It was in St. Stephen, New Brunswick in 1884 that Samuel Orr Mehan joined an undertaking business, working with J.R. Sederquest.
On June 18, 1893 it was announced to the people in Charlotte County by way of the local newspaper that Samuel Mehan & Co. were opening an undertaker’s shop on Water Street across from Ganongs (chocolate factory and candy store where the chocolate bar was invented), and would be carrying a full stock of caskets, coffins and funeral supplies.
The advertisement relates “Having had an experience of a number of years we are prepared to attend to business in all its branches in modern style and ask for a show of public patronage and would give in return low prices and careful attention. Screen doors and windows made to order on short notice and rooms are open day and night.
Business continued, with Samuel building caskets of pine and wife Mary working beside him, padding and lining each unit. A second generation, sons John David and Samuel, joined their mother and father in the business. Samuel Jr. enlisted in the army and J.D. furthered his education, graduating from the Boston School of Anatomy and Embalming in 1913. As the 1893 ad says, “Modern style continued with his returning to St. Stephen to practice modern embalming methods, holding licenses in both New Brunswick and Maine.”
The business was moved from its original location on Water Street to a new site at 17-19 Water Street where embalming and building and lining of caskets continued. Flower arranging was done by wife Mary.
It was at his residence on Mark Street, that Samuel kept his fine black horses and horse-drawn hearses. With motor cars being built and looking to the future, Mehan’s had a horse drawn hearse frame mounted on the chassis of a Hudson car. It became the first motorized funeral coach in Charlotte County and was housed in a specially built “Hearse House.” This coach was used until 1927 when Mehan’s purchased a new four-cylinder Dodge funeral coach in Lewiston, Maine.