burial containers

New Fisk Burial Cases

  • Crane and Breed's innovations in burial cases include a variety of styles that build on the original Fisk case.

    • Bronzed Case Line:

    • Cast iron with a bronze finish.

    • Decorative elements are included, making this style more ornamental.

    • Ornamental and Cloth Covered:

    • This variant is draped with French cloth on the lower half for a more elegant presentation.

    • Plain or Octagon Line:

    • Finished to imitate rosewood and gives a polished appearance.

From Coffin to Casket

  • The terminology surrounding burial cases evolved as they became straighter and more structured.

    • Transition of Terminology:

    • The term ‘casket’ began to replace ‘coffin’ due to changes in design.

    • Origin of the Term 'Casket':

    • Used for the first time in an advertisement by William Cooley in 1849.

    • Innovative Designs:

    • A. C. Barstow introduced the ogee design to reduce excess space and weight in metallic caskets.

    • In 1857, Crane & Breed launched a line of zinc ‘shoulder casket’ burial cases.

    • The first sheet-metal casket, named ‘Oriental,’ was created by Crane & Breed in the early 1870s.

    • Accepting the New Term:

    • By the 1890s, 'casket' had become the preferred term for these burial vessels.

Cloth Burial Cases

  • Samuel Stein’s contributions to burial cases started with a unique line of cloth-covered designs in 1871.

    • Background of Samuel Stein:

    • Originally from Austria, he was a cabinet maker before moving to Rochester, NY, where he built showcases.

    • Innovations and Patents:

    • Stein patented a casket with glass sides in 1870, deemed “too innovational” at that time.

    • In 1872, he successfully patented a cloth-covered casket, gaining public interest.

    • Notable Usage:

    • James Gordon Bennett, the editor of the New York Herald, was buried in one of Stein's caskets in 1872.

Stein Manufacturing

  • Stein established the Stein Manufacturing Company, merging with the National Casket Company in 1890.

    • Production Capabilities:

    • At its peak, the company produced 600 cloth-covered caskets weekly.

    • Exhibitions and Historical Significance:

    • In 1876, Stein showcased his caskets at the Philadelphia Centennial.

    • Provided the “Style E State Casket” for Ulysses S. Grant's funeral in 1885, which drew 1.5 million attendees, marking a historic public event.

Life Signal Coffins

  • The fear of premature burial inspired inventors to create life signal coffins to alert the living.

    • Early Innovations:

    • The earliest prototype was patented by Christian Eisenbrandt in 1843; if movement was detected, the coffin would spring open.

    • Frank Vester developed a coffin in 1868 that permitted the trapped individual to escape or signal rescuers by ringing a bell.

    • Variations in Designs:

    • Other life signal coffins included alarm systems, flags, and air hose mechanisms to provide air to the trapped person, showcasing a variety of inventive solutions.

Resurrectionists

  • Known also as resurrection-men or body snatchers, distinct from grave robbers.

    • Legal Differentiation in England:

    • Stealing a body was treated as a misdemeanor while stealing material objects was a felony, punishable by severe consequences.

    • Demand for Cadavers:

    • Medical schools in the early 19th century required around 500 bodies annually for educational purposes.

    • Methods Employed:

    • Utilized wooden spades for noise reduction, dug tunnels to approach coffins, and broke open coffins to extract bodies using ropes.

Burke and Hare

  • Infamous criminals, Burke and Hare operated in Edinburgh, Scotland, murdering individuals to sell to anatomist Dr. Knox.

    • Modus Operandi:

    • Hare ran a boarding house where they would intoxicate victims, subsequently smothering them with either a pillow or their hands.

    • Financial Gain:

    • Sold bodies for 7 to 10 pounds each, often still warm at the time of sale.

    • Outcome of Their Crimes:

    • Hare received immunity for testifying against Burke, who was hanged and later dissected publicly as a warning.

    • Coinage of ‘Burking’:

    • A new term derived from these actions defined as smothering or committing murder for anatomical purposes.

Body Snatchers in the United States

  • Operated in smaller groups focusing on fresh graves.

    • Tactics Used:

    • Women often feigned grief to assist in body retrieval, sometimes attending funerals to gather intelligence for body snatchers.

    • Targeted Groups:

    • African Americans and Native Americans were primary targets, believed to be less protected by the public’s concern.

    • Historic Event - Doctors' Riot:

    • In 1788, a doctors’ riot erupted in New York, with citizens protesting dissections, leading to multiple fatalities and the destruction of anatomical specimens.

Protective Devices

  • Innovations aimed at safeguarding coffins from tampering include unique devices.

    • Clover Coffin Torpedo:

    • Patented by Phillip K. Clover; it functioned like a shotgun that discharged upon coffin disturbance.

    • Howell’s Grave Torpedo:

    • Patented by Thomas Howell, this device operated as a landmine, exploding if the coffin was disturbed.

The End of Resurrectionists

  • Legislative changes began to combat body snatching in England.

    • Murder Act of 1752:

    • Allowed executed murderers to be dissected, addressing the shortage of cadavers.

    • Anatomy Act of 1832 (Warburton Act):

    • Permitted unclaimed and donated bodies for dissection, removing the necessity for resurrectionists.

    • Impact on Practices:

    • Following the Warburton Act, body snatching dwindled, and anatomical acts were established in various US states starting in 1882.

Or Is It?

  • A controversial case from the 21st century reveals potential illicit practices in human tissue recovery.

    • Biomedical Tissue Services:

    • This human tissue recovery firm ceased operations in 2005 after its leadership was accused of illegally harvesting and selling human body parts.

    • Methods of Operation:

    • The firm arranged payments to funeral homes in New York and Pennsylvania exceeding $1,000 per corpse while forging consent from families.

    • Consequences:

    • Lack of screening led to complications for around 10,000 patients who received graft tissue from harvested bodies, with some falling seriously ill.

Outside Enclosures

  • Protective measures in burial practices revealed varying cultural approaches.

    • Historical Context:

    • Many ancient cultures employed some form of outer enclosure around burials, contrasting with colonial America where few such measures existed.

    • Development Over Time:

    • Between 1800 and 1900, enclosures of concrete, brick, and slate began to emerge depending on geographical location.

    • Burial Design:

    • Enclosures were initially integrated into the ground for added protection.

Outer Burial Containers

  • Innovations in burial technology included the enhancement of the coffin's protection.

    • Jacob Weidenmann's Method (1872):

    • Created an affordable option where coffins were placed within rough boxes encased in concrete.

    • Development of Burial Safe:

    • Andrew Van Bibber’s burial safe consisted of a large iron cage that was locked to deter body snatchers.

Trends in Outer Burial Containers

  • Dramatic rise in patents for concrete vaults noted between 1900 and 1920.

    • Market Trends:

    • By 1920, concrete vault companies became operational, with reinforced sealed vaults emerging by 1940.

    • Construction Features:

    • Concrete vaults employed a tongue-and-groove system where the lid had a tongue fitting into the groove of the box's rim.

    • Concrete grave liners were designed as non-sealed cement boxes featuring drainage holes for water.

George Boyd's Innovations

  • George Boyd contributed a metal burial vault design that has remained influential.

    • Design Elements:

    • Composed of two primary components:

      • Domed iron cover

      • Base plate

    • Long-term Impact:

    • This design concept serves as a direct ancestor of contemporary air seal burial vaults.

Sealing Vaults

  • The emergence of various sealing mechanisms in vaults to enhance protection.

    • Characteristics of Metallic Vaults:

    • Most contemporary metallic vaults are air seal designs.

    • Alternative Materials:

    • Newer vaults made of fiberglass and plastic also utilize air sealing features.

    • Concrete Vaults:

    • Generally designed as top-seal structures.

    • End Seal Vaults:

    • A specialized version incorporating a hinged end panel; casket insertion occurs before sealing for added security against grave robbers.

Evolving Uses of Vaults

  • Original purposes of vaults transitioned over time.

    • Initial Functionality:

    • Primarily designed to protect remains from theft by grave robbers.

    • Contemporary Focus:

    • Modern vaults primarily serve aesthetic purposes and appeal to consumers.

Wooden Rough Box

  • Wooden rough boxes served practical roles in burial practices during the transportation of caskets.

    • Affordability Factors:

    • Given the low cost of wood, these boxes were commonly employed for shipping expensive caskets via steamships and railways.

    • Traditional Usage:

    • Initially, caskets were placed atop rough boxes for display; undertakers often offered them for free to families as grave liners.

    • Changing Practices:

    • Over time, undertakers started charging for transporting and placing rough boxes in graves, subsequently charging for the boxes themselves.

    • Historical Context:

    • During the influenza epidemic post-World War I, rough boxes were increasingly utilized as grave liners.

Impact of Vaults, Liners, and Rough Boxes on Modern Practice

  • Changing burial practices from 1915 onward reflect significant trends in casket and burial container preferences.

    • Adoption Rates by 1915:

    • Approximately 10% to 15% of burials involved vaults, primarily metallic types.

    • Post World War II Trends:

    • Usage shifted with many opting for rough boxes instead of concrete or metallic vaults until the 1945 shift occurred.

    • Contemporary Regulations:

    • Since 1945, most cemeteries now require at least a concrete grave liner to prevent grave collapse, with reinforced concrete vaults dominating the market.