Furniture & Undertaking

One beautiful day as I was walking down Main Street in Buckhannon, WV, I happened to look up and noticed an old advertisement  on the side of a building.  It reads: “Rohrbough Furniture & Undertaking” What? Furniture and undertaking, what’s up with that?  That began my research.

In the early 1800’s most communities did not have funeral homes or even undertakers.  The families took care of their deceased loved ones, by having a wake and wrapping the deceased  in quilts or placed in a box then taken to the cemetery for burial by horse and wagon.  I’m sure many farmers did not have the skills or time to design a burial box. This is where the furniture makers came in.  They were talented in cabinet woodworking thus creating a sideline undertaking business.  

In Upshur County a Mr. J. W. Rohrbough opened his furniture and undertaking business in 1877.  In 1899 he moved to Elkins and Boreman and Hooker Furniture and Undertakers took over his business.  They painted over his advertisement but over time the paint faded revealing today the Rohrbough sign.  You can clearly see the advertising on the building.  The building is located across from the CourtHouse bearing to the right.   

In 1883 a Mr. James C. Forinash and Co. opened for business in Lewis County.  The business provided fine furniture and funeral services.  In 1884, Mr. Forinash was the 15th West Virginian to be licensed as an embalmer.  He purchased the first funeral hearse ever to be used in Weston.  Mr. Forinash in 1918 hired Roy Glenn Floyd to work in the store and as an assistant undertaker.  Mr. Floyd bought the business in 1915 and the rest is history.