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Archiver > TMG > 2004-06 > 1086126814


From: Lee Hoffman <>
Subject: RE: [TMG] Burial Expenses
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 2004 17:53:34 -0400
References: <6.0.0.22.2.20040601171408.038093f8@pop3.norton.antivirus><000a01c4481f$4a1ee020$6402a8c0@Cheasa>
In-Reply-To: <000a01c4481f$4a1ee020$6402a8c0@Cheasa>


Teresa Ghee Elliott wrote:
>The main reason to put it in is just because it's interesting. <G> A shirt
>for $2.00. Or that he built his own casket. Or that he had a horse drawn
>carriage instead of a hearse.

A horse drawn carriage in 1880 -- not very interesting to me. But in
November 1963 -- yes!! Especially if the carriage was preceded by a
riderless horse having upside down boots placed in the stirrups. <g>

Similarly the cost of a shirt may or may not be interesting. That he built
his own casket would be interesting -- especially if was the same day or
the day before. <g>

A very close friend of our family left instructions that she was to be
"buried in a plain pine box" and she was (much to the dismay of the funeral
director <g>).

>In most cases, it gets listed in probate because it is one of the bills that
>has to be paid out of the estate. It can tell you either A) how wealthy
>your ancestor was, or B) how gullible his widow was. ;)

Or how good a salesperson the funeral director was. Or what the law required.

Still, for _most_ cases, I would not find this of interest unless I either
(a) knew the average funeral costs of the time in that locality, and (b)
knew what the details of the funeral costs were. The costs of a funeral
can include a myriad different items -- many of which may not really be
related to the funeral depending on the person/family and the funeral director.


Lee Hoffman/KY
TMG Tips: <http://www.tmgtips.com>;
My website: <http://www.tmgtips.com/lhoffman>;
A user of the best genealogy program, The Master Genealogist (TMG)

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