FEATURED CEMETERY PHOTO
Photo/Image Courtesy of Rhode Island Historic Cemetery Volunteers

Cemetery NumberWK051
TownWARWICK
Cemetery NameSARA TEFFT LOT
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Graves ListDisplay Graves List
LocationCOLE FARM RD
StateRI
DirectionNE
Pole Number37.5
Distance75
Map Number 
Page Number315
Plat Number99
Deed Book 
Deed Page 
Size in Feet50
Size in Feet50
Inscriptions2
Fieldstones 
Tombs 
Exist?YES
Last seen date?2013
Newest1707
Oldest1672
VandalismN
Veteran 
PoleG
CommentThis cemetery is located 75 ft north of Cole Farm Road at telephone pole #37.5; it is 100 ft north of the Cole Farm Association meeting hall, opposite cottage #B18. The fencing is concrete posts and iron rails that surround the grave of Sara Tefft. It is 20 ft x 20 ft, in good condition. It originally contained 6 burials with 2 inscribed stones and 4 fieldstones. It is on the tax assessor’s map, Plat #315, Lot #99. James Arnold visited this lot 17 Aug. 1890 and noted, “In open pasture at Mark Rock without protection a yard containing but a few graves” (Vol. 2, p. 206). The gravestone for Sara Tefft was long thought to bear the date of 1642, which would make it the earliest gravestone known to exist in New England. A study of the original gravestone and of records of Sara Tefft’s life indicates the date is 1672, when she died soon after giving birth to her son Peter. Sara was the wife of Joshua Tefft. The original gravestone is a crudely inscribed fieldstone. In 1868 it was taken to the Rhode Island Historical Society for safekeeping and a slate replacement stone put in its place. The replacement stone has the following inscription: “Here lieth the bodie of SARA TEFFT Interred March 16, 1642 (sic) in the 67th year of her age. (sic) The above is a copy from the original stone taken from this spot and deposited with R. I. Historical Society, Providence. Erected in 1868 by Rufus Greene of Providence descendant of 7th gen. from John Greene from Salisbury, Eng. in 1635, who was one of the original purchasers of these lands of Miantonomi in Jan 1642” (sic) Recorded by John Sterling for a book on Warwick cemeteries.
Conditionfair
Enclosuregranite posts/iron rails
Gateno gate
Growthcleared
Terrainlevel
Cemetery Location
Cemetery Burial Map N/A
 

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