Funeral homes pride themselves on centuries or perhaps decades (even centuries) of work and carrying a name that reflects community service. Exactly makes an establishment eligible for this title can be quite controversial, though. Changes in ownership or location, origins as cabinet or coffin makers, and stints where a facility was closed and subsequently reopened definitely complicate the matter.
However, we’re determined to create the “definitive” list of the oldest funeral homes in the country. We’ve done our best to scour deathcare websites and historical registers, and we even crowdsourced names from our Facebook followers. With that said, we make no promises that we haven’t omitted an important institution, so if you know of a funeral home that deserves to make the list, please let us know. We’ll keep updating until we get it right.
With no further ado, we bring you (what we believe to be) the 50 Oldest Funeral Homes in the United States!
1759: Bucktrout of Williamsburg, Williamsburg, Virginia
1761: Kirk & Nice, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania
1769: Bachman Snyder Funeral Home, Strasburg, Pennsylvania
1782: William F. Sellers Funeral Home, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
1789: Demaine Funeral Home, Alexandria, Virginia
1808: McComas Funeral Home, Abingdon, Maryland
1831: Faries Funeral Home, Smyrna, Delaware
1842: Austin & Bell, Springfield, Tennessee
1842: Keller Funeral Homes, Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
1845: Brown Funeral Homes, Mifflintown, Pennsylvania
1847: Ashton Funeral Home, Easton, Pennsylvania
1847: Freeman Funeral Home, Freehold, New Jersey
1847: Muehlig Funeral Chapel, Ann Arbor, Michigan
1848: Lafferty Funeral Home, West Union, Ohio
1850: Joseph Gawler’s Sons, LLC, Washington, DC
1855: Muster Funeral Homes, Calhoun, Kentucky
1858: Millspaugh Funeral Home, Walden, New York
1863: Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel, Fort Scott, Kansas
1863: Young Family Funeral Home, Kendalville, Indiana
1865: Soller-Baker Funeral Homes, Lafayette, Indiana
1866: Wendt Funeral Home, Moline, Illinois
1868: Schaetter’s Funeral Home, Fredericksburg, Texas
1870: McElhaney – Hart Funeral Home, Huntington, Indiana
1870: Murphy Funeral Homes, Hamilton/Ewing, New Jersey
1872: E. Harper & Son, New Haven, Indiana
1872: Neidecker, Crosser & Priesman, Port Clinton, Ohio
1872: Stroud-Lawrence Funeral Home, Chagrin Falls, Ohio
1873: Thomas McInerney’s Sons Funeral Home, Chicago, Illinois
1875: Kroeger Funeral Home, Logansport, Indiana
1878: Oliver H. Bair Co. & Monaghan Funeral Home, Upper Darby, Pennsylvania
1879: Brown Owens and Brumley, Fort Worth, Texas
1880: Ferguson Funeral Home, Scottdale, Pennsylvania
1883: F.G. Guido Funeral Home, Brooklyn, New York
1883: Gaffney Funeral Home, Tacoma, Washington
1883: Harper Funeral Home, Albion, Indiana
1885: Healy Chapel Funeral & Cremation Services, Aurora, Illinois
1885: John Krtil Funeral Home, Manhattan, New York
1885: Murphy Funeral Home, Rochester, Pennsylvania
1886: Littleton & Rue Funeral Home, Springfield, Ohio
1887: T.G. McCarthy Funeral Home, Pueblo, Colorado
1886: Posten’s Funeral Home, Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
1889: O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, Newport, Rhode Island
1889: Poulson & Van Hise Funeral Directors, Trenton, New Jersey
1891: Lensing Funeral Home, Iowa City, Iowa
1894: Wentz Funeral Home, Coatesville, Pennsylvania
1898: J.S. Williams Funeral Home, Shreveport, Louisiana
1900: Traunero Funeral Home, Tiffin, Ohio
