Development of Funeral Transportation Flashcards
French etymology of Hearse
Herse
Latin etymology of the word Hearse
Hirpex
Rake or Harrow
Hirpex
Funeralis
Torchlight procession
Hand stretcher on which uncoffined remains were placed to lie in state or waked and then utilized to transport the remains to the grave
Bier
These would be responsible for carrying the bier to the grave
Bearers and under bearers
This required the change from carrying the casket on foot to needing a horse drawn carts
The change from intramural burial to extramural burial
This company featured a funeral car at the New Orleans Cotton Exposition in 1884, with five urns and gilded columns
James Cunningham & Son Co
Introduced the 8 poster funeral car, marking the end of the ornamental deck hearse
Hudson Sampson
Exhibited at the Chicago’s World Fair in 1893 the most elaborate and outstanding funeral car of the 19th century
Crane, Breed, and Co
Developed a funeral car that weighed 2400 pounds
Crane, Breed, and Co
Developed a funeral car that was referred to as a church on wheels
Crane, Breed, and Co
The pre-Civil War hearse was
simple, yet ornate
The post-Civil War funeral car was
Ornate, huge, and drawn by 6-8 horses
Describe the post Civil War funeral car
Full plate glass sides Scroll work along the top Metal columns Flower urns plumes
Why were post Civil war funeral cars referred to as such?
Because of their massive size
Undertakers seemed to buy new funeral cars in
15 year cycles
The first electric street railway appears in Baltimore in
1885
Most of these were full size trolley cars with seating for pall bearers, family, minister, undertaker, etc
Funeral Trolley Car
Why did the funeral trolley lose popularity?
Excessive speed and it jolted the mourners
The first motorized hearses appeared to be old horse drawn funeral cars mounted on these
lengthened passenger cars and truck chassis
Invented a combined hearse-passenger vehicle, none of which were ever sold
Fred Hulberg
Manufactured and sold the first auto hearse designed as a hearse and not a conversion
Crane, Breed, and Co
Produced in 1909 by bother Crane, Breed, and Co and Cunningham Motor Ambulance Co
Ambulance
Name given to the first motorized hearses, usually converted horse drawn carriages, never used to transport a body
Undertaker’s buggy
7 windows with no landau bar
Reactionary in that funeral directors and the public were tired of the ornate, gaudy, pre WWI hearses
Limousine
Conservative with longer, smoother lines, and usually black in coor
Limousine
This was first patented in 1926
The first side loader hearse
In the 19th century, these were black with fine lines of silver or gold
Adult Hearses
In the 19th century, these were down scale in size and white
Children’s Hearses
What reasons did Timber Awl give for believing in the failure of the Hearse
Expensive No faster Upkeep and cost of drivers Undertakers would have to cut costs on caskets Idea of rushing to the grave Old people would not take to it
