City’s first funeral home evolved from family furniture business

Agnes Heinrichs, wife of Heinrich Heinrichs, in 1857 bought property on the southwest corner of Jefferson and Capitol from the Jefferson Metropolis Land Corporation for $2,097. On this house, the Heinrichses developed a home and a organization manufacturing home furnishings. This enterprise would inevitably evolve into the initially funeral home in Jefferson Metropolis.

Prussian natives, the Heinrichses arrived in New Orleans in 1851 with their lots of kids. On the passenger record ended up: Heinrich, 55 Agnes, 50 Jacob, 23 Johann, 20 Mathilda, 16 Joseph, 18 Lina, 14 Heinrich, 12 Theresia, 7 Agnes, 6 Wilhelm, 5 and Johann, 3. The youngest, Johann, may have been the son of Jacob.

The 1860 census demonstrates the Heinrich spouse and children with a furniture keep and 6 of the children living with them which include: Jacob, a carpenter Henry, a bookkeeper William, age 15, a laborer and John, aged 13, some names Americanized. The two daughters Theresa and Agnes ended up domestic servants.

Jacob and Henry would later on be detailed as cabinet makers and would consider more than the small business. In 1867, Jacob experienced an ad in the paper as an undertaker. “All varieties of coffins consistently on hand, at the outdated stand on Jefferson Avenue in close proximity to the Levee.”

By the 1870 census, Henrichs had died, and Agnes was living with Jacob, an undertaker, William, a barber, and John, a clerk. Henry Heinrichs, a cabinet maker, and his loved ones are stated upcoming doorway.

In 1874, the Heinrichs little ones dropped their mom, Agnes. And right before her estate was settled, Henry’s property and the furniture business enterprise have been lost in a fire in February 1876. According to The State Journal, “Tuesday night time the alarm of fireplace rang out on the sharp wintry air. Handful of have been on the streets. But in a twinkling, anyone was dashing in the way of the great brilliant light that lit up the middle of the town. It was not long until the reality was known and the report flew with lighting rapidity about the town, ‘Heinrichs’ Household furniture Keep is Burning.'”

The fireplace engine was not considerably away remaining located at the intersection of Substantial and Madison. The fireplace originated in the basement exactly where the manufacturing unit division was situated. The workmen were being manufacturing mattresses made of “Excelsior,” also known as wooden wool, a item made of wood slivers made use of as stuffing or padding.

They shed the fantastic furnishings on the very first ground and John Heinrichs’ desk with all the account publications. The paper documented other structures ended up in jeopardy and “Excellent flakes of flame have been borne by the wind to the east and enveloped the stave manufacturing facility, Hibbard’s residence and fell with alarming profusion all-around the governor’s mansion.”

John F. Heinrich inevitably took in excess of the organization in 1879, going it to a person of the storerooms under Bragg Hall at the corner of Monroe and Superior streets. Then in 1897, the business enterprise was moved to 207-209 East Main (Capitol). John grew to become acknowledged as the “Furnishings King” of Cole County and was known as that name. He presented endeavor and upholsterer providers and sold carpets as well as home furnishings.

In the Sunday News and Tribune in 1935, an posting describes four generations of Heinrichs in the funeral business enterprise. But the article does not begin with Heinrich, but with Jacob. “When Jacob Heinrichs arrived to Jefferson City in 1861 these kinds of locations as funeral homes were being unheard of. It was in this way that the Heinrichs relatives became discovered with funeral operate. Jacob Heinrichs was a cabinet maker. He was termed upon time and yet again to build coffins and although no 1 understands how numerous he manufactured in his time, the variety most likely mounted to various hundred. It fell to the furnishings maker to assemble coffins for the dead and the two by natural means designed with each other.”

The post suggests John was the son of Jacob. But as quite a few spouse and children stories evolve through the yrs, it appears Jacob and Heinrich have turn into blurred. The posting says that Jacob “was well together in yrs when he came to The usa. With him arrived his spouse and fifteen little ones.” In reality, Jacob was 23 when he arrived, and it was his moms and dads who have been nicely alongside in decades and experienced lots of young children.

John served as mayor from 1910-11, was a member of the faculty board for 12 many years, served on the board of Lincoln University and was president of the Germania Club.

Beneath Charles Heinrich, son of John, funeral perform became an identified organization which essential intensive company and machines for these kinds of as embalming. Charles marketed the furniture business, and he and his son, John, continued the funeral business. In 1931, the Heinrichses’ dwelling at 712 E. Large St. was converted into a funeral property. Prior to this, funeral products and services were being held in the residence of the deceased. The property is now the Superior Street Retreat. Following Charles’s loss of life in 1942, the enterprise was sold to the Dulle spouse and children.

Deborah Goldammer is retired from state federal government and now pursues her fascination in Cole County heritage.