It is now possible to search the RI Historical Cemetery Database on a computer at the Rhode Island Historical Society for an ancestor buried anywhere in the state. The pre 20th century data is over 95% complete. The earliest gravestone in the database is 1647 for John Coggeshall, Sr., president of the colony of Rhode Island. Books have now been published for
ten of the 39 towns and more are planned. These books document many never previously
recorded gravestones.
The Rhode Island Cemeteries Database project was begun in 1990 as a way
to document and computerize the many historical cemeteries around the
state. Originally, there were thought to be 200,000 inscriptions in 2500
cemeteries. Today, we are now quite certain that there are 3100 +/-
cemeteries in Rhode Island. In 1990 there were 1862 registered historical
cemeteries. We have found and registered 972 bringing the current total
to 2,833. We are now estimating that there are 430,00 inscriptions, although
several large modern cemeteries may take that total higher.
The following is a yearly breakdown of the progress:
Yr total cumulation
1990 5,000 5,000
1991 20,000 25,000
1992 52,000 77,000
1993 95,000 127,000
1994 65,000 237,000
1995 63,800 301,000
1996 44,000 345,000
1997 25,000 370,000
Totals as of 2007 are 3,132 registered cemeteries with an estimated total of 3,294 thought to still exist. 428,614 of
an estimated 575,775 headstones have been entered into the database. 73.17% of the project is complete.
Incorporated into this project is every cemetery transcript we could find. Data from over 100 people who transcribed
cemeteries from 1850-2007 is included. The original plan was to just enter these transcripts into the computer and
to record the missing cemeteries and add them. It soon became apparent as we added data from two recorders for the
same cemetery that some of the data did not agree. Some recorders were quite good 94% to 98% accurate) but some were
quite poor. (30% to 50% accurate). The average was probably 85% to 90% accurate. We soon decided it would be necessary
to check every gravestone. Thus the project took on a phase I and phase II approach. PHASE I involves entering existing
or newly taken transcription data. Phase II is to verify the data by taking printouts of the phase I data to the
cemetery to verify, not only the original transcription but the accuracy of the input to the computer. The dimensions,
composition, shape and condition of the stone are also recorded during Phase II. This method of recording the data
increased the accuracy to probably 98%-99%. We have developed a number of techniques, such as mirrors to reflect the sun
light and natural bristle brushes to clean the surface of the gravestones that have made it possible to read all but 2-3%
of the marble stones and all but 1% of the slate stones. The early transcripts have made it possible to identify many of
these unreadable stones and also to document stones that have been destroyed or have disappeared. In Rhode Island we are
fortunate that many people in the past have taken the time to record some of the many historical burial grounds. Data
from these transcriptions has been entered into the project. The database is broken down into two parts, the stone data
and the cemetery data. Each part is further broken down by county and by town. The database is available at the several
locations listed on the Cemeteries Homepage. The Database software (IBM format) we are using is available through the
Association for Gravestone Studies at 278 Main Street Suite 207; Greenfield, MA 01301 and is now being used by over
160 groups from California to Maine plus Canada and England, and South Africa.
Return to the Rhode Island Cemeteries Homepage
