The undertaker's lament

Edmund Burdsall Bradrick was the granddaddy of Chariton undertakers. Born during 1833 in Belmont County, Ohio, he arrived in Lucas County during 1857 at the age of 24, went into the cabinet-making trade and married Mary Sheppard. Four years later, during 1861, he added undertaking to his offerings --- as many cabinet-makers did.

By 1893, in the undertaking business for more than 30 years, Mr. Bradrick commissioned an advertisement in the form of a letter to the editor that ran for several weeks in The Chariton Patriot, assuring the public that he still was in business. Some of this certainly had to do with an increasingly competitive market, but he had lost his only son and business partner, Calvin, to tuberculosis three years earlier at the age of 30 and that, as well as the fact he was now 60, affected the business, too.

Here's the text of the advertisement:

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Chariton, Iowa, January 3rd 1893

Editor Patriot: I have now been handling the dead of Chariton and vicinity for more than thirty years --- with what success I leave those I have served to judge. The question now is, shall I be sustained? Many times I have labored hard while others have slept and taken ease and comfort, and I have been faithful to the trust you have committed to my care.

To those who have patronized me on account of loved ones gone, I would say I sympathize with you in your bereavement and thank you kindly for your patronage. Those who have never lost a dear friend, I congratulate upon your good fortune, but this will not always be so --- death enters and there is no defense. His time of coming none can tell.

My hearse is now nicely refit and my stock of funeral supplies is full and complete, consisting of a full line of varnished and cloth covered coffins and caskets, robes, linings, shoes,  slippers and hardwares --- all from the best houses in the land.

My residence ison the second block east of the M.E. church. When not in my office call at my house day or night. It will pay you now  and don't your forget it. Be careful where you leave your orders for burial goods.

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Nearly four years later, during the late fall of 1896, Mr. Bradrick decided to retire and sold his undertaking gear to J.F. Eckfelt & Son. The Eckfelts moved the operation to their furniture store just off the southwest corner of the square and the original plan seems to have been that Edmund would assist the Eckfelts until Jan. 1, 1897.

Then there was some sort of disagreement. The Eckfelts published advertising announcing that their undertaking establishment had nothing to do with Mr. Bradrick and he published advertising that announced he still was offering undertaking services from his "old stand."

After that, the Bradrick business seems to have declined until about 1900 when it ceased to be.

Mary (Sheppard) Bradrick died during 1904, but her husband was made of hardy stuff. He lived on until July 21, 1920, when he died at age 87 after a two-day illness. He was buried beside Mary in the Chariton Cemetery --- but his surviving daughter, Lydia Temple, subsequently moved to California without erecting a tombstone and so his grave is unmarked.