History of Funeral Service - Unit 6

In 1862 A Crane, Breed & Co. catalog had a picture of a burial case and called it:

"The Casket"

One of the first coffin shops was:

"The John L. Dillon Coffin and Shroud Warehouse" in New York City

The "Style "E" State Casket" design was:

1. Cloth covered - black broadcloth 2. Octagonal shaped 3. Had a flat top with a full plate of french glass. 4. Had an inner metal case 5. Had hand rails

As the country moved west, people were faced with:

1. Either having to travel greater distances to attend a funeral 2. Or transporting the body back home 3. Or having to hold a body until the family traveled back home.

The Fisk Metallic Coffin is also known as:

1. Fisk Metallic Burial Case 2. Fisk Mummy Case

Types of wood used in the colonies for coffins:

1. Hardwoods - stained and polished for people who had the means 2. Pine - often painted black - for the less fortunate

Coffin materials experimented with in the 1860's were:

1. Iron 2. Marble 3. Clay 4. Cement and wood combination 5. Glass 6. Aluminum 7. Pottery 8. Wicker

Two reasons the Ogee was invented:

1. It made the coffin look more decorative - it took away from the square boxy look. 2. It cut down on the amount of material needed to make the coffin.

The Fisk Metallic Coffin was:

1. Patented in 1848 by Almond D. Fisk 2. Air tight for preservation 3. Made of cast iron or raised steel 4. Had a glass plate over the face for viewing 5. Was form fitting - reduced the weight 6. Could be filled with fluid or gas for preservation 7. Mass produced and readily available 8. More expensive than wood - for the well to do.

Other material used to make burial vaults were:

1. Rock 2. Stone 3. Brick 4. Concrete 5. Wood

Coffins in the early colonies were:

1. Simple 2. They were "made to order" - the coffin maker measured the deceased and made a coffin to fit. 3. Shape was octagonal - as it was in Europe 4. Sides were flat with no decoration 5. Usually unlined 6. Wood was the product used

Needing a ready supply of coffins resulted in:

1. The birth of the Coffin Shop 2. A place to store coffins - The Coffin Warehouse

Cloth covered cases were more expensive because:

1. The cloth was heaven and expensive - velvet, velour, even imported cloth 2. The caskets also had silk fringe and decorations

Reasons early colonist buried without coffins:

1. The colonist faced rough times 2. They had little or no money. 3. They faced diseases - plague, small pox which required them to bury their dead quickly.

Claims of the manufactures of metal coffins:

1. They protect the body from vermin, water and seepage when buried. 2. They allowed the body to be held for longer periods of time to allow for relatives to travel for the funeral. 3. They safeguarded the living from disease (it would seal in germs because it was airtight) 4. They allowed a boy to be buried and also disinterred for reburial.

Wood Boxes were also used to protect the casket in the grave. They were popular because:

1. They were easier to make 2. Wood was more plentiful than metal 3. They were cheaper than metal

Types of burial cases used in the 19th C.:

1. Traditional Wooden Coffin 2. Metallic Mummy Case 3. Cloth Covered Case

Goals of the early coffin maker:

1. Utility 2. Status 3. Artistic 4. Protection 5. Preservation

Wrought Iron coffins were introduced in:

1820

In ______ the Bronzed Line was introduced. Was a cast iron coffin with a bronze finish - was also decorated with ornaments, flowers or emblems.

1854

Coffins were made of lead or had a lead lining - in an effort to prevent grave robbing and also to try to contain odors in the time frame:

1860's

Sheet metal caskets were introduced. Theses were much lighter than cast iron.

1870's

The Burial Safe was first used in

1878

Casket was the dominant word used in patents for new burial cases.

1890's

Cement vaults - Most commonly used today - did not come into prominence until shortly after:

1900

Purpose of burial vaults switched from grave robbing to protection from the elements in:

1915

The coffin becomes the center of attention in the American funeral:

After the War of 1812

The first burial vault was the:

Burial Safe

Comes from the French word "casse" which means "jewel box":

Casket

Cruciform

Coffin shaped like a cross - didn't go over well.

Life Signal coffins:

Coffins which were rigged with a variety of wires, pins, spring lids and bells. Fear of being buried alive.

The Burial Safe was:

Essentially a locked cage. A large cage with a coffin in it.

The "Style "E" State Casket" was made for:

Former president U.S. Grant by Samuel Stein in 1885

Utility

It should be more useful. Should be designed for viewing as well as burial.

Took out the first American patent for a metallic coffin:

James A. Gray - 1836 in Virginia

Took out a patent for a coffin for stone, marble and cement.

John White - 1835 in New York

The purpose of the Burial Safe was to:

Keep grave robbers away from the body

Stein Manufacturing Co.:

Mass produced cloth covered caskets 1. Merged with the National Casket Co in 1890

As the country moved west, coffin makers were faced with:

Needing a ready supply of coffins

In 1859 a man named A.C. Barstow created the:

Ogee

Ogee

The "S" shaped curve on the top of a casket

One of the most remarkable coffins ever patented and used in the United States:

The Fisk Metallic Coffin

George W. Boyd Burial Case - 1879 was:

The first metal burial vault.Similar to today's metal vaults, it had ring catches to secure the top and bottom. Once sealed could not be broken into.

Protection

They wanted something that would be able to protect the body from grave robbers and the elements.

Preservation

They wanted something that would enable them to be able to hold a body for relatives traveling a long distance.

Artistic

They wanted to create a more beautiful product.

Status

This new burial case should reflect the status of the deceased.

As iron making became a skill, the coffin furniture was made in America in 1800.

True

In the 1850's the cloth covered feature was introduced.

True

In the early 1800's we saw the emergence of coffins made from stone and metal.

True

In the very early days of the country, the colonist buried their dead without coffins.

True

When they were first invented, cloth covered cases were more expensive than wood or metal.

True