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!