Lincoln's embalmment

[cjcinmd]

The firm of Brown and Alexander to which the body of Lincoln had been entrusted for embalming were Freemasons from New York whose establishment in the District had been made possible "through the solicitations of many prominent masons (sic) of the State of New York...for the purposes of embalming and preserving the bodies of such brother masons (sic) citizens or soldiers who may be so unfortunate as to die or be killed while at the seat of war and away from their families and friends." The quote is from a letter received by the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia that was ordered to be read at in all of the Lodges in their jurisdiction, and goes on to say "...any brother mason (sic) whose body they may wish to preserve by embalment and such bodies we pledge ourselves to embalm and preserve free of cost and without other charge or professional fees when recommended by any Lodge of the District." The letter was signed by Drs. Brown & Alexander, endorsed by the Grand Lodge, and read in its entirety in Naval Lodge No. 4 F.A.A.M. on February 1, 1862. In July 1865, the firm was dissolved "by mutual consent," and presumably Dr. Charles DeCosta Brown and Joseph B. Alexander returned to New York.