House History Research in Little Compton, Rhode Island
Downloadable Cheat Sheet –
10 Steps to Researching the History of your House in Little Compton, RI
Land Evidence Records / Deed Research
If possible you’ll want to research in-person in the Town Clerk’s office at Town Hall – 40 Common Street, Little Compton, RI 02837
- In fall 2022, Little Compton switched to a new provider for their online land evidence records. Click on “Search Records as Guest.” You can now access them at https://www.searchiqs.com/RICOMP/Login.aspx
- Some deed images are also found at the above link and as well as at FamilySearch.org
- For downloadable deed charts (pdf/docx) see https://littlecompton.org/historical-resources/house-histories-resources/
Census Records (also RI State Census Records)
- Find the occupants of your house in the census. Please note: the occupants might not be the owners!
- Federal Census Records are available every 10 years from 1790 to 1950 with the exception of 1890.
- RI State Census Records are available for 1865, 1875, 1885, 1905, 1915, 1925 & 1935
- Available from:
- Ancestry.com ($ subscription service) http://www.ancestry.com/
- Your local library may offer free access to Ancestry.com
- FamilySearch.org (free)
- MyHeritage.com ($) , FindMyPast.com ($) and others
Probate Records
- You can find house/estate inventories and list of family members in wills.
- Little Compton probate records are located at Town Hall and some online at Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org.
- Search the card index and then ask the staff for the file
Vital Records
- Provide birth/marriage/death dates and locations.
- Names of parents
- Available from FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, www.AmericanAncestors.org.
Maps
- Ancestry.com, Hathi Trust, www.DavidRumsey.com
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps – https://www.loc.gov/collections/sanborn-maps
Rhode Island HPHC Publications
- 58 publications containing detailed information for each town for historic properties and neighborhoods
- Found at https://preservation.ri.gov/historic-places/rihphc-publications
City Directories & Residents Lists
City Directories were typically published every year. Because of that they are great for filling in the gaps between the 10 year spread of census records. They are also helpful to identify when people move from place to place.
- City Directories are available online at the major database sites like Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org
Tax Records
- Value of property through the years
- These can be a great indicator of when changes were made to a property
- Little Compton Tax Records start in 1869 and continue to present
Newspapers
Many old newspapers are available online through Ancestry.com, MyHeritage.com, NEHGS, GenealogyBank.com, Newspapers.com, OldNews.com, the American Antiquarian Society (Worcester). See https://theancestorhunt.com/newspaper-research-links.html for more
Cemetery Information
A Little Compton Cemeteries Index (PDF) is available from the Little Compton Historical Society website. The index provides a listing of the 46 cemeteries found in Little Compton, a map of their locations and an alphabetical index of gravestones. The index works hand in hand with the more thorough discussion of cemeteries found in Remember Me: A Guide to Little Compton’s 46 Historic Cemeteries (link below in Further Reading).
Photos and Miscellaneous Items
Be sure to check with the Little Compton Historical Society for old photos of your home, its occupants, old maps and other miscellaneous information.
Further Reading
Remember Me: A Guide to Little Compton’s 46 Historic Cemeteries. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2018.
Remembering Adamsville: Oral Histories Collected by the Little Compton Historical Society. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2013.
The Stories Houses Tell: A Second Collection of Little Compton House Histories. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2022.
The Stories Houses Tell : A Collection of Little Compton House Histories. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2015.
Brownell, Bart, Steven Lubar and Marjory Gomez O’Toole. Little Compton: A Changing Landscape. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2019.
Devin, Nancy J. and Richard V. Simpson. Images of America: Tiverton and Little Compton. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2004.
Devin, Nancy J. and Richard V. Simpson. Images of America: Tiverton and Little Compton. Volume II. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 1998.
Lisle, Janet. A Home by the Sea: The History of Little Compton, 1820-1950. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2012.
Lisle, Janet. First Light: Sakonnet 1660-1820. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2010.
O’Toole, Marjory Gomez. If Jane Should Want to Be Sold: Stories of Enslavement, Indenture and Freedom in Little Compton, Rhode Island. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 2010.
Wilbour, Benjamin Franklin. Little Compton Families. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 1967. Two volumes. Available online from FamilySearch and Ancestry – Volume 1 and Volume 2.
Wilbour, Benjamin Franklin. Notes on Little Compton. Little Compton, RI: Little Compton Historical Society, 1970.
Rhode Island Articles
An Example of a Rhode Island Deed
Little Compton House History Presentation available online
Finding Cemeteries in Little Compton, RI
House History Research in Little Compton, RI – Online Deeds from the Town Clerk’s Office
Two On-site Tools for Researching in Little Compton, RI
The Doors of Wickford, Rhode Island – Part 2
The Doors of Wickford, Rhode Island – Part 1
