Trying to track down someone who died in San Francisco between 1850 and 1931? You might be able to find them in funeral home records. The San Francisco History Center has the archives of Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English, consisting of oversized paper ledgers containing personal information on the deceased, financial information on the funeral arrangements, and sometimes the place of burial. Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English is one of the largest funeral directors in the city, and it absorbed the several mortuaries represented in this archival collection: Halsted & Company, N. Gray, Petersen & Co., Clark & Booth, J.S. Godeau & Co., H.F. Suhr & Co., and Gantner Bros.
To view these records in person, contact us two days in advance with the name of the deceased and the years of ledgers you wish to examine, and we'll pull them out of off-site storage for you to use in the Reading Room. You can use the guide to the collection--called a finding aid-- to figure out which volumes you'd like to request. To view them online, please visit the Family History Library's website.
For more recent records of Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English, please see the finding aid under the "Related Archival Materials" section for details.
[Nathanial Gray's Coffin Warerooms, corner of Sacramento and Webb Streets], 1880. Photo courtesy of the San Francisco Historical Photograph Collection, San FranciscoPublic Library.
To view these records in person, contact us two days in advance with the name of the deceased and the years of ledgers you wish to examine, and we'll pull them out of off-site storage for you to use in the Reading Room. You can use the guide to the collection--called a finding aid-- to figure out which volumes you'd like to request. To view them online, please visit the Family History Library's website.
For more recent records of Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English, please see the finding aid under the "Related Archival Materials" section for details.
I live in Alaska but am doing research on my family. The funerals for almost all of them were handled by H.F. Suhr Co. Can I access any of the records for 1860 to 1850 of that company on line?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, our H. F. Suhr records are later than that; they cover July 1901-Oct. 31, 1921. Researchity.com has 1922-1978. It seems these earlier records did not survive. There might be other resources we can offer to help you with your research. Please feel free to contact the San Francisco History Center through our San Francisco Public Library website at www.sfpl.org/sfhistory.
ReplyDeletei am trying to locate information about my Great Great grandmother who was processed with H.F. Suhr in 1919. i have a copy of the funeral record of her but wasn't sure if you had additional information available.. hoping to find out if she was buried at a specific cemetery or was just cremated only.
ReplyDeleteMarie L. Travis (Fowler is her maiden name)
died march 12th 1919 in San Francisco, ca
born sept 1832 in N.Y.
it says interment at Ms. Olivet Cremation
i can email you this funeral record if it helps..
Joe Manifesto 510-331-1746
I am researching my niece's cousin, and his wife's cremation was at Cypress Park, the lady there tells me that her ashes were sent on to Halsted & Co /8/19/1935.
ReplyDeleteCan I find out what happened to them after that please?
Regards
Rhonda
NSW Australia
I am searching for more information on my G Aunt Daisy Nancy Grant who died in San Francisco on March 19, 1916. There is information that her funeral was officiated by H. F. Suhr & Co.
ReplyDeleteHer parents were Alfred L. Chapman and Lydia Chapman. Can I find out more about her death and where she is interred?
confrola_ho-1991 Maria Spencer FonePaw
ReplyDeleteTor browser
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