Where Did the Coffins Come From? (Part 1)

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, coffins purchased through Dycusburg merchants came from a number of places. Often, because coffins were not planned purchases, these were the most urgent and necessary purchases, requiring notes to be sent to town to the merchant to get a coffin at once.

In a review of loose papers, I found that P.K. Cooksey and Co. used Evansville Coffin Company to purchase coffins. Some coffins, I noted, were shipped via steamboat (though I cannot confirm those from Evansville were shipped in this manner).

The note pictured above was to P.K. Cooksey and Mr. Yates from John Kinnis and Andy Kinnis, requesting a baby coffin.