Newby Funeral Home Records

These records have been transcribed from the originals by Jan Johnson Barnes and Linda Carpenter. The information comes from privately owned records maintained by Newby Funeral Home in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee. These records are published with permission from Tony and Sue Newby Alexander, to whom we owe our sincerest thanks. The Newby Funeral Home was known for many years as the Harris-Donoho Funeral Home.

© 2003 - 2013

Death Records from Newby Funeral Home
1912 - 1957

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History of  Newby Funeral Home and It's Owners

202 East Main Street in Gallatin, Tennessee, is known today as Alexander-Newby Funeral Home. The building was originally a private family residence built prior to the Civil War and was used as a hospital during the Civil War.

As a funeral home, records date back as far as 1912. The first owner of this building as a funeral home was a man named Mr. Pearson. The length of time it was owned by Mr. Pearson, before Mr. Harris bought the building, is unknown. At that time, the name was changed to Pearson & Harris Undertaking.

It is unknown when or how Mr. Pearson left the business, but at one point in time, Mr. Harris became sole owner. Mr. Harris had one daughter named Fannie Harris who married Mr. Royce Donoho. Mr. Donoho joined his father-in-law in the family business and the name was changed to Harris-Donoho Funeral Home. Following the death of Mr. Harris, Fannie and Royce Donoho ran the funeral home for several years.

In 1967, Mr. Donoho sold the funeral business, but not the property, to Mr. Paul Alexander. The funeral home was closed one year later and stayed closed for about four years. In 1972, Mr. Donoho reopened the business as Donoho-Legge & Bently Funeral Home.

In 1976 or 1977, Mr. Bob Newby bought the business and property. Numerous changes were made including the addition of a chapel that seats over 300 people. The chapel was built in 1982. Bob and Sue Newby ran the funeral home until it was sold in 1995. Now we are a member of the Alderwood Group. The funeral home is now owned by a corporation, but all decisions are made locally.

We would like to make a point of the fact that this funeral home has always been at the same location since the early 1900's. Although additions have been made over the years, the previous owners had the good sense to maintain the original house. The original house is currently the front part of the funeral home, and it is in its original state or as close as possible.

The collection of pictures and newspaper obituaries is a must see. There is a lot of Gallatin and Sumner County history in this building.

History - Changing Times - Our Beginnings

For over 100 years Alexander Funeral Home and Newby Funeral Home have been helping families in the community throughout the most difficult time in their lives - the loss of a loved one.

The tradition continues today. To better serve the community we have merged both businesses into one. We are now operating as Alexander-Newby Funeral Home located at 584 Nashville Pike in Gallatin, TN. This merger will allow us to provide the same quality service that has been our tradition for many years, but at a lower cost to the families that we serve.

Changing Times

In November, 1907, Charles Carlos (C. C.) Alexander, at the age of 32, along with Mr. J. F. Freeman began their funeral home work in Lafayette, Macon County, Tennessee. In the year 1912, C. C. Alexander bought the business interest and stock from Mr. Freeman and formed a business of his own.

In the year 1919, Mr. Alexander moved to Liberty, Tennessee, staying for a short period then moving on to College Grove in December of 1919. In July of 1920, Mr. Alexander moved his business to Lewisburg.

In October of 1921, Mr. Alexander moved to Gallatin, where he entered into the grocery business and funeral service with E. L. and I. P. McDonald. The business was located just off the public square on East Main Street. In December of 1927, Mr. Alexander bought an old brick building on West Main Street from a Mr. Barnes. He renovated it, and started a funeral service as the sole owner.

In the year of 1924, Homer Alexander, the son of C. C. Alexander, moved from Lafayette to Hartsville and opened a funeral business there. Later in the year 1929, Alexander Undertaking Company was incorporated with C. C. Alexander, H. E. Alexander and E. D. Stinson being the original stockholders. There were now branches in Hartsville with H. E. Alexander as manager; Lafayette with managers Joe West and George Johnson; Westmoreland with E. D. Stinson managing and C. C. Alexander being manager of the main office in Gallatin, Tennessee.

In the earlier days of funeral service, C. C. and H. E. Alexander used hearses which were drawn by horses. In the year 1919, C. C. Alexander purchased his first motor hearse.

After settling in Gallatin and Hartsville, the Alexander's Funeral business continued to prosper and grow. In 1943, Mr. C. C. Alexander passed away; at which time Mr. H. E. Alexander assumed management of the entire operation until his passing in the year 1958. In that year his son, Paul D. Alexander, assumed the role as general manager.

At the present, the Alexander's no longer operate a funeral home in Hartsville, Tennessee. It was sold to a Mr. Leon Anthony in 1969, just prior to the retirement of Marie Alexander's (wife of H. E. Alexander).

The funeral home in Red Boiling Springs was opened in February of 1947, by Mr. C. L. Russell and Mr. H. E. Alexander. In October of 1955, Alexander Undertaking Company bought out Mr. Russell and on September 10, 1963, the building presently used was completed.

In l949, there was a building constructed in Lafayette to house a funeral home there. About the same time, a building was being constructed in Gallatin. The funeral home in Gallatin was then operated by Mr. J. O. Cothron, in business as Alexander-Cothron Funeral Home for a period of three years. Then on July 25, 1952, Mr. Paul and Rubye Anne Alexander relocated from Hartsville to Gallatin and assumed operation of Alexander Funeral Home. This taking place after buying out Mr. J. O. Cothron of Alexander-Cothron.

The volume of business and a parking problem forced us to seek a new location for the funeral home business in Gallatin. After a extensive search, a property was selected on Nashville Pike near the Gallatin city limits. In January of 1961, the new Alexander Funeral Home was completed.

In the fall of 1967, the house and adjoining lot next door were purchased to accommodate additional parking and provide space for future expansions.

The funeral business of Harris-Donoho (currently Newby Funeral Home) was purchased by the Alexander's. In late 1970 an addition was added to the existing building. After the completion in January of 1971, the Harris-Donoho (presently Newby Funeral Home) business was closed on East Main Street, and the two businesses were combined to be located on Nashville Pike. Five years after going out of business, Donoho (now Newby Funeral Home) resumed operation in his building uptown.

Please feel free to visit us or call us with any questions about the funeral home or any of the services that we have to offer.

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