We are extremely happy to share with you a brief lesson (about poorhouse research in RI) & summary of the poorhouse records available in the state. This was researched and written by Bob Sherman for The POORHOUSE STORY website (a clearinghouse for information about 19th century American poorhouses)at http://www.poorhousestory.com We are very grateful to him for providing this information. You can find it toward the bottom of the RHODE ISLAND page where we have items regarding RECORDS. It is marked with a large yellow NEW arrow. NOTE: If you have visited that webpage recently, you will need to click REFRESH on your browser when you get there again. If you are new to the website, DIRECTIONS: At the homepage (link above)please click on POORHOUSES BY STATE and then click on RHODE ISLAND on the table of states. There are some other pages on the site which may help you better understand poorhouses. They are all linked (to the left)off the homepage and include: HISTORY, LETTER TO GENEALOGISTS, and FEATURED ARTICLES. You may want to also review the ARCHIVED NEWSLETTERS to get an overview of what has been posted on the website and what some of our issues have been. The only way the material on the website will grow is through the suggestions and submissions of kind readers like you! So if you would like to e-mail me, PLEASE do so OFF-list using an e-mail link from our website. (I cannot maintain subscriptions to all the lists to which we make announcements.) Hope you enjoy the site! Linda Crannell (aka=The Poorhouse Lady)