Help with USA records: finding Lees family in Rhode Island

[TunjiLees]

Hi Everyone,

I am a beginner when it comes to American Genealogy and hoping someone can help me with some research ideas. I have been using Ancestry and FamilySearch while trying to research the family of David Lees & Margaret McCaffy/Caughey who emigrated from Ireland to Rhode Island and married there in 1861 based on a published index.

So far I have found the family on the 1865, 1870, 1875 and 1880 censuses but then lose track of them after that. I have identified the following children to the couple;
- Mary Jane Lees, b. 10 Oct 1862 Bristol, Rhode Island
- James Lees, b. abt 1864 (based on census age)
- Margaret Lees, b. ab 1867 (based on census age)
- Annie Lees, b. 4 May 1870 Bristol, Rhode Island
- Sarah Lees, b. 1 Jan 1873 Bristol, Rhode Island

Margaret appears as a widow on the 1880 census but I can't find any death record for David.

At least two of David's siblings also emigrated to Rhode Island; Mary Lees m. James Holmes 1867 Rhode Island, and Samuel Lees m. Margaret McAughey 1869 Londonderry, Ireland.
Brother Samuel moved back to Ireland sometime 1880-3. I thought maybe David's widow moved back too, but I can't seem to find them there.

So to sumarise, these are the main questions I'm trying to find out about;
- How to find birth/marriage/death records for Rhode Island online? Many seem to be missing when I search the indexes on Ancestry and Family Search, and there are no original images.
- Are there surviving emigration records, and where do I find them? (can't seem to find any good hit on Ancestry)
- Any hints for finding David Lees' family widow and children post 1880?

Any hints appreciated thanks!

[oldohiohome]

Was David's father named Samuel? If so, d 1875, Bristol

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL9K-SHQ4

Daughter Margaret's death, 1949, Warren, Bristol County, RI

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8CQ-QB7

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The index you found the marriage in looks like it is Arnold's Vital Records of RI. They are the best we have up to 1850. I didn't know it had any records in it after that.

I don't know when RI started to require records of births, marriages, and deaths. Most states didn't until the late 1800's, but New England states might be an exception.

Edited to add, from familysearch:
"[RI] Towns began keeping birth records as early as 1636. In 1700 the laws concerning vital records registration were made more specific and the records after that time are more complete. State wide registration of births began in 1853 and was generally complied with by the 1900s"

RI Burials are well indexed, thanks to a transcription project. But I thought they showed up on ancestry.com and familysearch as well. The original project is here, with the key to the cemetery ID = name and location of cemetery at the top of the page. Lots of Lees, but no David. Maybe spelled differently. You could use the key to find the cemeteries in their home town.

https://sites.rootsweb.com/~rigenweb/Cemetery2/cemindex.html

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This lady knows her way around the RI records. Here is her page on Arnold's VR, but the site might be helpful in general:

https://onerhodeislandfamily.com/free-rhode-island-resources/free-r-i-vital-records/

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I'll organize what you have for my self and keep looking. Were they in Bristol RI, the city, or somewhere in Bristol County?

[oldohiohome]

On her death record, Margaret Finley's informant was Mrs Charles Dimond, sister

Here is Sarah Dimond's death, 1950, Portsmouth, RI
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8C7-BJL

her 1900 census
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M97K-V26

Annie Church Dimond's birth, daughter of Charles F and Sarah Lee Dimond
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZ1X-NS8

a tree for Sarah, but nothing for her parents or siblings
https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/9H5F-PK7

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so with at least two daughters remaining in RI, Margaret, David's wife, probably did not return to Ireland.

[oldohiohome]

Margaret (McCaughey) Lee's death

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8JW-TV9

she died on Church St, which, in 1949, was Sarah's residence.
and burial

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116909215
Sarah is in the same cemetery, don't know about the others.

[oldohiohome]

Was David's father named Samuel? If so, d 1875, Bristol

A tree at ancestry.com says David's father was James, b 1804
Since you say you are using ancestry.com,here is a link:

https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/165377605/person/172151944197/facts

But that David Leese who died in 1875 in Bristol is still the right person. Maybe his informant (his wife?) got his father's name wrong, thinking of his brother and guessing? Though she could have known the family, correct?

At any rate, here is his tombstone with wife Margaret and daughter Mary also named. Listed as "Lee" at findagrave. I didn't sort out the rest of them on the site.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/55164466

[oldohiohome]

And here are 2 Children of Mary Lees and James Holmes:

Hugh Holmes' birth 1868, Bristol
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F8S4-B1Q
James Holmes' birth 1870, Bristol
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FZYC-R5Q

+ William was on the 1870 census. The column for "month born" says he was  born July 1869

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You could convince me this family returned to Ireland. I'm not finding anything in RI so far. Or maybe they moved elsewhere. Do you know James Holmes' occupation and where he was in 1870? It would help in looking for him in the rest of the US, if he stayed.

[*Sandra*]

Rhode Island, Vital Extracts, 1636-1899 for David Leese

Sandra

[RJ137]

I see mention of a David Lees dying in 1875 Bristol, age is off a bit.

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday, March 6th, 1875
(see attached below)

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I see mention of a Samuel Lees who lived there in Bristol for several years and then returned to Ireland and died  there in 1886. I assume he is the brother mentioned?

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday, November 20th, 1886
(see attached below)

Samuel's wife Mary Ann died  in Sept 1883. Samuel must have returned to Ireland after that?

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday, September 8th, 1883
(see attached below)

==

[RJ137]

It appears Mary Lees, who married William/James Holmes in 1867, got remarried to a George Holmes (possible brother James?) in 1877. George's wife Elizabeth died in 1873.

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday , November 3rd, 1877
(see attached below)

George & wife Elizabeth in 1870.

1870 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFS-CNH

George & Mary in 1880

1880 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4SC-DQ1

It appears George died in 1886.

George disappears-

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday, November 6th, 1886
(see attached below)

George died-

Bristol Phoenix
Saturday, November 13th, 1886
(see attached below)

========================

You can play around at the Bristol Phoenix archives to get more bits & pieces from the newspaper. The archives from 1830 to present.

https://bristol.advantage-preservation.com/