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History

History

Crawford Funeral Home has been serving Bark River and Escanaba area families for years. We are honored to be a part of the rich history of this community and plan to be a part of it for many years to come.

When We Began

The Crawford family has been involved in the funeral business since 1863 when Daniel John Crawford came to the United States from Glasgow, Scotland, and settled in Hancock. Daniel was interested in working in the Copper Country mines; however, he took up the normal trade of cabinet making and got involved in casket making and local funerals.

In 1886, John Daniel Crawford (Daniel’s son) joined his father in the business. Together, they set up D. Crawford and Sons in Hancock.

Daniel was an ambitious man, a stock man with investments in oil and the mines. In 1898, he decided to move from the U.P. down to Detroit where he could better pursue these interests. Following Daniel’s departure from the funeral home business, John kept the business going. In fact, in 1903, he became the first licensed embalmer, funeral director, and picture framer in the Copper Country.

Once John got more involved with the business, his oldest son Donald John Crawford began to work with him. John purchased the first motorized funeral coach in the Upper Peninsula back in 1916. In 1926, Ramson Crawford (Donald John Crawford’s brother) joined in the business and shortly thereafter, John set up J.D. Crawford and sons Funeral Home in Hancock.

Following the death of John Daniel Crawford in 1941, Ransom entered the Army in 1942 so the funeral home was forced to close. Following Ransoms’ return in 1944, he and Emmett O’Neil opened up a new funeral home “Memorial Chapel” which still exists in Hancock today.

Crawford Funeral Homes - Escanaba
Phone: (906) 786-0074
302 South 13th Street, Escanaba, MI 49829

Crawford Funeral Homes - Bark River
Phone: (906) 466-2211
1236 Old U.S. 2 & 41, Bark River, MI 49807

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Crafted with care by Frazer Consultants and TA

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