1. There were no funeral homes in Cherokee county during this time period.
2. Funerals were handled by the family or at a church. Furniture stores sold the caskets or caskets were made by the family. Some insurance companies sold burial insurance and caskets were provided by the insurance companies and brought in on the local train.
3. I would like to see this funeral record from 1901 from Gadsden. I know of no records that exist prior to 1908. Even with a furniture store doing selling the casket, the record would only give the deceased name, whoever bought the casket for the person and maybe a date of death but nothing more.
4. If the person's name is not in the Alabama death index, then there is no death certificate. All death certificates for Alabama from 1908 to 1974 have been transcribed (not with full information) at www.familysearch.org. If the person's name isnt shown in either database, then you are wasting $15.00.
5. I have already checked the Cherokee County newspapers for this death and it is not shown. Some people's death just didnt get in the newspaper. The only other options would be to check The Gadsden Times or Rome Tribune to see if the death may have been mentioned in those newspapers, but more than likely it will not be.

John C. Awbrey