As written on the border of the picture, this is the casket in which my great grandmother, Anna Reynolds Carroll, mother of Maggie Pearce, was lying in state in the parlor of the Pearce home at 319 Behrends Avenue in Peoria in the spring of 1917. I think it was common practice back in those days. Flowers lie beneath the casket and what appears to be candleholders are on the side. I have no idea whether it is open or shut. My cousin, Ken, who has been doing geneaology on the Pearce family for many, many years, sent me copies of court records that he had secured from Peoria County. One of them is Anna's death certificate. She was born in Ireland on July 17, 1845, and died March 31, 1917. Cause of death is listed as "nephritis" with secondary cause "genl dropsy." To the right of the window, I see a picture of my mother, Nan.(Click to enlarge)
The Historical Society did a cemetary tour this weekend and discussed Victorian rituals for burials - I thought of going - just interesting what those before us thought was appropriate - and why did we stop doing the things the did before?
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