Call Number:

04

Repository:

Tri-County Heritage Society

Extent:

1.0 linear feet

Language:

English

Date:

1841-1937, 1991

Creator:

Mauger family

Abstract:

The Mauger family has been in the funeral home business in Chester County, Pennsylvania since Daniel B. Mauger (1815-1890) started offering undertaker services in Warwick, Pennsylvania in 1842. Daniel's grandson, W. Frank Mauger (1898-1987) began working at G. Birdsall Passmore's funeral home in nearby Malvern, PA in 1921, buying Passmore out of the business in 1931 and relocating it to Monument Avenue. As of 2016, the Mauger-Givnish Funeral Home continues to serve Chester County from its location on Monument Avenue in Malvern. Mauger family papers, 1841-1937, 1991, consist of materials from the Mauger family and their relations, including records from U. Grant Mauger's undertaking business, vital records, a family bible, property records and legal papers, diaries, address books, receipt books, and a couple of letters. The Dampman and Rock families are also represented in the collection.

The Mauger family has been in the funeral home business in Chester County, Pennsylvania since Daniel B. Mauger (1815-1890) started offering undertaker services in Warwick, Pennsylvania (Chester County) in 1842. Daniel's son, Ulysses Grant Mauger (1868-1937), joined the family business in 1886, taking it over after Daniel passed away. Ulysses's son, W. Frank Mauger (1898-1987), also became an undertaker and began working at G. Birdsall Passmore's funeral home in nearby Malvern, PA in 1921. W. Frank Mauger bought out Passmore's share of the business in 1931 and moved its location to Monument Avenue. W. Frank's son, Grant Eugene Mauger (born 1921) began working at his father's funeral home in the 1940s. As of 2016, the Mauger-Givnish Funeral Home continues to serve Chester County from its location on Monument Avenue in Malvern.

Daniel B. Mauger (1815-1890) was born to John Baltser Mauger (1768-1829) and his second wife, Elizabeth Hoffecker (1782-1845) in Chester County, PA in 1815. Around 1842, Daniel married Mary Dampman (1825-1877) and that same year he began working as an undertaker in Warwick, PA (Chester County). Daniel also worked as a cabinet maker. Daniel and Mary Mauger had several children, including Ulysses Grant "U. Grant" Mauger (1868-1937).

U. Grant Mauger received a diploma from A. Renouard College of Embalming in New York City and joined his father's undertaking business in 1886, taking it over when Daniel died a few years later. Like his father, U. Grant was a woodworker and kept a shop at the rear of his home where he made wooden overboxes and coffins for his undertaking business. In 1916, U. Grant purchased a motorized hearse for the business; he purchased a second one in 1928. U. Grant Mauger married Emma R. Wamsher (1872-1961) in 1893. They had several children, including Mary D. (Mauger) Eyrich (1894-1969) and William Frank "W. Frank" Mauger (1898-1987).

Mary D. Mauger (1894-1969) married James Walter Eyrich (1895-1981) around 1916. Eyrich worked at her father's funeral home in the 1930s.

W. Frank Mauger (1898-1987) graduated from Eckels School of Mortuary Science in 1918 and received his license in 1920. Around 1919 W. Frank Mauger married Margaret Elizabeth Dunwoody (1899-1976). In 1921, W. Frank and his wife moved to Malvern, PA (Chester County), where W. Frank began working at G. Birdsall Passmore's funeral home, located at the corner of Warren Avenue and Roberts Lane. W. Frank bought out Passmore's share of the funeral home in 1931 and relocated the business to Monument Avenue.

W. Frank and Margaret Elizabeth Mauger's son, Grant Eugene "G. Eugene" Mauger was born in 1921, the second of three children. G. Eugene graduated from Eckels School of Mortuary Science in 1941 and received his license in 1943. He worked at the Mauger Funeral Home with his father.

Evan Dampman (1820-1916) was the older brother of Mary Dampman (1825-1877), who married Daniel B. Mauger (1815-1890). Evan Dampman and his wife Hannah Knauer (1823-1897) had a daughter, Cynthia Olive May Dampman (1854-1947). In 1903, Cynthia Dampman married Edward John Rock (1862-1941), a baker working in Pottstown, PA. Rock was born in England and immigrated to the United States in 1892 from British Columbia, Canada. After marrying, Edward and Cynthia Rock moved to Philadelphia. Sometime between 1935 and 1940, Edward and Cynthia Rock moved in with W. Frank Mauger and his family in Malvern, PA. Cynthia was the cousin of W. Frank's father, U. Grant Mauger.

Bibliography:

Rutz, Barbara J. "Mauger Funeral Home Records." The Local Historian (Fall 2013): 1-3.

Mauger family papers, 1841-1937, 1991, consist of materials from the Mauger family and their relations, including records from U. Grant Mauger's undertaking business, vital records, such as marriage and death certificates; a family bible; property records and legal papers, including mortgages, deeds, and wills; diaries; address books; receipt books; and a couple of letters. The Dampman and Rock families are also represented in the collection.

Materials from U. Grant Mauger's undertaking business in Warwick, Chester County, Pennsylvania include four ledgers, 1889-1935 (complete); a daybook, 1937; and a scrapbook, 1991. The ledgers contain the name of the deceased, last known address, burial location, financial cost, details of preparations made to the body for the funeral service (e.g. facial reconstruction), and notes. Some of the notes describe the cause of death or list other details about the deceased. There are also occasional notes in the ledgers regarding personal matters of Mauger. The scrapbook was compiled by Robert E. Houck and contains photocopies of writings by Mary Mauger Eyrich (U. Grant's daughter) about the people her father buried and newspaper clippings of obituaries pasted in by Houck, circa 1991.