Rhode Island Church Records

United States   Rhode Island    Church Records

Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Rhode Island were the Baptist, Congregational, Methodist, Protestant Episcopal, and Roman Catholic. Many of the early settlers were members of the Society of Friends.

Some records of the Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Methodist, and Society of Friends churches are published in volumes 7 to 11 of James Arnold, The Vital Records of Rhode Island (see Rhode Island Vital Records). A list of churches and the types of records available in 1941 is Guide to the Church Vital Statistics in the State of Rhode Island (Providence: Historical Records Survey, 1941; Family History Library ).

The Family History Library has an extensive collection of church records for many denominations in Rhode Island. Many denominations have collected their records into central repositories. You can write to the following addresses to learn where their records are located:

Baptist
American Baptist-Samuel Colgate Historical Society 1106 S. Goodman Street Rochester, NY 14620-2532 Phone: (716) 473-1740 Fax: (716) 473-1740

An inventory of their holdings is in American Baptist Historical Society, The Records of American Baptists in Rhode Island and Related Organizations (Rochester, New York: American Baptist Historical Society, 1981; Family History Library ). Another useful guide is Inventory of Church Archives in Rhode Island: Baptist Bodies (Providence: Historical Records Survey, 1939; Family History Library ).

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Rhode Island Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The film numbers, for each ward, can be locate through the Family History Library Catalog. Or by refering to Jaussi, Laureen R., and Gloria D. Chaston. Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers. 2 vols. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (FHL book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507). These volumes contain the film numbers for many (but not all) membership and temple record films.

Congregational
The Congregational Library 14 Beacon Street Boston, MA 02108-3704 Phone: (617) 523-0470 Fax: (617) 523-0491

Episcopal
Diocese of Connecticut 135 Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105-2295 Phone: (860) 233-4481 Fax: (860) 523-1410

Reformed
Sacred Journey Church of Providence, Rhode Island 91 Fricker St. Providence, RI Phone: (401) 484-0752

Methodist
Boston University Theological School Library 745 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215 Phone: (617) 353-3034 Fax: (617) 353-3061

United Methodist Archives Center Drew University Library P.O. Box 127 Madison, NJ 07940 Phone: (201) 408-3189 Fax: (201) 408-3909

Roman Catholic
Diocese of Providence The Chancery Office 34 Fenner Street Providence, RI 02903-3695 Phone: (401) 278-4500 Fax: (401) 278-4548

A helpful history of the Roman Catholic Church is Thomas F. Cullen, The Catholic Church in Rhode Island(North Providence, Rhode Island: Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, 1936; Family History Library ).

The diocese includes the counties of: Kent, Newport, Providence and Washington

Society of Friends
New England Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends

Rhode Island Historical Society 121 Hope Street Providence, RI 02906 Phone: (401) 331-8575 Fax: (401) 751-7930