| Cemetery Number | WK051 |
| Town | WARWICK |
| Cemetery Name | SARA TEFFT LOT |
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| Graves List | Display Graves List |
| Location | COLE FARM RD |
| State | RI |
| Direction | NE |
| Pole Number | 37.5 |
| Distance | 75 |
| Map Number | |
| Page Number | 315 |
| Plat Number | 99 |
| Deed Book | |
| Deed Page | |
| Size in Feet | 50 |
| Size in Feet | 50 |
| Inscriptions | 2 |
| Fieldstones | |
| Tombs | |
| Exist? | YES |
| Last seen date? | 2013 |
| Newest | 1707 |
| Oldest | 1672 |
| Vandalism | N |
| Veteran | |
| Pole | G |
| Comment | This 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. |
| Condition | fair |
| Enclosure | granite posts/iron rails |
| Gate | no gate |
| Growth | cleared |
| Terrain | level |
| Cemetery Location |
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| Cemetery Burial Map |
N/A
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