Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home Historical Timeline
1866
Young Confederate soldiers were returning home from the Civil War to Camp Henderson in Johnson County, Texas. Their leader
General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne had been killed in battle at Franklin, Tennessee.
It is recorded by a local historian that in 1866, the first "Undertaking Parlor" was established in Camp Henderson by Vincent Gray (1832-1897). Gray founded a small hardware and undertaking company, and also served as postmaster until the town of Cleburne was offically organized. It was a plank storefront building. He was appointed one of the trustees on the school board in 1883.
In 1868, he relocated the business to 114 East Chambers, at the corner of Chambers and Anglin streets. It was the first block east from the courthouse square. The original building still exists today as part of Cleburne's historical district downtown area.
Gray had many challenges and interesting facts in taking care of the dead during these early times. Being also in the hardware business, he actually made the caskets. The lumber used in making these caskets of that time was cut by one-horse mills from the timbers of Texas. Bodies were often caried to their final resting places in ox carts, and many oxen-drawn vehicles were seen in early Johnson County funeral processions.
1867
Camp Henderson was selected to be the county seat of Johnson County. These men who fought in the war between the states
insisted the town be named in memory of their fallen leader even though he never touched Texas soil.
1871
Cleburne became incorporated as a city on May 3, 1871.
Another important part of Cleburne's history is the Chisholm Trail. The trail wound through Johnson County and across what is now the western edge of Cleburne during the early 1870's.
1880
By 1880, the population of Cleburne tripled.
1881
One of the most important events for Cleburne happened in December of 1881. At that time a railroad spur was completed from
Cleburne to Fort Worth. In 1897, the Santa Fe Railroad built its shops in Cleburne and resulted in employment for five
hundred residents. The railroad has long been considered the industry that built Cleburne, Texas.
1897
August 2, Cleburne's first undertaker, Vincent Gray dies at age 64. He was buried in Cleburne Memorial Cemetery.
1884 
Tobe N. Blackwell (1858-1909) started as a clerk at Gray & Blair Furniture, Hardware & Undertaking.
He eventually bought an interest in the business, and later was sole owner.
He later sold an interest to the undertaking manager, R.H. Deering in 1894.
The funeral home was listed in the city directory as “Deering and Blackwell, Undertakers" at 114 E. Chambers Street in 1899.
1903
In March, Texas passed a bill creating the State Board of Embalming. This licensing system marked the next step in the professional status of the funral profession. Mr. R.H. Deering held Texas Embalmer license no 32.
1905
The business was sold to Gray's son-in-law R.H. Deering, who was serving as manager of the growing undertaking parlor. At this time it was renamed R.H. Deering, Undertakers.
R.H. Deering (1866-1939) was born in Meridan, Mississippi, and came to Texas as a young man. He arrived in Cleburne in 1886. He was first a civil engineer, then mechanic, fireman, and finally an undertaker. He bought an interest in the business in 1894. He married Effie Gray (1874-1956) who was the daughter of Vincent Gray, the first undertaker.
1917-1919
Flu epidemic kept the undertakers busy.
1922
Deering's son, J. Vincent Deering(1902-1993) joined the business and it became known as R.H. Deering and Son.
1938
The Deerings purchased the old Crank Boarding House property, tore it down, and built an appropriate "Funeral Parlor" where
the current structure stands in 2004. There was a long chapel on the left side back of the building that could seat around
100 people in folding chairs that were set up in it and adjoining rooms, with a small family room on the left side of the
chapel. (When Higginbothams took over the business in 2005, these old wood folding chairs were still in the adjoining
closet.)
1939
October 16, R. H. Deering dies at age 74. He is
buried in Cleburne Memorial Cemetery. The Cleburne Memorial cemetery was the
third cemetery in Cleburne and was developed due to the first cemetery being
full and second having solid limestone formations under the surface.
In December, F. Byron Crosier of Godley and J. Hunter Pearson of Burleson became partners, purchasing the firm from the Deering family, and renaming it Crosier-Pearson Funeral Home. Crosier was the businessman, and Pearson was the up front man. Crosier's family had settled in Godley in the early 1900s and his father estabished a hardware store there.
Both had worked in their family's perspective hardware stores which had undertaking departments. They helped each other out when things got busy so they had gotten to know each other, and decided to go in together to buy out the Deering family after Mr. Deering died.
 Member of Godley Masonic Lodge #822; Past Master of Godley Masonic Lodge; Dual member of Cleburne Masonic Lodge #822; Member of all the York Rite Bodies of Cleburne; Member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Dallas; Consistory 33rd Degree Mason Member of Moslah Shrine Temple of Fort Worth; Member and Past President, Cleburne Lions Club. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Cleburne. |
 Director of the First National Bank; Member of Johnson County Hospital Board 1944-1972; Past President of Cleburne Independent School District Board; Past President of Rotary Club of Cleburne; Served on National Selected Morticians Board; Member of First Baptist Church, Cleburne. Elected Cleburne's Outstanding Citizen in 1987. |
1957
With the business growing, Mr. Crosier and Mr. Pearson built a formal funeral chapel on the south side of the building
offering a drastic change to the funeral industry in Cleburne. Up to that time most funerals were in churches, homes or at
graveside. It seats 275 people.
Jimmy Wray joined the firm as a high school part time helper, washing cars and assisting with funerals. He began making ambulance calls, and developed an interest in funeral service. He went to Dallas Institute of Mortuary Service, graduating in 1962. He returned to Croser- Pearson, and remained there 28 years before joining the staff of Martin's Funeral Home.
Chapel being added next to original building.
1966
A Milestone! 100 years in business in Johnson County, Texas.
1975
Johnson County resident, R. B. "Bob" Mayfield and J. Hunter Pearson bought the Crosier interest in the firm.
R.B. (Bob) Mayfield
Past member of Cleburne City Council; Past President and Director, Rotary Club of Cleburne; Past member of Board of
Directors, Cleburne Chamber of Commerce; Past Chairman of Board of Deacons, First Baptist Church, Cleburne; Trustee, First
Baptist Church, Cleburne, Trustee, University of Mary Hardin Baylor.
1986
Mayfield family buys out Mr. Pearson’s interest in the firm, making the Mayfields sole owners. Jimmy Wray left to join the
Martin's staff.
1987
The funeral home name is formally changed to Crosier-Pearson-Mayfield Funeral Home. More renovations to the front of the
building by adding additional offices, foyer and porch area.
1989
May 8, F. Byron Crosier dies at age 87 in Vernon, Texas. Buried in Rose Hill Cemetery, Cleburne.
1993
November 15, J. Vincent Gray dies at age 91. He was buried in Cleburne Memorial Cemetery.
1996
February 15, J. Hunter Pearson dies at age 87. Buried in Rose Hill Cemetery.
1999
Actual calculations show Crosier-Pearson-Mayfield to have served more than 18,000 families from time of establishment to present.
2001
Another Milestone! 135 years in business. The firm is recognized as the oldest continuously operating business in Johnson County, Texas.
2004
September 28, 2004 - Crosier-Pearson merged with Cleburne Funeral Home with longtime Cleburne resident Jimmy Wray and his wife Carol as funeral directors in charge.
2006
The Crosier-Pearson Cleburne Funeral Home at 512 N. Ridgeway has been enlarged and remodeled to provide more comfortable and spacious facilities for visitation and funeral services. The parking lot has been enlarged as well.
All business and services from our Main Street location have been moved to 512 N. Ridgeway.
All information from past funerals at our Main Street location as well as all pre-need policies and records have been taken to our beautiful new location.
