Manchester Memorial Funeral Home in Manchester Township

Description

The Weatherhead family had a furniture store in Botkins, Ohio. The cabinet maker, Jacob Weatherhead, also became a casket maker and eventually evolved into the community undertaker as he began to perform the services of a funeral functionary. He served as proprietor of his furniture store and undertaking business for many years.

Jacob's son, Elzy, wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. In 1883 he attempted to enroll in the Cincinnati School of Embalming . Professor Joseph H. Clark, who founded the school, refused to admit Elzy into the class of three students, saying that he was too young. Elzy studied at night, under the direction of one of the embalming class members and was successful in his studies. He became the first embalmer in his area of Ohio. He soon left Ohio to find a more productive undertaking establishment.

In 1900, Elzy Weatherhead bought an interest in Peter Romer's business in Orange, NJ, which dated back to 1853. It became known as Romer Weatherhead Funeral Home. The business operated as a partnership until 1914, when Frederick Romer passed away.

Herbert Weatherhead, Elzy's son, obtained his mortuary license in 1912 and guided the family enterprise through years of growth in Essex county. In 1914 the Weatherhead family opened a funeral home in East Orange on what would become the site of the Muir Department Store. In 1922 the business relocated to a beautiful Victorian house on Main Street across from the Military Commons near the center of Orange. The funeral home remained on Main Street for over 50 years before it became a prestigious community landmark. In 1977 the business was relocated to a quieter location on Park Avenue near the West Orange border.

Herbert's daughter, Rita Young, became one of the early group of women to enter the funeral service profession. She joined her fathers practice in 1937. Her son Gregory Weatherhead Young expanded the family business in 1976, when he opened Weatherhead Young Funeral Home, a contemporary f