Rhode Island, Seamen's Proofs of Citizenship - FamilySearch Historical Records

What Is In This Collection?
This collection contains proofs and stub books of citizenship used to apply for Seamen's Protection Certificates at the port of Rhode Island. The records may include full name, age, gender, residence, and birthplace. This collection corresponds to three NARA series ARC 616473, 4492461, and 3477998. The collections are located at the National Archives at Waltham.


 * Records Relating to Seamen, 1798-1862. Department of the Treasury. Customs Service. Collection District of Newport, Rhode Island. Office of the Collector of Customs. Record Group 36 Records of the U.S. Customs Service. NAID 616473
 * Records Relating to Seamen, 1812-1879. Department of the Treasury. Customs Service. Collection District of Newport, Rhode Island. Office of the Collector of Customs. Record Group 36 Records of the U.S. Customs Service. NAID 4492461
 * Stub Books for Protection Certificates Issued to Seamen for Providence,12/14/1929-10/2/1940. Department of the Treasury. Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation. District of Providence (Rhode Island). Record Group 41 Records of the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation. NAID 3477998.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The records may contain the following information:
 * Date and number of certificate
 * Name of the seaman
 * Age
 * Physical description
 * Place of birth
 * Citizenship

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * Name
 * Approximate age or birth date

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a Research Log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Whenever possible, view the original records to verify the information and to find additional information that might not be reported. These pieces of information can lead you to additional records and family members
 * Print or download a copy of the record, or extract the genealogical information needed
 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date
 * Use the person's age and location to find his family in census, church, and land records
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit
 * If your ancestor used multiple names throughout their life, look for all their names
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * Your ancestor may have used different names, or variations of their name, throughout their life
 * If your ancestor used an alias or a nickname, be sure to check for those alternate names
 * Even though these indexes are very accurate they may still contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings, misinterpretations, and optical character recognition errors if the information was scanned
 * Check for variant spellings of the names
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. In addition local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the records of nearby localities (or military unties, counties, parishes, etc.)
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the landing page leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Rhode Island.
 * Rhode Island Guided Research
 * Rhode Island Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Rhode Island Research, 1880-Present

Citing this Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.