Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Provenance
Existence and Location of Copies note
Related Materials
Biographical/Historical note
Scope and Contents
Arrangement
Title: Halsted N. Gray–Carew & English Funeral Home Records
Date (inclusive): 1835-1931
Date (bulk): 1850-1921
Collection Identifier: SFH 38
Creator:
Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English.
Physical Description:
115.0 volumes
(ca. 57.3 cubic feet)
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
Abstract: Funeral records, daybooks, and death and burial registers for seven funeral homes, mostly based in San Francisco--with the
exception of Clark and Booth in Sacramento, as well as a few records from Burlingame and Stockton--acquired over time by the
present-day firm of Halsted N. Gray Carew & English.
Physical Location: The collection is open for research and stored offsite. A minimum of two working days' notice is required for use. Please
call the San Francisco History Center for hours and information at 415-557-4567.
Language of Materials: Collection materials are chiefly in English , with some materials from J.S. Godeau & Co. in French.
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the City Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the San Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Halsted N. Gray – Carew & English Funeral Home Records (SFH 38), San Francisco History Center, San
Francisco Public Library.
Provenance
Gift from Carol Rae Giovannini, Vice President and General Manager of Halsted N. Gray–Carew & English, May 27, 2006.
Existence and Location of Copies note
The Family History Library (FHL) in Salt Lake City has digitized the entire collection, which is available for browsing on
the FamilySearch website at www.familysearch.org.
Related Materials
Around 1920, N. Gray ledgers from 1850-1862 were abstracted into a manuscript, which was subsequently converted into a card
file called "Book of the Dead," available on Family History Library (FHL) microfilm and cards at the Sutro Library and the
California Genealogical Society.
Researchity (www.researchity.com) has continuing records for these funeral homes, plus records for Martin & Brown (A.W. Martin)
spanning the years 1911-1985.
Halsted Mortuary Records for 1923-1974 are also available at sfgenealogy.com.
Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English (www.halstedngray.com/records.html) retains current files going back approximately 20 years.
At the San Francisco History Center, researchers are encouraged to see also the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical
Examiner's Records (SFH 30).
Biographical/Historical note
Halsted N. Gray – Carew & English began as several predecessor funeral homes, mortuaries, and undertakers in San Francisco,
Sacramento, and Stockton, which by 1985 had become merged into one firm, from which this collection has been received. The
corporate history is characterized by frequently shifting business partnerships and locations. N. Gray was established in
1850 by Nathanial Gray, who also served as the second Coroner of San Francisco from 1851-1852. Halsted & Co. began in 1883
as Halsted & Kremple and became a family business by 1887. This chronology documents the seven firms represented in this collection.
(Sources: San Francisco History Center Ephemera Collection and Card Files,
San Francisco: the Imperial City, http://www.halstedngray.com, Nancy Peterson of the California Genealogical Society, and San Francisco City Directories)
1850: Nathanial Gray founds N. Gray & Co. (originally known as N. Gray Undertakers).
1883: Kremple & Halsted founded.
1884-1885: Kremple & Halsted listed in City Directory at 946 Mission.
1885-1886: Halsted & Evers listed in City Directory at 946 Mission.
1886: Suhr & Heins listed in City Directory at 1171 Mission.
1887: Halsted & Co. (W. A. Halsted and J.L. Halsted) listed in City Directory at 946 Mission. Suhr & Becker first listed in
City Directory at 1171 Mission.
1889: Valente & Godeau listed in City Directory at 1325 Dupont.
1890: San Francisco Undertaking Co. T.R. Carew, Manager, listed in City Directory at 1021 Market St. and 2429 Mission St.
Valente, Godeau & Co. listed in City Directory at 1524 Stockton.
1891: Carew & English (Thomas R. Carew and James English) listed in City Directory at 19 Van Ness Av.
1893-94: H.F. Suhr & Co. listed in City Directory at 1209 Mission.
1894: Hallowell & Petersen listed in City Directory at 8-10 City Hall Av.
1894-1906: Clark & Booth based in Sacramento, first as George H. Clark, then as Clark & Booth.
1895: Godeau & Co. listed in City Directory at 326 Montgomery, Godeau & Lipman, 326 Sutter. Peterson [sic] & Gantner listed
in City Directory at 8 and 10 City Hall Square.
1899: George H. Clark name changes to Clark & Booth.
1906: Halsted & Co. burns in earthquake & fire. Moves temporarily to the Western Addition.
1907: Clark & Booth moves to San Francisco.
1980: N. Gray Mortuary and Halsted & Co. merge.
1985: Halsted N. Gray & Co. and Carew & English merge.
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of funeral records, daybooks, and death and burial registers for seven funeral homes, mostly based
in San Francisco--with the exception of Clark and Booth in Sacramento, as well as a few records from Burlingame and Stockton--acquired
over time by the present-day firm of Halsted N. Gray Carew & English. Formats and types of information differ somewhat across
time and between firms, but typically include: name, death date, age, and other information about the decedent; and financial
transactions concerning the deaths, funeral arrangements, and burials. Some volumes are indexed; however, not all records
are referenced in the indexes.
The term "funeral records" is used here to mean page entries containing information about a deceased person's funeral, which
can include personal information about the deceased, along with financial, medical, and/or burial information. Registers list
deceased persons, with some additional information included in the line entries. Daybooks record daily financial transactions
of the mortuary, and they often include names of family members conducting these transactions. Some volumes include small
amounts of additional types of records, such as price lists, unpaid bills, death announcement clippings, and other information.
Volume 3 of N. Gray & Co. funeral home includes a burial register of Lone Mountain Cemetery, 1850-1862.
Arrangement
Volumes are arranged by funeral home in seven series: Series 1. N. Gray & Co.; Series 2. Halsted & Co.; Series 3. Clark &
Booth; Series 4. Petersen & Co.; Series 5. J.S. Godeau & Co.; Series 6. H.F. Suhr & Co.; Series 7. Gantner Bros. Within each
series, records are arranged chronologically.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Clark & Booth (San Francisco, Calif.). -- Archives
H. F. Suhr & Co. -- Archives
Halsted & Co. -- Archives
Halsted N. Gray-Carew & English. -- Archives
J. S. Godeau & Co. -- Archives
N. Gray & Co. -- Archives
Petersen & Co. -- Archives
Account books
Burial registers
Daybooks
Death registers
Funeral homes--California
San Francisco (Calif.)--Registers