09 August 2022

My Favorite Gravestone-Mercy Prence Freeman

My husband and I took a long trip to New England a few years ago and we spent quite a bit of time in cemeteries. There is nothing like the grave marker carvings that we found in New England. Cove Burying Ground in Eastham, Massachusetts had some of the best carvings that we saw.  

Cove Burying Ground is one of the oldest cemeteries on Cape Cod. It is the burying place of three Pilgrims: Constance Hopkins Snow, Joseph Rogers and Giles Hopkins.

Freeman Family Plot

I have a number of ancestors buried in the Cove Burying Ground cemetery. The John Freeman family is one. Major John Freeman and Mercy Prence Freeman and their son, Edmond Freeman are buried in the plot. The two smaller gravestones in the middle of the plot are foot stones. Mercy Prence is my eighth great grandmother on my father's side of the family.

Marcy Pence Freeman
1631-1711

Inscription inside of Heart

HERE LYES
BURIED Ye BODY
OF MARCY FREEMAN
WIFE TO MAJOR JOHN
FREEMAN AGED
80 YEARS DEC'D
SEPT Ye 28th
1711

Marcy's head stone has a winged head with an hourglass over it, meaning time flies. It is the oldest winged head carving on Cape Cod. I find the intricacy of the carving fascinating, especially since Marcy was buried in 1711. The carver is unknown.



2 comments:

  1. It is in good shape, being so old. Wonderfull carving. I can't figure out how not to be Anonymous. Kathy at abbieandeveline.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. It is in good shape. I was surprised. Thank you for commenting.

    ReplyDelete