Old-time Funerals

[genealogynut]

In transcribing the obit for George McKey, when I got to the part on where the services were held at his son's home, it got me to thinking.  Back before funeral homes, that is where funeral services were usually held, is at the home of a close family member.  Family members usually had the chore of "laying" the deceased out and they kept "wakes."  Family members usually took turns of staying  with the corpse until time to bury them. (Sounds kinda spooky to me.)   And it was customary for the family members to wear black for about a year, which was the period considered appropriate for mourning.  Embalming was unheard of back then.

I think it is so nice when a person see's  small cemeteries next door to a little country church.  What has become of that tradition?

Earlier times, especially the pioneers, while they were in wagon trains, (depending on what materials were available) usually buried their dead, just rolled up in a blanket, or if they were fortuante enough to have any lumber handy, then they cobbled up a box of some sort to put the deceased in, then planted them in the ground, with a wooden marker, that soon weathered away. Back then no records were kept of deaths, other than what is in the Family Bibles.

I'm glad we've come a long way since then!