The DAR recorded some of the Jamestown cemeteries in 1941. Benjamin F.
Wilbour and Waldo C. Sprague recorded 3 complete and 2 partial cemeteries
in 1954. Phase II has been complete on the Town Cemetery, the Quaker Burial
Ground and three smaller cemeteries. 12 cemeteries have been registered
with no more believed to exist. Of the 1,500 marked graves, 1,429 have been entered in the database. Jamestown is
95% complete.
This database is almost entirely an early transcript by Benjamin F. Wilbour;
updated in 1959 with Waldo C. Sprague. 49 of the estimated 55 cemeteries
have been registered. Prior to 1990 there were 32 registered. Of the 2,500
estimated marked graves, 2,034 have been entered in the computer. Little
Compton is 81% complete.
Book PublishedSORRY MIDDLETOWN BOOK SOLD OUT After ten years of preparation the Middletown Historical Society has
completed a book on its cemeteries. 59 historical cemeteries were recorded
as well as two in Portsmouth. Six larger modern cemeteries were not recorded.
Middletown was originally part of Newport and was one of the earliest towns
settled. The book documents 13 - 17th century gravestones and 155 - 18th
century stones. 56 of these people were born in the 17th century. Photocopies
of George Richardson's transcripts of 42 cemeteries in the 1890s are included
in the book. There is a map showing the location of every gravestone in
each cemetery. The database also contains a recent transcript of
the Four Corners Cemetery for a total of 3,274 inscriptions.
Prior to 1990, 28 cemeteries were registered. Currently, 75 of the 80 thought
to currently exist have been registered. 3,274 of the estimated 4,000 headstones
have been entered into the database. Middletown is 82% complete.
DEATH COMES ONCE BUT A CEMETERY IS FOREVER; THE SEARCH FOR MIDDLETOWN'S
LOST GRAVEYARDS by Mike O'Shea
8 1/2 x 11, spiral bound, 218 pages, 53 photos, $35.00
Family names with 10 or more entries (Bold have 20 or more)
Albro, Allen, Bailey, Barker, Brown, Chase, Clark,
Coggeshall, Cornell, Deblois, Dennis, Easton, Gould, Hassard/Hazard,
Holmes, Irish, Peabody, Peckham, Rogers, Sheffield, Smith,
Stoddard, Taggart, Tew, Wightman, Wood.
The Edward D. Harris transcript of 'old epitaphs' published in 1883 and
the 1956 Mansfield transcript have been entered into the database. There
are 9 recorded cemeteries, with no more thought to exist. Of the estimated
2,000 marked graves, 1,774 have been entered. Block Island is 89% complete.
The G. H. Richardson transcript, the H. E. Turner transcript and the CETA
transcript have been entered. The Quaker death records for the Quaker,
the Clifton and the Coddington burial grounds have been entered. The military
cemetery at Fort Adams and Trinity Cemetery have been recorded. The Common
Burial Ground, started in 1640, is now being thoroughly recorded. All 5000
stones are being checked and documented. 29 of the estimated 32 cemeteries
have been registered. Prior to 1990, there were 19. Of the estimated 50,000
marked graves, 14,012 have been added to the database. Newport is 28% complete.
A CETA project transcript is the basis for the data for this town. Prudence
Island Cemetery, part of the town of Portsmouth is cemetery PO041. There
were 42 registered cemeteries prior to 1990. Today there are 55 of an estimated
60 registered. Of the estimated 6,000 marked graves, 1,920 have been entered
into the computer. Portsmouth is 32% complete. Several large cemeteries
have not been recorded yet.
New England Historic Genealogical Register published transcripts (1963)
by Benjamin F. Wilbour is all we have for this town. There are 86 cemeteries
registered in Tiverton with a total of 90 estimated to exist. Prior to 1990 there were 85. Of the estimated 2,200
marked graves, 2,180 have been entered. Tiverton is 99% complete, but all
of this data must be checked (phase II) and updated.
