We are happy to announce that the next five volumes of Providence, RI: Old Stone Bank Records, 1844-1897 are now up!
This database now contains the first 25 volumes of signature books from the Old Stone Savings Bank. When complete, the database will contain all 29 Signature books. The additional five volumes contain 81,846 records, 220,804 names, and 1,047 pages from 1893-1894.
The Old Stone Bank of Providence, Rhode Island was founded in 1819, as The Providence Institution of Savings. Following the 1854 construction of the iconic domed building located at 86 South Main Street in Providence, it became known as the “Old Stone Bank,” and was officially renamed as the Old Stone Savings Bank in 1967. The institution operated under the name “Old Stone Savings Bank” until it was absorbed as a part of Citizens Bank in 1993, which subsequently donated the Old Stone Bank Savings Bank records to the Rhode Island Historical Society.
Many of the records pertain to immigrants to Providence. This is particularly valuable for Irish immigrants as the native county is provided which is critical information for additional research in Ireland. All records will be of type “Residence” for the location of Providence, Rhode Island and the surrounding communities. For more information regarding specifically Irish Immigrants appearing the Old Stone Bank records, check-out researcher Ray McKenna’s project, Federal Hill Irish, where he explores genealogical and regional connections from Providence to the Emerald Isle.
This database is the result of partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society. The Rhode Island Historical Society has the original books for Old Stone Savings Bank. Additional context for the full collection at RIHS can be found here. RIHS has partnered with NEHGS to digitize and index these books and make them available online.
This database is made possible by the efforts of not only our NEHGS volunteers, but volunteers working with the Rhode Island Historical Society under the direction of Ray McKenna.
We would like to extend our gratitude towards Ray’s team: Casey Zahn, David Adams, Donna Adkins, Heather Anderson, Karen Apple, Jamie Babcock, Holly Barrick, Donna Burgess, Marcia Carr-Carvalho, Michael Carragher, Greg Casey, Patty Crowley, Rosemary Danforth, Shawn Driscoll, Deborah Esborn, Beth Feltus, Susan Fougstedt, Susan L. Griffith, Jeff Hartley, Mike Kenyon, Kathy Kittredge, Stacy McCue, Jeff Poulton, Maria Tilford Hunter, and Helena Zurowski. Without their hard work, this project would not have been possible!
We would also like to thank the team of NEHGS volunteers who have also dedicated their time to this project: Sam Sturgis, Gale Stevenson, Mirca Sghedoni, Katherine Marshall-Mayer, Ross Weaver, and Eileen McCarthy. If you would like to become part of the team working on this or other rewarding genealogical projects, please contact Rachel Adams, Database Services Volunteer Coordinator via email at rachel.adams@nehgs.org.
Please note: This database is available to all NEHGS members, including Guest members, at no cost. Consider membership.