50th Anniversary
Scenes from our 50th Anniversary Celebration
Celebrating 50 Years of Family History
Since 1975, the Rhode Island Genealogical Society has helped preserve, publish, and promote Rhode Island family history for researchers, families, and future generations.
In 1975, fueled by a national wave of interest in genealogy sparked by the upcoming Bicentennial and Alex Haley’s groundbreaking Roots, a group of determined Rhode Islanders founded the Rhode Island Genealogical Society. Fifty years later, RIGS remains a vibrant, member-driven organization dedicated to preserving, publishing, and promoting Rhode Island family history.
From its humble beginnings, including a meeting in a car dealership showroom in Warwick, RIGS has blossomed into one of New England’s most respected genealogical societies. With a mission rooted in scholarly excellence and community connection, RIGS has supported generations of researchers and honored the stories of those who came before us.
The Beginning
Genealogy in the 1970s: A Passionate Endeavor
Genealogists of the 1970s embraced a hands-on approach. Long before the internet made record access instantaneous, Rhode Islanders journeyed to town halls, libraries, churches, and archives, poring over dusty ledgers, handwritten indexes, and microfilm reels. They connected with one another by phone and letter, exchanging discoveries and forming friendships grounded in shared purpose.
Key references like John Osborne Austin’s Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island and James N. Arnold’s Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850 were essential tools, as were trips to the Waltham branch of the National Archives and the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston. Determination and patience were the genealogist’s greatest assets.
Founded in 1975
The Birth of RIGS
On April 29, 1975, Alden C. Saunders sent a call to action: an invitation to meet and discuss the formation of a Rhode Island genealogical society. Twenty-five individuals answered that call, including three Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists. Just one month later, the Rhode Island Genealogical Society, Inc. was officially incorporated on May 29, 1975.
The group met for its first official gathering on Father’s Day, June 15, 1975, at the William Hall Library in Cranston. Among the original incorporators were respected genealogists and community leaders: Saunders, Webb W. Wilder, Dorothy Quimby Davis, Robert Allen Greene, Gilbert H. Doane, Charles W. Farnham, Ruth Wilder Sherman, and Robert M. Sherman.
Original Members
The 51 Charter Members
The newly formed Rhode Island Genealogical Society, Inc. began with fifty-one charter members.
| Ruth P. Barton | Harold J. Hubbard |
| Henry L.P. Beckwith, Jr. | Zelma M. Hubbard |
| Herman H. Bly | Frederick C. King |
| Gladys E. Bolhouse | Herbert A. Luther |
| Mary Hebert Bolles | Martha H. Luther |
| Norman T. Bolles | Bruce C. McGunnigle |
| Eugene L. Brownell | William A. MacLellan |
| Don E. Burnett | Phyllis C. Peloquin |
| Charles A. Calverley, Jr. | Schuyler G. Phillips |
| Sandra N. Calverley | Alden C. Saunders |
| Gloria M. Christensen | Lora B. Saunders |
| Donald S. Chase | Morton W. Saunders |
| Margaret L. Chase | Anna L. Scott |
| Edwin Wilmot Connelly | Clinton H. Sellew |
| Mrs. Oliver W. Cushman | Lura N. Sellew |
| Dorothy Quinby Davis | Robert M. Sherman FASG |
| William A. Davis | Ruth Wilder Sherman FASG |
| Gilbert H. Doane FASG | Kendall R. Stanwood |
| David Warner Dumas | Robert J. Tate |
| Charles W. Farnham FASG | Annamae Trim |
| Chester A. Files, Jr. | Robert S. Trim |
| Ethel J. Gallotta | Viola O. Ulm |
| Ruth C. Gorton | Webb W. Wilder |
| Gordon H. Greene | Elsie B. Williams |
| Oscar J. Greene | |
| Robert Allen Greene | |
| Shirley M. Greene |
Legacy
Leadership and Learning
RIGS has long been a home to leaders in the genealogical world, including Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists and nationally recognized scholars.
Publications
Preserving the Past
Rhode Island Roots, launched in 1975, has become a bedrock of Rhode Island genealogical scholarship and one of the finest regional genealogical journals in the country.
Future
Still Growing Strong
As RIGS celebrates its 50th anniversary, the Society looks back with pride and forward with purpose, continuing its commitment to education, preservation, and sound genealogical practices.
Mission
RIGS Statement of Purpose
The Rhode Island Genealogical Society actively works to advance ethical, accurate, and accessible genealogical research.
- Unite genealogists, historians, archivists, and others interested in genealogical research.
- Encourage ethical standards in genealogical practices.
- Support the preservation of invaluable and irreplaceable genealogical records.
- Promote professional access to appropriate records wherever they may be located.
- Conduct seminars and workshops to improve competencies in the field of genealogy.
- Foster research and publication, especially in Rhode Island genealogy.
- Assist those entering the field of genealogical research.
- Encourage the development of libraries and acquisition of materials essential to sound genealogical practices.
Recognition
Honors and Awards
Throughout its fifty-year history, RIGS has cultivated distinguished scholars and honored the contributions of members and the wider research community.
Fellows of the American Society of Genealogists
- Robert Charles Anderson, FASG
- Cherry Fletcher Bamberg, FASG
- Alicia Crane Williams, FASG
- Ruth Wilder Sherman, FASG
Awards Presented by the Society
- Robert M. Sherman Award for Scholarship and Genealogy
- Doane-Farnham Award for Lifetime Achievement
- Certificate of Appreciation
- Paul Campbell Award for Public Service
- Cherry Bamberg Award for Genealogical Writing
- Rhode Island Genealogical Society Lifetime Membership Award
Award Recipients
The Robert M. Sherman Award for Exemplifying High Qualities of Scholarship and Genealogy
- Cherry Bamberg
- Wayne Tillinghast
- 2013 – Jane Fletcher Fiske
- 2019 – William B. Saxbe, Jr.
- 2021 – Linda Mathew
- 2022 – Robert Grandchamp
- 2023 – Diane Boumenot
The Doane-Farnham Award for Lifetime Achievement in Rhode Island Genealogy
- 1982 – Mildred Mosher Chamberlain
- 1982 – Kenneth Roebuck
- 1983 – Jane Fletcher Fiske
- 1983 – Robert Sheldon Trim
- 1984 – Gladys Carr Bolhouse
- 1988 – Judith Hurst
- 1990 – Jean Carr Stutz
- 1990 – Elizabeth J. Johnson
- 1990 – James Wheaton IV
- 1991 – Alden G. Beaman
- 1993 – Bruce C. MacGunnigle
- 1993 – Althea McAleer
- 1993 – Beatrix Hoffius
- 1993 – Deby Jecoy Nunes
- 2019 – Bruce C. MacGunnigle
- 2020 – John Sterling
Certificate of Appreciation
- 1982 – Alden Clinton Saunders
- 1990 – Ruth Wilder Sherman
- 2012 – Otis C. Wyatt
- 2016 – Larry Wilson
The Paul Campbell Award for Exemplary Service to Rhode Island Genealogy by a Public Employee
- 2016 – Paul Campbell
- 2017 – Kenneth Carlson
- 2018 – None
- 2019 – Nellie Gorbea
- 2020 – Laurie Arruda
- 2022 – Thomas Frawley
- 2023 – Kate Wells
The Cherry Bamberg Award for Genealogical Writing
- 2025 – Mary Burdick
Rhode Island Genealogical Society Lifetime Membership Award
- Alden Clinton Saunders
- Cherry Bamberg
- Robert Allen Greene
- Elmer Palmer
- John E. Sterling
- Otis Wyatt
- Thomas Clarke
- James W. Lennox
- Josiah L. Mason
- Nancy Ann Norman
- 2016 – Paul Campbell
- 2016 – Sally Hilton
- 2016 – Mary Ostiguy
- 2022 – Thomas & Geri Clarke
- 2023 – Larry Wilson
Recognition
- 1992 – John Deming Bacon, Longevity
- 1992 – Denice Ealine Mitchell, Longevity
- 1992 – Avis Simmons, Longevity
- 1993 – Mildred M. Sherman
- 2023 – Cherry Bamberg, Writing contest
1975–2025
Timeline Highlights
Key moments from fifty years of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society.
1975
- May 29: RIGS officially incorporated as a nonprofit organization.
- June 15: First official meeting at the William Hall Library in Cranston.
- November 15: First full-day workshop, “Finding Fun in Genealogy,” held at the Aldrich House.
- First issue of Roots.
1976
- May 23: First annual meeting at Newman Congregational Church, Rumford.
- January 17: Lecture by FASG fellow John I. Coddington.
- October 30 and November 13: Workshops and lectures featuring local genealogists and historians.
1977
- Rhode Island Roots begins quarterly publication.
- March 3: Genealogy course launched by President Alden C. Saunders.
- May 14: Annual meeting held at Kentish Guards Armory in East Greenwich.
1981
- Publication of Peleg Burroughs’s Journal, a significant milestone in RIGS publishing.
2002
- RIGS members celebrate the release of the 1930 U.S. Census with a midnight viewing in Waltham.
2007
- Membership exceeds 800.
2008
- March 7: Alden C. Saunders, founding RIGS president, passed away.
2016
- Creation of the Paul Campbell Award for public service in genealogy.
2023
- Cherry Bamberg honored for contributions to genealogical writing.
2024
- Creation of the RIGS Preservation Grant for libraries and nonprofits.
2025
- RIGS celebrates 50 years of excellence in Rhode Island genealogy.
- The first Cherry Bamberg Award for Genealogical Writing is presented to Mary Burdick.
Publications
Books Published by the Society
The Rhode Island Genealogical Society is proud to have published a lengthy list of books and publications in its fifty-year history.
- 1797, the Year the Elephant Visited Providence, by Wayne G. Tillinghast. 2010.
- Daniel Stedman’s Journal, 1826-1859, transcribed by Henry Clay Oatley Jr., edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2003.
- The Diary of Capt. Samuel Tillinghast of Warwick, Rhode Island, 1757-1766, edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2000.
- Elder John Gorton and the Six Principle Baptist Church of East Greenwich, Rhode Island, by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2001.
- Elm Grove Cemetery Inscriptions, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, by Althea H. McAleer. 2000.
- Emmanuel Rouse of Rhode Island, ca. 1673-1739 and Some of His Descendants, by Richard Gammons Rouse. 1993.
- John Clarke’s World, by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG and Judith Crandall Harbold. 2018.
- Newport, Rhode Island Colonial Burial Grounds, by John E. Sterling, Barbara J. Austin, Letty R. Champion and Cherry Fletcher Bamberg. 2009.
- North Burial Ground, Providence, Rhode Island: Old Section, 1700-1848, by John E. Sterling. 2000.
- Peleg Burroughs’s Journal, 1778-1798: the Tiverton, R.I. Years of the Humbly Bold Baptist Minister, by Peleg Burroughs and Ruth Ann Wilder Sherman. 1981.
- Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants Volume 1 – Generations 1-3, by William B. Saxbe, Jr. FASG. 2011.
- Richard Bowen (1594?-1675) of Rehoboth, Massachusetts and His Descendants Volumes 2-4, by William B. Saxbe, Jr. FASG. 2011.
- The RIGS Reporter. Newsletter published 1975 to present.
- South Kingstown, Rhode Island: Historical Cemeteries, by John E. Sterling and James L. Wheaton IV, edited by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG. 2004.
- Thomas Clemence of Providence, Rhode Island and his descendants to the year 2007, by Jane Fletcher Fiske for Roberta Stokes Smith. 2007.
- The Tillinghasts in America – The First Four Generations, by Wayne G. Tillinghast. 2006.
- A Tour of South County, by John Stedman, Priscilla Chappell, Kenneth Chappell. 2012. Audio.
- Warwick, Rhode Island Taxes: 1779 Estimates of Rateable Estate and the 1798 Direct Tax, by Cherry Fletcher Bamberg FASG and Diane MacLean Boumenot CG. 2024.