Our History

1912 Funeral Bill

Our Firm began Down on the river selling caskets, and we have records dating back to 1905. The first recorded owners were a partnership by the name of Skipworth & Glidewell, then in 1908 was sold to J.R. Keen & Sam Smith. In 1911 Mr. Smith Died and his son Finis F. Smith purchased his fathers interest in the business. Sometime in the early 1900’s Mr. Keen sold his interest to Finis’s brother Mr. John Peyton Smith. In 1919 Mr. Peyton Smith went to Undertaker’s school in Roswell, New Mexico, becoming the First person in Cumberland County to have an Undertakers license, (he was already a licensed Pharmacist).

The Undertaking Co. was located up over Smith Pharmacy and continued operations there until 1941 When The Firm was Sold to Mr. & Mrs. J.B. (Bronson & Kate) Moore, it then moved to a little house somewhere near Long’s Auto Sales is now.

The next move was to the building beside the Burkesville First United Methodist Church. In 1949 Mr. Moore Purchased the Edens Home on hwy 61 (our present location) and sold the old building to Dr. Joseph Shickels. We are grateful The Moores had the foresight to move to this location, (people told him it was to far out of town).

Mr and Mrs. Bronson Moore

In the meantime Mr. Moore had hired a newly wed Silas A. Norris (In 1945) to help him and in 1955 sold ½ interest to he and Oleta.

In 1959 they purchased the Moore’s remaining interest and became sole owners. They operated the firm until the last day of 1985 when it was sold to Mark C. New who presently solely owns it, and operates it with his fine staff.