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The Tree That Ate Roger Williams

Historic Rhode Island Figure Had Strange Ending

Dec 10, 2008 Rosemary E. Bachelor

Rhode Island's founder, Roger Williams (1603-1683), was, in death, the subject of a strange phenomena. A preserved tree root provides the evidence.

Theologian Roger Williams was renowned as an advocate of religious freedom and separation of church and state, issues not popular in his day. This story, however, is about what happened to his interred body.

Roger Williams Eaten by Tree

The body of 17th century religious emancipator Roger Williams was eaten by a tree. First, the events that led to this unique discovery.

Williams was buried in a poorly marked grave in the back yard of his home. Fifty-six years later a workman accidentally broke into Williams’ coffin while excavating a nearby grave, exposing the bones.

In 1860 Stephen Randall, a Roger Williams descendant, ordered workmen to exhume the remains from the Providence, RI plot and transfer them to a more suitable tomb. The excavation, however, yielded only a few badly rusted coffin nails and some scraps of rotten wood. No bones were found.

No Bones, but a Body Shaped Root

The workmen, however, did find something extraordinary. The ramifying root of a nearby apple tree lay exactly where the remains should have been and it had taken the shape of Williams’ body, from head to heels.

As it grew, the root apparently had encountered Williams’ skull and followed the path of least resistance, inching down the side of his head, backbone, hips and legs, molding itself closely to the contours of his body.

The corpse itself was gone—absorbed into the tree through the roots. The tree had enveloped, then absorbed Roger Williams.

Root Given to Historical Society

The human-shaped root, silent testimony to an unusual growth story, was removed for safekeeping and given to the Rhode Island Historical Society in Providence.

In addition to being preserved in such an unusual way, Williams—after his death—received much more acclaim for his accomplishments than he had enjoyed while living. He was banned from Salem. It was not until 1936—and passage of Bill 488 by the Massachusetts House—that the law exiling Williams was repealed.

Anti-Slavery Proponent

Williams had always had good relations with the Indians. After he was banned, Williams was able to purchase land from the Indians for his Providence settlement. It is to his credit that Rhode Island in 1652 passed the first law in North America making slavery illegal.

SOURCE: This story, as told in an unidentified newspaper clipping, was forwarded to Rosemary Bachelor in 1985 by Mrs. L. Winifred Jacobs of Beaverton, OR. A biologist confirmed that it was unlikely—but entirely possible—that something like this could happen.

The copyright of the article The Tree That Ate Roger Williams in American History is owned by Rosemary E. Bachelor. Permission to republish The Tree That Ate Roger Williams in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Statue of Roger Williams