Part III of the Isabella's building history

Hannah Gross 
NLJ Correspondent
With Leonard Cash 
 
Historian Leonard Cash started a discussion on the Newcastle Mortuary when he began his series on the history of the Isabella’s building. This week, he picks up where he left off and finishes the history of the mortuary. 
According to an ad from the May 3, 1934, paper, “complete adult funeral services” started at $95 and included embalming, casket, auto hearse, use of slumber room and chapel, as well as “all other professional care.”
The owners of the mortuary announced in the Sept. 1, 1936, paper that they “purchased complete equipment to take care for ambulance patients.” 
The furniture store was going to have some company in its side of the building because, according to the Nov. 25, 1936, paper, there were some remodels taking place and when completed, the Mountain States Power Co. would move in to the north side of the building, leaving Jackson and Roberts to “maintain the remainder of the building.” 
A few years later, Roberts retired as “one of Northeastern Wyoming’s most prominent and widely-known citizens,” according to the June 16, 1938, paper. He was involved with church, civic and county affairs, and “his retirement from an active business life came as a surprise to all of his friends.”
A Scotland native, Roberts was an ordained Methodist minister, arriving in Sturgis in 1900 (later moving to Sundance). After his physical health took a downturn, he left his ministerial life and became involved with undertaking and furniture. 
In 1922, President Harding appointed him as receiver of the U.S. Land Office for the local district, which is what brought Roberts to Newcastle. In 1926, he became involved with undertaking again, as well as machinery dealing, which is why he combined the mortuary and furniture store. 
His other notable accomplishments were his 12 years of service as the Sundance mayor and 15 years as a state Republican committeeman. He helped organize and served as president of the First State Bank. 
Roberts didn’t have any plans after retirement, but he was considering a trip to Scotland with his wife. 
Following his retirement, Jackson bought Roberts’ interest in the business, according to the Sept. 15, 1938, issue. 
“Having purchased the interest of Mr. Roberts in the Newcastle Mortuary and Furniture Co., I wish to announce that the mortuary and furniture business will be carried on as heretofore at the same place,” Jackson says in the paper. “I will be glad to welcome our old customers and new ones.” 
Around March 27, 1945, N.E. Mumper and his wife became the new owners and operators of the Jackson Mortuary (however, Jackson still ran the furniture store), according to records from the Newcastle Mortuary. Later, Don McColley bought them out, Cash said. 
The April 11, 1946, issue reported that Jackson sold the furniture business after 18 years to E.L. Rogers, who had recently discharged from the armed services. Rogers was a lieutenant, according to an article from Feb. 27, 1941. 
Rogers was supposed “to be inducted into regular army service” before Troop F, Newcastle, mobilized, and
he was transferred to Troop F in Douglas to join the Guard unit and, later, the machine gun troop. In January of 1931, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and was promoted to first lieutenant two years later. 
“Lieut. Rogers is considered one of the best officers of the national guard of the state, and a promotion to captain is expected in the near future,” the 1941 article says. 
The furniture store had “undergone a spring remodeling,” announced the March 20, 1947, issue. A lighter flooring was put in and would “make a greatly improved background for the merchandise.” The furniture was also rearranged in a more appealing fashion to make room for the new stock coming in.
According to the June 5, 1947, newspaper records, the Mumpers bought the Culver Funeral Home and started up the Mumper Funeral Home. Like the previous owners, the Mumpers would operate a 24-hour ambulance service. 
On March 20, 1952, the paper reported that Rogers received a promotion with the National Guard, which he had served for 28 years, from major to lieutenant colonel, and became the regimental executive officer for the Wyoming National Guard. 
After owning the store for 10 years, Rogers sold it to Boyer Furniture Co. of Torrington, according to the March 1, 1956, paper. Rogers later moved to Cheyenne because of his service in the National Guard. 
A year later, the area previously occupied by Black Hills Power and Light Co. (which relocated to its present-day location) was being remodeled to expand the furniture store, according to the Jan. 31, 1957, paper. Manager Don Boyer said the expansion would double the store’s floor space.
On March 1 through 9, the company was having a storewide sale to celebrate the first anniversary of the Boyers operating the store, reported an article from Feb. 28, 1957. Don was “enlarging and redecorating” the store to increase floor space.
The previous owner of the Newcastle Mortuary, M.C. Roberts, also had a business in Sundance that was succeeded by his son C.D. Roberts. Newspaper records from Sept. 8, 1966, announced that C.D. was selling the hardware and furniture store in Sundance to Rex Dillion. 
However, this transaction didn’t include the mortuary or construction company, the article says. Roberts also directed the First State Bank of Newcastle and was the brother of Mrs. Lucille Culver. 
An article from Feb. 2, 1967, was the bearer of bad news when it reported that former Newcastle resident Elmer Rogers was suffering from a coronary. He was “recuperating” in the De Paul Hospital in Cheyenne. 
On Sept. 7, 1967, Don Boyer announced in the local paper that he accepted the director position of Military Support of Civil Defense in Cheyenne, effective Sept. 18. He was a major in the National Guard and was appointed by Adj. Gen. B.G. John Carson. Boyer would be commuting between Newcastle and Cheyenne until business here “can be completed.”
In a letter he wrote to the community (published in the Sept. 28, 1967, News Letter Journal), Boyer thanked everyone for the support they had for 12 years, but since they were moving to Cheyenne, they were closing the Newcastle Furniture Co., which had been in operation for 35 years. Everything had to be sold, so all inventory was marked down to the wholesale price.
“It is our way of saying thank you for 12 years of your patronage,” the paper says. 
And that concludes the history of the mortuary and the furniture store in the Isabella’s location. Next week, Cash pulls out his records on George Butler’s studio that occupied the building next.