Manning, John W. & Sons Funeral Home Records, 1903-1954
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: John W. Manning & Sons Funeral Home
Title: Records, 1903-1954
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 9.0 cubic feet
Location Number: Mss./BB/M283
Scope and Content Note
The John W. Manning & Sons Funeral Home Records consist of death certificates along with records of financial interest to the business. These financial records document the expenses and profits associated with operating a funeral home in early to mid-twentieth century Louisville, Kentucky, as well as funeral practices for that time and region. Death certificates kept by the funeral home provide a considerable amount of genealogical information and document causes of death in the first-half of the twentieth century.
Folders 1-67 and volumes 68-69 consist of death certificates created by the funeral home for the years 1917-1943, and a very small number of certificates for the years 1949-1952. These certificates often, but not always, list for the deceased their place of death, sex, color or race, marital status, name of spouse, age of spouse if alive, birth date, age, birthplace, employer, name and birthplace of parents, informant, address, burial or removal place, date of burial, burial permit number, date of death, cause of death, and the doctor who pronounced death.
These certificates are only for the individuals for whom John W. Manning & Sons provided funeral services, not the population of Kentucky or Louisville as a whole. Patrons wishing to receive a photocopy of a death certificate must provide the full name of the deceased and the month, day, and year of death. There will be a $15.00 research fee charged for this service, and the Filson staff cannot provide a notarized or certified copy of a death certificate. Any documents provided by the Filson staff will be photocopies only, and might not be considered legal documents by government agencies. Patrons who require a certified copy of a death certificate should contact the Kentucky Office of Vital Statistics at
Office of Vital Statistics
275 E. Main St. 1E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
(502) 564-4212
http://chfs.ky.gov/dph/vital/deathcert.htm
Circa 1943, Manning & Sons combined several of their forms into one document. These included death certificates, itemized lists of funeral expenses, accounts of payments made for services and name of person responsible for payment, and a list of the surviving relatives and the funeral notice. These forms were retained by the Filson Historical Society Library, and requests for them should be directed to the library staff. The library also retained bound volumes with lists of surviving relatives and funeral notices.
Folders 70-74 consists of pre-arranged funeral plans which were still active when Manning & Sons began liquidating their company in 1954. Manning & Sons attempted to notify individuals who had entered into a contract for future funeral services that they would no longer be able to provide those services. The pre-arranged funeral plan form includes an itemized bill, name, address, sex, color (ethnicity), marital status, name of husband or wife, age of husband or wife, birth date, age, birthplace, occupation, father’s name and birthplace, mother’s maiden name and birthplace, place of burial, veteran status, and lodge affiliation; however, not all of this information is present on all forms. A small number of these forms include correspondence related to the funeral plan.
Folder 75 is correspondence related to these plans which was returned to Manning & Sons as undeliverable.
Volumes 76-78 are account books dated from 1913-1935 which list purchases of items from other merchants such as coffins, shrouds, dresses, and crepe. Entries are arranged chronologically.
Volumes 79-80 are chronologically arranged ledgers showing cash receipts and disbursements. The amount of the transaction and name of payer or payee is listed for the years 1914-1916 and 1941-1942.
Volumes 81-82 document the amount of money paid to various undertakers and car hire services for 1917-1930, 1932, and 1934. Entries are roughly chronological and then broken down by name of the business receiving payment.
Volumes 83-85 show the daily balance in the cash drawer as well as cash in and cash out for that day for 1923-1927.
Volumes 86-90 are bank deposit books for the years 1929-1944. Entries are made chronologically, along with the amount and the name of the person or business the deposit was received from.
Volumes 91-93 list deaths and to whom funeral services were charged. These volumes show the name of the deceased, name and address of the person paying for funeral services, and the date of death and date of burial for the deceased for 1934-1954.
Volumes 94-100 provide a chronological listing of funeral expenses for the years 1903-1926. These ledgers show itemized billing for services such as caskets, shrouds, embalming, washing, cleaning, and shaving, flowers, opening the grave, use of a hearse, and use of a car. Entries are arranged chronologically, and note the name of the deceased, and name and address of the person paying for the service.
Volume 101 appears to be a general ledger for the years 1929-1938. Expenses and payments from a variety of sources are included.
Volume 102 provides a list of individuals paying for funeral services, amounts paid, the addresses of those paying, and payments made. This document solely lists individuals with surnames beginning with A to Mc, and for the years 1951-1954.
Volumes 103-112 consist of check registers for the years 1928-1953. These volumes provide the name of the payee, the check number, and the general category of expense. Entries are arranged chronologically.
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
Folder 1: Death Certificates, 1 January 1917-29 March 1917
Folder 2: Death Certificates, 29 March 1917-19 August 1917
Folder 3: Death Certificates, 19 August 1917-29 January 1918
Folder 4: Death Certificates, 30 January 1918-1 June 1918
Folder 5: Death Certificates, 1 June 1918-27 October 1918
Folder 6: Death Certificates, 27 October 1918-14 March 1919
Folder 7: Death Certificates, 14 March 1919-27 March 1919
Folder 8: Death Certificates, 30 December 1919-5 November 1920
Folder 9: Death Certificates, 5 November 1920-7 March 1921
Folder 10: Death Certificates, 7 March 1921-13 September 1921
Folder 11: Death Certificates, 13 September 1921-17 March 1922
Folder 12: Death Certificates, 17 March 1922-18 July 1922
Folder 13: Death Certificates, 19 July 1922-1 January 1923
Folder 14: Death Certificates, 31 December 1922-26 March 1923
Folder 15: Death Certificates, 26 March 1923-19 October 1923
Folder 16: Death Certificates, 19 October 1923-19 February 1924
Folder 17: Death Certificates, 19 February 1924-27 May 1924
Folder 18: Death Certificates, 27 May 1924-28 September 1924
Folder 19: Death Certificates, 28 September 1924-21 December 1924
Folder 20: Death Certificates, 22 December 1924-25 March 1925
Folder 21: Death Certificates, 26 March 1925-31 July 1925
Folder 22: Death Certificates, 31 July 1925-4 January 1926
Folder 23: Death Certificates, 4 January 1926-11 May 1926
Folder 24: Death Certificates, 11 May 1926-6 September 1926
Folder 25: Death Certificates, 6 September 1926-30 December 1926
Folder 26: Death Certificates, 30 December 1926-26 April 1927
Folder 27: Death Certificates, 26 April 1927-13 September 1927
Folder 28: Death Certificates, 13 September 1927-28 January 1928
Folder 29: Death Certificates, 29 January 1928-2 May 1928
Folder 30: Death Certificates, 2 May 1928-25 August 1928
Folder 31: Death Certificates, 25 August 1928-13 November 1928
Folder 32: Death Certificates, 13 November 1928-31 January 1929
Folder 33: Death Certificates, 31 January 1929-7 May 1929
Folder 34: Death Certificates, 7 May 1929-28 August 1929
Folder 35: Death Certificates, 28 August 1929-5 January 1930
Folder 36: Death Certificates, 24 January 1930-2 June 1930
Folder 37: Death Certificates, 2 June 1930-26 October 1930
Folder 38: Death Certificates, 26 October 1930-8 March 1931
Folder 39: Death Certificates, 8 March 1931-14 August 1931
Folder 40: Death Certificates, 15 August 1931-27 January 1932
Folder 41: Death Certificates, 30 January 1932-4 July 1932
Folder 42: Death Certificates, 5 July 1932-3 January 1933
Folder 43: Death Certificates, 3 January 1933-26 June 1933
Folder 44: Death Certificates, 26 June 1933-21 December 1933
Folder 45: Death Certificates, 21 December 1933-10 May 1934
Folder 46: Death Certificates, 14 May 1934-23 October 1934
Folder 47: Death Certificates, 23 October 1934-3 January 1935
Folder 48: Death Certificates, 5 January 1935-5 July 1935
Folder 49: Death Certificates, 5 July 1935-29 January 1936
Folder 50: Death Certificates, 28 January 1936-12 July 1936
Folder 51: Death Certificates, 12 July 1936-15 January 1937
Folder 52: Death Certificates, 15 January 1937-21 July 1937
Folder 53: Death Certificates, 21 July 1937-5 February 1938
Folder 54: Death Certificates, 5 February 1938-5 September 1938
Folder 55: Death Certificates, 5 September 1938-28 January 1939
Folder 56: Death Certificates, 28 January 1939-17 June 1939
Folder 57: Death Certificates, 17 June 1939-16 November 1939
Folder 58: Death Certificates, 16 November 1939-8 March 1940
Folder 59: Death Certificates, 10 March 1940-5 July 1940
Folder 60: Death Certificates, 8 July 1940-5 December 1940
Folder 61: Death Certificates, 5 December 1940-17 March 1941
Folder 61a: Death Certificates, 17 March 1941-12 July 1941
Folder 62: Death Certificates, 12 July 1941-26 November 1941
Folder 63: Death Certificates, 27 November 1941-4 April 1942
Folder 64: Death Certificates, 7 April 1942-5 July 1942
Folder 65: Death Certificates, 5 July 1942-4 November 1942
Folder 66: Death Certificates, 4 November 1942-11 January 1943
Folder 67: Death Certificates, 30 March 1949-1 December 1952
Volume 68: Death Certificates, 31 July 1935-9 June 1938
Volume 69: Death Certificates, 2 January 1939-20 May 1942
Folders 70-74: Pre-arranged Funeral Plans, circa 1940s-1954
Folder 75: Undelivered Correspondence Regarding Pre-Arranged Funeral Plans, 1954
Volume 76: Account Books, 1913-1917
Volume 77: Account Books, 1926-1930
Volume 78: Account Books, 1932-1935
Volume 79: Cash Receipts and Disbursements, 1914 December-1916 December
Volume 80: Cash Receipts and Disbursements, 1941-1942
Volume 81: Undertaker and Car Hire Account Book, 1917-1930
Volume 82: Undertaker and Car Hire Account Book, 1932, 1934
Volume 83: Daily Cash Drawer Balance, 26 July 1923-1 July 1924
Volume 84: Daily Cash Drawer Balance, 1 July 1924-9 July 1925
Volume 85: Daily Cash Drawer Balance, 14 August 1926-3 September 1927
Volume 86: Bank Deposit Book, 17 July 1929-21 July 1930
Volume 87: Bank Deposit Book, 7 March 1930-6 September 1934
Volume 88: Bank Deposit Book, 30 September 1935-3 July 1941
Volume 89: Bank Deposit Book, 30 December 1939-13 July 1942
Volume 90: Bank Deposit Book, 14 July 1942-9 February 1944
Volume 91: Deaths and to Whom Charged, 1934 December 30-1943 January 1
Volume 92: Deaths and to Whom Charged, 1943 January 1-1945 January 1
Volume 93: Deaths and to Whom Charged, 1945 January 1-1954 March 23
Volume 94: Funeral Expenses Book, 1903-1909
Volume 95: Funeral Expenses Book, 1910-1915
Volume 96: Funeral Expenses Book, 1915-1917
Volume 97: Funeral Expenses Book, 1917-1919
Volume 98: Funeral Expenses Book, 1921-1922
Volume 99: Funeral Expenses Book, 1923
Volume 100: Funeral Expenses Book, 1924-1926
Volume 101: General Ledger, 1929-1938
Volume 102: Accounts Receivable Book, Surnames Beginning with A to Mc, 1951-1954
Volume 103: Check Register, 1 February 1928-12 January 1943
Volume 104: Check Register, 1929
Volume 105: Check Register, 1930-1932
Volume 106: Check Register, 1 January 1933-28 February 1936
Volume 107: Check Register, 26 February 1936-29 April 1939
Volume 108: Check Register, 2 May 1939-28 April 1942
Volume 109: Check Register, 1 May 1942-30 December 1944
Volume 110: Check Register, 7 June 1946-31 July 1952
Volume 111: Check Register, 1 October 1947-30 June 1950
Volume 112: Check Register, 1 July 1950-31 August 1953
Subject Headings
Account books – Kentucky – Louisville
Business enterprises – Kentucky – Louisville
Death care industry – Kentucky – Louisville
Death certificates – Kentucky – Louisville
Funeral homes – Kentucky – Louisville
Funeral rites and ceremonies – Kentucky – Louisville
Letterheads – Kentucky – Louisville
