Baron De Palm’s Request. His Remains To Be Cremated On Wednesday.

December 4, 1876, The New York Times (Part 1)

note: paragraph breaks added for readability.

The burning, or cremation, of the body of Joseph Henry Louis, Baron de Palm, Grand Cross
Commander of the Sovereign Order of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem, Knight of St. John of Malta, Prince of the Roman Empire, late Chamberlain to His Majesty the King of Bavaria, Fellow of the Theosophical Society of New‑York, &c., &c., will take place as previously announced, at Washington, Penn., on Wednesday next. This gentleman, who died in this City in May last, shortly before his death requested Col. Henry S. Olcott and Mr. Henry J. Newton, whom he had named as the Executors of his will, to have his remains disposed of in this manner.

As there was at that time no furnace in this country in which the body could be properly burned, the Executors decided to await the completion of a crematory then being erected by Dr. F. Julius Le Moyne, of Washington, Penn., which it was thought would be finished within the year. The body was therefore embalmed, and after appropriate ceremonies conducted by the Theosophical Society in the Masonic Temple, Sixth Avenue and Twenty‑third Street, was deposited in a vault in the Lutheran Cemetery, near Williamsburg, where it now lies.

The crematory is now complete in all its appointments, and the Executors have made every arrangement for the proper performance of the ceremony.

The body will be forwarded to Washington this evening, by the 6 o’clock train on the Pennsylvania Railroad, in charge of the undertaker of the Roosevelt Hospital, who will deliver it to Dr. Le Moyne.

A committee of the Theosophical Society, appointed to be present at the cremation, composed of Col. Henry S. Olcott, President; Henry J. Newton, Treasurer; H. P. Blavatsky, Corresponding Secretary; and H. D. Monachesi, Recording Secretary pro tem. will go on the same train.

The remains, which are now inclosed in a rosewood coffin with silver mountings, will not be taken out, but will be conveyed to the place of cremation in the coffin, inclosed in a suitable box.

Before being burned, however, the corpse will be taken out of the coffin and wrapped in folds of white linen cloth, and will then be placed in an iron cradle, made for the purpose, which will be inserted into the furnace.

This cradle is so constructed that the ashes of the deceased will be kept separate and can be easily gathered after the furnace cools. Care has been taken to remove all offensive features from the operation. Besides the white cloth in which it will be enveloped, the body will be covered with flowers, and aromatic spices and gums, such as cinnamon, acacia, frankincense, and myrrh, will be strewn over it.

After the cremation, which it is supposed will occupy about three hours, the ashes will be collected and placed in an antique vase, procured for the purpose from the region of the upper Nile by Col. Olcott. This vase is of plain red clay, and has a short neck, with a handle on each side, and in shape is very like those recently found in the excavations at Cyprus. On one side of the vase a brass plate, bearing the name, age, and titles of the deceased, will be attached.

The ashes, which it is thought will weigh about five pounds, will be sprinkled with perfume before being inclosed in the receptacle provided for them, after the manner practiced by the ancient Greeks and Romans. There will be no services performed over the remains at the crematory, as the Executors say it will be simply and solely the act of cremation for the decent disposal of the body, which should have occurred immediately after the services in the Masonic Temple, but were delayed for the reason already given.

Col. Olcott, from whom the above information was obtained, said to a TIMES reporter last evening that, by the cremation of the body of the Baron de Palm in this country, one important point would be settled—that it would prove that there was no legal objection to the disposal of a body by burning.

All the forms of the law concerning the case had been complied with, and no difficulty had been encountered in obtaining permission to remove the body. He had not anticipated any trouble, he said, because in 1874, when the question of cremation was first agitated in this country, he and Mr. F. C. Bowman, of this City, had been appointed by the Cremation Society, formed in that year, to examine into the legal aspects of the matter. After examining the statutes, they found that there was nothing in them to prevent a man from disposing of his body by fire, and so reported to the society. Before the Baron’s body could be removed from the cemetery, however, it had been necessary to obtain separate permits from the Brooklyn Board of Health and the Health Officer of Queens County, in which county the cemetery lies. There was no concealment of the purpose for which the removal of the body had been asked, and, in Brooklyn, the undertaker was required by the Board of Health to make affidavit to the fact that the body was to be cremated.

Scientific Aspects of the Ceremony.

As the occasion was one of great interest to science in its historical, sanitary, and other aspects, Col. Olcott said that he and his fellow Executors had consented to have the ceremony performed in public. Invitations to be present had been sent to scientific men throughout the United States, and had been accepted in many instances. Among those whom he expected to be present were Prof. John C. Dalton, of the New‑York College of Physicians and Surgeons; Prof. Barker, of the University of Pennsylvania; President Orterson, of the Brooklyn Board of Health; and Health Officer Zink, of the same city. The medical department of Harvard University, the Boston Board of Health, and the Health Boards of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis, New‑Orleans, and other cities would also send representatives.

At a meeting of so many scientific men from all parts of the country, Col. Olcott said he thought it would be well to have the subjects of inhumation and cremation discussed, and with that object had suggested to Dr. Le Moyne that suitable arrangements should be made for holding a meeting. Dr. Le Moyne had heartily concurred with him in the matter, and had secured the Court‑house of the town of Washington, and the discussion would be held there on the evening of the cremation. Among the practical and scientific questions that would be brought up would be included “Premature Burial,” “The Detection of Poisons,” “The Bearing of Cremation on Life Insurance Proofs of Death,” and the “Sanitary Aspects.”

The Theosophical Society, Col. Olcott said, had nothing to do with the management of this affair — it rested solely with Dr. Le Moyne and the two Executors. The society had no creed of any kind. It was no more than a scientific body, composed of humble students, who sought no notoriety, and who had had it all thrust upon them. They had no more of a common religious faith than they had of a common liking for a particular kind of sauce. Applicants for membership were never asked anything about their religious belief, except whether they believe in the existence of a God, for the subject of theosophy could have no possible interest for anyone who did not. There was just as much variety of opinion about cremation among the members of the society as there was about any other thing.

Article continues with The History Of Cremation In Modern Times.

In 2026, the funeral profession marks an extraordinary milestone: the 150th anniversary of the first modern cremation in North America—the sesquicentennial.

It all began in 1876, when Baron De Palm was cremated at the LeMoyne Crematory in Washington, Pennsylvania. That moment sparked a movement that has profoundly shaped today’s death‑care landscape. To honor this history, CANA is launching a year‑long series of articles, resources, and activities commemorating cremation’s sesquicentennial.

We invite you to join us.

This anniversary is more than a look back—it’s a unique moment for the profession to reflect on 150 years of change and envision what comes next. By participating, you help amplify a conversation that honors our history while advancing the future of death care.

So take a moment to reflect on where we've come, where we are, and where we're going. Then, share your story on social media and with us! Leave us a note on our Contact Us page about what this sesquicentennial means to you.

Republished from the original article published December 3, 1876 and retrieved from the archives of The New York Times:
BARON DE PALM'S REQUEST.;HIS REMAINS TO BE CREMATED ON WEDNESDAY. THE BODY TO BE CONVEYED TO WASHINGTON, PENN., THIS EVENING--DESCRIPTION OF THE FURNACE AND THE PROCESS OF CREMATION--THE ASHES TO BE PRESERVED IN AN ANTIQUE VASE--A SCIENTIFIC DISCUSSION OF THE SUBJECT TO FOLLOW THE BURNING. SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS OF THE CEREMONY. THE HISTORY OF CREMATION IN MODERN TIMES.