In 1896 Edwin Nelson, owner of Nelson’s Furniture Store started selling wooden coffins and offered space in the store for the deceased to be laid out and viewed. In 1899 H. M. King, who was the print shop manager at Nelson’s store opened Miami’s first separate funeral service business. In 1912, Walter Hughes Combs, who began working for Mr. King in 1904 bought Nelson’s funeral related interest and claimed title to Miami’s oldest funeral firm and called it W.H. Combs Undertaking Co. Mr. Combs establishment was the first full service funeral home rather than just a funeral service company. There was a long running difference as to who rightly was the longest in business. It would seem reasonable from some standpoint that since Mr. King was there from the beginning with Mr. Nelson, he would properly hold the title. Since both men and their firms are long gone, it really doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
