Finding Funeral Homes in Lynchburg TN

Lynchburg TN is a small picturesque town in south central Tennessee and is known as the headquarters of the Jack Daniels Distillery.  Though it is a small town, there are funeral homes in Lynchburg TN.

There Are Two Funeral Homes in Lynchburg TN

The two funeral homes in Lynchburg TN include the Lynchburg Funeral Home and the Jennings-Moore-Cortner Funeral home.  Both of these businesses have been in the community for many years.  There are also other funeral homes in the area including in Tullahoma, Winchester, and Decherd.

The History of Funeral Homes in Lynchburg TN

The inception of funeral homes in the United States dates back to the 19th century, evolving from family-managed death care to professional services due to societal changes and the impact of the Civil War. Originally, families were responsible for all aspects of death care, but the war necessitated the use of embalming techniques for the long-distance transport of soldiers' bodies, catalyzing the professionalization of funeral services. 

Early funeral parlors emerged, often operated by furniture makers who extended their craftsmanship to coffins and funeral services. This shift marked the gradual move from home-based funerals to the establishment of the modern funeral home industry, characterized by comprehensive death care services including body preparation, funeral coordination, and burial arrangements, reflecting a significant transformation in societal attitudes towards death and mourning.

These details also are aligned with the Lynchburg TN funeral home.

Lynchburg TN Funeral Homes - more details

Jennings-Moore-Cortner Funeral Home

The Jennings-Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Lynchburg TN is located just off of the Lynchburg town square. This is one of the two Lynchburg TN funeral homes and has a long history.

Jeff Carter Moore, Sr., born on May 25, 1883, in Moore County, Tennessee, was a pharmacist by training and became a funeral director who founded the Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in Lynchburg TN. He launched the J.C. Moore and Sons Funeral Home around 1905. Jeff led the business for about 60 years until retiring in 1959. His son, Watson Moore, took over, running it as Moore Funeral Home until his death in 1965, after which it briefly passed to his wife before being sold to Robert Cortner in 1966, thus renaming it to Moore-Cortner Funeral Home. This Lynchburg TN funeral home, has consistently remained in family hands or closely associated individuals.

Lynchburg Funeral Home

The Lynchburg Funeral Home in Lynchburg TN is located also just outside of the Lynchburg TN Square.  This Lynchburg TN funeral home is much newer but also has a very historical past.  

The Lynchburg TN Funeral Home resides in a historical building called Treelawn.  Treelawn, originally a white Colonial home surrounded by maple trees on Mulberry Creek farm holds a rich history that predates its current function. Built around 1800 by John H. (Uncle Jack) Taylor, it stands as one of the oldest homesteads in Lynchburg TN.  The property, deeply embedded in local history, was acquired by Lem Motlow (of Jack Daniels Distillery) and his wife Clara Reagor, who moved into the nine-room house. After Clara's death in 1901, Lem remarried, and the farm eventually was deeded to their son, Reagor Motlow, who, after serving in the U.S. Army and graduating from Vanderbilt University, married Jeanie Garth in 1928. The couple became well-regarded for their hospitality at Treelawn, engaging in various business, social, civic, political, and church activities, and Reagor's political career culminated in representing the 16th Senatorial District until 1970.

In May 1990, the transformation of Treelawn from a historic home to a Lynchburg TN funeral home began when Jeff Gamble purchased the property, recognizing its beauty and serene location as ideal for serving the community in a new capacity. Careful renovations preserved the integrity of the original structure while adding necessary facilities, including a formal chapel, smaller parlors, and a full-service embalming room, ensuring that Moore County's only full-service funeral home respected its historical roots. Additionally, the property houses unique artifacts, such as a horse-drawn hearse used from 1905 to 1965 and an all-bronze casket over 100 years old, bridging the past and present in this venerable establishment.

The transformation was completed shortly after 1990 into one of the two Funeral Homes in Lynchburg TN.