[Granville-Hough] 28 May 2009 - Coffin Maker

[Trustees for Granville W. Hough]

Date: Thu, 28 May 2009 07:24:52 -0700
From: Granville W Hough <gwhough at oakapple.net>
Subject: CoffinMaker - 28 May 2009


JOHN BEN SULLIVAN, THE COFFIN MAKER.

John Ben Sullivan was a carpenter of SullivanÆs Hollow who became 
acquainted with every family in the region. He was the coffin maker 
before the times of railroads, undertakers and orchestrated funerals. He 
made coffins on order for any family who wanted one for a terminally ill 
family member or who just wanted one as standby. If you thought you were 
going to need a coffin, you went into the woods and cut the longleaf 
pine trees and hauled them to one of the water-powered sawmills where 
they were slowly cut into boards. Then you took the boards to John Ben 
Sullivan who hand-planed them so they would look nice for the funeral. 
He built the coffin to carry the heaviest body. Burying relatives with 
dignity and respect was very important to all Sullivans, and a coffin 
maker was highly regarded. When his cousin, Victor Sullivan, was killed 
in Sep, 1899, the father, Josey Sullivan, had to use a coffin built for 
someone else. He cut the trees on his own land, get the trees sawed into 
boards (probably by his brothers Orlando Jack and Jeff); then took them 
to John Ben, who made the replacement coffin.
(GWH: I have wondered what the pioneers did in lieu of coffins before 
there were any sawmills. If I ever ran across descriptions of pioneer 
coffins in my genealogical studies, I do not recall them. Perhaps my 
friend, Harold Hopkins, can shed some light on that subject.)
Like all the neighbors and relatives, John Ben Sullivan was much hurt by 
the killing of his cousin, Victor in 1899. His next son was born a month 
later, and he named that son Victor Sullivan so there would be someone 
to carry on that name. (In year 2005, a descendant of John Ben named 
Victor Sullivan called Maxine (Richardson) Watts to ask about the origin 
of the name, which had been continued through the generations. She was 
glad to explain the story of her uncle Victor.)
The story of John Ben Sullivan, the Coffin Maker, illustrates the simple 
fact that primitive communities would develop skills for survival. 
Someone would take on the most dreaded tasks for the benefit of the 
community. There is no work which is beneath the dignity of those who 
respect and love their people. What has to be done will be done.
(GWH: Those of you who are following these stories may refer back to 2 
Jan to the words spoken at the funeral of Reverend James Lenox Sullivan, 
a Baptist pastor who endeavored to bring the Southern Baptist Convention 
into modern times. Reverend James Lenox Sullivan was grandson of 
Coffin-maker John Ben Sullivan.)