C. S. Bartlett - Furniture and Undertaking

The following biography was found while visiting the Hammond House in 2013.  The pictures were also scanned during the visit.

C. S. BARTLETT FUNERAL HOME - Charles S. Bartlett was born in a log cabin on January 26, 1875 in Shiloh, Ohio.  His family moved near Clinton, Michigan before settling in Hillsdale County.  He married Gertrude Older, a school teacher, on August 14, 1901 and they made their first home in Hillsdale.  While living there, they had three children, Charles born in 1902 and twins, Lee and Lynn, in 1907.  Mr. Bartlett had been working for C.E. Singer and Son in the furniture and undertaking business for several years.  The opportunity to be in business for himself prompted him to move to Union City in August of 1909.

The family first lived on Ellen Street across from the furniture store they owned.  At that time, funerals were either held at the deceased's home or in a church.  In 1928, the family moved to a two story house on the comer of Charlotte and Ellen Streets which was formerly owned by C..M. Hall.  During the depression of the 1930's, the furniture store was closed and the residence was remodeled into a funeral home with funerals held in the parlor.  The Bartlett's were active members of the Methodist Church and a few of the "old timers" remember that a knock on their door would give them the key to get into the church.  The home was surrounded by beautiful flower gardens and these were always available when flowers were needed for the Mother & Daughter Banquets or other church functions.

Gertrude died in 1960 at the age of 84.  Charles carried on the business until 1961.  When at the age of 86, he conducted his last burial, thus ending 52 years as a mortician in Union City.  He passed away at the age of 91 in 1966.  Charles and Gertrude are both buried in Riverside Cemetery.

The C. S. Bartlett Furniture & Undertaking on Ellen Street, the building 

later was the the Amstutz Hatchery behind the bank on Ellen Street.

C. S. Bartletts horse drawn hearse.

The Bartlett home across from the C. S. Bartlett Furniture & Undertaking business on Ellen Street.

Gertrude and Charles Bartlett in front 

of their home on Ellen Street.

C. S. Bartlett Funeral Home and residence at the southeast corner of Charlotte and Ann Streets.

C. S. Bartlett Funeral Home Hearse

Union City Hatchery - 1950's

To access a mailer for the "Union City Hatchery", click on Union City Hatchery. The link will take you to a pdf copy of the mailer.

Question - Looking for some information!  Was the Union City Hatchery in this ad, and the Amstutz Hatcheries, owned by Al  & Ruby Scherry (closed in 1972) located at 105 Ellen Street (across the alley behind the back) the same hatchery?

Ellen Street looking west from Ann Street - 1916

Copy of a postcard sent to me by Bill Gough a grandson of Ethel Corbin.  Top of the old schoolhouse seen in the background.

Note sent with the picture - A postcard postmarked Apr. 11, 1916 from my grandfather John Corbin to Ethel visiting her father (Cassius Reed) in Durand, MI.  Caption - "Ellen St. looking west from Ann, Union City, Michigan." 

Keeton Realty - revised on May 13, 2011

The picture on this postcard would probably been taken in the mid 1970's based on the automobiles in the picture (anyone have an idea of the time frame for the picture?). The buildings that I identify are Keeton Realty (was Trudgeon's Drug Store when I lived in Union City), the local General Telephone central office, and the Methodist Church.

Note - Regarding the building in the picture ...(from the publication titled "Historical Industrial and Social Record of Peerless Union City Michigan" edited, compiled, and published by Tom F. Robinson in March 1903) identifes the corner building as the "Farmers' Bank Block".

Note - Got a comment from a blog viewer suggesting the date of the picture would have been in the 1970's rather than the 1960's based on two of the auto's in the picture.

Ellen and Broadway - Revised 20 May 2011

The postcard is not postmarked, but estimate the picture was taken between 1910 and 1915. The picture was taken on Broadway looking west on Ellen Street. The Union City Natinal Bank is pictured on the corner of Broadway and Ellen Street.

In the background of the picture above are several buildings. Two of them were were cropped from this picture and are shown below. (As with all the pictures in the "Old Union City Postcards" blog, click on them to enlarge!)

The sign above the three story building reads:  Wm Lyon Furniture and Undertaking  The building later housed the Amstutz Hatchery that was run by Alvin & Ruby Scherry until it closed in 1972.

The church in the picture is that of the Grace Episcopal Church. (The picture on the left is a cropped picture from the top picture and the one on the right is from the publication noted below.)

Note - Regarding the "Grace Episcopal Church" ...(from the publication titled "Historical Industrial and Social Record of Peerless Union City Michigan" edited, compiled, and published by Tom F. Robinson in March 1903), EARLY HISTORY OF UNION CITY, reads: ....The religious society was organized Dec. 23, 1864, at the home of Dr. H. F. Ewers, eighteen persons becoming members. In 1865 the present frame structure on Ellen Stree was finished and formally dedicated. The first rector was Rev. George Verner, who came here from Detroit and remained two years. Other rectors have been Rev. S. W. Frisbie and Rev. Charles Hughson. Since late in the eighties no regular services have been held in the church, although the desk is occasionally occupied by Bishop Gillispie, of Grand Rapids.