The Exeter Vampire, Sarah Tillinghast - 1799 in Rhode Island. 

My relative. Thank you for doing this! My sister informed me you put this out. My great uncle owned the land you're on right now. We used to call it "the old farm" and held all our family reunions there. Look up the history of the Cornell's, especially Rebecca and Thomas. Innocent Cornell as well. Ties into the Borden's. Our family history is very interesting!

I think she was very kind hearted and a little gothic to go and read the poetry to the deceased soldiers . She was likely misunderstood , but was a beautiful soul 🦇💜

Hi Ron. I found a family tree for this family on Ancestry. All of the deceased children as listed as passing away in 1799. They are Anistis, John, James, Ruth. Also Sarah was documented dying in 1799. Then in 1800 was Hannah. Many other children and the parents were listing as living on since 1799. So looks pretty true. Thank you for your great show

Wow, those are some really old stones! Must have been a torture for the parents to see 7 kids perish without being able to help them😢

Ron, I wish you would read the epitaphs also. A lot of times what people say on their loved ones demise, tells a little bit about how those who buried them felt about the loved one. I noticed you skip a lot of these and just read the birth and death dates. I'm loving your vlogs. Keep up the awesome work!

Interesting, also there was quite a vampire craze going during that time in rural areas mostly on the East coast of the U.S.. the mercy brown story is another great one.

I can't imagine what it took to dig up your own children to save your wife or the other children. It actually saddened me for all involved. Thanks, Ron, for these fascinating stories.

This was a great Halloween 🎃 tale an the cemetery gives it a haunting effect . I myself love the history behind the stories ..The cemeteries are definitely different than the Midwest .Thank you Ron for this great story . Everyone have a safe an great weekend

Creepy tail of a time when ppl actually thought vampires existed thank's for sharing mate...

This has been so interesting and would be fascinating to learn more Ron. The idea of a father cutting out the heart of his child and burning it is mind blowing to me. I’ve seen it in your past videos but can never wrap my mind around it. Safe travels Ron🙏🥰

I’ll find out for sure. Dr Michael Bell is the leading authority on this subject. If there’s anything weird within a historical graveyard, Dr Bell is the guy they call! Dr Bell has uncovered many of these instances and has been researching this since the early 1980’s, he would know for sure! His book is called Food for the Dead and I highly recommend it! Awesome video Ron, there’s a few more of these all around the state and Exeter is the epicenter!

Interesting. I like that you walked it through with us. Interesting info: sounds like Sara was loving girl who read poetry to read solders. I’m Catholic and one indication that a person may be a saint is that when they are disinterred their body is incorrupt. There are also other things that must accompany it, including miracles that occur when a sick person or others ask God for a miracle because of the dead person’s faith in God.❤

Would it not be interesting to have a bit of history at the entrance of the cemetery...I would think, yes. But on the other hand, we wouldn't have Ron taking us along his cemetery walks, lol! Have a wonderful day! 🙂

Intriguing story, Ron! Thank you! When I was a child, my family had neighbors by the last name of Tillinghast (that was in Connecticut). It's the only other time I've ever heard the name. Perhaps they were descendants of those who are buried in the Tillinghast family cemetery in Rhode Island. I'm really enjoying your daily videos as we get closer to Halloween! 🎃🪦⚰️👻☠️

A wonderful time hanging out with you Ron, as always. So many interesting stories. Reading poetry to the soldiers is so romantic!

You can tell just by looking at those old, worn markers how old this cemetery is. So sad many of the names are lost to time. But that was a great story you told about Sarah Tillinghast. Perhaps there was a natural chemical substance in her body that made it resistant to decay.

A very intriguing story Ron. Sara sounded like a sweet young lady, reading poetry to the soldiers. The fear of vampires was so strong but wow cutting out her heart and burning it!!!😮 fascinating but confounded at the same time. Very cool investigation!!!🎃🎃

I believe Honor's stone said mother of "14." Blessings from Michigan.

This is very interesting. I love these very old cemeteries. They have the best monuments and always a spookiness about them. Maybe because we can't see what they looked like. Either way it's keeping in the Halloween theme. Thank you, Ron, for another great story.

What a fascinating old graveyard with all the old stones. I cannot imagine digging up your family members and cutting out the heart of one daughter and burning it. Because she was thought to be a vampire 🧛‍♀️ My goodness! An uncorrupt body is one sign of a Saint; from what I've heard. Onward to the next story Ron! 😃

Wow, half a family wiped out by TB. I'm not sure when TB was determined to be under control, but I remember having to get TB tests right in the classroom in grammar school. As a kid I never realized how deadly it could be. I also remember the old TB sanatoriums on Pulaski and Bryn Mawr in Chicago. I think it closed sometime in the 70's. I know at least part of it became senior apartment housing because my uncle moved in to one of the apartments years later. There sure were some strange thoughts in the old days about vampires. To take that girls heart out even a year after death is crazy. Today she would be canonized for the same reason they wanted to destroy her body. Great story Ron. Boy these graves were old. I'm glad they are still left there. I always worry about these small family plots being moved one day in the name of progress. I hate when they do stuff like that.

Rip Sarah T...🙏 So sad 😥...a vampire 🦇 WOW... thank you Ron and happy Halloween 🎃👻... Mary M..

These New England videos are so fascinating.

Very interesting Ron, to say the least. How when she was dug up her body was uncorrupt. I don,t know how this hapoens to people, but evidently this same phenomenon has happened in other countries as well! Thanks for sharing!❤😊

Digging into genealogies I noticed some trends over the centuries...OUTSIDE of large cities. Back to the 1500s it was not unusual to have people living into their 70s. Even 80s was not that noteworthy. Now the trends as far as age of death. Infant--most common by far. Usually by some unknown disease. Childhood to preteen-- second most common age group. Again disease is most common but accidents and drownings are showing up. Teens-- this time period the deaths really drop. Appears the immune systems of those who survived to this point are robust. Unless a new strange disease like a pandemic hits the area like diphtheria. 20's -- Disease and accidents still happen but nothing like childhood 30s--- Here's where I've noticed an upward spike in women dying, either in childbirth or shortly afterward 40s-- Now men & women begin dying more frequently of unidentified medical reasons. But you still have a good shot at passing 50. 50s and higher--- Deaths increase at a higher and higher rate as age progresses. If you worked around horses a lot such as a farmer, farrier(horse shoes) or ranch hand, one of the top 3 causes of death was HORSE KICKS. This occurred at any age. A horse has more power in 1 hind leg than the strongest man. If you doubt that there's a video of 2 large stallions meeting and one kicks the other in the head and that horse drops like a rock...dead. All in the blink of an eye. Genetics play a big role too. Mom's side is solid Viking all the way. My 14th great grandfather was born in 1485 and died about 67 yrs old. Dad's side was more mixed but all segments originate along the Rhine where they were farmers or sailors. The weather alone weeds out the weak. Tough tough people that's for sure.

Reminds me of the Mercy Brown case. Great storytelling, amazing how far we've come as far as medical knowledge and understanding is concerned

Rings true. The smaller stones of similar size and placement indicate deaths in close succession due to mass casualty from injury or illness.

Very good spooky strange story. The curiosity to me was how the body didn’t decay? How did that happen. Her body would have been damaged already from the disease . That’s really the creepy part of this to me. Thanks Ron for another good story🧛‍♂️🧛🧛‍♀️

I love old cemeteries like this. Interesting story on this family. It does sound strange that Sarah's body didn't decompose but have heard this happening to others. They did have strange believes back then. Thank you Ron.

So, I am actually finding a lot of kids in this family in a genealogical reference. Anna, Amos, Stephen, Amay, Honour, Pardon, Stukey, Stukely, Hannah, Mary, Sarah, Ruth, Andris, Clarke, and James. Stukey and Stukely are listed with dates of birth two years apart, as to be two different people, with Stukey living 1772-1773 and Stukely living 1774-1848.

Sounds like a case of premature burial possibly. Honor's headstone said she was the mother of 14 children and all lived to grow up? That doesn't make sense if Sarah was 21 and more followed her within a year. Is it possible that Find a Grave only list 7 because the ones that died with the sickness graves didn't have their info on them?

My grandfather died of TB in 1952, he was sent away to a TB hospital in Columbia SC called The State Park on Farrow Rd. He was allergic to sulfur drugs so he couldn't take the medicine to that could have saved his life. When my sister and I were small we had to have blood transfusion quiet often, but then the man that had our same blood type got TB, so no more bike rides or roller skates for us for the fear that we would get hurt.

Great story. Thanks Ron. You are Da Man

Love the creepy title photo.... it's as I would imagine Sarah. NIIIIIIIICE!

Interesting!!! I never knew that about American vampires!! I wonder where the father is buried? He has to be there somewhere

Welcome to Rhode Island the Vampire state ⚰Don't forget about Mercy 👻

Ghost stories are big in my family when it comes to death. My great grandmother used to tell one that always freaked me out about her aunt who came to visit. My dad's grandparents' house was evidently haunted after my great grandmother passed away. My grandparents' house was haunted.

Hi Ron from Cape Town South Africa

You should of drove 2 hrs north east 2 Gloucester Mass.plenty of old tales and cemeterys 1667🌊🐟🐟

Fascinating story, watching from Exeter, Devon uk

How said that Honor lost so many of her children 😢 Then she survived...I know it was like that a stones throw back.A kidney stone could have killed you and so so many babies died as well .I love history although it's very sad at times ..We are very lucky to be alive these days 🙏.I just came across your page ❤️ blessed to have found you

Love a story from FOTF!!! Happy Halloween 🎃 👻🍬🍭🍫🤖

I love waking up to a great story and like said in the past no grave 🪦 robbing . 🎉🇺🇲☮️👻🎃

Thank you for this great halloween 🎃 story

You are the best at telling these stories and game for anything!!! Linda from Missouri 👍🥰😊♥️

You always have some very interesting stories and I love them all. Thanks for letting me tag along. 🙏🙏✝️✝️

Cool story Ron!!

So very sad, Rest in peace in the arms of our Lord. Stay safe Sir & everyone. I think you got it family plots include grandchildren aunts, uncles, Husbands, & wives. Any kin.

Thank you Ron for taking us long again.

These are the kinds of graveyards/cemeteries that are the most interesting. Thanks for such a great video.

Great MYSTERIOUS Story.. sounds bout like Mercy Brown story too, which about the same time period of this one in Rhonde Island. Brown family thought be vampires. Great video and creepy

Pretty vampire buddy. Have a great halloween

Love how you use the flashlight

Awesome story, did you notice the red rose on top of the stone? Someone had been there not long ago. Maybe a descendent of the family, and if so maybe they can shed some light on the story of Sarah.

I'm a rhode island gurl and have been watching your channel for a while. Im so excited you came here now I wanna go see some of the sites with my kiddos. I love learning about the forgotten.

Very interesting and a bit spooky because it was just there in the woods.Where I live in the Catskills there are many small cemeteries of family members only, hidden away in wooded areas that at one time could have been near their farmhouses, on their own property. it was not uncommon to bury their loved ones quite close to their homes...Then the houses disappear and these little family cemeteries are left. There are several of these close to my own home which was built in 1837, I don't believe there are any marked graves on my property but who knows????

What a great story about the family and a very cool little cemetery! My husband and I explored New England last fall and coming from Chicago were fascinated by the little historic cemeteries with stones so worn down you couldn’t read them. And how there are little historic cemeteries in unexpected places as well as in the middle of neighborhoods and behind so many of the old churches! It is a beautiful area and a great place if you are into exploring old cemeteries and history. Thanks for sharing!

This story is almost like the mercy brown who was suppose to be another vampire in rhode island. She's down the street behind the church. Same kind of story

This is so interesting & I like the history. My great grandfather & great grandmother they had from 1860 to 1889 14 children 11 boy's & 3 girls & all lived long life's. Like this history 😊

Good day

Thanks Ron.

Good day again from Martie South Africa

Himes-Lewis-Tillinghast Lot Also known as Rhode Island Historical Cemetery Exeter #153 Exeter, Washington County, Rhode Island, USA

Thanks, Ron, for another amazing story

Didn't they have alot of vampire stories in Exeter???

I can always count on you for informative videos!! Thanks for sharing!! ❤

Thanks Ron for another great story.

Look forward to your videos 🎃🤡👻🦇👾☠️🧌

Honors headstone did say mother of 14 children.

thank you Ron!

Love this story Ron. Thanks you are awesome .

Let me start by saying great job Ron. You scored another touchdown.... Okay now, someone hold my pumpkin... I think it's was a very sweet gesture for her to go read to soldiers that had passed.... She died in 1799, how in Halloween pumpkin could she still look so called in good shape that many year's later? I truly believe that when her heart was burnt they actually killed a vampire... That's just to weird...See this is why I love your Halloween videos...😁😁

Friday night, watching alone with one son upstairs, so far sounds very good….! Maybe half the children. How sad. I can’t imagine what our earlier generations went through with all the heartache & mourning so often. 😢 (I looked in Ancestry bc I have partial access & there are tons of Tillinghasts in that area. Found a Stanley S Tullinghast, died mid 1800s. Probably Stutely’s grandson. Many deaths in 1799 as you said.)

What a gruesome task

THANKS RON ,ANOTHER GOOD HISTORY WALK, SO INTERESTING ..LOVE THE SOUND OF YOU WALKING ON THE AUTUMN LEAVES . LEARNING SO MUCH HISTORY , THANKYOU LOVED THE GRAVES .RIP PILGRIMS RIP 🙏🏻🙏🏻💐🇦🇺DI AUSSIE

It’s dreary & drizzly here in Kansas today, setting a wonderful mood for your visit so far away. Thank you for taking us along again, and a happy all hallows to ye!🎃

Thanks for sharing this Ron, I never knew about this family. Strange how Sara's heart had to be removed. Take care Ron, looking forward to your next video.

Wow what a fascinating story. Thank you for doing this one.

What an amazing Halloween 🎃 story thanks for sharing this and others I love watching these. Have a great day and weekend all.😊

I know a very similar story of a grave just like that one. It is in Burrivlle RI historical marker 1 however the story is a witch who was not buried near anyone else

Ever notice the old stones are thin. Thank you for sharing this

I would infer that Honor was the mother of 14, and that 8 of them died young, including Sarah. The other 6 lived well into adulthood, and some to a ripe old age. Fascinating video!

Great history Ron. Thank you!

Interesting video Ron. Thank u for the hard work u put into it. God bless, & stay safe.

I bought the Salem witch trial transcripts many years ago from higginsons book company it’s all in the old English writing blue hard cover very interesting read.

Another fascinating tale!

Great show!

That was a big family plot wow interesting story again thnx Ron.

Kind of gruesome if they did that😵 Wow 14 children and lost so many would be awful😞 May they all Rest in Peace❤️🙏❤️

Thank you ❤️

Who would have thought a family plot right off the road🤷🏻‍♀️ 14 kids and lived to a grand old age. RIP all that are buried there

Really enjoyed this!

Happy new years Ron God bless you and your family

Great story. Thanks for sharing love it

Beautiful cemetery Ron, and thanks for this great story. 👻🎃

Rest in peace family, very interesting story though and would like to know more hope to find out about it .thanks for sharing with us take care.

I just looked at the find-a grave info. These people are buried everywhere! Exeter; Brayton in Warwick and Allen in North Kingstown! So confusing!!!!!

This is phenomenal

These stories you share are really interesting. I start watching and can't stop until the end. They have to be true stories cause no one could make this stuff up. It sounded like you were talking to someone, and I was very glad to hear that, cause going into some of those places are so creepy, I don't think I'd feel safe there alone. Sometimes I just want to say run Ron run, almost forgetting this is a video. LOL Take care Buddy.