Sarah Thompson, Countess Rumford
Sarah Thompson, Countess Rumford (October 18, 1774 – December 2, 1852) was an American philanthropist and the first American to be known as a Reichsgräfin, an Imperial Countess title granted by Bavaria in the Holy Roman Empire.
She was born in Concord, New Hampshire, to Benjamin Thompson and Sarah Walker Rolfe Thompson. Her father supported Britain in the American Revolution and moved to London, where he was knighted in 1784. Her mother was a wealthy widow whose Rumford property helped the family name in New Hampshire.
Sarah never married and had no children. She spent many years in London and Paris, then returned to Concord to live independently. She wrote poetry, short stories, and biographical sketches.
After her father’s death, she lived as a woman with independent means. She had an older half-brother, Paul Rolfe; after Paul’s death in 1819 she lived for a time with Paul’s wife Elizabeth in Concord. She also had a younger half-brother, Charles Lefebvre, who later used the Rumford name because of Sarah’s bequest. Sarah adopted Emma Gannell, born in 1826 to Mary Grove, who had been living in Sarah’s home.
When Sarah died in 1852, she left part of her estate to a charitable cause called the Rolfe and Rumford Asylum, a home for girls that operated for many years. Her legacy helped provide care and support for young girls in the community.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 19:43 (CET).