Thursday, June 14, 2012

Treasure Chest Thursday - Funeral Home Record for Dora Schaffner (1838-1904)


It's Treasure Chest Thursday - time to share an artifact or a document image from my collection of ancestral stuff.

The treasure today is the Funeral Home Record for Dora (--?--) Schaffner in San Francisco, California.  This record was found in the FamilySearch Historical Collection for  San Francisco (CA) Funeral Home Records, 1831-1935. 
 Dora Schaffner, widow of Frederick Schaffner, died 11 April 1904:


The information in this record can be very helpful for genealogy researchers. The information written on the record included (handwritten information underscored):

* For the Funeral of: Dora Schaffner
* To be charged to: Estate  112 Scott St.
* Date of Funeral: April 13th 04
* Place of Death: 112 Scott St.
* Date of Death: April 11th 04
* Occupation of the Deceased: Housewife
* Cause of Death: Fatty Degeneration of the heart
* Place of Birth: Germany
* Date of Birth: Sept 20th 1838
* Married
* Religion: Prot
* Aged: 65 Years 6 Months 20 Days
* Funeral Services at: 112 Scott St
* Clergyman: Rev. Crocuke
* Certifying Physician: Dr. Weiss
* His Office: Union Sq.
* Interment: I.O.O.F.
* Who Conducted Funeral: Fred

Expenses:
* Price of Casket = $175.00
* Embalming Body = $15.00
* Singer - Knich Quart =. $30.00
* 10 Folding Chairs
* 6 Lifters, @$2.50 = $15.00
* Number of Carriages: 6 @ $4.00 = $24.00
* Hearse = $10.00
* Death Notices in Newspapers = $6.00
* Outlay for Lot - Opening Niche for Ashes = $6.50
* Cremation Fee = $25.00
* Rev. Krocuke = $10.00
* Total footing of Bill = $316.50
* May 31st 1904 By Cash in Full = $296.50

Other lines on the form, which were not filled in, included:

* Position as Member in Family
* Name of Father
* His birthplace
* Name of Mother
* Her Birthplace
* Lot or Grave No.
* Section No.

From this record, I was able to add Dora's birth date, death date, residence address, and burial location to my genealogy database. Unfortunately, the record did not include her parents names. 

Note also that there is a brief newspaper obituary pasted to the bottom of the funeral home record.

Check out the funeral expenses. An interesting list that provides some idea of what things cost in San Francisco in 1904.


The URL for this post is:  http://www.geneamusings.com/2012/06/treasure-chest-thursday-funeral-home.html

Copyright (c) 2012, Randall J. Seaver

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