Emmes Carvers

Nathaniel Emmes (1690 - 1750) was a well known Boston carver. He learned the trade from his neighbor William Mumford. Nathaniel in turn taught his sons Henry (1716 - 1767) and Josua (1719 - 1772). He also had William Codner (1709 - 1769) as an apprentice in his shop. Emmes became the most popular gravestone maker in Boston during the first half of the 18th century.

Identifying features characteristic of Emmes include ornate borders including tympanum borders, graduated discs in the finials, indented skulls and often crossed bones over the winged skull. In the inscription Emmes generally used 'LYES' rather than 'LIES' and 'DEC'D' rather than 'DIED'.The marker of James Paine (1711) has his initials NE carved in the tympanum (barely visible). The literature indicates that Henry Emmes of Newport carved and signed the marker of Thomas Sturgis (1763). Most Emmes gravestones on Cape Cod display winged skulls but some of the early winged heads may have been carved by Emmes. The following gravestones are of the type carved by the Emmes family although some of the early gravestones may be the work of William Mumford.

Winged Heads

Marcy Freeman (1711) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Joshua Doane (1716) - Wellfleet Chequessett Neck Cem.
Mary Doane (1716) - Wellfleet Chequessett Neck Cem.
Thomas Lewes (1718) - Eastham Cove Cem.

Winged Skulls

John Sunderlin (1703) - Brewster Cem.
Desire Bourne (1705) - Falmouth
Sarah Hows (1705) - Dennis Howes Cem.
Elisha Bourne (1706) - Sandwich Cem.
Sarah Hows (1706) - Dennis Howes Cem.
Thomas Mulford (1706) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Jonathan Sparrow (1706/7) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Hannah Freeman (1707) - Brewster Cem.
John Chipman (1708) - Sandwich Cem.
Jeremiah Hows (1708) - Dennis Howes Cem.
Bethiah Paddock (1707/8) - Dennis Paddock Cem.
Amey Hatch (1709) - Falmouth
Tamsen Sunderlin (1709) - Brewster Cem.
Anna Gray (1709/10) - Brewster Cem.
Stephen Skiffe (1710) - Sandwich Cem.
Mary Banges (1711) - Brewster Cem.
James Paine (1711) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Daniel Doane (1712) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Samuel Freeman (1712) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Thankful Higins (1712) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Hannah Paine (1713) - Truro Old North Cem.
Lydia Skiffe (1713) - Sandwich Cem.
John Crosby (1714) - Brewster Cem.
Jonathan Freeman (1714) - Brewster Cem.
Sarah Chipman (1715) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Abigall Halet (1715) - Yarmouth Ancient Cem.
Thomas Freeman (1715/16) - Brewster Cem.
Mary Hamlin (1715) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Jonathan Hopkins (1716) - Brewster Cem.
Jonathan Halet (1717) - Yarmouth Ancient Cem.
Elizabeth Perry (1717) - Sandwich Cem.
Robert Astinie (1717/18) - Brewster Cem.
Job Crocker (1718) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Moses Crosby (1718) - Brewster Cem.
Simon Crosby (1717/18) - Brewster Cem.
Zachariah Paddock (1717/8) - Dennis Paddock Cem.
Richard Sears (1718) - Chatham Cem.
Hannah Stone (1718) - Brewster Cem.
Sarah Banges (1719) - Brewster Cem.
Shearjashub Bourn (1718/19) - Sandwich Cem.
Edmond Freeman (1718/9) - Eastham Cove Cem.
John Freeman (1719) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Thomas Oakes (1719) - Wellfleet Chequessett Neck Cem.
Sarah Paine (1718/19) - Truro Old North Cem.
Marcy Foster (1720) - Brewster Cem.
Nathaniel Seares (1720) - Brewster Cem.
Hannah Stone (1720) - Brewster Cem.
Joanna Treate (1720) - Truro Old North Cem.
Deborah Bacon (1721) - Barnstable Cobb's Hill Cem.
Marcy Freeman (1721) - Brewster Cem.
Thomas Paine (1721) - Truro Old North Cem.
Mary Sturges (1721) - Barnstable Cobb's Hill Cem.
Jemimah Mullford (1722) - Truro Old North Cem.
John Nye (1722) - Sandwich Cem.
Desier Cowing (1723) - Provincetown Cem.
Jamima Mulford (1723) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Nathaniel Tupper (1723) - Sandwich Cem.
Josiah Crosby (1724) - Dennis Worden Cem.
Joseph Crosby (1725) - Dennis Worden Cem.
Elizabeth Linel (1725) - Orleans Cem.
Hannah Oakes (1725) - Wellfleet Chequessett Neck Cem.
Elizabeth Rich (1725) - Truro Old North Cem.
Jonathan Linel (1726) - Orleans Cem.
Easter Nye (1726) - Sandwich Cem.
Mary Bacon (1727) - Provincetown Cem.
Susanah Gray (1731) - Brewster Cem.
Ruth Avery (1732) - Truro Old North Cem.
John Gray (1732) - Brewster Cem.
Josiah Oakes (1732/3) - Wellfleet Chequessett Neck Cem.
Bithiah Paine (1734) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Samuel Rotch (1736) - Provincetown Cem.
Nathaniel Winslow (1737) - Dennis Worden Cem.
Samuel Sears (1738) - Chatham Cem.
Edward Knowles (1740) - Eastham Cove Cem.
Mary Freeman (1754) - Eastham Bridge Road Cem.
Thomas Sturgis (1763) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.
Martha Sturgis (1774) - Barnstable Lothrop Hill Cem.


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