W. H. Halton

Member of Charter Committee for the City of Denison, 1907

Today it is hard to imagine a business establishment combining a funeral parlor with the sale of musical goods and artistic pictures. But in the decades around 1900, burial practices differed greatly from those we are familiar with today. William Henry "Will" Halton (1864 - 1942) flexibly made his living dealing with death and the arts.

Will H. Halton probably was born in 1865, in Chicago, Illinois.  His parents were both English natives;his father immigrated from England in 1852.  He attended the schools of Chicago and graduated from the Chicago School of Engineering, which occupation he followed for some time before coming to Grayson Co., Texas

At the time of the Chicago Fire of 1871, Will was living in Chicago; he was compelled three different times to move his belongings, trying to get out of the path of the fire.  (The Denison Press, Thursday, October 9, 1942)  By 1892 Charles had migrated south to Howell Co., MIssouri; there he married Dora E. Jennings (1868 Missouri - 1896 Denison, Texas) in April 1892.  He started in the undertaking business in Denison in June 1894.  (The Denison Press, October 28, 1932)  By 1895 Will had graduated from the U.S. School of Undertakers and Embalmers, a school that was only in operation for approximately five years, 1894 - February 1900.  (The Sunday Gazetteer, Sunday, August 25, 1895)  At this time he was the "city undertaker" for Denison, whose office was located at 501 East Main.  In March 1896, Will suffered the loss of his wife, Dora, who was buried at Fairview Cemetery; she left two small children.  In December of the same year, Dora's father died; he was also buried in Fairview Cemetery at Denison and shares a tombstone with his daughter.

In 1898, Will married Mary Etta Creager (1869-1948). She had been married previously to George Thomas Harris (1860 - 1896) and had four children: Lillian Lewis Harris (1889 - 1978), Lloyd Debow Harris (1891 - 1972), Nathaniel Creager Harris (1894 - 1945), and George Thomas Harris (1896 - 1959).

The Haltons moved to Denison, Texas, around the time of their marriage, living in a large house at 630 West Chestnut Street. In 1900, in addition to Will, Mary, and the four children, the house held four roomers.   The 1900 census and 1901 Denison City DIrectory lists Will Halton as music store merchant, featuring pianos, organs and musical merchandise while continuing his undertaking business in expanded business space of 508 - 510 West Main St.

Residence of W. H. Halton
630 West Chestnut Street."
Robinson, Frank M., comp. Industrial Denison. [N.p.]: Means-Moore Co., [ca. 1909]. Page 48

The marriage was short-lived. Mary was still there in 1903 when the City Directory listed Will as "funeral director, pictures, picture frames" at 508-510 West Main. The 1910 census listed Mary Etta as living in Ward 3 of Denison and with marital status of "divorced" as well as Nell Jewett Goff Halton (1878 - 1939) as Will's wife, living at 531 West Chestnut St.  Mary later remarried to Henry Peter Wilson, and Halton was not one of the surnames placed on her gravestone at Denison's Fairview Cemetery.

Photo Postcard

W.H. Halton
Coffins, Caskets & Mouldings
ca1908
508 - 510 W. Main Street
Denison, Texas

NOTE : "Mouldings" indicates that the business also sold picture frames and framed pictures along with their coffin & casket business.

In 1904 Will Halton was requested by W.J. Moon of of Caddo, Indian Territory to provide the embalming for his deceased wife, Mollie, as well as advising Moon on the construction of the mausoleum.  Mr. Moon wrote to The Cincinnati Enquirer to request a retraction of their initial reporting of the circumstances surrounding his wife's death and burial.  They published Mr. Moon's letter along with an accompanying letter from Denison funeral director and embalmer, W.H. Halton.

Moon Mausoleum
Gesthsemane Cemetery
Caddo, Oklahoma
Source: Maurer, Mary.  "The Mystery of the Moon Mausoleum."  The Durant Daily Democrat, February 17, 2017

In 1905, Will had a partner in Halton & Company, Miss Maud McGee. The business at 510 West Main was listed as "undertaker and embalmer." That year Will was living at 520 West Woodard Street. Maud wasn't listed in 1907, when Will was rooming at 117 North Mirick Avenue. In 1909, Will was living at 531 West Chestnut Street, and a student named Leslie Halton was living with him.

Will's new wife, Nell Goff, was the widow of James H. Alford (1861 - 1908) and had a daughter, Nellie Goff Alford (1901 - 1944), later the wife of Jules Joseph Constantine (1897- 1953). In 1910, the daughter, Nellie, was eight years old. Will's newly widowed mother-in-law, Emma L. Goodman Goff (1853 - 1946), was living with them, too. That year the census listed Will as a retail merchant selling "pianos and coffins."  Will owned a music store at 324 West Main Street, where he sold pianos, organs, and musical merchandise.

"Music Store of W.H. Halton & Co."
324 West Main Street
"Robinson, Frank M., comp. Industrial Denison. [N.p.]: Means-Moore Co.,  [ca. 1909]. Page 48

For the next few years, he remained an "undertaker and embalmer" at 508 - 510 West Main, while continuing to live at 531 West Chestnut.

Nellie Goff Alford Constantine & Miss Fay Collins
ca. 1912
In front of W. H. Halton & Company, Undertakers
508–510 West Main Street
Standing in the door way: Jerry Hickey, Mrs. W.H. Halton, Mrs. Clark Cates
Nellie (Mrs. Jules Constantine) is participating in a campaign for an Exposition in San Francisco; bike reads "50,000 - 1915"

Halton told his story of the Chicago Fire on more than one of its anniversaries.

In 1912 he was elected state president of the F.O.E.  The Fraternal Order of Eagles was an international fraternal founded in 1898 in Seattle, Washington by  a group of six theater owners; originally the organziation was composed of those engaged in the performing arts in some way.  State and regional leaders are appointed annually by the Grand Worthy President and the Grand Madam President.

By 1917, Will had taken a partner, John Lipps Swank (1873 - 1950), forming "Halton & Swank, Undertakers and Embalmers," remaining at 508–510 West Main.  In 1920 Will Halton, age 55 years, sold his share of the undertaking business to Mr. Swank. 

In 1921, the Denison City Directory advertised "John L. Swank, Funeral Director" at 510 West Main, while the W. H. Halton Music Company was at 406 West Main. Will's partner in the music business was Walter S. Nelson. By 1925, Will had no partner, and Halton's Music Company had moved across the street to 411 West Main, where it remained through 1930. Will's wife Nell worked in the store.

During the 1920s, Will and Nell changed residences several times. Leaving 911 West Morton, they were at 414 West Gandy in 1925, then at 127 West Main in 1927, and at 1025 West Walker by 1929.

The 1930 Census found the Haltons working in their music store, but John Swank was listed as a salesman in Dallas. In October 1931 The Denison Press published a notice that W.H. Halton was opening a "new" Halton Funeral Home at 231 W. Gandy St.  At the same time Will sold his music business to a Mrs. Lindsey.  Then, in 1934, the Denison City Directory placed "Halton & Swank Funeral Home" at 229 West Gandy. Will and Nell Halton were living on the premises.  While the partnership lasted for a few years, John Swank was living in Dallas and working as a traveling salesman selling "wholesale products." Apparently the Haltons were running the funeral home in Denison.

Nell Halton passed away in 1939. 

The 1940 Census found Will living back in his old neighborhood, at 631 West Chestnut Street. He listed no occupation. He passed away in Tyler, Smith County, Texas, on November 27, 1942.  He was buried beside "Nellie" (as her gravestone read) in Fairview Cemetery in Denison.

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