John Ames Hearse and the Barn

Some times you get a good feeling and more respect for the volunteers at Frostville Museum. Earlier this summer the hearse barn was moved to its new home along side the church.  The guys (Bill , Bob, Larry and Jim) from the workshop started in to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.  The barn had been used for many years as a garden and storage shed. I was quite beat up it also sat a little crooked thanks to the groundhogs. Bees built a nest on it and mice moved into some of the cabinet drawers.  The building was straightened and braced inside to bring it back to a sound structure. It now has a full foundation under it so the groundhogs can't undermine it again. The outside holes and gaps filled, repainted and all the new interior bracing lumber was stained so that it matched the old wood.

It will now last another 175 years. 

The barn was originally at the end of the east drive in Butternut Ridge Cemetery. It was built by John Ames in about 1830. It  is of Post and Beam construction with wide vertical board siding and smaller joint lap boards. Picture below from about 1920

The hearse was dug out of the display barn They ended up taking the front bumper off the pumper fire truck to extricate it from the building. It was taken to the workshop for some of Bills magic.  He cleaned it up with 409 and washed the windows inside (fearing someone would come up and lock him in) and out. He repaired a couple of the floorboards. It was then wiped down with linseed oil. The finish on it we believe is original. 

The sign on the front of the hearse reads as follows:

The following was written by L. M Ames Grandson of John Ames

The body of the hearse was built by John Ames a carpenter and cabinet maker who lived oat the east end of Butternut Ridge Cemetery. It was a community hearse. John Ames was the only undertaker of that time making all coffins by hand on order after the death occurred.  They were made of walnut, cherry or whitewood.   Prices ranged from two to ten dollars, The order for a coffin was a coffin stick the length of the body with a notch cut for the width of the shoulders as the coffins had bent sides and a narrow at foot. As he would often be away all week, when he came home Saturday night he would find a coffin stick behind the door and would work all Saturday night so they could have a funeral on Sunday. I heard my Grandmother say at one time there was a coffin stick waiting nine successive Saturday nights.  The bier was used to support the body during the funeral to carry it from house to hearse and the hearse to the grave as most coffins of that date had no handles. About 1850 there was a $2.00 service charge for laying out, and for use of a horse to haul the hearse Mr. Ames charged  75 cents per day for his labor

OHS had a been given couple of old headstones, that had been replaced by new ones at Butternut. We hung tools on the walls that would be used during that period. 

 








To top it off Bill made a replica wooden coffin for the inside.

Priscilla Sears Thompson born Rochester Mass September 21 1771 died Olmsted Ohio February 11 1859.  Known by every one as Grandma Thompson

Here is an excerpt from the Snow letter to her grandchildren.  The letter is in the OHS archives:

One day in the autumn after Grandma Thompsons eighty seventh birthday, she stopped at Uncle Daniels on the way to John Ames’s.  Uncle Daniel lived about half way between Mr. Ames and Grandma’s home and a good half mile from either.  He wanted her to let him hitch up a horse and let him take her there, but she insisted upon going afoot and alone. A few weeks later, she again stopped at his home on her way to the same place.  This time she was prevailed upon to drive his horse but still insisted upon going alone. 

In February she was taken sick and no one realized better than she that the end was near.  Two granddaughters waited on her the last night.  After repeated suggestions that she go to bed, she said “I won’t go to bed.  I have never turned my back to an enemy in my life, and I will meet death face to face.” Next day, she sat up in bed supported by one of her sons, “Alden” she said, “would you be scart if I should die here in your arms”? “No, Mother. He said.  “Alright then.“ She said.

Then she requested Rev Dimick who was present to lead a prayer, after which she asked all to sing “Rock of Ages”, and, with her feeble voice, she joined in  the entire hymn.  “Now lay me down” She said.

Uncle Alden gently laid her back on the pillow. She folded her arms acrossher breast and fell asleep

John Ames was the local undertaker and maker of burial cases. He did not keep a supply on hand but he made them to measure as they were wanted.  After Grandma died they sent for him to come and measure her for a coffin.  He said “Her coffin is made She came down here last fall and ordered it and gave directions as to how it should be made --- not too small, and with a down pillow  --- She came again when it was done and lay down in it to see if it was the right size, She pronounced it satisfactory and paid for it”

They found her burial clothes, made by her own hands, and laid away for the final need.

At the time of her death she had 110 living descendants. Some still lived in Olmsted