The History of Funerals in America
By: Lauren Griffith
Funerals have always existed in some capacity but have changed and evolved over the decades.
Stuhr Funeral Home offers its clients an extensive range of funeral service options, including burial options, cremation services, pet cremation services, veteran’s services, green burial services, advanced funeral planning, grief support, valuable contacts, and more.
However, the industry didn’t always have these extensive options for those in need of funeral services. According to an article by Mattie Aguero for the Law Librarians of Congress, funeral procedures differ from culture to culture, but every society practices some form of ritual for the final disposition of their deceased loved ones.
American funeral customs have evolved. In America during the seventeenth century, death was a frequent part of life due to disease and the lack of proper medicine or remedies. Puritan funerals were often silent and somber, but Puritans held lively wakes, where people gathered to watch over the deceased to ensure they did not wake. This event also usually included a feast with liquor and food.
As the population of American colonies grew, funeral ceremonies involved public displays of mourning and the exchange of gifts, most notably gloves and gold rings.
Funeral expenses eventually became too much financially for many colonists to bear, and the colonial government began to regulate the price of funerals.
During the nineteenth century, the funeral industry boomed in America. Small towns and colonies became cities, which became overpopulated and rural park cemeteries emerged. This is where carriage rentals and hearse transportation to the gravesite began. Coffin makers offered mourning wear, burial clothes, and flowers. They also prepared the body and coordinated funeral services.
Embalming emerged during the Civil War because soldiers needed to be preserved on the journey back to their families after passing away during the war. President Abraham Lincoln’s body was embalmed, signifying the beginning of embalming as a common practice for the deceased.
In 1882, the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) was created, the death care industry emerged, and states began to regulate the practice of embalming. The first school of mortuary science, The Clarke School of Embalming, opened in 1882, providing formal education about the funeral industry.
During the nineteenth century, family-owned funeral homes expanded across the nation. Due to regulations, grieving became less of a public event, so private funerals and wakes grew in popularity.
The FTC introduced the “Funeral Rule” in 1984. This rule requires providers of funeral goods and services to give consumers itemized lists that state prices and descriptions of funeral services and contain specific disclosures about legal requirements for planning and executing funerals.
Today, the funeral industry is regulated and expansive. Funeral directors work one-on-one with clients to thoroughly plan and execute funerals, memorial services, and burials per their lost loved one’s wishes and tastes. There are lawyers and experts who will help you navigate the legalities of pre-funeral and post-funeral proceedings, and grief counseling has expanded to provide a wide variety of options and ways to connect as you find support during difficult moments in your life. You can rest assured that there is an entire industry of people ready to help you through the funeral process and honor your loved one.
Stuhr Funeral Home, a trusted name in funeral service for more than 150 years, cares for families of those whose lives have ended. Stuhr Funeral Home is committed to providing quality arrangements to honor loved ones and family traditions. For more information about available funeral services, visit https://jhenrystuhr.com/ or call (843) 723-2524.
