M.M.White undertaker WashingtonDC Matthias M. White undertaker of Washington , DC Fisk and Raymond metallic coffins

This is actually a flyer in possession of the Library of Congress.

Fisk's patent air-tight metallic burial cases are for sale by M. M. White, undertaker Washington, March 1853

Library of Congress - Printed Ephemera Collection; Portfolio 201, Folder 11. HERE

You can buy a metallic reproduction of it on Amazon here https://amzn.to/3iizSMO 

 Fisk endorsement: Washington April 5th 

Gentleman- We witness the utility of your ornamental " Patent Metallic Burial Case " used to convey the remains of the late Hon. John C. Calhoun to the Congressional Cemetery, which impressed us with the belief that it is the best article known to us for transporting the dead to their final resting place.

With respect , We subscribe ourselves , yours etc.

{Signed} Henry Clay, Lewis Cass, Dan. Webster, Wm. R King, Jeff Davis, J.M. Berrien, J.Y. Mason, D.R. Atchinson, A.C. Green, Wm. P Mangum, Henry Dodge, D.S. Dickinson.

Similar testimonials might be added without number.

The vault was used many times by M.M. White.

 Temporary interments have included three U.S. presidents: John Quincy Adams (F

ebruary 26 – March

6, 1848), William Henry Harrison (April 7 – June 26, 1841), and Zachary Taylor (July 13 – October 26,


1850). President Harrison stayed in the vault almost three months, more than twice as long as the time he spent as president. 

The Causten family vault, built 1835 Dolley Madison was interred in the Public Vault from July 16, 1849, to February 10, 1852, the longest known interment in the vault, while funds were being raised for her re-interment at Montpelier.Her body was transferred to the Causten family vault, directly to the west of the Public Vault, for another six years before the funds were raised. She was briefly joined in May 1852 in the Causten vault by First Lady Louisa Catherine Adams, though it has been reported that Adams was interred in the Public Vault.

Senator John C. Calhoun was interred in the Public Vault following a formal funeral and grand procession from the Capitol on April 2, 1850. He was encased in an early version of the Fisk metallic coffin which slowed down decomposition. On April 22 his remains departed the vault for a trip by steam ship to Charleston, South Carolina.

While the development of transportation and mortuary technology increased the use of the vault, it also limited its use as well. For example, following Henry Clay's death in 1852, his remains were also encased in a Fisk metallic coffin and transported to his home state by railroad without an interval at the Public Vault.

In DC it was placed on the Steamer Baltimore and taken down stream to Virginia when it was put upon train from Fredericksburg to Wilmington , then it was placed on the Steamship Nina to Charleston.

Thirty Years Calhoun Clip by Nancy on Scribd

Thirty years with Calhoun: Full thesis here 

This article from the Florida Journal May 18, 1850 which describes the preparations of Vice President John C. Calhoun body in the Congressional cemetery prior to DC funerals and trip to South Carolina and it describe M.M. White,  John L. Wirt and the Fisk & Raymond agent (? )attending the Vice President and his casket. Fascinating ... 

Born in 1782 of wealthy parents in Upstate South Carolina, he was schooled in the North at Yale College. He read law in Connecticut, and returned to his home state to establish a successful practice. He was elected to Congress in 1811. Six years later, President James Monroe made him secretary of war, and he later served as vice president under John Quincy Adams and Andrew Jackson. (The latter famously threatened to have him hanged.) He resigned as Jackson’s vice president to take a Senate seat from South Carolina. President John Tyler named him secretary of state. He later returned to the Senate and until his death was the South’s most powerful defender.

News of Calhoun’s death reached Charleston by the new telegraph, and as word spread, church bells tolled in the city and would continue to do so throughout the day. On public buildings and on ships in the harbor, flags were lowered to half-staff.

In Washington, a committee of six senators was appointed to accompany Calhoun’s body to his home state. The journey began a few weeks later. His heavy iron casket moved by rail to Wilmington, North Carolina, where it was placed on board the steamer Nina.

Full article HERE

This is a timeline and list of know burials/funerals and in many cases Fisk metallic caskets provided by Mathias M. White in Washington, District of Columbia from the years 1849- 1868.

In his many DC newspaper advertisement of the time M.M. White is listed as the District of Columbia's sole proprietor of Fisk airtight caskets.

I am going to do many individual posts for what I know of each deaths and burials including articles, congressional records, images etc. I have created a special label for Madison and Calhoun so you can read all I have on them and all the others are labeled 'congress' so you can read about the Speaker, Senators and Representatives he was undertaker to.

Timeline: MM White Undertaking - Known Congressional/Government Burials  

1848- Fisk receives patent for Fisk Metallic Burial Case 

1849- Fisk is displaying the caskets in the United State Congressional rotunda April 1849 

1849 -Former first lady, Dolley Madison died DC buried Congressional Cemetery (July 12, 1849) 

1850- Former Vice President John C. Calhoun died DC buried Congressional Cemetery and South Carolina (March 31, 1850) 

1850- Hon Thomas J. Campbell Clerk of the United States House of Representatives & U.S. Representative Tennessee (April 13, 1850)

1850- Hon. Franklin Elmore U.S. Representative and Senator SC died DC (May 29, 1850) 

1851- Hon. David S. Kaufman U.S. Representative died DC buried Congressional Cemetery (January 31, 1851) 

1852- Hon. Henry Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives Kentucky died DC National Hotel Penn. Ave. in his room (Room 116) (June 29, 1852) 

1852- Hon. Robert Rantoul Jr. U.S. Representative and Senator Massachusetts died DC (August 7, 1852) 

1853- Hon. Orin Fowler U.S. Representative Massachusetts died DC (September 3, 1852) 

1854- Hon. Brookins Campbell U.S. Representative Tennessee died DC (December 25, 1853) 

1854- Hon. Henry Augustus Muhlenberg U.S. Representative Pennsylvania died DC (January 9, 1854) 

1856- Hon. Moses Norris Jr. U.S. Representative New Hampshire died DC (January 11, 1855) 

1857- Hon. Preston Smith Brooks U.S. Representative SC died DC (January 27, 1857)

1858- Hon. Sampson W. Harris U.S. Representative Alabama died DC buried Congressional Cemetery (March 3, 1857) 

Other Known burials Congressional Cemetery  

1855- John Bruce (December 24th) 

1856- John Neal (January 12th) 

1857- Commodore John T. Newton (July 28th)  

Known burials Glenwood Cemetery  

1856- Benjamin Grenup 1st Fireman killed in line of duty (May 8) 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mathias M. White did not only acted as undertaker for his customers,  but also for his own family.  

Known Family Burials Congressional Cemetery 

1856- Unknown White child of MM White (August 28, 1856) 

1859- Andrew Bain child (Winnie, grandchild of MM) buries in Congressional Cemetery District of Columbia (July 28, 1859) 

1868- E.C. Merriam (In law of MM) buries in Congressional Cemetery District of Columbia (June 7, 1868)

 Washington, DC Daily Union Newspaper - Advertisement Mathias M.White April 24 1850

The usual ad for MM White with the exception of :

“John L. Wirt will see to the filling of all orders during my absence with the remains of Hon. John C. Calhoun”

 M.M. White's bill to congress for Vice President's Calhoun's funeral

Fisk & Raymond casket

He and the casket traveled by train and ship from Washington, DC to Charleston, South Carolina

White MM JCCalhoun Burial by Nancy