Nathaniel Holmes (1783 - 1869) was born in Plymouth. He learned stone carving from Amaziah Harlow of Plymouth. He most likely also was influenced by William Coye and Lemuel Savery. Holmes moved to Barnstable about 1805 to become the first resident carver on Cape Cod. During his long career he made the transition from carving winged heads on slate to carving urn and willow on marble. The marble markers of the nineteenth century make up the bulk of his work. It has been reported he carved over 1300 gravestones on Cape Cod. None of his nine children took up stone carving.

Holmes carvings on slate included small winged heads, trumpeting angels and sunbursts. The winged heads have high foreheads due to the eyes being placed low on the face, small mouth and hair parted in the middle. Note that he used a variety of interesting tympanum shapes. The following markers are examples of Holmes work.