
07/04/2025
Happy Independence Day from Memorial Planning! As we celebrate the founding of our nation, we’d like to recognize the rich history of one the locations in our network, Kirk & Nice Funeral Home and its role in the Revolutionary War.
More than 100 years before it became the Kirk & Nice we know today, Jacob Knorr founded the business as a “joiner” (carpentry) shop in 1761. Jacob was a prominent architect and builder in Philadelphia’s Germantown – and on occasion, he would make custom coffins for locals.
Though business prospered, in 1777, the Battle of Germantown brought the Revolutionary War to Philadelphia’s front door and left hundreds of casualties. After the battle, Jacob rose to the occasion to provide coffins and bury fallen troops in an act that would designate him as the local undertaker.
Today, 58 Continental Army men – America’s first soldiers – are at rest in the historic Upper Burial Ground of Philadelphia. The old joiner shop continued to operate with Knorr carving his way to the future of community service and deathcare.
To learn more about the history of Kirk & Nice, you can watch the documentary for free on YouTube: https://bit.ly/3GqScFO