For the person trying to find his elusive McKenna ancestors. The RI State Archives have records of Vital Statistics available from 1853 to 1905 for marriages and births and 1853 to 1955 for deaths. For a nominal sum, they will send you a photocopy of the certificate. Open to the public Monday-Friday 8:30 am - 4:30 pm 337 Westminster Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903 Telephone: (401) 222-2353 Fax: (401) 222-3199 Email: _reference@sec.state.ri.us_ (mailto:reference@sec.state.ri.us) Web: _www.state.ri.us/archives/_ (http://www.state.ri.us/archives/) For the Obit which might give some additional info, the Providence Public Library has copies of the Providence Journal Bulletin from its beginning up to the present. They also have indexes of the City of Providence vital statistics from 1636 up to the early 1950's. However I would believe the pre 19th centaury indexes are anything approaching completeness.