You could try the Greenville Public Library in Smithfield, which houses the collection of the Rhode Island Genealogical Society ( <http://www.yourlibrary.ws/> www.yourlibrary.ws). Also, depending on what you're looking for, there's the Providence Public Library (www.provlib.org/), Brown University library (www.brown.edu/Facilities/University_Library/), and the University of Rhode Island library (http://helin.uri.edu/). These can be searched online, and you can come armed with the call numbers if you find anything of interest. The Helin database on the URI site allows you to search several college libraries in Rhode Island. I have found things at the Providence library and the Brown libraries in the past. I have not been to the Greenville Public Library or the URI library (maybe next trip!). If you try those, I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Lorna in Maine

On Friday, May 05, 2006 Judith McNiel said: >> . . . now I am tracing BACKWARD to Newport. Am interested in Bramans there, . . . here is my question: WHERE IS a good place to look at old CHURCH RECORDS from say, 1700's time period? << I was at the Newport Historical Society this week. The membership records there of the First Baptist Church of Newport, Manuscript 1169, record the following BRAMANs: No. 236, Mary Braman, Baptism by B. Foster, Feb. 10, 1787 No. 272, David Braman, Baptism by M. Eddy, Sept. 29, 1793 No. 283, Eunice Braman, by letter, Aug. 3, 1794 No. 626, Gardner Braman, Baptism by M. Eddy, May 13, 1820 My ancestor, Rev. Thomas BAKER, is listed No. 13 immediately after the original 12 charter members. There is no date given for him, but it is known that he was there before 1656. The founding date of the church is believed to be 1644 and the first entry is the founding pastor Dr. John Clarke. Rev. Thomas and Sarah BAKER had children Thomas BAKER, Jr., Benjamin BAKER, James BAKER, Comfort BAKER, and Mary BAKER. In the early 1700s they resided in North Kingstown. The Newport Historical Society does not allow Xerox copying of old manuscripts. Anyone desiring electronic copies (from photographs) of the above-listed Newport First Baptist Church records, please e-mail me privately. Richard BAKER Rancho Palos Verdes, CA