The first was a man named William G. Schultz, originator of what was known as the Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home. Schultz was born in the late 1800's, employed his son Edward G. Schultz, in the family undertaking and furniture store business from 1899 to 1937. After his father's death in 1906, Edward hired Eugene A Rankin who worked for him until 1912. Henry Oliger, in 1925, joined Edward G. Schultz Furniture and Undertaking and eventually bought the business changing the name to the Oliger Funeral Home. In 1945 Howard Pearson began working for Oliger and, like his predecessor, purchased the business (1953); thus, the name Oliger-Pearson Funeral Home.
A second businessman, mentioned above, Eugene A. Rankin, began his own funeral home in 1912, Rankin Undertaking and Furniture Business. His business was located on North Franklin Street on the east side of the downtown square. One of Rankin's first employers was Henry Oliger, who later left and joined the Edward Schultz Establishment. In 1935 Paul Wenning and Rankin became business
partners, which prompted a name change - Rankin and Wenning.
It was moved to its present location of 302 North Franklin in 1946. After the death of Paul Wenning in 1957, the name was again changed to J.H. Porter and Sons. The younger of John's two sons, W. Thomas Porter, began in the funeral home business in 1959 after graduating from the Indiana College of Mortuary Science. Most funeral homes
at this time were involved in ambulance service and J.H. Porter and Sons was one providing such a service until 1977. John Porter's death in 1973 left his sons with ownership of the business. W. Thomas' interest was in the funeral home and
J. Richard's was in the furniture store; thus, the funeral home/ furniture store establishment was now two separate businesses.
The merger of the Oliger - Pearson funeral Home and the J.H. Porter and Sons Funeral Home took place in 1977. In 1978 Michael W. Porter, W. Thomas' son, joined the Porter - Oliger - Pearson Funeral Home after completing his
degree in Mortuary Science at Vincennes University. Matthew Porter, Michael's son has joined the firm as a family service consultant and is in the final year of mortuary school at Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. The business is currently family owned and operated.
