John W. Manning and Sons Funeral Home Records, 1900-1954

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator: John W. Manning and Sons Funeral Home

Title: Records, 1900-1954

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department.

Size of Collection: 9 volumes

Location Number: Mss./BB/M111 [under revision]

Scope and Content Note

This collection was originally identified as records of the Maas Funeral Home, but has been re-identified as being the records of John W. Manning & Son. The collection is in the midst of being incorporated into the existing Manning collection. It consist of records of financial interest to the undertaking work of John W. Manning and his sons. These records document the expenses and profits associated with operating a funeral home in mid-twentieth century Louisville, Kentucky, as well as funeral practices for that time and region.

Volumes one through five consist of funeral books for the years 1914-1954. These volumes list the name of the deceased, the name of the person paying for the funeral services, age of the deceased, their physician, the primary cause of their death, date of death, date of burial, and various costs associated with the funeral service such as style of casket, style of mountings, cost of a robe or suit, moving the body, under clothes, washing, dressing, shaving, embalming, flowers, door garlands, death notices, purchase of a vault or box, hearse, cars, services of a minister, flower wagon, purchase of a lot or grave, opening of the grave, candles, and the place of internment. This volume is arranged chronologically, approximately by date of death.

Volume six is a different format of funeral book arranged roughly by surname of deceased. It covers the years 1900-1929 and lists the name of the deceased, the name of the person paying for the service, the date of death, and the date of burial. This volume covers John W. Manning’s undertaking work both in Morganfield, Kentucky (1900-1902) and Louisville, Kentucky (1902-1929)

Volumes seven through nine consist of accounts receivable books for the years 1915-1922 and 1930-1943. These are arranged roughly by surname of the individual paying for the service, provide the address of that individual, and list the amounts of debits and credits to the account by date. The name of the deceased is not provided.

Historical Note

John W. Manning and John W. Manning & Sons Funeral Home operated at 1828 West Chestnut, 1713 West Chestnut, 1314 West Broadway, and later 612 West Broadway from 1903 until 1954 when the business was liquidated.  John W. Manning worked as an undertaker in Morganfield, Kentucky prior to his move to Louisville in 1902. His son and daughter-in-law, John H. Manning and Mary Margaret Smith Manning, operated the funeral home until its closure in 1954.

Folder List

Volume 1: Funeral Book, 1914 May-1918 January

Volume 2: Funeral Book, 1918 January-1925 May

Volume 3: Funeral Book, 1925 June-1932 November

Volume 4: Funeral Book, 1932 December-1942 December

Volume 5: Funeral Book, 1943 January-1954

Volume 6: Funeral Book by Surname, 1900-1929

Volume 7: Accounts Receivable Book, 1915-1922

Volume 8: Accounts Receivable Book, 1930-1937

Volume 9: Accounts Receivable Book, 1938-1943

 

Subject Headings

Account books – Kentucky – Louisville

Business enterprises – Kentucky – Louisville

Death care industry – Kentucky – Louisville

Funeral homes – Kentucky – Louisville

Funeral rites and ceremonies – Kentucky – Louisville