood and Watershed – A Documentary About Rhode Island’s Primary Water Supply (and Family)
Independent filmmaker and university professor, Evan Villari, shares the archival research processes used to produce the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities supported documentary, Blood and Watershed – a film that traces the 100-year history of the supply which now provides over two-thirds of Rhode Island’s residents with their water. The film de-constructs the creation of the Scituate Reservoir, profiling the individuals responsible for the displacement of five villages in Scituate, while uncovering a number of tragic stories from those forced from their land. In this talk, archival materials including historic maps, property records and photographs paint the picture of how the displaced were impacted in contrast to the benefits reaped by the original Providence Water Supply Board members. Select scenes will be screened and broken down through familial connections, while demonstrating how the research was transformed from finding aid to final film. Evan Villari is a documentary filmmaker who for the past twenty years has taught filmmaking, video, photography and writing courses at a number of institutions of higher education. He is currently the Director of the Center for Media Production in the John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences at Johnson & Wales University where he also serves as a full professor in the Media & Communication Studies Program.
Edward Garcia, Director of the Cranston Public Library, will be discussing the Cranston Library’s holdings relating to genealogical research. In his role as Library Director, Edward serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the Cranston Public Library under the direction of the Library Board of Trustees. Ed began his career in librarianship as an intern at the Cranston Public Library from 2006-2008. He was then the Assistant Library Director of the Adams Public Library in Central Falls, RI from 2008-2009 before returning to Cranston as a Reference Librarian and Coordinator of Technology and Technical Services, before his appointment as Library Director. Ed is an amateur genealogist and a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. He will provide information about the various local history and genealogy offerings available at the Cranston Public Library.
Coffee and light refreshments will be served. If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated. Everyone is invited to attend, so bring along your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy. Free and open to the public. Mark your calendar! An e-mail reminder with the link will be sent prior to the meeting. |
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Sunday, May 21, 2023
May Annual RIGS Meeting (Sunday)
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Masonic Lodge, 39 Baker Street, Warren, RI 02885
The Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 21, 2023 and will be a hybrid meeting. The meeting will be held at the Masonic Lodge, 39 Baker Street, Warren, RI 02885 and virtually via Zoom. (Link will be sent to members by email prior to the meeting).
This half-day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and light refreshments. At 12:45 pm, the Annual Meeting will begin, including the election of new officers, awards ceremony, and news and announcements.
Speakers will be:
- Lynda J. Rego has worked as a writer and editor at the East Bay Media Group since 1976. They publish seven weekly newspapers, including the Bristol Phoenix, first published in 1837. Lynda writes a genealogy column, "Climbing Your Family Tree," and has been doing genealogy since 2004. Bristol newspapers are available online from 1833-2021 and she will demonstrate how the website works.
- Kate Wells of the Providence Public Library and Phoebe Bean of the Rhode Island Historical Society, will speak on the National Digital Newspaper Project. PPL and RIHS have been collaborating for the past several years on a grant from the Library of Congress & NEH called National Digital Newspaper Project which is funding the collaboration to digitize historic RI newspaper content.
- There will also be a tour and short talk on the history of the Washington Masonic Lodge in Warren. Washington Lodge #3, Free and Accepted Masons, received dispensation on June 24, 1796 and chartered on March 15, 1798. The current Lodge building was completed in 1799.
If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated. Everyone is invited to attend, so bring along your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy.
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Thursday, May 18, 2023 through Sunday, May 21, 2023
Come Home To Rhode Island 2023
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Saturday, April 22, 2023 through Saturday, April 22, 2023
RI GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY BOOK SALE
10:00 am to 2:00 pm 530 West Reach Drive, Jamestown, RI 02835
These books include genealogies, histories, cemetery books and more covering Rhode Island, New England and some other areas of the country. The sale is open to librarians, RIGS members and the general public. |
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Saturday, April 1, 2023
April meeting
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Virtual Meeting via Zoom
MEETING CHANGE!
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, April 1st from 12:30-3:00 pm. The meeting has been moved to VIRTUAL ONLY This half-day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with news and announcements. TThe first speaker will begin at 1:00 pm. An email reminder with the link will be sent prior to the meeting.
Andiamo! Finding Your Italian Family Get started on Italian-American research. Margaret Rose Fortier
This talk covers background on Italy, why they left, where they settled, why your grandfather has five cousins named Vincenzo. It includes examples of useful records in the US and Italy. Knowing what their life was like in the old country helps us understand their choices and behavior when they came to America: why they were slow to naturalize, why the family was the most important institution, why they worked as laborers, and why food was a source of celebration. Andiamo!
Margaret Rose Fortier is a Board certified genealogical researcher, writer, and lecturer. Named after her grandmothers and inspired by her mother’s phenomenal memory, she has been researching for 20 years. The daughter of an immigrant, she specializes in immigrant ancestors to New England, particularly those of Italian descent. A graduate of Boston College and Bentley University, she holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. She serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists and is a facilitator for the Certification Discussion Group (CDG).
Astrid Drew is the archivist for the Steamship Historical Society of America, where she manages and organizes collections, digital media, and assists the public in learning more about the history of engine-powered vessels. She holds a Masters of Library and Information Science, with a focus in archives and preservation, from Simmons College.
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Saturday, January 28, 2023
January Meeting
12:30 pm to 2:30 pm This is a virtual meeting held over Zoom
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday January 28th virtually for members and guests. The meeting will begin at 12:30 with news and updates. The first speaker will begin at 1:00 pm. This meeting will be broadcast by RIGS for RIGS members and their invited guests, so feel free to invite a friend. You will receive an e-mail reminder with the link prior to the meeting. If you don’t receive the invite, please check your spam folder or add us to your contact list.
The meeting will host the following guest speakers:
At 1 pm, Dave Robison will speak on “Much More Than Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.” In a rut? So are most of us. Research habits are tough to break so let’s break them now! Is your “go-to” website Ancestry. com? FamilySearch.org? There are dozens upon dozens of alternative online sources, many no cost or low cost. Specialty websites for specific types of searches such as specific countries or localities, military records, etc. Websites that are compendiums of genealogical resources, social media, federal government sites, many that are little used but are powerful research tools. Dave is owner of Old Bones Genealogy of New England, and a professional genealogist from Western Massachusetts. He holds a Certificate of Genealogical Research from Boston University and has completed the 18-month ProGen course in Professional Genealogy. Q and A will follow Dave's talk.
At 2:15 pm, RIGS’s member Heather Pouliot Kisilywicz will share insight into the state’s sesquicentennial plans and will speak about Rhode Island’s pivotal role in the nation’s formation. The small but mighty colony was the first to declare independence from the King and last to join the new nation. Heather is a RI250 Commissioner. She will share insight into the state’s sesquicentennial plans and then facilitate virtual breakout sessions where members can share their research of Rhode Island revolutionary ancestors. |
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Saturday, November 5, 2022
RIGS Virtual November Meeting
12:30 pm to 2:00 pm This is a virtual meeting held over Zoom
Featured speaker: Marian Pierre-Louis
Pointing Fingers at Ancestors' Siblings – Breaking Down Brick Walls with Collateral Research
Your brick wall is giving you countless headaches and troubles. Perhaps it's time to take a fresh look at different people in your family tree. In this webinar we will talk about doing in-depth research on cousins and siblings in order to remove genealogy obstacles.
Marian Pierre-Louis is a genealogy professional who specializes in educational outreach through webinars, internet broadcasts and video. Her areas of expertise include house history research, southern New England research and solving brick walls. Marian produced and hosted 100 episodes of Fieldstone Common, a history podcast, and 63 episodes of The Genealogy Professional podcast. Both of which are still available online. Marian is the Online Education Producer for Legacy Family Tree Webinars where she produces online genealogy education classes. You can find her hosting a number of the webinars at Legacy Family Tree Webinars. |
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Saturday, September 24, 2022
RIGS Meeting
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Saints John & Paul Church 341 South Main Street Coventry, RI
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Saturday, September 24th, 2022 at the Saints John & Paul Church in Coventry and virtually. This half-day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and light refreshments.
Rhode Island State Census for Genealogists
Looking for Rhode Islanders in the Revolutionary War era, or 1865-1935? The Rhode Island colonial and state census collections offer amazing details, but each enumeration is quite different. Looking for all men 16 and over in 1777? Exact dates of birth? Civil War service? Name of school attended? Learn how to navigate the arrangements online and match family members to their records.
Diane MacLean Boumenot specializes in southern New England family history research and publishes genealogical guidance on her website, One Rhode Island Family. In 2018 she co-authored, with Maureen Taylor, the National Genealogical Society’s NGS Research in the States volume, Research in Rhode Island. In 2021, she published a small book on the Rhode Island State Census. Diane speaks on Legacy Family Tree Webinars on New England genealogy and also TechZone topics. She holds a B.A. in American History and English from Wesleyan University. She is currently serving as Vice President of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society.
The Final Brick Wall: Death Records for Your Rhode Island Ancestor
We all know the exasperation of being unable to discover when and where an ancestor died. They couldn’t be still alive! What was the story? Did they move away? Join the witness protection program. Die in an institution? This talk will help you dive into the rich resources for Rhode Island deaths in different eras and locales. It would be fun to use examples from members of the people whose deaths they cannot find. If you have such a problem, please email details to bamberg@ tiac.net.
Cherry Fletcher Bamberg is the editor of Rhode Island Roots and the author of several books and dozens of articles on Rhode Island families. She is a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists. If anyone would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be appreciated. Please join us in person or virtually. Bring along your non-member friends, all are welcome to attend! Free and open to the public.
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Sunday, May 15, 2022
RIGS Members' Annual Meeting (Sun.)
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm North Kingstown United Methodist Church 450 Boston Neck Road, Rte. 1A North Kingstown
The Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 15th, 2022 at the North Kingstown United Methodist Church and virtually (Zoom link: https://us06web. zoom.us/j/88174244331). This half-day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and light refreshments, as well as our much-anticipated Annual Book Sale (see side bar). At 1:00 pm the Annual Meeting will begin, including a welcome to our visiting out-of-state members, election of new officers, and awards ceremony, along with news and announcements.
Our meeting is hosting the following guest speaker—
At 1:30 pm Seema Kenney will be speaking on what to do once you receive your DNA results. Bring your DNA results to the meeting, if you wish Seema to review them with you after the meeting.
Receiving your first DNA test results is exciting. And confusing! This presentation addresses some things you should understand and a few decisions you should make before delving too far into those Ethnicity Estimates and DNA Matches, we all crave upon receipt of test results.
A wife, mother of 3, and entrepreneur, Seema is an experienced software instructor and a professional genealogist. Based on over 20 years of research, her known roots are deep in New England as well as England, Germany, and Sweden. Her DNA research has now added The Netherlands to that list.
Seema has a certificate in Genealogical Research from BU, completed ProGen and is an active member of several societies and part of the NERGC planning committee.
After her talk, Seema will take some general questions from the floor and then will sit with members, one on one, to answer questions. Additionally, two other RIGS members will sit and talk, one on one, to interpret DNA results with members if they choose.
If anyone would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be very much appreciated. Please join us in person or virtually on Sunday, May 15th. Bring along your non-member friends, all are welcome to attend! Free and open to the public. Please follow all current Rhode Island Covid guidelines.
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Thursday, May 12, 2022 through Sunday, May 15, 2022
Come Home to Rhode Island Weekend
We are hoping that Thursday, May 12th will be the beginning of our Come Home to Rhode Island Weekend, but we will have to wait to see due to Covid restrictions. |
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Saturday, March 26, 2022
RIGS Members All Day Event
12:00 pm to 3:00 pm First Methodist Church, Rte 1A, North Kingstown, RI
Mark your calendar! The next members event of the Society is scheduled for Saturday March 26, 2022, at the First Methodist Church, Rte. 1A, North Kingstown, RI. The event starts at noon Eastern time and should also be available remotely; a link will be sent to members prior to the meeting. Program to be announced in late February. |
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Saturday, January 29, 2022
January RIGS Member Meeting
9:45 am to 12:00 pm Online meeting
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sat- urday, January 29th. Due to the recent rise in Covid cases, this meeting will take place virtually on Zoom. We will begin at 9:45 am with news and announcements; the first speaker will begin at 10:00 am. This meeting will be broadcast by RIGS for RIGS members and their invited guests, so feel free to invite a friend. The Zoom link is included in the meeting & program box below. But you will receive an e-mail reminder with the link prior to the meeting. If you don’t receive the invite, please check your spam folder or add us to your contact list.
Our meeting is hosting the following guest speakers—
Lisa Lisson is the head/only honcho over at Are You My Cousin? She has helped genealogy researchers around the world learn how to search for and find their ancestors. Through hundreds of genealogy blog posts, YouTube videos and online Master- classes, she shares research strategies and how-to tutorials to take the overwhelm out of genealogy research. Visit her web- site: lisalisson.com for more information.
Her talk will be "Discover Your Family's Medical History Through Genealogy Research." Have you considered your ancestor's medical histories? Genealogy records provide lots of information on an ancestor's health if you know where to look. Discover information on your ances- tor's health and how their medical history impacted their lives.
At 11:00 am, Maureen Taylor, also known as the Photo Detective, will speak on: “Reading for Clues: Genealogical Magazines and the Photo Detective.” She will speak on two subjects. First, she will speak on Family Tree Magazine. Maureen is a regular contributor to Family Tree Magazine and she will talk about the many reasons why it is so helpful to genealo- gists. Maureen will also talk about her work as the Photo Detective. Maybe she will even share a secret or two about how to identify the people in those old photos you have and wondered who they were.
Maureen Taylor has long been associated with the genealogy field. She is nationally known as the Photo Detec- tive, as a conference speaker and an author of many books. She is even a former president of RIGS. Visit her website: maureentaylor.com for more information.
Family Archives: We all have many treasures in our family archives. What is your strangest or most treasured item? Email the information to Helen Smith at hhsctc@aol.com and we’ll talk about it at the meeting.
If you are unable to attend the meeting, the recorded video will be posted on our website later. To access the recording of this meeting or the September 25th or November 6th meetings, visit rigensoc.org and select RIGS Events in the sidebar
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Saturday, September 25, 2021
September RIGS meeting
Check back for information about the September meeting! |
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Sunday, May 16, 2021
May RIGS Annual Meeting
Online, see email sent to members
Plan to join the RIGS Annual Meeting on Sunday, May 16. Details can be found in the April Society newsletter:
https://rigensoc.org/upload/newsletters/RIGSReporter_Apr2021_FINAL.pdf |
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Saturday, March 13, 2021
RIGS half-day meeting
Mark your calendars for the March half-day meeting! Check beck here, or on your member newsletter, for specific plans. |
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Saturday, January 30, 2021
RIGS All-Day Meeting
Mark your calendars for the January 30 meeting of RIGS! Check back here, or on your member newsletter, for specifics. |
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Saturday, November 14, 2020
RIGS Half-Day Meeting
12:30 pm to 3:00 pm Online, see email sent to members
RIGS members are invited to attend a virtual meeting on Saturday, November 14. The meeting will begin with News & Announcements at 12:30. Speakers will be:
- David McDonald, speaking on Church Records
- Nathaniel Taylor, speaking on Lineage Society Applications: Making a Parent-Child Link
Members should join the meeting through an email link to be sent approximately a week before the meeting. |
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Sunday, September 27, 2020
RIGS September Meeting
10:00 am to 1:15 pm Online, see email sent to members
10:00 News & Announcements
10:30 Thomas McEntee The 15 Habits of Highly Frugal Gene-alogists
11:40 Kathleen Kaldis Genealogical Research in Nova Scotia and Cape Breton. |
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Sunday, May 17, 2020
RIGS Annual Meeting and Book Sale; time of meeting TBA
North Kingstown Methodist Church
The 2020 Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 17th. From those of us who live in RI to all of our fellow members outside of RI, we extend a warm invitation for you to come home for an extended genealogy weekend. Let us help you break through those Rhode Island brick walls.
If you are available to arrive on Thursday, May 14th, we will have a local genealogist ready to meet with you that evening and offer advice and assistance for research plans on Friday and Saturday. Please fill out the form below so we may match you up with a local genealogist who knows Rhode Island and is researching the same families.
On Friday, May 15th and Saturday, May 16th, plan to spend time tracking your ancestors through Rhode Island town halls, graveyards, historical societies, and libraries. We will be here and ready to help! We will meet for brunch on Sunday, May, 17th with more genealogy talk, followed by the RIGS Annual Meeting.
Members, see the registration form in the February 5 2020 edition of the RIGS Reporter.
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Thursday, May 14, 2020 through Sunday, May 17, 2020
Come Home to Rhode Island Weekend
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Saturday, March 7, 2020
RIGS to Meet on March 7th in Jamestown
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm 26 North Road, Jamestown, RI
RIGS to Meet on March 7th in Jamestown
The next meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will take place on Saturday, March 7th at the Jamestown Philomenian Library located at 26 North Road. This half day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and light refreshments.
Our first speakers will be Robert Gumlaw and Jan Burkhart of the American French Genealogical Society located in Woonsocket. So much has been happening there. They will give us an update on the many changes, which will be of help to our members. Robert Gumlaw is the current President and Janice Burkhart has been the Librarian for the American French Genealogical Society since 1982. She is a past President of the Society and over the years has been involved in many of the Society’s activities. She is a graduate of Bridgewater State College and Boston University.
Our second speaker will be Christine DeLucia, who is Assistant of History at Williams College and formerly at Mount Holyoke College. Her book Memory Lands: King Philip’s War and the Place of Violence in the Northeast was published by Yale University Press. She is currently working on new research about Native, Colonial and African American entanglements in the 18th-Century Northeast.
Her talk will be on: Memoryscapes of Narragansett Bay: Revisiting the Histories and Legacies of King Philip’s War. The 17th-century indigenous resistance movement and colonial conflict known as King Philip’s War (1675-1678) shaped the region around Narragansett Bay in important ways. This presentation revisits Native American and colonial encounters before, during and after this pivotal period, examining how and why di- verse communities pursued diplomacy, peacemaking, and violence at different points. It traces the meanings of home- lands for indigenous people and nations including Nipmucs, Narragansetts, and Wampanoags, and the aspirations of and pressures exerted by colonial societies in Plymouth, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This talk invites conversation about how the past continues to matter in the present, and the opportunities as well as challenges related to heritage, preservation and caretaking of meaningful lands, waters and stories.
Robert Grandchamp will speak on How many Rhode Islanders died in the Civil War? Since 1865, the number has ranged from 1,300 to 2,500. Using ground breaking research into cemeteries, books, and other sources, award winning historian Robert Grandchamp has nailed down the number to 2,217. Come hear Robert’s incredible story of how he made this determination. This is Robert’s only Rhode Island appearance this year. A long time RIGS member, Robert Grandchamp is the author of fifteen books, including his most recent Rhode Island’s Civil War Dead: A Complete Roster. He received his M.A. in American history from Rhode Island College. He lives with his family in Jericho Center, Vermont. If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be greatly appreciated. Everyone is invited to attend, so bring along your non- member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy. Free and open to the public!
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Saturday, January 25, 2020
RIGS All Day Meeting
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Saturday, November 9, 2019
RIGS Half Day meeting
Cumberland Public Library, 1464 Diamond Hill Road Cumberland, RI
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Saturday, September 28, 2019
September All Day Meeting
9:30 am to 3:00 pm Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1817 Warwick Ave, Warwick, RI
September All Day Members Meeting
The first RIGS meeting of the fall will be held on Saturday, September 28th at the Pilgrim Lutheran Church. The meeting will begin at 9:30 am with coffee, juice, and some goodies; a light lunch will be available for a cost of $5.00. Advance reservations for lunch are re- quired (see coupon box on right), one week prior to the meeting.
At 10:00 am, Sonia Pacheco, the librarian archivist for the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese American Archives; as well as the Portuguese, History and Foreign Languages library liaison at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, will speak on: “Figuring out your Portuguese-American roots: how archives can help you be a better genealogist.” She will provide some context to Portuguese-American immigration; will discuss how the Ferreira-Mendes Portuguese-American Archives might be of assistance to your research; and will cover some of the key issues that all genealogists need to be aware of when tracing their Portuguese ancestors, such as vital records and naming conventions (or lack thereof!).
Her fifteen years of experience as an information and heritage professional draws on her current position at an academic library and archive, as well as previous jobs as an archivist and museum coordinator for a historical society, community development librarian and librarian archivist at public libraries. She received a master’s degree in Information Studies (Archives focus) from the University of Toronto and a master’s in History from the University of Massachusetts Boston. The research for her MA thesis focused on Portuguese illegal emigration to the United States during the 1895-1911 period. Her professional interests include the relationship between archives and immigrant communities, capturing and preserving community memory, and teaching primary source literacy.
At 11:00 am Carol Gosselin will present An Introduction to Wiki, online Resources, Research resources, Finding records by place, Browse by Country, Records available at Family History Centers and FS affiliate libraries.
Carol is a retired nurse who has been researching her family since 1999. Her areas of interest are New England (specifically Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts), England, Isle of Man and Sweden. She is a member of RIGS, New England Historic and Genealogical Society, the Isle of Man Family History Society and the DAR, and has volunteered at the Family History Center in Warwick for 15 years. Carol is a volunteer RIGS town researcher for Woonsocket, as well as being a volunteer researcher for Hearthside House in Lincoln, RI, and has been able to trace all sides of her family back to the 1600 and 1700s. She also participates in Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness whenever possible.
Chuck Arning, recently retired from the National Park Service after 241⁄2 years of service (primarily in the Blackstone River Valley, as an interpretive Ranger), will present “Where Do I Go? - The Irish Famine Orphans of Grosse Ile.” He will discuss the issues of boundaries, immigration and the untold stories of those caught in the middle of cataclysmic events, with the focus being on the Irish Famine Orphans of 1847 and 1848, who found themselves on the quarantine island of Grosse Ile, Quebec Province in the middle of the St Lawrence River.
Ranger Arning produced, wrote, hosted and co-edited the award winning cable television series, “Along the Blackstone” for the National Park Service. The series has won over twelve regional and national awards for excellence in television and several episodes have aired on the A&E Biography Channel (1998) and the History Channel (1996-1998). He was awarded the 1997 National Freemen Tilden Award for Excellence in Interpretation from the National Park Service. In 2002, with help from a wide variety of partners, Ranger Arning was awarded the Freedom Star Award for his work on the Underground Railroad by the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. In 2014, he was awarded the Leadership in Preservation Award by the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce, and in 2017, the Bay State Legacy Award by the Massachusetts History Conference.
Ranger Arning was the project manager and did some writing for the widely acclaimed book, Landscape of Industry - An Industrial History of the Blackstone Valley, published by the University Press of New England, 2009. Ranger Arning is a member of the American Antiquarian Society, the National Council for Public History, the New England Historical Association, and the American Association of State and Local History.
At 2:00 pm, RIGS’s own Lee Ashcraft will host an exciting game of Rhode Island Jeopardy. This should keep everyone on their toes and be a lot of fun. There might even be a prize or two! Please join us and bring along a non- member friend. All are invited to attend! For your lunch reservation, please return the coupon (see page 1) with your $5.00 check made payable to RIGS and mail to: Priscilla Chappell, 12 Highland Avenue, Narragansett, RI 02882. For any questions, please call 401-783-7006.
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Sunday, May 19, 2019
RIGS Annual Meeting and Book Sale
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm North Kingstown United Methodist Church
The Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 19th. The meeting will take place at the North Kingstown United Methodist Church. We will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and light refreshments, and time to explore the books for sale.
Annual Book Sale: RIGS members, Judy Jencks and Evelyn Murray, will be running our Annual Book Sale. It should be better than ever, with lots of great genealogy and history books! A short business meeting with election of new officers, award ceremony, introduction of our visiting out-of-state members. Our meeting is hosting the following guest speakers—
David Wescott Smith will display early 19th century samplers and other artifacts from the Westcott Collection at the Warwick Historical Society. In “Three Samplers from Westcott, RI.” David will discuss the young women who embroidered these proofs of learning and the toll house on the New London Turnpike where they lived. David, a retired marketing communications consultant who lives in Narragansett, is the Historian for the Society of Stukely Westcott Descendants of America, and with his wife Rosemary, produces the winter speaker series On Pettaquamscutt, Presentations on the Environment and History of the Narrow River Watershed.
John McNiff, a Ranger with the National Park Service at the Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence, will talk about life in 17th century New England with some reproduction artifacts. Mr. McNiff is a Rhode Island native. Raised in Warwick, he attended Rhode Island College and received his BA in History with a minor in Anthropology in 1979. After studying archaeology in England and working on numerous archaeological projects throughout New England, he received his MA in Anthropology, specializing in archaeology, in 1990 from SUNY Binghamton. In 1996 John began working with the National Park Service and in 1997 was stationed as a Park Ranger at the Roger Williams National Memorial on North Main Street in Providence.
Please, come join us and bring along a non-member friend. Be sure to say “hello” to our out-of-state members. If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be very much appreciated.
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Thursday, May 16, 2019 through Sunday, May 19, 2019
Come Home To Rhode Island Weekend
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Saturday, March 16, 2019
RIGS Half Day Meeting
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm St. Lucy’s Catholic Parish 909 West Main Road (Rte. 114), Middletown, RI
The next RIGS members’ meeting will be held on Saturday, March 16th at St. Lucy’s Catholic Parish Hall in Middletown. This half-day meeting will begin at 12:30 pm with coffee and goodies.
Come hear Christian McBurney, author of The Rhode Island Campaign: The First French and American Operation of the Revolutionary War, speak about this most interesting attempt by the French and Americans to oust the British from Newport. The campaign concludes with the Battle of Rhode Island, which occurred at Portsmouth on August 28, 1778, 240 years ago. The largest battle in New England during the American Revolutionary War, its importance is underrated.
Christian McBurney is an independent historian whose prior six Rhode Island and Revolutionary War books include World War II Rhode Island (History Press, 2017); Kidnapping the Enemy: The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Lee & Richard Prescott (Westholme, 2014) and The Rhode Island Campaign: The First French and American Operation of the Revolutionary War (Westholme, 2011). He is also the chief publisher and editor of the Online Review of Rhode Island History (smallstatebighistory.com), with more than twenty contributing authors.
Barbara Carroll began her genealogical research in 1986. She has been an independent contractor for NEHGS and for the RI Historical Society, as well as a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists. Her specialties are Rhode Island and Italian research. She has presented many talks and workshops in Italian research, and is the editor and compiler of Voices of Rhode Island’s Italian Americans, the culmination of an oral history project by the Italian American Historical Society of RI. Her presentation will include how to find US records which will ensure a more successful search in Italy, and how to find and search the increasing number of original Italian records which are available in various places.
If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be very much appreciated. Please join us and bring along your non-member friends. Free and open to the public!
AGENDA
—Coffee and light refreshments
—Christian McBurney & Barbara Carroll
MEETING DIRECTIONS
West Bay: From Providence take Rte. 95 South to Rte. 4 South follow signs for No. Kingstown. Continue straight on US Rte. 1. Take Rte. 138 E ramp to Jamestown/ Newport. Over Newport Bridge. Keep left to continue 138 E. Take 138 ext. on left towards Fall River/ Cape Cod. Merge onto Rte. 138/ RI138. Turn left onto Rte. 138/ Admiral Kalbfus Rd. Turn left onto West Main Rd/Rte. 114. St. Lucy’s will be 1-1/2 miles on the right. East Bay: From East Providence, Barrington, Bristol take Rte. 114 South. Over Mt. Hope Bridge. Continue south on Rte. 114 into Middletown. St. Lucy’s will be on your left across from Staples.
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Saturday, January 26, 2019
RIGS All Day Meeting
9:30 am to 3:30 pm Sts. John & Paul Church, 341 South Main Street, Coventry, RI
Have you ever wondered how some of your genealogy buddies find old photo albums and bibles on line? Where did they come up with some of these treasures? How do you look? How do you set your computer so it notifies you if something interesting comes up? Shopping for Your Family Treasures Online, KarenLu LaPolice, Helen Smith and Rachel Peirce will take a few minutes to give you some ideas on how to get started and have some online fun!
Next, Elaine Forman Crane, author of the book Killed Strangely: The Death of Rebecca Cornell, will speak on: Life after Death: Reconstructing Thomas Cornell After His Execution. Dr. Crane is Distinguished Professor of History Emerita at Fordham University in New York City, and is also the author of Witches, Wife Beaters, and Whores: Common Law and Common Folk in Early America and The Poison Plot: A Tale of Adultery and Murder in Colonial Newport.
Just before we break for lunch Lorraine Tarket-Arruda will discuss her new cemetery book Richmond, Rhode Island Historical Cemeteries. Copies will also be available for purchase.
After lunch, Maureen Taylor, the Photo Detective, will give us a brief demo of the new website on Providence history OldPvd.com. It is an interactive site with old photos and maps.
Next, Marcia Iannizzi Melnyk, a well known lecturer at national conferences, is returning to speak to the Rhode Island Genealogical Society on a new subject: Getting the Most from Land and Probate Records. This could be the way to break down that “brick wall” that has put a halt to your research. Friend her on Facebook and learn more about Marcia before her talk.
Facebook and Other New Methods for Collaboration and Education: The world of genealogy collaboration has changed enormously in the past 10 years. Today, Facebook is the quick and easy method for reaching out to our fellow genealogists all over the world for local info, translations, and collaborations. More and more genealogists are exploring new educational opportunities on the web including webinars and the 12-month ProGen collaborative courses. In-person education is gaining enormous popularity as well, with five “Institute” sites around the U.S. offering top level week-long training. Some conferences, include the largest of them all, RootsTech, offer free online presentations, and some presentations for purchase for those who stay home. And lastly, what does it mean to be a certified genealogist? Who does the certifying, and what is it like to apply? Diane MacLean Boumenot is an avid researcher of her family’s roots in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Nova Scotia. She speaks on genealogical topics locally and through Legacy Family Tree Webinars. She is the co-author with Maureen Taylor, in 2018, of the National Genealogical Society’s Research in the States book, Research in Rhode Island, and maintains a website of her family history journey called One Rhode Island Family. |
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Saturday, November 3, 2018
Half Day Members' Meeting NOTE CHANGE OF LOCATION
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm Rogers Free Library, 525 Hope Street (Rt 114), Bristol, Rhode Island
Note the change in location to Rogers Free Library, 525 Hope Street (Rt 114), Bristol, Rhode Island - this meeting will NOT be held in Warwick.
The next RIGS members’ meeting will be held at the Rogers Free Library in Bristol on Saturday, November 3rd. The meeting will begin with coffee and light refreshments at 12:30 pm, followed by our speakers.
At 1:00 pm Matthew B. McCoy will give a presentation on researching the World War I veterans in your family tree. Matt is a retired naval officer who is currently serving as an appointed commissioner and the State Coordinator for the Rhode Island World War One Centennial Commission. He is also a RIGS member and amateur genealogist.
Jeff Howe, long-time RIGS member and contributor will talk about a lost tavern that was located in Barrington in a place called “Happy Hollow” by the Town Historian Thomas Bicknell. However he did not know exactly where “Happy Hollow” was. We will discover the location, why it was lost, and ironically the fact that Jeff grew up in “Happy Hollow” and didn’t realize it.
Jeff Howe is a long time Writer/Researcher of Rhode Island history who has contributed articles to numerous publications.
Curtis White has been a Supervisory Park Ranger for 32 years and is stationed at the Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site located in Salem, Massachusetts. His talk will be on the Saugus Iron Works and will focus on Joseph Jenks who later came to Rhode Island. Mr Jenks came with the Winthrop fleet and set up an iron foundry in Lynn, Massachusetts making tools, moulds, pots, kettles and much more. The first patent issued in this country in 1646 and was granted by the Massachusetts General Court was to Joseph Jenks. He made the first fire engine used in America, the first wire and dies for the famous pine-tree shilling.
If you would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be very much appreciated. All are invited to attend, so bring along your non-member friends who have an interest in exploring their genealogy. Open to the public!
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Thursday, October 18, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Greene Library, Coventry, RI
Ancestry and FamilySearch |
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Monday, October 15, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Narragansett Library, Narragansett, RI
Ancestry and FamilySearch |
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Thursday, October 4, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Greenville Library, Greenville, RI
Ancestry and FamilySearch |
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Saturday, September 29, 2018
All Day Members' Meeting
9:30 am to 3:00 pm Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington, RI
The first RIGS meeting of the fall will be held on Saturday, September 29th at the Barrington Public Library. The meeting will begin at 9:30 am with coffee, juice, and some goodies; a light lunch will be available for a cost of $5.00. Advance reservations for lunch are required (see coupon box below), one week prior to the meeting.
Our first speaker at 10:00 am will be Michael F. Dwyer. His topic will be: In the Footsteps of Uncle Pat: A Newport Soldier’s World War I Experience. As Americans remem- ber the centennial of World War I, Michael Dwyer takes us on a personal journey through the fifteen months his grandfather’s brother Patrick William Dwyer served with the 82nd Division of the American Expeditionary Force. Patrick’s early death had a profound impact on his family.
Michael F. Dwyer, a long-time member and past presenter of the Rhode Island Historical Society, assists Cherry Bamberg with Rhode Island Roots. A Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists, he edits Vermont Genealogy and has contributed many articles to a variety of journals. In June, he retired after thirty-five years of teaching English and history to Vermont students.
The 1938 Hurricane: A Rhode Island Family’s Enduring Legacy: Rhode Island-born journalist Tom Verde shares the story of his family’s tragic loss during the devastating Hurricane of 1938 which swept along the New England coast on September 21. Verde will reflect on how the events of that awful day impacted his family for a generation and beyond. Tom Verde is a freelance journalist whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Politico, the Boston Globe, AramcoWorld and on National Public
Radio. A native of Providence, he now lives just over the Westerly, Rhode Island border, in Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Visit his website at tomverde.pressfolios.com.
Note: All attending are asked to bring photos or stories of the 1938 Hurricane.
After lunch, Varoujan Karentz will speak on ”The Life Savers: Rhode Island’s Forgotten Service” and video presentation highlights the 19 Century era where shipping and shipwrecks were happening along Rhode Island’s shores. Nine “Life Saving” stations and their crews were established along our south shore and on Block Island. Their tasks were difficult and dangerous where during the winter months, storms and gales drove all types of vessels ashore. Cargo, ships and lives were lost. The government service required men capable to walk the beaches and save lives in the worst possible situations. The service lasted for 50 years and has since been forgotten.
Varoujan Karentz is a retired engineer and Corporate Director of Raytheon Company in Lexington, MA. A native Rhode Islander living in Jamestown, an avid offshore cruising sailor with past service as a navigator in the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Navy. He co-founded the Youth Sailing Foundation in Vero Beach, FL and was past Commodore of the Southern Cross Sailing Organization. He has served on a number of organization boards state wide including the Heritage Harbor project. Since 2002, he has been associated with the historic Beavertail Lighthouse on Conanicut Island. Mr. Karentz has been instrumental in preserving the site and expanding the museum by designing and installing historic and interactive exhibits, while promoting the museum into a popular visitor destination. He is also an author of three books and various essays concerning Rhode Island historical events and a contributing author to the “Small State - Big History” web site. He is a recipient of the Antoinette Downing Preservation Award from the Rhode Island Historic Preservation and Heritage Commission and Preserve Rhode Island.
Wrapping things up will be JoAnn Butler, speaking about her latest book A Scandalous Life: The Golden Shore, which completes the Herodias Long trilogy. JoAnn Butler has dwelt in central New York and San Diego, California during most of her 60 something years. Her dream career was archaeologist on a variety of colonial digs, where she developed a passion from the ground up for America’s earliest years. For many years her favorite pastime was genealogy - more colonial America! Nowadays JoAnn expresses that passion in historical fiction. Her Scandalous Life series depicts Rhode Island’s tumultous birth, as it celebrates the lives of that colony’s notorious women, especially Herodias (Long) (Hicks) (Gardner) Porter.
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Sunday, September 23, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Greenville Library, Greenville, RI
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Monday, September 17, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Narragansett Library, Narragansett, RI
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Sunday, September 16, 2018
RIGS Genealogy Classes With Helen Smith
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm Greene Library, Coventry, RI
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Sunday, May 20, 2018
RIGS Annual Meeting
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
The Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 20 at 1:00 pm. The meeting will take place at the North Kingstown United Methodist Church, 450 Boston Neck Road, and will begin with a brief business meeting, awards ceremony, introduction of our visiting out-of-state members, and the election of officers. Our meeting is hosting the following guest speaker— Joseph Coduri will speak about his new book Rhode Island Towns and Villages: Post Card Views at the Turn of the 20th Century, which illustrates the rich heritage of the small towns and villages of our state.
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Saturday, May 19, 2018
RIGS Annual Meeting and Book Sale
Location and details TBA. Save the date and check back here! |
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Thursday, May 17, 2018 through Sunday, May 20, 2018
COME HOME TO RHODE ISLAND! 7th Annual Weekend of Rhode Island Genealogy
See also RIGS meeting, May 20.
The 2018 Annual Meeting of the Rhod e Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sun day, May 20th. From those of us who live in RI to all of our fellow members outside of RI, we extenda warm invitation for you to come for an extended genealogy weekend. Let us help youbreak through those RI brick walls.
If you are available to arrive on Thursday, May 17th, we will have a local genealogist ready to meet with you that evening and offer advice and assistance for research plans on Fridayand Saturday. Please fill out the form in the RIGS REPORTER Newsletter so we may match you up with a local genealogist who knows Rhode Island and is researching the same families.
On Friday, May 18th and Saturday, May 19th, plan to spend time tracking your ancestors through Rhode Island town halls, graveyards, historical societies, and libraries. We will behere and ready to help! We will meet for brunch on Sunday, May, 20th with more genealogy talk, followed by the RIGS Annual Meeting. |
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Saturday, January 27, 2018
All Day Members' Meeting
North Kingstown United Methodist Church
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Saturday, October 28, 2017
Half Day Members’ Meeting
American-French Genealogical Society, Woonsocket
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Wednesday, October 11, 2017
RIGS Boston Research Trip
7:45 am Wickford Junction or other commuter rail stops
For those interested in going to Boston and doing some research at New England Historic Genealogical Society this fall, we have set aside two dates. The first will be Wednesday, September 13th and the second Wednesday, October 11th. We will meet at Wickford Junction and take the 7:45 am MBTA commuter rail and arrive at Back Bay at 9:29 am. We plan to return on the 4:30 pm train from Back Bay arriving back at Wickford Junction 6:09 pm. Parking at Wickford Junction is free and plentiful. Train tickets may be purchased on board for $15.50 each way or half price ($7.75) for seniors, should you wish to share that fact with the conductor. If you live further north and Wickford Junction is not convenient, you can board the train at the Airport, Providence, or even South Attleboro.
Once we arrive at Back Bay, it is a five block walk down hill to NEHGS. If walking is not your thing, there is the option of catching a cab, Uber or Lyft, possibly sharing the cost with a fellow traveler. There are restaurants around NEHGS, but most of us take a lunch so we do not have to give up research time. If you are a member of NEHGS, using the library is included in your membership. Library cost is $15 for those who are non- members.
If you like a bit of research adventure, contact Helen Smith at 401-423-0442 or hhsctc@aol.com. Come join us! We talk genealogy all the way there and all the way back. There is even WiFi on the train!
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Saturday, September 30, 2017
All Day Members' Meeting
9:30 am to 3:00 pm Barrington Public Library, 281 County Road, Barrington, R.I.
The first RIGS meeting of the fall will be held on Saturday, September 30th at the Barrington Public Library. Coffee and light refreshments will be served at 9:30 am. There will be a light lunch served by the Hospitality Committee for a cost of $5.00. Advance reservations for lunch are requested, one week prior to the meeting (see below).
Our first speaker at 10:00 am will be Jeff Howe, a long time RIGS member. His topic will be “Solving a Mayflower Dead End Problem.” Jeff will present a slide show presentation that will reveal how he solved a long-standing, unproven Rhode Island genealogical connection to the Mayflower. It has previously been well-studied but not accepted by the Mayflower community. It concerns the Block Island Mitchell family, and Experience Mitchell who married Jane Cooke, daughter of Francis Cooke.
At 11:00 am, Cherry Bamberg will speak on “Rhode Island’s Beginning: What They Didn’t Teach Me in Seventh Grade.”
After lunch, John Stedman will speak on “Saving Genealogical Stories.”
At 2:00 pm, we will have “The RIGS Story Hour.” Last spring, at our annual meeting everyone was asked to write down a story about one of their ancestors. It could be a short incident or a longer tale, but everyone has stories to tell about their ances- tors and this will be the time to share. We have already received one from a member whose grandfather was a “Rum Runner.” The ancestor does not have to be famous and the story can be about something good or something bad. Some of you may have interesting DNA story results you’d like to share. If you want to tell it there will be time. If you would rather write it down and have someone else read it, that’s fine as well, but come with a story.
Please join us and bring along a non- member friend. All are invited to attend!
Please contact Pat Chappell for your lunch reservation by Sept. 23 at 401-783-7006. |
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Wednesday, September 13, 2017
RIGS Boston Research Trip
7:45 am Wickford Junction or other commuter rail stops
For those interested in going to Boston and doing some research at New England Historic Genealogical Society this fall, we have set aside two dates. The first will be Wednesday, September 13th and the second Wednesday, October 11th. We will meet at Wickford Junction and take the 7:45 am MBTA commuter rail and arrive at Back Bay at 9:29 am. We plan to return on the 4:30 pm train from Back Bay arriving back at Wickford Junction 6:09 pm. Parking at Wickford Junction is free and plentiful. Train tickets may be purchased on board for $15.50 each way or half price ($7.75) for seniors, should you wish to share that fact with the conductor. If you live further north and Wickford Junction is not convenient, you can board the train at the Airport, Providence, or even South Attleboro.
Once we arrive at Back Bay, it is a five block walk down hill to NEHGS. If walking is not your thing, there is the option of catching a cab, Uber or Lyft, possibly sharing the cost with a fellow traveler. There are restaurants around NEHGS, but most of us take a lunch so we do not have to give up research time. If you are a member of NEHGS, using the library is included in your membership. Library cost is $15 for those who are non- members.
If you like a bit of research adventure, contact Helen Smith at 401-423-0442 or hhsctc@aol.com. Come join us! We talk genealogy all the way there and all the way back. There is even WiFi on the train!
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Sunday, May 21, 2017
Annual Meeting
12:30 pm to 3:30 pm North Kingstown United Methodist Church, 450 Boston Neck Road, Rte. 1A, North Kingstown
The Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 21 at 12:30 pm. The meeting will take place at the North Kingstown United Methodist Church, 450 Boston Neck Road, and will begin with light refreshments, followed by a brief business meeting, awards ceremony, and the election of officers.
Our meeting is hosting the following guest speaker—William B. Saxbe, Jr., a Certified Genealogist since 1981, is a graduate of Amherst College, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health. He was elected a Fellow of the American Society of Genealogists in 1997 and currently serves as its president.
His writings on the Bowen family include not only Volumes 1 - 3, but the delightful “Twenty- One Jabez Bowens,” in Rhode Island Roots. Dr. Saxbe’s book Johann Genning (1818-1898) and His Descendants: A Toledo Family won the 1991 NGS Award for Excellence in Genealogy and Family History. He comes by his interest in the Bowen family naturally, as both his
parents descend from Richard1 Bowen.
Refreshments will be served as always. If anyone would like to bring something for the refreshment table, it would be very much appreciated. Please, come join us and bring along a non-member friend.
AGENDA
— Coffee and light refreshments
— Election of Officers
—Awards
— Speaker: William B. Saxbe, Jr.
MEETING DIRECTIONS
The North Kingstown United Methodist Church is located at 450 Boston Neck Road, Route 1A, in North Kingstown. Take Route 102 thru Wickford and bear right onto Route 1A South, go over the historic Hussey bridge and follow ¾ mile (you will pass the North Kingstown Town Hall on the left); continue through two lights and the Methodist Church will be on the left. |
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Thursday, May 18, 2017 through Sunday, May 21, 2017
6th Annual Come Home to Rhode Island Genealogy Weekend
Rhode Island
The 2017 Annual Meeting of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society will be held on Sunday, May 21st. From those of us who live in RI to all of our fellow members outside of RI, we extend a warm invitation for you to come for an extended genealogy weekend. Let us help you break through those RI brick walls.
If you are available to arrive on Thursday, May 18th, we will have a local genealogist ready to meet with you that evening and offer advice and assistance for research plans on Friday and Saturday. Please fill out the form below so we may match you up with a local genealogist who knows Rhode Island and is researching the same families.
On Friday, May 19th and Saturday, May 20th, plan to spend time tracking your ancestors through Rhode Island town halls, graveyards, historical societies, and libraries. We will be here and ready to help! We will meet for brunch on Sunday, May, 21st with more genealogy talk, followed by the RIGS Annual Meeting.
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