"The B.B. Carmichael Funeral Home"
McDonough, Georgia
The B.B. Carmichael & Company was begun by Benjamin Brown Carmichael who was born in 1848 and died in 1922. He was the son of James M. Carmichael who settled in Henry County from Butts County. He is shown on the census records for 1850 as living in Henry County. B.B. Carmichael was living on the farm but moved to McDonough in 1882 as the railroad was built through the area.
The B.B. Carmichael's newspaper advertisements tell of his business located on the Square in McDonough on what was known as Old Brown's Corner. Here are some examples: From the Henry County Times of the 1880's McDonough, Ga., September 8, 1884--With my customers, I can testify that "Eddystone" compares favorably with and leads many fertilizers sold in this market.
McDonough , Ga, July 27, 1888--All kinds of tombstones and monuments.
McDonough, Ga, December 2, 1888--Furniture--I keep constantly on hand an elegant line of furniture.
The undertaking department is full of all classes of coffins from the cheapest to the best.
Remember that I keep a nice "Hearse" which I send with a coffin when required, without charge, when the price exceeds twenty dollars.
Mr. Carmichael had the first hearse in Henry County and he furnished two later on.
One was for the white people and the other was for the African Americans. Mr. Johnson was in charge of the African American service.
In improvements on Square "B" (See Map) and Brown's Corner on August 27, 1897, B.B. Carmichael and sons were placing their goods in there new building on the corner of the public square. This lot, old Brown's Corner was the a stand belonging to Asa Brown the owner of the Brown House.
At the 100th anniversay of Henry County celebration Carmichael & Son Company said make the Carmichael Headquarters your headquarters. He offered his public rest room facilites on the second floor. The celebration was in 1921.
After the big train wreck of June 23, 1900 many of the victims were brought to this site for preparation by Mr. Carmichael. Some of the others were sent to Bunn's on the NE side of the Square. (Where the Movie Theater was built later.) As the victim's were prepared many were placed around the square to wait for their families to have them picked up.
Mr. Carmichael's sons had grown up in his business ventures and they followed their father in the different lines of his business. His son Harris continued in the lumber business and farming and started as his last business a hosiery mill. His son James was the one to continue the mercantile company. When he stopped this business he began making furniture. D. T. Carmichael took over the undertaking part of the business. He moved the funeral part to the Dr. Lewis Tye House in 1940 after he acquired the home from Dr. Tye's descendants. The B.B. Carmichael and D.T. Carmichael Funeral Directors began serving the community in 1888 and is still in operation today south of Stockbridge as the Cannon-Cleveland Funeral Home which is family to the Rainer-Carmichael Funeral Directors.
References:
1. History of McDonough, 1908, Scip Speer.
2. History of Henry County, 1921, Mrs. Nolan.
3. Mother of Counties, 1971, Mrs. Rainer.
4. Henry Co. Sesquicentennial 1971.
The above map shows McDonough after 1823 and before 1898. The parcel "B" is the location of the B.B. Carmichael Furniture and Undertakers Parlor. His establishment was on the southwest corner of the square in McDonough. The company was at this location from 1888 to around 1940 when D.T. Carmichael , one of B.B. Carmichael's sons, moved the funeral home to the Dr. Lewis Tye House on Hampton Street.
I know that the 'Dunn's funeral Parlor has been torn down quite some time ago. Now the area is the McDonough Square Court House Parking Lot. However, the site of B.B. CarMicheal's store is now a family Restaurant at the McDonough Square Ga. The AKA 'Paranormal Photo' on the front of my site is the 'French Doors shot looking out of the Restaurant as you see it today. Across the street is a parking lot, however; what I took 'one of three pics' one is listed, all three show activity in the photos.
The above photograph is taken from the area of the Old Masonic Lodge looking east. The two story building on the righthand side of the foreground is that of B.B. Carmichael & Sons. This is the location where Mr.
Carmichael conducted his merchatile, furniture, and funeral business. The area today is now mostly a parking lot for the City of McDonough. The above photo is taken circa 1897. This is the building where in 1900 after the Camp Creek train wreck Mr. Carmichael prepared a large portion of the victims and after preparing the victims most were place around the square according to eyewitness accounts of people like Mr. George C. Alexander who remember the incident well.
I couldn't find where or who post this wonderful article on the web! I do know that the above photos are from the 'Brown House in the McDonough Square GA.' That's where all of the the Henry, Clayton and other counties information are kept.
Melissa
If anyone knows who first posted this wonderful information on the 'Google site' Please send me a commit on my site, so I can place their information and give them all credit for this history of the family of Carmicheal's.
I needed to do my research of the Henry County Area and posted this to show the true historical history of the town square.
thank you so much!
