Gravestone of Jane Webster, 1797, at Bennington Center Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont. Carved by James Collins, the son and grandson of prominent gravestone carvers Zerubbabel Collins and Benjamin Collins.

Gravestone of Brigadier General Moses Ashley, “who being in perfect health and in the midst of public business died in a sudden and unexpeeted manner” in 1791. He is buried at Stockbridge Cemetery in Stockbridge Mass., and his gravestone appears to have been made by Lemuel Johnson.

Gravestone of Susanna Hinckley, 1790, at Lothrop Hill Cemetery in Barnstable, Massachusetts. It was carved by one of the later generations of the Lamson family, and it features an unusual design of an angel with a trumpet, with the words “Arise th’ Dead” written on a banner coming out of the trumpet

A large willow-and-urn design on the gravestone of Alexander Henderson (“a native of Scotland”) who died in 1783 at the age of 26. Located at North Cemetery in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and carved by Henry Christian Geyer and/or John Just Geyer.

This gravestone is probably the finest stone that John Hartshorn ever carved. It is much larger than his usual work, and most of it is covered in a large coat-of-arms design. It was made for Nathaniel Emerson, who died in 1712, and it is located at Old Burying Ground in Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Gravestone of Speedy Clark (maiden name Speedy Grow) at Chaplin Center Cemetwry in Chaplin, Connecticut. Possibly carved by Beza Soule?

Gravestone of Eunice Clarke, 1785, at Bridge Street Cemetery in Northampton, Massachusetts. The stone also memorializes her son, Richard, who died in 1776 at Fort Ticonderoga during the American Revolution. Carved by Nathaniel Phelps.

Gravestone of Lois Dunbar, 1787, at Church on the Hill Cemetery in Lenox, Massachusetts. I believe that this was carved by Lemuel Johnson, brother of gravestone carver John Johnson, who produced brownstone gravestones of this same style in Durham, Connecticut.

Gravestone of Robert Chapmun, 1711, at the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut. Carved by William Stanclift.

Gravestone of Reuben Clark, who drowned in 1787 at the age of 20. Carved by Zerubbabel Collins, and located at Shaftsbury Center Cemetery in Shaftsbury, Vermont.

“When this you see remember me” - a simple epitaph on a simple yet charming gravestone for Agnes Anderson, 1754, at Old South Killingly Cemetery in Killingly, Connecticut. Carved by the so-called “Killingly Egg Carver,” an unidentified local carver.

Gravestone of Mary Elithrop, “with her son Benj’n in her armes.” They died in 1717, and they are buried at Old Burial Hill in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Their gravestone was carved by Nathaniel Emmes.

Gravestone of Nathaniel Parks, who was “casually shot by Mr. Luther Frink” in 1794 at the age of 19. It should be noted that “casually” in this context was a synonym for “accidentally.” The stone was made by John Ely, and it is located at Elmwood Cemetery in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

An image of a mourning widow on the gravestone of James Martin, 1834, at Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont. Not sure who the carver was.

Gravestone of Sarah Homer, 1685, at the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut. Carved by my 9th great grandfather, George Griswold.

A double headstone for brothers Royal Fowler (1761-1765) and Royal Fowler (1767-1776) at Old Burying Ground in Westfield, Massachusetts. Carved by Solomon Brewer.

Gravestone of Dorothy Walker, 1804, at Brookfield Cemetery in Brookfield, Massachusetts. Carved by the unidentified so-called “Greek Girl Carver.”

Gravestone of Hannah Arnold, 1759, at Old Norwichtown Cemetery in Norwich, Connecticut. She was the mother of Benedict Arnold, a general in the Continental Army who later betrayed the American cause during the American Revolution and joined the British. Her gravestone was made by William Stevens

Gravestone of Abigail Thing, 1711, at Second Public Cemetery in Exeter, New Hampshire. Carved by Joseph Lamson.

Gravestone of Mary Colton, 1767, at Longmeadow Cemetery in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Carved by Elijah and/or Jonathan Burt.

Gravestone of Hannah Coy, 1794, at Saint James Episcopal Church Cemetery in Arlington, Vermont. Carved by Samuel Dwight.

Gravestone of Nathaniel Brown, 1761, at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston. Not entirely sure who the carver was, but possibly either the Emmes or Codner families.

The gravestone of Sarah Chauncey, 1720, at Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Mass. Sarah’s husband once had a similar stone, but it has since disintegrated into an unrecognizable pile of sandstone, and her own gravestone is well on its way to a similar fate. Both stones were carved by Thomas Johnson II

The gravestone of Henry Walbridge, who “gloriously fell in defence of AMERICAN FREEDOM In the battle of BENNINGTON On the 16th day of Aug’t 1777 In the 33rd Year of his Age.” He is buried at Old Bennington Cemetery in Bennington, Vermont, and his gravestone was carved by Zerubbabel Collins.

Gravestone of Thomas Adgate, 1707, at Old Norwichtown Cemetery in Norwich, Connecticut. Carved by the unidentified so-called “Norwich Ovoid Carver.”

Gravestone of William Blanchard, 1749, at Old South Killingly Cemetery in Killingly, Connecticut. Carved by the so-called “Killingly Egg Carver,” an unidentified local carver.

Palisado Cemetery in Windsor, Connecticut is home to some of the oldest surviving dated gravestones in New England. This one marks the grave of Mary Gayler, who died in 1657, and it was carved by Matthew and/or George Griswold.

I wanted to take a moment to introduce myself. My name is Derek, and I started photographing gravestones about 4 years ago, with a focus on the carvers who made the stones. Over this time, I have learned so much, and it has been great to connect with so many other people with similar interests!

Gravestone of Daniel Marsh, 1725, at Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Massachusetts. It was carved by local carver Joseph Nash, and it is typical of his style, with an odd shape, irregular lettering, and a few small, primitive symbols at the top, including a skull and pickaxes.

Gravestone of Submitte Hoar, 1808, at South Warren Cemetery in Warren, Massachusetts. Carved by Beza Soule, I think.

A triple headstone for Joel Day, 1803, and his two sons, Edward and Robert, who both died in 1777. The stone notes that Edward “died in his Country’s Service” at the age of 19. Robert died 2 months earlier at the age of 13. Carved by John Ely, and located at Elmwood Cemetery in Holyoke, Mass.

Gravestone of James Warren, 1715, at Burial Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts. It was made by a Boston-area carver, possibly William Mumford, Nathaniel Emmes, or someone associated with their shop. Notice the “40” near the base of the stone. This was likely the price of the stone, i.e. 40 shillings.

The gravestone of Daniel Squier, 1783, at Plains Cemetery in Franklin, Connecticut. Carved by Josiah Manning.

Gravestone of Eliseabeth Olmsted, 1729, in East Hartford, Connecticut. Carved by Samuel Bartlett.

A spectacular gravestone for Sarah Porter, 1775, at Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Massachusetts. Carved by Nathaniel Phelps.

Six heads on one gravestone for six children of John and Rhoda Dewey, at Trumbull Cemetery in Lebanon, Connecticut. It was carved by Lebbeus Kimball.

Gravestone of Polly Shaw, 1795, at Palmer Center Cemetery in Palmer, Massachusetts. It was carved by the so-called “Greek Girl carver,” an unidentified carver from Stafford, Connecticut.

Gravestone of Jeremiah Wilson, 1743, at Old Common Burial Ground in Lancaster, Massachusetts. Carved by Jonathan Worcester.

A large, ornate gravestone for John Gibson, 1761, at South Cemetery in Lunenburg, Massachusetts. It was carved by William Park, and it features a winged soul effigy at the top of the stone, with architecturally-inspired borders that are comprised of fluted Ionic pilasters.

Gravestone of Anna Brewster, 1786, at Dartmouth Cemetery in Hanover, NH. Carved by my wife’s 6th great grandfather Gershom Risley or her 5th great grandfather Asa Risley Sr.

Gravestone of David Olmsted, 1787, in Enfield, Connecticut. Carved by Aaron Haskins in imitation of Zerubbabel Collins.

Gravestone of Lennard Skinner, 1776, at the Ancient Burying Ground in Hartford, Connecticut. Carved by Josiah Manning.

Gravestone of Haselelpony Wood, 1714, at Old North Burying Ground in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Carved by John Hartshorn.

A double headstone for Jonathan and Elisabeth Wait, 1792 and 1776, at Eastman Cemetery in Chester, Massachusetts. It was carved by Elijah Sikes.

Gravestone of Mary Domo, 1759, at Evergreen Cemetery in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Carved by an unidentified local carver.

Gravestone of John Smith, 1723, at Old Hadley Cemetery in Hadley, Massachusetts. Carved by Joseph Nash.

The gravestone of Tobias Lear, 1781, at Point of Graves Burial Ground in Portsmouth, NH. It was carved by John Homer.

Gravestone of Mary Eastman, 1752, at Evergreen Cemetery in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Carved by the Johnson shop in Middletown, Connecticut.

The gravestone of Martha Emmes, 1746, at Copp’s Hill Burying Ground in Boston. It was probably carved by her husband, Joshua Emmes.

The gravestone of Elizabeth Sisson, 1774, in Newport, Rhode Island. Despite the false humility in the first line (“This Humble Stone…”), it is a masterpiece by John Bull, one of the most talented colonial Rhode Island gravestone carvers, who signed it in the lower left corner of the stone.