About Us
During the early history of Barren County and surrounding area, the immediate family of the deceased handled deaths almost entirely. Later in the 1800’s came the arrival of the “undertaker” in various locations of the state. The position of being the local undertaker seemed to naturally fall as a sideline upon those who were talented in being furniture makers due to their talents and also the availability of wood products and tools to handle making coffins. The undertaker usually was located in the main part of the town or community. Such was the case in Glasgow.
Hatcher & Saddler, Inc. has been continually serving this community since the late 1800’s, with written funeral records dating back to 1899. The history traces back to Elbert Fielding Jewell, who was an undertaker in the firm of R.S. Palmore & Co.—Furniture Dealers and Undertakers. Mr. Jewell later opened his own business and operated as E.F. Jewell & Company—Undertakers and Furniture Dealers. Mr. Jewell was then joined by his brother-in-law, W.D. Jordan. They continued in business until 1904, when Mr. Jewell sold his interest to Mr. Jordan, who opened as W.D. Jordan & Co., Inc.—Funeral Directors and Embalmers and Furniture. The names of the businesses seemed to reflect a changing trend in the importance of the undertaker. The undertaking business was not being viewed as a sideline to the furniture business. The firm was located on the east side of the public square in Glasgow.
At some point in the early 1900’s, Mr. Jordan was joined in the business by Frank P. Williams.
In 1918, the first motorized hearse was brought to Barren County.
They continued to operate under the name of W.D. Jordan & Co. until the late 1920’s, at which point the business was sold to Mr. Williams. The name was changed to F.P. Williams & Co., Inc.—Funeral Directors and Embalmers and Furniture.
Sometime, after the arrival of the motorized hearse, the undertaker took on a new task of operating an ambulance service, probably because the new hearse would accommodate a person in the reclined position. This service continued until 1975 when the Barren-Metcalfe County Ambulance Service was started.
In 1929, Mr. Jess Hatcher came to work with Mr. Williams. Mr. Hatcher moved to Glasgow from Hiseville, where he had operated his own undertaking business after having purchased it in 1919 from Jack and Florence Mayfield, undertakers in the Hiseville Community.
In 1943, Mr. Jess Hatcher purchased the undertaking aspect of the business and opened the Hatcher Funeral Home in a renovated house on East Main Street in Glasgow. This was the first time that the business had been strictly dedicated to the funeral industry. Mr. Hatcher was joined in the business by his son, J.C. Hatcher and later by his son-in-law, Harry G. Saddler. In 1949, they moved to their present location at 801 North Race Street. The name was changed to Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home in 1955 and was incorporated in 1978.
J.C. Hatcher and Harry Saddler were joined by R. Terry Houchen in 1975 and Tommy G. High in 1981. Don T. Houchen joined the firm after the death of Mr. Saddler in 1995. Associates of the funeral home are Lessa Houchen, Cliff Oliver II, J D Walden, Ernie Myers, Doug Kerney, Neil Jeffries, and Wayne Pedigo.
The Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky recognized Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home, Inc. in June, 1999 for 100 years of service to the funeral service industry. On November 4, 1999, the funeral home was honored by the Kentucky Industrial Development Council in conjunction with the Kentucky Historical Society as a Kentucky Centennial Business. In celebrating this milestone in history, Hatcher & Saddler has introduced their new logo for the new century. The logo depicts the H and S initials in a new format.
Hatcher & Saddler Funeral Home has been assisting families in this area since 1899. They continually look for new and better ways to serve families while maintaining the traditional values that have always been upheld. Assistance is given to families choosing cremation instead of burial, and to those who wish to arrange non-traditional services. They also lend assistance in handling a burial or cremation of a family pet.
