The Indianapolis journal., 1896-08-09
EARLYFUNERALCUSTOM
CELEBRATION OF 'THE END OF HIS
DAYS. IN COLONIAL NEW YORK.
Death Was nm Important Social
Event Among the Dutch Burghers
Elaborate Ceremonies.
Alice Morse Earle. in the Independent.

nial New York, by the slow ringing toll
ing of the church bell, there went forth
solemnly from his home the aanspreecker,
or inviter (who might be grave digger, bell
ringer. schoolmaster or chorister, and who
was usually all FOUR, attired in gloomy
black. with hat fiuttering long streamers
of crepe, and with much punctilio he Wis
tied all the relatives and friends of the
deceased person notified them of the death.
advised them of the day and hour of the
funeral, and requested their honorable
presence. This inviting was matter of
most rigid etiquette; no one in these Dutch
communities of slightest dignity or regard
for social proprieties, would attend a fu-
neral unbidden. The aanspreecker was
paid for this service as living perambulat-
ing obituary notice at regular rates, ac-
cording to the distance travelled and the
time spent, if he lived in a country town
where distances between houses were great.
In 1851 the 'fnviters to the buryiaIl of
deceased persons in New York were pub
lie officers, appointed and licensed by the
Mayor. Their names were Conradus Van
derbeck and Richard Chapman, and they
were hidden to give their attendance gratis
to the poor. A law was passed in New
York in 1871 setting the fees of 'inviters
to funerals at IS shillings for the funeral
of any one over twenty years of age for
a person between twelve and twenty years,
II shillings: for one under twelve years,
shillings. For large circle OF friends
these sums seem small The Flatbush in
viter, in 1852. had u guilders for inviting
to the funeral of grown person, and only
guilders in addition If he invited in New
York, which was poor pay enough when
VI Of ha
York inviter, Evert Fels, advertising his
change Of residence, and that he can be
found. If needed, next Kings stores 1t is
easy to imagine that the aanspreecker must
have been somewhat self-important per-
sonage, who. doubtless. soberly enjoyed his
profession of mortuary news purveyor and
who must have been greeted wherever he
went with that gruesome interest which.
in colonial days, attached TO everything
pertaining TO death.
FUNERAL FORMS.
This fashion was, of course, purely
Dutch. In Holland the aanspreecker was
appointed by government and authorized
to invite for the funerals of persons OF all
faiths and denominations who chanced to
die in his parish. To this day. in many
parts of Holland the aanspreecker invites
TO funerals, sometimes calling the death
and time of funeral through the streets
like a town crier; clad in black cloak and
crepe hat bands, he seems the somber
ghost of old Dutch manners.
Before the burial took place number Of
persons. usually intimate friends of the
dead. watched the body throughout the
night. Literally supplied with various
bodily comforts. such as abundant strong
drink. plentiful tobacco and pipes and new,
ly baked cakes, these watchers were not
wholly gloomy, nor did the midnight hours
lag unsolaced The great kamer in which
the body lay the state room of the house.
strrr1 n rnr ly nt ia r
occasions than funeral that in many
households ii was known as the doed-
kamer. or dead-room., Sometimes It had a
separate front door by which ii was en-
tered, thus giving two front doors TO the
house. Diedrick Kpickerbocker says the
front door of New York houses was never
opened save for funerals, New Years and
such holidays. In North Holland the GUS
tom still exists of reserving room. with
separate outside entrance. for use for we'd
dings and funerals; hence the common say
ing in Holland that doors are not made for
going in and out OF the house.
Men and women both served as watchers
and sometimes both were at the funeral
services within the docd-kamer. but when
the body was borne to the grave on the
chosen bearers. IL was followed by men
only. The women remained for time in
the house where the funeral had taken
place and ate doed- -koeks and slipped Ma
| dera wine.
The coffin. made of well-seasoned boards.
was often covered with black cloth. Over
|
| fringed black cloth. This doed-kleed was
| the property of the church. and was usual
~ stored with the bier In the church vesti-
bule or. doop-huys. In case of a death in
childbirth. a heavy white sheet took the
place of the black pail.
Among the Dutch 1 funeral Vas most most
! funeral gloves, scarfs and rings, which was
universal in New, England: was aug
| If wine and a linen scarf to each friend.
A COSTLY FUNCTION
When Philip Livingston died in 1749 his
| funeral was held both In New York and
| the manor. He had lived in Broad street
| and the lower rooms of his house and
those of his neighbors were thrown open
to receive the assemblage. A pipe of wine
| was spiced for the guests. and the eight
| bearers were each given a pair of gloves
| a mourning ring, a scarf, handkerchief and
a monkey spoon. AT the manor similar
ceremony took place. and pair of gloves
and handkerchief were given to each ten
ant. The whole expense was $500. When
! Madam Livingston died we find her son
writing to New York from the manor for a
! piece of black strouds TO cover the four
| hearse horses, for Darrell OF Cutt To-
| bacco and Long Pipes of which am out. -
| the burnt wine; he had bottles. decanters
| and glasses enough. The expense of
these funerals may have been the inspira-
|
| trava gance in funerals.
| A monkey spoon was a handsome piece
| of silver bearing the figure head of an
ape on the handle. Mannetiens spoons also
| used in New Netherland, were similar in
| design. AT the funeral of Henry De Forest
an early resident of New Harlem. in 1851
| his bearers were given spoons.
| A familiar and extreme example of ex-
| cess at funerals was at the obsequies OF
| Lucus Wyngaard. an old bachelor who
| died in Albany in 1756. The attendance was
| very large and after the burial a large
number of the friends of the dead man re-
| turned to the house and literally made a
| night of it. For these sober Albany cti-
! zens drank up n pipe of wine and smoked
many pounds of tobacco. They broke hun
| dreds Of pipes and all the decanters and
| glasses in the house. and wound up by
| burning all their funeral scarfs in a heap
| in the fireplace.
| In Albany the expense as well as tn,
| rioting. of funerals seems to have reached
| q climax. 1t is said that the obsequies o.
| the first wife of the Hon. Stephen Var
| Rensselaer, cost $4,000. Two thousand liner
| scarfs were given. and all the tenants wer,
| entertained for several days.
| on Long island every young man of gooC
| family began in his youth to lav aside mon
| ey in gold coin 10 pay for his funeral anC
| q superior stock of wine was also saved
! for the same occasion. In Albany the casl
| of choice Madeira, which was bought 70,
| a wedding and used in part, was saved in
| groom
| The honor OF n lavish funeral was no
| given TO the wealthy. and great and dis
| tinguished only. The close of every life nc
| matter how humble how unsuccessful
| was through the dignity conferred b,
| death afforded a triumDhal exit by tn.
| medium OF "a fine burying.