The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: William Frost Mobley

Title: Funeral and Mourning Ephemera Collection

Dates: 1809-1963, 1855-1909 (bulk)

Call No.: Col. 6

Acc. No.: 86x1

Quantity: 2 boxes

Location: 16 A 5

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

William Frost Mobley was a dealer in antiquarian ephemera in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Ephemera Society of America, the American Historical Print Collection Society, and the American Printing History Association.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The papers are a collection of American ephemera related to funerals and mourning customs. It consists of a wide variety of mostly late nineteenth century printed materials that document American funerary and mourning practices of the time. The collection includes manuscript bills for grave-digging, burial and gravestones; printed eulogies and elegies; printed invitations to funerals, 1827-1925; printed and pictorial billheads for funeral-related businesses, 1838-1916; printed memorial cards, 1843-1926; tributes to members of a fraternity killed during the Civil War, 1861-1865; death announcements and funeral notices, 1870-1928; trade cards for various funerary businesses; letterheads of companies selling caskets, monuments, and other funeral services, 1880-1902; cemetery deeds; samples and price lists for mourning cards; two photographs of horse-drawn hearses; two lithographed mourning pictures; a mourning badge honoring President William McKinley; and similar items. A few of the items are for mock funerals.

ORGANIZATION

For the most part, the materials are arranged by type and then by accession number.

A name index to the collection is available at this repository.

PROVENANCE

Purchased from William Frost Mobley.

ACCESS POINTS

Topics:

Mourning customs.

Funeral rites and ceremonies.

Sepulchral monuments.

Undertakers and undertaking.

Presidents - United States - Death.

Trade cards.

Bills of sale.

Elegies.

Eulogies.

Invitations

Letters.

Lithographs.

Photographic prints.

RELATED MATERIALS

Related materials in Winterthur's rare books collection:

Memoir of Mrs. Harriet Newell ..., BV3269/N54m;

Record of inscriptions in the cemetery and building of the Unitarian Church ..., F279/C47g;

Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, New York ..., F129/T86;

Green Wood Cemetery ..., F129/B87c;

Dearborn's guide through Mount Auburn..., F74/M92d.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 16 A 5

Box 1:

Folder 1: Mourning cards and funeral notices:

.1 Rev. David Coggin, d. 1852, pencil drawing of tomb and willow tree

.5 Joseph R. Bodwell, Governor of Maine, d. 1887, official program of funeral services at Augusta and Hallowell

.6 Rosalia Louisa Richmond, d. 1858, age 19, notice of death from typhoid fever, New York City

.7 Maria Jane Hurd, d. 1849, age 12, notice of death in Springfield, Mass., includes picture of her

.8 William Askins, d. 1827, infant, invitation to funeral, Paris [no state]

.9 William M’Pherson, d. 1833, invitation to funeral

.11 Stephen Baldy, d. 1855, invitation to funeral, Norristown

.12 envelope labeled “Remembrance of the Dead”

.13 Betsey M’Clintick, d. 1844, invitation to funeral, Chillicothe

.15 Alonzo Clark Baldwin, d. 1843, age 35, manuscript elegy, with picture of mourner at his tomb, written on paper with perforated edge, signed S. Helena

.16 Printed poem, no names given, about receiving lock of departed brother’s hair, the lock of hair is attached to the paper

.19 Della M. Roberts, d. 1901, age 2, memorial poem and description of funeral

.20 Sanford Rowe, ca.1830s., age 20, memoir

.21 a letter about settling for the coffin and burial of Caleb Barnes’ daughter, 1809, Plymouth

.22 Miss Eleanor Ball, d. 1830, invitation to funeral, addressed to I. Yarnal

.23 Mrs. C.B. Anderson, d. 1928, age 82, notice of death and funeral, Humansville, Mo.

.24 Green-Mount Cemetery, Montpelier, 1855, order of exercises for dedication of cemetery

Folder 2: Memorial printed on satin:

.17 to the memory of Isabella Fraser, wife of Walter S. McCulloch, d. 1844, age 33, memorial printed 1845, Albany

Folder 3: Memorial printed on satin:

.18 to the memory of Jacob Ringwalt, d. 1828, age 63

Folder 4: Elegies

.25 Isaac Wells Little, d. 1838, age 9, elegy by J.W. Barker, to be sung to the tune Cookham

.26 Miss Sally Oaks, d. 1818, age 18, elegy by Samuel Dunn, Newsalem

.27 Harfield Lyndsey, n.d., age 26, with an acrostic by Samuel Dunn

Folder 5: Presidential and political funeraria

.14 William Jennings Bryan, “who was interred this election day … by Taft and his forces. We mourn our loss.” 1908

[note: Bryan did not really die at this time; the loss was a political one]

.28 Abraham Lincoln, d. 1865, “solemnization of the funeral obsequies” in Jamestown, New York

.29 James A. Garfield, d. 1881, “In Memoriam” card, embossed

.30 Ulysses S. Grant, poem by Gen. Horace Binney Sargent for funeral obsequies in Los Angeles, n.d.

.31 Ulysses S. Grant, d. 1885, memorial picture printed in New York

.32 James A. Garfield, d. 1881, announcement of memorial service, Washington, D.C.

Folder 6: Presidential funeraria: McKinley mourning badge (acc. no. .33)

Folder 7: Invitations to funerals

.34 James B. Levan, d. 1926, age 76, invitation to funeral, Mountain, Pa.

.35 Aaron Bennighoff, d. 1925, age 74, invitation to funeral, New Tripoli, Pa.

.36 mourning envelope addressed to Mrs. William Hartman, New Tripoli, Pa., possibly held card for Aaron Bennighoff’s funeral

.37 Henry C. Rogers, d. 1909, invitation to funeral, Buddtown and Pemberton, N.J., “carriages will meet” certain trains

.38 mourning envelope addressed to John A. Harker, possibly held card for Mr. Roger’s funeral

.39 William Chauvenet, d. 1878, “obsequies” apparently celebrating the end of a math class at a school or university, celebration held by the Class of ’80, St. Louis

Folder 8: Memorial cards

.40 Robert R. Carhart, d. 1888, age 42, Guilderland

.41 Catharine S. Carhart, d. 1885, age 60, and Sanford Carhart, d. 1888, age 68, Guilderland

.42 Alvah Dore, d. 1900, age 77, memorial card with photograph

.43 Simon W. Elliott, d. 1895, age 50, who apparently was a veteran (see also .48 in folder 10)

Folder 9: Memorial cards

.44 Grover Cleveland Mudge, d. 1891, age 4, card from Philadelphia Mourning Supply Co.

.45 Andrew Adams, d. 1899, age 32

.46 Roswell Steacy, d. 1926, age 32

.47 James Terry, d. 1924, age 77 (card is same design as .46)

Folder 10: Memorial cards

.48 Simon W. Elliot, d. 1895, age 50 (same as .43 in folder 8)

.49 Victor H. Cronk, d. 1891, age 13, card from “George Mitchell, manufacturer of fine memorial cards, Greenfield, Ind.”

.50 Mrs. Sarah A. Clark, d. 1889, age 64, card from the Memorial Card Co., Philadelphia

.51 Peter R. Lyford, d. 1897, age 72, almost identical to .50 but from the Globe Mem. Card Co., Philadelphia

Folder 11: Memorial cards

.52 Archibald Gardner, d. 1891, age 39

.53 Richard Eastman, d. 1891, age 64, card from E.C. Stark & Co., Memorial Cards, Philadelphia (see also .126a-b, folder 27)

.54 Mrs. Mary A. Cook, d. 1903, age 79

.55 Mrs. Margaret Edmunds, d. 1889, age 60

Folder 12: Memorial cards

.56 Rev. Salmon Cook, d. 1901, age 81

.57 Sophronia Chaffee, wife of Hiram Pease, d. 1876, age 64

.58 Hosca Pierce, d. 1893

.59 Rebecca J. Wiser, d. 1903, age 67

Folder 13: Memorial cards

.60 James R. Young, d. 1891, age 69

.61 Thomas Ramsay, d. 1886, age 24, card from Memorial Card Co., Philadelphia

.62 Alex. C. Darling, d. 1889, age 67, card from Memorial Eng. Co., Philadelphia

.63 Lola E. Amey, d. 1891, age 27

Folder 14: Memorial cards

.64 George W. Erb, d. 1886, age 62

[image on card is found in acc. .4, no. 3280]

.65 Arvilla Wells, d. 1886, age 68

Folder 15: Funeral notices and programs

.66 Dr. John Staice Davis, d. 1885, funeral notice, University, Va.

.67 Mrs. Elizabeth O. Powell, d. 1885, funeral notice, Cedarville, N.J. (notice is a fill-in-the-blank form provided by the undertaker)

.68 Addison O. Whitney and Luther C. Ladd, obsequies for soldiers slain at Baltimore, 1861

.69 Miss Hattie A. Hall, d. 1864, age 20, a tribute to her friends, Watertown

.70 Rev. Charles Samuel Stewart, d. 1870, age 75, notice of his death in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Folder 16: Program

.71a-b Funeral of the black bear Billy Bruin and the white swan Leander, at Ridge Hill Farms, Wellesley, Mass., 1874, includes order of procession and memorial poems [perhaps a circus-like performance?]

Folder 17: Eulogy

.72 Rev. Samuel Webber, President of Harvard University, d. 1810, age 51, read by Henry Ware

Folder 18: Death announcements for members of Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity

.73 Maj. Fred Arn, graduate of University of Michigan in 1861, d. at Pittsburg Landing, Tenn., April 1862

.74 Lt. Harlan P. Brown, graduate of Bowdoin College in 1860, killed in Battle of Sharpsburg (Antietam), 1862

.75 William Lewis Haskell, graduate of Bowdoin College in 1860, died in Chambersburg, Pa., from wounds received at Battle of Antietam, 1862

.76 William Evelyn Butler, who would have graduated from the University of Michigan in 1866, d. in Hampton, Va., 1864

.77 Lt. Wm. C. Hall, member of Beta Phi chapter, member of class of 1863 (college not listed), d. in Nashville, June 1864

.78 Col. Minor Millikin, graduate of Miami University, killed at Murfeesboro, 1863

.79 1^st Lt. Henry Gridley, member of Amherst College Class of 1862, killed near Marietta, Ga., 1864

.80 Frederic William Matteson, member of Phi chapter (no college listed), d. at Corinth, Tenn., Aug. 1862

Folder 19: Prudential Mutual Aid Society of America, Harrisburg, Pa., death announcement

.81a by deaths of Lydia A. Fisher of Selinsgrove, Pa., and Alice Grogan of Scranton, Pa., member Peter Wolf or payer Henry K. Wolf of Hamlin, Pa., is required to pay certain money, 1880

.81b envelope addressed to Henry K. Wolf which contained the above

Folder 20: John F. Kennedy mourning card, 1963 (acc. no. .82)

Folder 21: Lecture announcement: “The Glory that was Grief…,” an illustrated lecture delivered by David Serette, n.d., ca. 1960s (acc. no. .83)

Folder 22: Hearse photographs

.84 Three hearses built by R. Hubbard of B’ham, plus a buggy, in front of a church, n.d., no place

.85 A hearse drawn by two black horses

Folder 23: Funeral sign: “Closed on account of Funeral” (acc. no. .86)

Folder 24: Trade cards

.87 Peterboro Marble and Granite Works, advertising tombstones and other cemetery accessories (posts, curbing, etc.), New Hampshire

.88 Pratt & Baldwin, Hartford, Conn., mourning store, on card for Mme. Demorest’s Reliable Patterns

.89 W.H. Daniell, mortician, etc., with a lady assistant, Plymouth, N.H.. with picture of hearse on reverse

.90 M.H. Smith, funeral director, Liverpool and Baldwinsville, N.Y.

.91 F.R. Folsom, undertaker, Skowhegan, Me., on card depicting a cricket player

.92 McGregorys & Casman, dealers in grave stones, Springfield, Mass.

.93 Brasher Falls Water Power Marble Shop, manufacturer of grave stones, N.Y.

.94 Shepley’s Marble Works, Bangor, Maine, on the back: a sketch of a tombstone with inscriptions

.95 Selden & Kerr, dealers in cemetery work, Linesville, Pa.

.96 David C. Miller, Granite Monumental Dealer and Sculptor, Newburgh, N.Y., with an engraving of his premises

.97 J.C. Chandler, proprietor of the Newton Marble Works, Kansas

.98 New Holland Marble and Granite Works, T.M. Store, Pa.

.99 A.W. Ayers, importer and manufacturer of granite monuments, Quincy, Mass. and Elmira, N.Y., card for agent A.D. Bain; on reverse: customers in a showroom of his stock

.100 Adam Steinmetz Steam Marble Works, mantels, furniture tops, grave stones, etc., Philadelphia; on reverse: samples of wares

.101 Chas. E. Cummings & Son, cemetery work of all kinds, Nashua, N.H.

.102 Henry C. Morse, funeral director and dealer in coffins, caskets, and shrouds, Loudon Village, N.H., with a picture of a hearse

.103 Pansy, 1898, 1915 (memorial card)

.104 John Wanamaker, trade card advertising the mourning department

.105 George Thumlert, undertaker and coffin maker, Philadelphia

.106 A. Reimer, coaches for weddings, operas, parties, shopping, funerals

.107 Miss M.A. Burbeck, undertaker and embalmer, Philadelphia; on reverse: Car No. 5, Mrs. [name illegible]

.108 Mount Vernon Cemetery lot-holder’s ticket, issued to Levi K. Slifer

.109 ticket for Colored Cemetery supper, 25¢

.110 Louis F. Dascher, funeral director and embalmer, with photo of his business; on back: Kutsche/Coach No. 3.

Folder 25: Postcards

.111 Somerville Cemetery

.112 view in a cemetery, in foreground is grave of Edwin Rawstorne, landscape painter, d. 1907, age 76; grave stone by A.K. Lander, “mason to the co.”

.113 Riverside Cemetery, Oneonta, N.Y.

Folder 26: Bills, permits, deeds

.114 Bill from G.T. Swarts, undertaker, Providence, to Edward Cooke, 1871, for removing the body and digging grave

.115 Burial permit for C.T. Weaver to remove body of John E. Austen from Haverhill to Pelham, N.H., 1894

.116 Deed from Stephen Page to Cornelius Burt, Charles C. Burt, and Samuel W. Law, for a lot in Spring Grove Cemetery, Hartford County, Conn., 1855

.117 Deed issued to Albert Marcy for plot in Yantic Cemetery, Norwich, Conn., 1875 (see also .132, in folder 28)

.118 Deed issued to Mary D. Smith for plot in Yantic Cemetery, Norwich, Conn., 1859

Folder 27: Salesman’s samples and price lists

.119 Memorial Publishing Co., Greenfield, Ind., showing several designs of memorial cards, with a number of verses from which to choose, prices given, ca.1892 (see also .121)

.120 George Mitchell, manufacturer of fine memorial cards, Greenfield, Ind., with designs, verses, and prices, ca.1891

.121 Memorial Publishing Co., Greenfield, Ind., same as .119

.122 Memorial Publishing Co., Chambersburg, Pa., with samples and prices of memorial cards, 1880s

.123 Memorial Card Co., Philadelphia, showing several designs of memorial cards, with a number of verses from which to choose, prices given, ca. 1891

.124 New England Crape Refinishing Co., Boston, with prices for veils, folds, sacks, dolmans, shawls, and dresses, n.d.

.125 W.R. Seymour & Co., Philadelphia, memorial cards and verses, with prices, ca.1892

.126a-b two envelopes form Edward C. Stark & Co., Philadelphia, memorial card publishers (see also .53, folder 11)

Folder 28: Bills

.10 receipt to estate of Abigail Chose from John Marble, payment for set of grave stones, West Newbury, 1829

.127 Wm. H. Moore, undertaker, Philadelphia, receipted bill sent to Thomas Wilson, for moving two bodies from one cemetery to another

.128 Isaiah Ensign, bill sent to Mrs. Griswold Humphry for digging grave of Mrs. Nancy Humphry, 1822

.129 Strong Manufacturing Co., Winsted, Conn., enclosing royalty check, 1881 (Strong manufactured undertakers’ goods, billhead shows factory)

.130 Milton L. Reeves, funeral director and embalmer, Brooklyn, N.Y., receipted bill sent to Mr. [illegible] for funeral services, 1897

.131 William Hughes, undertaker, Philadelphia, receipted bill sent to John Hewitt for coffin, ice, funeral notices, 1838

.132 Thos. E. Ryan, dealer in headstones, Norwich, Conn., receipted bill sent to Albert Marcy for set of gravestones, 1875 (see also .117, in folder 26)

.133 John Brady, funeral director, Lynn, Mass., receipted bill sent to Daniel Flynn for casket and other funeral services, 1889

.134 E.J. Coleburn, undertaker and embalmer, Webster, Mass., receipted bill sent to J.H. Porter, for hearse, wagon, and flowers, 1894

.135 A.D. Brown, undertaking and furniture, Epping, N.H., receipt for payment from W.S. Goodrich, 1897

.136 Pinney & Holcomb, manufacturers of caskets and coffins, Tariffville, Conn., receipted bill sent to Major Humphrey for casket, etc., 1866

.137 Charles H. Vincent, funeral director and embalmer, Simsbury Conn., bill sent to John C. E. Humphry, for casket, embalming, and other services, 1916

.138 E..G. Washburn, embalmer, undertaker, Springfield, Mass., bill to Edward Pierce for casket and other services, 1880

Folder 29: Letterhead stationery

.139 William L. Lockhart, manufacturer of and dealer in coffins and caskets, East Cambridge, Mass. (letter talks about a lodge, not about business) (see also .150 and .157 in folder 30)

.140 Bacon’s Furniture and Coffin Rooms, Danielsonville, Conn., received of Mrs. Aldrich, 1884; receipt shows the business and a hearse

.141 Chappell, Chase, Maxwell & Co., manufacturers of caskets, Oneida and Rochester, N.Y., 1880, letterhead shows factory

.142 Inter-State Casket Co., Athens, Ohio, 1916, letterhead shows factory

.143 Brunswick Marble & Granite Works Co., Brunswick, Ga., 1902, letterhead pictures a large monument, a fireplace, and iron fencing

.144 Robt. Brown, importer and manufacturer of cemetery memorials, Ottawa, 1902, letterhead shows tombstones

.145 W.H. Grindol & Son, dealer in monuments, building stone, iron reservoir vases, Decatur, Ill., 1900, letterhead shows office building and a tombstone

.146 Wegenaar Granite Works, manufacturers and importers of monuments, vaults, statuary, etc., Buffalo, N.Y., 190-, letterhead shows monument with a statue

Folder 30: Bills

.147 Cummings Brothers, dealers in monuments, tablets, and gravestones, Concord, Franklin, and Pittsfield, N.H., 1904, receipt sent to Mrs. Daniel Rollins for payment for monument for the late William Wyman; billhead shows office

.148 California Casket Co., dealers in undertakers supplies, San Francisco, 1893, bill sent to B.H. Pearson. Billhead shows office

.149 Jenkins Bros. & Co., proprietors of the Union Casket Co., Boston, 1884, receipt bill sent to Joseph Whitcomb. Billhead shows factory

.150 Wm. L. Lockhart, East Cambridge, dealer in caskets, coffins, and robes, receipted bill sent to Joseph Whitcomb. Billhead shows factory (see also .139, folder 29, and .157 below)

.151 W.D. Diuguid, funeral director and embalmer, Lynchburg, Va., 1910, bill for burial robe for Mrs. Maggie Mosher(?), sent to John Haselour(?), administrator

.152 Byron Read, funeral director, Anthony, R.I., 1905, receipted bill sent to Mrs. Lucy A. Collins, for casket and other funeral services

.153 Shelburne Falls Marble Co., Shelburne Falls, Mass., 1895, billhead shows picture of factory

.154 John H. Smith, Port Chester Steam Marble and Granite Works, Port Chester, N.Y., 1882, receipted bill sent to Maria Merritt for gravestone for Sarah Merritt, payment received from John Lyon. Billhead shows a gravestone

.155 Chas. G. Hookey, undertaker, Philadelphia, 1873, receipted bill sent to John Murry for coffin, hearse, and other services for mother’s funeral. Billhead shows mourners at a tomb.

.156 Henry Deperven, Spring Garden Coffin Warehouse, Philadelphia, 1849, receipted bill to Thomas Armington for hauling furniture

.157 Lockhart & Seelye, manufacturers and dealers in coffins and robes, East Cambridge, 1867, receipted bill to Mr. Sharrell for a coffin. Billhead shows a hearse (see also .150 above)

.158 George E. Small, dealer in coffins, caskets, and robes, Hillsboro Bridge, N.H., 1876, bill to Reuben Ward for a coffin

.159 Proprietors of the Cemetery of Mt. Auburn, Boston, 1885, receipted bill sent to C.G. Choate for care of lots. Billhead shows the entrance to the cemetery

.160 S.D. Hastings, undertaker, Hillsboro Bridge, N.H., 1879, bill sent to estate of Esther Fuller for casket, robe, and use of hearse

.161 Henry Allen & son, dealers in caskets and coffins, Norwich, Conn., 1885, receipted bill sent to estate of Joseph P. Rockwell (?), for his embalming and funeral services

.162 Bourke Bros., undertakers and coffin manufacturers, Springfield, Mass., 1879, bill to Dennis Sullivan for casket and funeral services. Billhead shows a casket and handles and other items that could be used to decorate it (see .4, in Box 2, folder 2)

.163 St. Louis Coffin Co., St. Louis, 1885, bill sent to P.H. Hjul (?) of Eureka, Nevada, for a number of coffins

.164 St. Louis Coffin Co., St. Louis, 18[torn], bill sent to M.A. Dolan of El Paso, Texas, for casket, nails, etc.

.165 James Ray, dealer in headstones and monuments, Knotty Oak, R.I., 1903, receipted bill sent to Charles Young for large monument with inscriptions for himself and wife

Box 2:

Folder 1: Memorial print

.3 Isaac Warden, drowned 1854, age 17.

Print was published by N. Currier. It shows a woman at a tomb in a graveyard, with a gothic church in the background. On the tomb is printed “To the Memory of”; Warden’s name, date of death, and a verse were written in.

Folder 2: .4 Specimens of electrotypes available from A. Zeese & Co., Chicago, ca.1875.

On one side are shown caskets, tombstones, and hearses. (Item no. 1266 was used on acc. no. 162, in Box 1, folder 30. Item 3280 was used on acc. no. .64, Box 1, folder 14.) On the other side are decorations for the months January – October.

Folder 3 Memorial print, framed

.2 John Sinclair, d. 1815, age 40.

Print was published at Barre, Mass., but the printer’s name does not appear on the part of the page that is visible. The hand-painted print shows a weeping woman at a large tomb, with a weeping willow, a river, a small sail boat, and a church behind it. Printed on the tomb are the words “In Memory of”; the name and date are written in. The mourning woman wears a dress from the late 1820s or 1830s.