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From:
Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] Transportation of Dead Family Members
Date: Sun, 23 Oct 2005 00:12:04 EDT
In a message dated 10/22/2005 8:59:13 P.M. Pacific Standard Time,
writes:
All this transportation of the dead now rings a bell with me. I have a Hiram
G. & Janet (Munroe) McCormick who's bodies were transferred by Gillon
Funeral Home of Long Branch area of NJ in 1895. Hiram died 1892 and Janet
1870 so they had a grave site somewhere. Wondering how the bodies were
transported maybe by train or wagon?
I don't know what was considered "Long Branch Area" in the late 1800's but
checked this transportation with the oldest funeral home in area and had no
luck finding out any information.
I wonder if there is any way to check ledgers of RR to see if they were
transported on train.
Justine McCormick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Pena" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 7:08 PM
Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] Transportation of Dead Family Members
>I have family who worked for the railroad and one or two who actually were
>transported by rail after their death and most of the transportation was
>not during your timeframe by train of anyone. That left horseback and
>wagons or walking. I did a report once on embalming and there wasn't much
>of that during your timeframe either. If you know more, please feel free
>to add comments. The subject is interesting to me and I have often
>wondered about it because we take for granted fast transportation today of
>people alive and deceased. Mail didn't even get around that fast and
>phones of course, where very future to your timeframe. I think we can all
>agree on that.
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bellis Genealogy" <>
> To: <>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 6:39 PM
> Subject: RE: [NJHUNTER] Transportation of Dead Family Members
>
>
>> Interesting input on embalming...and also Susan Pena's input on the use
>> of
>> the railroads. I suspect there wasn't much long distance transport of
>> bodies
>> during the 1750-1840 timeframe (which is what I'm researching),
>> especially
>> if we talking about the typical frontier pioneer family.
>>
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Roz BELLIS
>> Alexandria VA
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: [mailto:]
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2005 2:35 PM
>> To:
>> Subject: Re: [NJHUNTER] Transportation of Dead Family Members
>>
>> My understanding, from a good friend and now a retired funeral director,
>> is
>>
>> that bodies were first embalmed during the Civil War so that the deceased
>> could be transported back home for burial. I believe arsnic was in wide
>> use
>> at
>> the time but that would be easy to check on.
>>
It is my semi informed opinion that by the 1880 most places were connected
by rail, therefore I would suspect that the bodies were transported by rail and
then if necessary by wagon.
By the way, I've called my friend, the mortician but he seems to be out of
touch for the moment.
Cheers
Laurence Lance
Seattle
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