The Old Forge Farm is a magnificent household that I was blessed to visit. As part of a project in house museum planning and preservation, a group of us met with the wonderful Tom Greene, a descendant of the famous Nathanael Greene of Rhode Island. The farm is where Nathanael was born, and beyond it lies a Greene family plot, surrounded by a beautiful old New England stone wall. The RI Historical survey says there are about 60 burials here with 25 gravestones.
The stones are a fascinating combination of old fieldstones and broken slate, as well as many white marble stones, along with some tall and imposing monuments highlighting the accomplishments of the Greene descendants.
Tom’s dog Harmony led the way into the cemetery:
Here are some of the older stones:
The voluminous text of Christopher Greene’s stone, son of Nathanael:
With the Forge Farm in the background, and the plot itself set back from the road, it is quite a peaceful environment. If you plan to venture there, be sure to stop by the farm and ask Mr. Tom Greene for permission – and he’ll have many stories and tall tales of his ancestors to share!