I have been doing genealogy for almost 25 years. Most of my ancestors came to RI in the 1600s, but I have some lines from England that did not arrive until the mid 1800s and a French Canadian line that came sometime in the 1800s.
My RI families are primarily from Washington County although there are a few Kent and Newport county lines in there. I also have ancestors who came to CT, NH, ME and MA early on.
My biggest road blocks are my French Canadian great great grandfather, Napoleon Surprenant born July 17, 1833 or 1834 in either NY or Canada. I have never been able to find his parents. He first appears in Willisboro, NY in 1855 with his first wife, my ancestor, Marie Genevieve Grenier, aka Jane Greenough. I am good with her lines but not his!
My other big stumbling blocks are my 4th great grandmother, Lurana (Packard) Hersey born ca. 1780 in Mass (all records say Dedham but Packards were not common there!) - who are her parents? and my 3rd great grandmother, Ruth (--) who married Simeon Hall. Ruth was still alive in 1850 and living with relatives. Simeon was alive as late as 1844 when he appears n a Westerly, RI voters list. I have not found a death record for Ruth but she was not in the 1860 census so I assume she died by then.
My final big stumbling block is the Jacques/Jaques/Jackwaise/Jackquaws clan in Washington County, RI. They are no doubt descended from Henry Jaques of Essex County, MA but the records they left are scarce. I have them through both parents so they are a special interest of mine.

I have been doing genealogy for almost 25 years. Most of my ancestors came to RI in the 1600s, but I have some lines from England that did not arrive until the mid 1800s and a French Canadian line that came sometime in the 1800s.
My RI families are primarily from Washington County although there are a few Kent and Newport county lines in there. I also have ancestors who came to CT, NH, ME and MA early on.
My biggest road blocks are my French Canadian great great grandfather, Napoleon Surprenant born July 17, 1833 or 1834 in either NY or Canada. I have never been able to find his parents. He first appears in Willisboro, NY in 1855 with his first wife, my ancestor, Marie Genevieve Grenier, aka Jane Greenough. I am good with her lines but not his!
My other big stumbling blocks are my 4th great grandmother, Lurana (Packard) Hersey born ca. 1780 in Mass (all records say Dedham but Packards were not common there!) - who are her parents? and my 3rd great grandmother, Ruth (--) who married Simeon Hall. Ruth was still alive in 1850 and living with relatives. Simeon was alive as late as 1844 when he appears n a Westerly, RI voters list. I have not found a death record for Ruth but she was not in the 1860 census so I assume she died by then.
My final big stumbling block is the Jacques/Jaques/Jackwaise/Jackquaws clan in Washington County, RI. They are no doubt descended from Henry Jaques of Essex County, MA but the records they left are scarce. I have them through both parents so they are a special interest of mine.