American Funeral Home History
Where did funeral homes come from? Funeral homes in Marietta, GA and the rest of United States didn’t really pop up until after the Civil War. The long history of the American funeral home began with embalming.
Before the mid 1800s, the dead were never that far from home when they passed. So, the bodies were often displayed in the family home’s front room, or the parlor, immediately after death and before burial. There were a few methods used to prolong decomposition, but they were not readily accepted. Therefore, funerals took place quickly and in the home. Then, in 1865, President Lincoln’s body was embalmed after his assassination to prevent decomposition during the nationwide funeral train. As a result, people around the country began to accept the idea of embalming bodies as commonplace.
As embalming became more popular, families were able to expand the funeral services beyond the home. As the bodies were able to be transported and displayed, more neutral settings grew in popularity as families could invite more people to celebrate the deceased and host more formal events. Formal cemeteries were also becoming more widespread in lieu of home burials, as the United States government formed military cemeteries for fallen soldiers after the war.
The Bucktrout family in Virginia saw a growing market and rose to the occasion. Originally coffin and cabinet manufacturers, the family grew their business to include funeral home services similar to those we have today, becoming the country’s first funeral home. The funeral home market grew, and businesses continued to expand. However, they were still all family owned and operated. In fact, most undertakers (as they were called then) used their home to run their funeral business. This is most likely where the name “funeral home” comes from.
More and more funeral homes were established in the 1900s all across the country. With this expansion, formal training for undertakers became crucial. The conversation changed a bit, and they began to be known as funeral directors and morticians. The National Funeral Directors Association was formed in the early 1900s to help consumers view the members as professionals. Coffin makers, florists, life insurance agencies and other connected fields followed suit, and the funeral home business continued to blossom into what it is today. By 1920, there were around 24,469 funeral homes in the United States, showing a 100% growth in just under 80 years.
Like other United States institutions, funeral homes grew out of Christian backgrounds. However, with the relaxation of immigration laws in the 1960s, there was an influx of new beliefs and cultures. Funeral homes rose to the occasion and began offering services for other ethnic and religious groups from Vietnamese and Eastern European to Buddhism and Hinduism.
Davis-Struempf Funeral Home & Crematory is a Marietta, GA funeral home that is proudly continuing the funeral home tradition. Come visit us or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning. Find out more about our caring funeral and cremation services by visiting our online platform. Our site is crafted to support you through these tough times, providing the essential assistance and information you need to honor your departed with reverence and compassion.
