Rhode Island Cemetery Records Research Guide
Rhode Island cemetery records are often easier to find than some states because there are so many volunteers working to make sure the data is available and accessible. This does not mean you will necessarily be able to find free Rhode Island cemetery records, but it might mean you can at least find what you are seeking. This has been the extensive work of an ongoing project in which volunteers have been making sure the Rhode Island cemetery records match what one may actually find in the cemeteries. For Definitions of all Cemetery Terms See Symbols on Gravestones and Their Interpretations
This can be especially helpful if you are planning on visiting the burial site yourself. Too many times older records get lost or mixed up and cause people to have poor results. The Rhode Island cemetery records project will help prevent problems like this from arising. The amazing thing is you may be able to find Rhode Island cemetery records dating back as far as 1647.
This is just one of the reasons using Rhode Island cemetery records can be more effective than other types of records uses. Trying to find records that go back that far of any other kind is next to impossible. It is important to use things such as this to get data that may be impossible to find any other way.
Accessing Information
The great thing is you have options for getting your Rhode Island cemetery records. Some people even just hire someone else to find their Rhode Island cemetery records. You can try looking online or in person. For example, you may be able to go directly to a church and see their Rhode Island cemetery records, if you know which county to look in.
In fact, narrowing down your search to the county can be crucial to having better success. Trying to conduct a search when you are unsure of the county for Rhode Island cemetery records can be much more complicated if you are looking for the entire state records. Though it may take a while, you can eventually find what you need by using Rhode Island cemetery records.
Research In Rhode Island Cemetery Records
There are many cemetery records available for Rhode Island. The local chapters of the DAR have many indexes of gravestone inscriptions and type up new volumes each year. The Rhode Island Historical Society and the DAR Library in Washington each have a complete set of DAR volumes on file.
The Rhode Island Historical Society also hold a microfilmed copy of the Benns Collection of cemetery records. The East Greenwich Public Library has the original copy. There are also some cemetery records on file at the Newport Historical Society. Any cemetery that has been declared a historical cemetery is included in a list compiled by the Historic Graves Commission. The Graves Registration List, which is organized according to town, is also an excellent list of historical cemeteries. The Rhode Island State Archives has it on file.
Famous People Buried in Rhode Island Cemeteries
| County | Name / Date / Cemetery | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bristol | Quinn, Anthony (Antonio Rudolfo) 4/21/1915 - 6/3/2001 Quinn Family Estate |
Actor. He had a career spanned over sixty years, with appearances in more than 150 motion pictures. |
| Providence | Howland, Elizabeth 8/30/1607 - 12/21/1687 Ancient Little Neck Cemetery |
Original Mayflower Passenger. Wife of Mayflower Passenger John Howland. |
| Providence | Steere, William H. P. 5/5/1817 - 8/25/1882 North Burial Ground |
Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General. At the outbreak of the rebellion, he enlisted in Rhode Island Volunteers was commissioned Captain and promoted Colonel in command of the 4th Regiment in October 1861. |
| Providence | Williams, Roger 12/21/1602 - 4/1/1683 Roger Williams Memorial |
Religious Figure. Educated at Cambridge University in England, he was a Calvinist minister who left England because of his disagreement with English principle of an established state church. |
Rhode Island Cemeteries
| Cemetery Name | Cemetery City |
|---|---|
| Palatine Cemetery | Block Island |
| DeWolf Cemetery | Bristol |
| Chestnut Hill Baptist Church and Cemetery | Exeter |
| Old Friends' Burial Ground | Jamestown |
| Platform Cemetery | Kingstown |
| Old Burying Ground | Little Compton |
| Newport Memorial Park Cemetery | Middletown |
| Arnold Burying Ground | Newport |
| Common Burying Ground | Newport |
| Island Cemetery | Newport |
| Touro Cemetery | Newport |
| Bow-Wow Villa-Cemetery | Portsmouth |
| St. Mary's Churchyard | Portsmouth |
| North Burial Ground | Providence |
| Swan Point Cemetery | Providence |
| Pocasset Hill Cemetery | Tiverton |
| Precious Blood Cemetery | Woonsocket |
Rhode Island Cemeteries & Graveyards Links
- Find a Grave - Rhode Island Cemeteries
- The Rhode Island Political Graveyard
- Rhode Island Cemetery Books
