City’s first funeral home evolved from family furniture business

Agnes Heinrichs, spouse of Heinrich Heinrichs, in 1857 purchased property on the southwest corner of Jefferson and Capitol from the Jefferson Town Land Organization for $2,097. On this property, the Heinrichses crafted a property and a organization manufacturing furnishings. This small business would inevitably evolve into the initial funeral property in Jefferson Metropolis.

Prussian natives, the Heinrichses arrived in New Orleans in 1851 with their several kids. On the passenger list have been: 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 well have been the son of Jacob.

The 1860 census shows the Heinrich family with a home furniture keep and six of the little ones dwelling with them together with: Jacob, a carpenter Henry, a bookkeeper William, age 15, a laborer and John, aged 13, some names Americanized. The two daughters Theresa and Agnes have been domestic servants.

Jacob and Henry would later on be listed as cabinet makers and would choose more than the small business. In 1867, Jacob experienced an ad in the paper as an undertaker. “All varieties of coffins continually on hand, at the previous stand on Jefferson Street in close proximity to the Levee.”

By the 1870 census, Henrichs experienced died, and Agnes was residing with Jacob, an undertaker, William, a barber, and John, a clerk. Henry Heinrichs, a cabinet maker, and his family are outlined next door.

In 1874, the Heinrichs little ones shed their mother, Agnes. And ahead of her estate was settled, Henry’s home and the furnishings organization ended up missing in a fire in February 1876. According to The Condition Journal, “Tuesday night time the alarm of hearth rang out on the sharp wintry air. Handful of ended up on the streets. But in a twinkling, everyone was speeding in the way of the wonderful shiny mild that lit up the heart of the metropolis. It was not prolonged until the fact was recognized and the report flew with lights rapidity over the metropolis, ‘Heinrichs’ Home furnishings Retail outlet is Burning.'”

The hearth motor was not far absent getting located at the intersection of Higher and Madison. The fireplace originated in the basement the place the manufacturing unit section was positioned. The workmen ended up production mattresses built of “Excelsior,” also termed wooden wool, a product created of wooden slivers utilised as stuffing or padding.

They missing the good household furniture on the initial ground and John Heinrichs’ desk with all the account books. The paper reported other properties were being in jeopardy and “Great flakes of flame were borne by the wind to the east and enveloped the stave manufacturing unit, Hibbard’s home and fell with alarming profusion all-around the governor’s mansion.”

John F. Heinrich inevitably took over the company in 1879, going it to a person of the storerooms below Bragg Hall at the corner of Monroe and Substantial streets. Then in 1897, the business was moved to 207-209 East Principal (Capitol). John turned acknowledged as the “Furnishings King” of Cole County and was identified as that identify. He provided endeavor and upholsterer products and services and marketed carpets as perfectly as household furniture.

In the Sunday Information and Tribune in 1935, an post describes four generations of Heinrichs in the funeral enterprise. But the posting does not start out with Heinrich, but with Jacob. “When Jacob Heinrichs came to Jefferson City in 1861 these sites as funeral residences were being unheard of. It was in this way that the Heinrichs family members turned discovered with funeral work. Jacob Heinrichs was a cupboard maker. He was referred to as on time and once again to assemble coffins and while no 1 appreciates how lots of he designed in his time, the number likely mounted to quite a few hundred. It fell to the furnishings maker to build coffins for the dead and the two in a natural way formulated alongside one another.”

The article states John was the son of Jacob. But as a lot of family members tales evolve by means of the many years, it seems Jacob and Heinrich have turn out to be blurred. The posting claims that Jacob “was effectively along in a long time when he arrived to America. With him came his spouse and fifteen little ones.” In actuality, Jacob was 23 when he arrived, and it was his mother and father who had been effectively together in several years and had several little ones.

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

Below Charles Heinrich, son of John, funeral function became an identified small business which required substantial company and products for these kinds of as embalming. Charles bought the home furniture company, and he and his son, John, continued the funeral organization. In 1931, the Heinrichses’ house at 712 E. Large St. was converted into a funeral house. Prior to this, funeral companies were being held in the home of the deceased. The residence is now the Substantial Road Retreat. Following Charles’s demise in 1942, the small business was marketed to the Dulle family members.

Deborah Goldammer is retired from point out federal government and now pursues her interest in Cole County heritage.