Our History

GOING BACK IN TIME

Our History

Cawley & Peoples Funeral Homes traces its roots back more than 150 years of service to families throughout southeastern Ohio. Of the firm’s three locations, the Lowell funeral home is the oldest, with a history dating to 1869.

The Lowell location was originally founded in 1869 as Schneider Undertaking by Franz Schneider. In 1897, the business was purchased by C. G. “Chris” Schneider, who operated it as a furniture store and funeral home. Following the historic Muskingum River Flood of 1913, the funeral home was acquired by Henry Spies. He and his son, George Spies, continued serving the community until 1947, when the business was purchased by Robert S. Peoples.

The Marietta location dates back to 1898, when it was established as Wieser & Cawley Furniture and Undertaking. Like many funeral homes of that era, it reflected the close relationship between furniture making and funeral service. Over time, the firm evolved to focus solely on funeral care while maintaining its commitment to craftsmanship and service.

Robert S. Peoples’ son, Bill Peoples, began working at Wieser & Cawley in 1974. In 1977, Bill and his wife purchased the business and renamed it Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home. Two years later, in 1979, Bill acquired the Lowell funeral home from his father, uniting both locations under one name and a shared philosophy of compassionate service. The Barlow location was added in the mid-1990s to better serve families throughout the region.

Today, Cawley & Peoples Funeral Homes continues under the leadership of Brian Scharff, representing the third generation of the Peoples family. Across seven generations and four families, the firm remains dedicated to honoring the trust placed in it by the communities it serves.