Henry Christian Geyer (1727-1785) advertised in the Boston Globe in 1770 that he was a “Stone Cutter near Liberty-Tree South-End Boston”. His intricately carved stones can be found in the Boston area as early as 1761. When Henry died in 1785, his son John Just Geyer, continued the business with a similar style.

Susanna Jayne, Old Burial Hill, Marblehead, Massachusetts

One of Geyer’s most ornate stones sits atop Old Burial Hill in Marblehead, Massachusetts. Perhaps the beautiful view of the Atlantic from Susanna Jayne’s burial site inspired this veritable cornucopia of symbolism. Oroboros, bats, skeleton with a scythe, and the sun.

“Here Sleeps the precious Dust — She Shines above, whose form was harmony, whose soul was Love. What were her Virtues? All that Heaven could spare. What were her Graces? All Divinity Fair. Mingling with Angels, they admire a guest, as spotless Good and lovely as the Rest” 

Deposited Beneath this Stone the Mortal Part of Mrs. Susanna Jayne, the amiable Wife of Mr. Peter Jayne, who lived Beloved and Died Universally Lamented, on August 8th, 1776, in the 45th Year of her Age.

Mary Townsend, 1691-1765, Needham Cemetery, Needham, Massachusetts.

Here lies interr’d the
Remains of Mrs.
Mary Townsend,
Relict of the Reverend
Mr. Jonathan Townsend.
She departed this life
Septr. ye 6th 1765. Aetat. 75.
An Angel’s Arm can’t snatch me from the grave;
Legions of angels can’t confine me here.

Elizabeth Foster, King’s Chapel, Boston, Massachusetts

Here lies Interr’d
The Remains of
Mrs Elizabeth Foster
Consort of
Mr. Elisha Foster
Dec who died May 28th
1773. Aged 63 Years

1771 John Eliot, Granary, Boston, Massachusetts

In MEMORY of
Deacon JOHN ELIOT who
died Nov. 14th, 1771. AE tatis 79
Also Mrs. SARAH, Wife of
Deacon JOHN ELIOT who
died Sep.r 6th, 1755 Aged 60.
And Mrs.
MARY, Wife of Deacon JOHN
ELIOT, who died Nov. r 26th
1761, Aged 46 Years.

Seth Sumner, Milton Cemetery, Milton, Massachusetts

One of the rarely signed stones, the crown is representative of Geyer’s fondness for Kings and Queens.

Here lies Buried the Body, of
Mr. SETH SUMNER,
who died Nov.r 11th. 1771.
in the, 61st Year of His Age.

Lament me not as you pass by,
As you are now, so once was I;
As I am now, so must you be;
All flesh is Mortal you may se.