Using the full search text feature on FamilySearch, I entered my great-grandfather's name, Frank H. Glover, and one of the returned records was a funeral register detailing his death and burial.
I had previously researched Frank H. Glover’s death, obtaining his death certificate, visiting his cemetery plot, and transcribing his obituary. However, this funeral register provided new insight, particularly regarding his funeral expenses, a detail not found in my earlier research. The information in this register aligned with facts I had already verified through other sources.
Frank H. Glover’s death was recorded on October 9, 1925, in Marquette, Michigan. He passed away at the City New Power Plant, and according to his obituary, it was his first day of work at the plant. His occupation was listed as a machinist, with the obituary specifying, “He was employed by the city to work on the new oil storage tank at the auxiliary power station.” Over the years, he had also worked as a lighthouse keeper, railroad brakeman, and carpenter. His cause of death was recorded as arteriosclerosis and heart decomposition, a condition that, with modern medical advancements, might have been treated, allowing him to live longer.
Frank was laid to rest in Park Cemetery, Marquette, Michigan, in Lot 151. He shares his final resting place with his wife, Hattie Fenn, who passed away years later. While the funeral register does not list the officiating clergyman, his obituary confirms that Rev. H. J. Bryce, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, conducted the service.
A breakdown of the funeral expenses was included in the funeral register. The total cost of Frank's funeral was $244.50 in 1925, which, when adjusted for inflation, amounts to $4,438.32 in today’s dollars.
| Funeral Expense Item | Cost ($) |
|---|---|
| Coffin or casket & Box | 140.00 |
| Metallic Lining | 2.50 |
| Embalming and Attendance | 25.00 |
| Hearse | 15.00 |
| Clergyman | 7.00 |
| Outlay for Lot | 50.00 |
| Opening Grave | 5.00 |
| Total | 244.50 |
This funeral register provides a look into the customs and costs of funerals in 1925. The detailed breakdown of expenses reveals not only the financial aspects of burial at the time but also the traditions and expectations surrounding death. As genealogists, records like these help us understand more than just names and dates. They offer a look into the lives, occupations, and final moments of our ancestors. Each new discovery helps us learn more about our ancestors and the lives they lived. It gives us a clearer picture of who they were and makes sure their stories are not forgotten.
Full Transcription:
169
FUNERAL REGISTER
No. 89
First Column
- Remains of Frank H. Glover
- Father's Name: Unknown
- Birthplace of Father: Unknown
- Mother's Maiden Name: Unknown
- Birthplace of Mother: Unknown
- Charged to: [Not specified]
- Date of Funeral: 10/9/25
- Place of Death: City New Power Plant
- Occupation of Deceased: Machinist
- Cause of Death: Arterio Sclerosis and Heart
Decomposition
- Certifying Physician: [unreadable] Angell
- Clergyman: [Not specified]
- Interment: Park Cemetery
- Residence 118 E Ohio St
- Residence [Not specified]
- How ? [Not specified]
- Shipped to [Not specified]
- Date of Birth 8/7/1862 Date of Death 10/7/1925
- Single or Married Married
- Age 63 years 2 months -days
- Number of Burial Certificate 151
- Plate engraved [Not specified]
- Lot or grave No. [Not specified] Section [Not specified]
- Cemetery Chart [Not specified]
- Coffin or casket & Box 140.00
- Metallic Lining 2.50
- Outside Box
- Burial Robe
- Embalming and Attendance 25.00
- Autos
- Carriages
- Flowers
- Hearse 15.00
- Clergyman 7.00
- Singers
Pallbearer - Death notices in Papers
- Outlay for Lot 50.00
- Opening Grave 5.00
- Grave Lining
- Shipping charges, prepaid
- Total Amount of Bill: [Not specified]
REMARKS [Not specified]
ReplyDeleteI'll have to see if Michigan has such a document on my maternal grandfather, killed in a railroad incident in Detroit in 1917. Interesting information. Thanks for providing this.
I hope you can find one. It is different from other records genealogists find.
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