Finding Aid to the Halsted N. Gray–Carew & English Funeral Home Records, 1835-1931 (bulk 1850-1921)
Finding aid prepared by Wendy Kramer
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA, 94102
(415) 557-4567
info@sfpl.org
2010
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
Series 1
N. Gray & Co.,
1835-1921
(bulk 1850-1921)
Physical Description:
53.0 volumes
General note
Some spines are mislabeled. Check container list for correct holdings.
Scope and Contents
Record types include funeral records, daybooks, death and burial registers. Some are indexed. Some entries include receipts,
letters, and obituary clippings. Early volumes often combine several record types (i.e. death register, daybook, burial register)
within a single volume.
Volumes 1-37 consist of daybooks and death registers. Beginning with Volume 10 (May 1855-Sept. 1857), pages have a pre-printed
format. Volumes 40-53 are all funeral records, with a name index at front.
Volume 1 includes a death register (1835-1850) that lists name, age, residence, disease, and birthplace of decedent; and cost
of funeral.
Volume 1
Combined death register (beginning 1835) and daybook,
1835-1851
(bulk 1850-1851)
General note
Spine mislabeled as July 1850-July 1852.
Volume 2
Daybook,
November 29, 1850-December 30, 1851
Volume 3
Death register,
July 1850-August 1854
General note
Includes Lone Mountain register, 1850-1862.
Volume 3
Lone Mountain register,
1850-1862
Scope and Contents
Lists date and burial plot location with name, age, nativity, and disease of decedent.
Volume 4
Death register,
July 1850-January 1855, with some listings for 1856
General note
Spine mislabeled as 1850-1854.
Volume 5
Daybook,
July 1, 1851-January 11, 1854
Volume 6
Daybook,
January 1, 1852-January 31, 1853
Daybook,
January 1, 1854-March 9, 1857
General note
Spine mislabeled as 1854-1856.
Volume 8
Death register,
July 22, 1854-August 6, 1855
(bulk 1854-1855)
Volume 9
Death register,
1855-1857
General note
Spine mislabeled as 1855-1856.
Volume 10
Death register,
May 26, 1855-September 23, 1857
Volume 11
Daybook,
November 1, 1856-January 1, 1859
Volume 12
Financial register,
June 16, 1857-December 1868
General note
Spine mislabeled as October 14, 1857-December 13, 1863.
Volume 13
Financial register,
circa late 1857-late 1863.
General note
Spine mislabeled as October 14, 1857-December 13, 1868.
Volume 14
Daybook,
January 1, 1861-January 3, 1864
Volume 15
Register,
January 1, 1863-December 31, 1878
Volume 16
Death and burial register,
January 1863-December 1878
Volume 17
Daybook,
January 1, 1866-December 31, 1867
Volume 18
Daybook,
January 1, 1868-August 31, 1869
Volume 19
Register,
January 1, 1869-December 31, 1873
Volume 20
Daybook,
September 1, 1869-March 7, 1872
Volume 21
Daybook,
March 1, 1872 - December 31, 1873
Volume 22
Daybook,
January 1, 1874-June 30, 1876
Volume 23
Financial register,
January 1, 1874-November 29, 1876
Volume 24
Daybook,
July 1, 1876-August 30, 1878
Volume 25
Financial register,
October 2, 1876-December 31, 1883
Volume 26
Daybook,
September 1, 1878–December 31, 1880
Volume 27
Burial register,
January 1, 1879-June 29, 1887
General note
Spine mislabeled as January 1, 1879-July 1, 1887.
Volume 28
Index to Volume 27,
January 1879-mid-1887
Volume 29
Daybook,
January 1, 1880-June 29, 1881
Volume 30
Daybook,
January 3, 1881-September 29, 1884
Volume 31
Register,
January 1, 1884-December 31, 1895
General note
Spine mislabeled as 1883-1895.
Volume 32
Daybook,
October 1, 1884-September 29, 1887
Volume 33
Daybook,
October 1, 1887-March 31, 1891
Volume 34
Unbound funeral register,
1888
Volume 35
Daybook,
April 1, 1891-November 28, 1895
Volume 36
Daybook,
December 3, 1895-July 30, 1901
Scope and Contents
Includes index in pocket.
Volume 37
Daybook,
August 2, 1901-May 31, 1905
Volume 38
Index to Volume 37,
1901-1905
Volume 39
Index to Volume 37, with similar information as Volume 38,
1901 - 1905
General note
Spine: "Decedents only."
Volume 40
June 1, 1906-September 30, 1907
Volume 41
October 1, 1907-February 28, 1909
Volume 42
March 2, 1909-June 30, 1910
Volume 43
July 1, 1910-July 25, 1911
Volume 44
July 26, 1911-September 14, 1912
Volume 45
September 15, 1912-November 30, 1913
Volume 46
December 3, 1913-April 30, 1915
Volume 47
December 1, 1914-July 25, 1917
Volume 48
May 1, 1915-August 8, 1916
Volume 49
August 9, 1916-October 11, 1917
Volume 50
October 12, 1917-November 21, 1918
Volume 51
November 22, 1918-November 15, 1919
Volume 52
November 17, 1919-November 30, 1920
Volume 53
December 1, 1920-December 20, 1921
Series 2
Halsted & Co.,
1883-1924
Physical Description:
3.0 volumes
Arrangement
Arranged chronologically, with each volume organized alphabetically.
General note
Some spines are mislabeled. Check container list for correct holdings.
Scope and Contents
Death registers that list name, age, nativity, death date, and cause of death of decedent; together with location of interment,
plot number, physician, remarks, and burial information.
Volume 54
mid-1883-1897
General note
Spine mislabeled as June 1, 1883 - Mar. 1898.
Volume 55
circa January 29, 1898–April 13, 1913
General note
Spine mislabeled as Jan. 29, 1898-Apr. 13, 1913.
Volume 56
circa April 24, 1913-March 28, 1924
Series 3
Clark & Booth,
1894-April 1906
Physical Description:
9.0 volumes
General note
Handwritten numbering on spines is incorrect. Check container list for correct holdings.
Scope and Contents
Funeral records with name indexes at front of each volume. Records include funeral number, date; name, late residence, and
place of birth of decedent; with "items of bill" financial information.
Volume 57
December 30, 1894-January 27, 1896
Volume 58
January 28, 1896-February 25, 1897
Volume 59
February 25, 1897-March 24, 1898
Volume 60
March 23, 1898-March 25, 1899
Volume 61
March 26, 1899-May 22, 1900
Volume 62
May 23, 1900- July 30, 1901
Volume 63
August 4, 1901-September 30, 1902
Volume 64
October 1, 1902-June 3, 1903
Volume 65
June 26, 1904-April 16, 1906
Series 4
Petersen & Co.,
April 1906-December 1916
Physical Description:
1.0 volume
General note
Spine reads "N. Gray & Co.," with "Petersen & Co." handwritten. Pages are labeled "Funeral Record Petersen & Co."
Scope and Contents
Funeral records, with sections on the decedent, physician's certificate cause of death, and funeral expenses. Includes name
index at front of volume.
Series 5
J. S. Godeau & Co.,
1894-1931
Physical Description:
28.0 volumes
General note
26 volumes of San Francisco records, 2 volumes from Stockton.
Scope and Contents
Mostly funeral records, with two daybooks (Volumes 67 and 68). All volumes except the first daybook (i.e. Volume 67) include
name index at front. Records include funeral number, date; name, late residence, and birthplace of decedent; and financial
information.
Subseries A
San Francisco
Volume 67
Daybook,
December 1, 1894-January 3, 1898
Volume 68
Daybook,
January 3, 1898-mid-1901
General note
Index in front.
Volume 70
August 1902-September 1903
Volume 71
September 1903-November 1904
Volume 72
November 1904-January 1906
Volume 73
January 6, 1906-March 31, 1907
Volume 74
March 30, 1907-May 27, 1908
Volume 75
May 27, 1908-June 5, 1909
Volume 76
June 5, 1909-June 18, 1910
Volume 77
June 16, 1910-July 21 1911
Volume 78
July 19, 1911-May 22, 1912
Volume 79
May 21, 1912-February 7, 1913
Volume 80
February 7, 1913-October 8, 1913
Volume 81
October 8, 1913-May 10, 1914
Volume 82
May 7, 1914-January 7, 1915
Volume 83
January 7, 1915 -August 20, 1915
Volume 84
August 21, 1915-March 6, 1916
Volume 85
March 5, 1916-October 18, 1916
Volume 86
October 15, 1916-May 23, 1917
Volume 87
May 22, 1917-February 15, 1918
Volume 88
February 14, 1918-October 23, 1918
Volume 89
October 19, 1918-January 19, 1919
Volume 90
January 17, 1919-September 3, 1919
Volume 91
September 2, 1919 - March 29, 1920
Volume 92
March 27, 1920-December 31, 1920
Volume 93
December 27, 1916-January 31, 1920
Volume 94
January 28, 1920-October 12, 1931
Series 6
H. F. Suhr & Co.,
July 1901-October 31, 1921
Physical Description:
11.0 volumes
General note
Volume 95 binding is torn and missing parts. Volumes 98 and 99 contain overlapping dates and information; overall date range
is approximate.
Scope and Contents
Funeral records with name index at front of volumes, except for Volumes 98-99, which are entered alphabetically instead of
by date. Records include funeral number, date; name, late residence, and birthplace of decedent; and financial information.
Volume 95
July 1, 1901-April 28, 1904
General note
Empty index at front. Binding torn, missing parts.
Volume 96
May 2, 1904-March 17, 1906
General note
Spine mislabeled as May 2, 1904 - March 16, 1906.
Volume 97
March 13, 1906-December 31, 1907
Volume 98
Death register,
circa January 1908-March 1909
Volume 99
Death register,
circa January Death register, 1908-March 1909
Volume 100
March 17, 1909-June 5, 1911
Volume 101
June 7, 1911- October 31, 1913
Volume 102
November 2, 1913-March 30, 1916
Volume 103
April 1, 1916-December 31, 1917
Volume 104
January 2, 1918-June 30, 1919
Volume 105
July 1, 1919-October 31, 1921
General note
Spine mislabeled as July 1, 1919-Nov. 1, 1921.
Series 7
Gantner Bros.,
May 19, 1906-July 30, 1921
Physical Description:
10.0 volumes
Scope and Contents
Funeral records with name index at front of volumes. Records include name, place of death, occupation, and religion of decedent;
and financial information.
Volume 106
May 19, 1906-May 30, 1907
Volume 107
May 31, 190 -June 13, 1908
Volume 108
June 13, 1908-October 14, 1909
Volume 109
October 16, 1909-December 30, 1910
Volume 110
January 1, 1911-April 26, 1912
Volume 111
April 28, 1912-October 21, 1913
Volume 112
October 21, 1913-April 8, 1915
Volume 113
April 8, 1915-October 31, 1916
Volume 114
November 1, 1916–January 5, 1919
Volume 115
January 1, 1919–July 30, 1921
