Samuel TEFFT

                   Had 11 children.

Research Notes: John Tefft
John Tefft: (Logue/Blackledge Line)

The Tefft Historical Park site consists of at least five loci with American Indian artifact deposition, and multiple loci representing historic period occupation between the mid-17th to early 20th century.  Historic period loci consist of three house foundations, four outbuilding locations, three historic cemeteries, three stone-lined wells, an irrigation system, a stone wall complex, two stone footbridge features, and several abandoned farm fields.

The property is a well-preserved example of prehistoric period occupation and an early colonial Rhode Island family settlement. An archaeological survey revealed evidence of 5000 years of prehistoric human occupation as a seasonal Narragansett Indian camp or village site. (Strauss, 1998) Some historic features appear to date back to the first English settlement of southern Rhode Island, known as the Pettaquamscutt Purchase of 1658.

Situated along southern Rhode Islands coastal plain, the site enjoyed some of the mildest weather in all New England. Perhaps the first settlers of this site, the Narragnsett Indians, were attracted by the sites protective southwest prospect at the base of one of the taller hills in the region. (Tefft Hill-Elev. 255') The presence of two natural springs provided an ample water supply. Glacial deposits provided the raw material for the many stone walls that cover the landscape marking the remains of several small arable fields, orchards and pastures. At the time of European contact in the mid-17th century, it is likely that the lowland was burnt-over cropland utilized by the Narragansett people, while the uplands contained stands of mature softwood forests. Worden's Pond, headwaters of the Pawcatuck River and at one time the site of several large Narragansett villages, is quite close to the property.

It was these favorable environmental attributes that motivated the English immigrant John Tefft to purchase 500 acres of land encompassing the site sometime between 1658 and 1672. The original deed has not survived. John Tefft served as a witness to the second Pettaquamscutt Purchase of 1661, and possibly laid out his share soon after. From land evidence records of adjoining neighbors, and from the Fones Record, we learn the location and extent of John Teffts holdings. From John Teffts 1674 will, we also learn that he owned a 20 acre homestead along the Pettaquamscutt River in the Tower Hill area of the Pettaquamscutt Purchase.

It appears that Joshua and Samuel Tefft, Johns only sons, settled the 500 acre property and began to raise livestock, cattle in particular, in the mid-1660s. The homestead site, situated near the geographical center of the property, seems to suggest that it was probably selected first before the boundaries were run. Situated nearby a natural protective peninsula in the Genessee Swamp called Tobeys Neck, along with the natural springs and fertile ground, the site was ideal for agricultural pursuits.

There is documentary evidence that both Joshua Tefft and his brother Samuel spoke the native Algonquin language. (Providence Town Papers, 1:364, LaFantasie, 2:711) Joshua Tefft mentions his cattle and "his farme a mile and a half from Puttuckquomscut" in a deposition taken by Roger Williams in 1676. (LaFantasie, 2:711) For fourteen years the Tefft family lived peacefully with their Narragansett neighbors, until the outbreak of King Philips War in 1675. While the Tefft family sought safety on Aquidneck Island, Joshua remained behind to care for the cattle. Joshua Tefft did not survive the war.

In the decade following King Philip's War, the land remained largely abandoned due to Rhode Islands recurrent boundary conflict with the colony of Connecticut.  However, Samuel Tefft1 returned to re-occupy and work his fathers land in the mid-1680s, being taxed nine shillings by the Andros administration in 1687. Documentary and archaeological evidence suggests that the foundation of Samuels 17th century dwelling house still exists on the property and it is of prime importance in understanding the nature of the property. Further archaeological research is necessary to confirm a date of construction.

Over time, a complex network of stone walls, as well as an irrigation facility, animal facilities, and several outbuildings were also built.  About 1720, Samuel Tefft1 built another dwelling house in the northeast section of his 500 acre property, which stood until it was destroyed by fire in December 2000. Samuel Tefft1 left the original homestead in the center of the property to his two sons, John2 and Samuel Jr.2, in his 1725 will. John inherited the northwest corner of the property, containing 125 acres of the original 500 acres, which also includes several historic features, but is not part of this application. Samuel Tefft2 received the southern 250 acres.  Upon the death of their mother Elizabeth in 1740, Samuel Jr. bought out his brothers share of her land, leaving Samuel Jr. with total of 375 acres, or 3/4 of his grandfathers 500 acres. (A third son, Joseph Tefft2, received property in the Shannock Purchase.) The 1730 Rhode Island census reveals that Elizabeth and her two sons kept four Indians in their households, two of whom took on the Tefft name, Robin and Joshua.

The farm continued to be divided and subdivided, and again consolidated by Tefft family members until the early 20th century when it was finally sold out of the family in 1909.  Like other South Kingstown farms, it was probably most prosperous in the mid-18th century. At the time of his death in 1725, Samuel Tefft1 was relatively wealthy, with an inventory in excess of £1,300 and extensive land holdings in South Kingstown and the town of Richmond (where there is a "Tefft Hill" along the Exeter line, named after him).

It was through the descendants of Samuel Tefft Jr.2 that much of the land in and about "Tefft Hill" (of South Kingstown) remained in the Tefft family over the next two centuries. Samuel Jr.2 divided the property between his sons; Samuel3, Daniel3, Stephen3, Tennant3 and Ebenezer3. It appears that Daniel and Ebenezer received a portion of the property in question. By the mid-1700s, Samuel Teffts1 original house had fallen into ruins, but it became a corner marker for many of the subsequent property divisions between Tefft descendants and their neighbors.

In the 1754 will of John Tefft2, he describes the bounds of his property beginning "near about north from the place where the old house stood that did belong to my honoured father, Samuel Tefft, decd." (SKCP 5:191) In 1771, John Teffts2 son Samuel, took possession of 120 acres of his fathers land in the northwest corner of the original 500 acre purchase. He is referred to as "Samuel Tefft of Richmond" in the historic record, to distinguish him from his similarly named cousin.