Amos and Sons Funeral Homes

In 1932, with not much more than a few hand tools and some big dreams, two friends - Noah Amos and Lawrence Daniels - decided to try their hand at something new, mortuary services. This new entrepreneurial venture would serve two purposes. First and foremost, it would allow them the opportunity to provide a needed service for the families and neighbors in their community, while also allowing them to make a viable living doing something other than farming to help support their families. 

Both men were strong leaders, each of whom had individual ideas on the direction they wanted this new venture/business to go and develop. One person’s desire was to grow the business in the direction of Greenwood, and the other person’s goal was to grow with the counties of the Ridge communities as his base.  With steady growth and need happening, the opportunity began pulling the partners in different directions.

This partnership lasted several years, providing both men with invaluable knowledge and experience that would propel their future lives and families lives in a direction both men could only have dreamed about.

After the dissolution of the partnership in 1935, Noah Amos knew he wanted to continue in this new business...but he needed help.  He sent his eldest son, Mimnaugh Amos, to the mortuary school (Gupton Mortuary School) in Nashville, Tennessee to learn the restorative art skills needed to help with the business.  After graduation from Gupton Mortuary School in 1938, Mimnaugh became the secondary staff with Noah Amos as the Funeral Director.  As Mimnaugh learned, he assumed more responsibility, eventually co-managing the funeral home in Johnston.

Growth in the community continued, and in 1941, the business expanded to Batesburg, SC as another son of Noah Amos entered the profession.  Harry Amos and his wife Cleavie Nicholson Amos began to serve the Batesburg and Leesville communities as owner-operators in a second location.  In 1948, an additional son, Rufus Peterson joined the business as an apprentice.  Rufus later attended Atlanta Mortuary School in Atlanta, Georgia to obtain a funeral service degree to support the workload.   In 1973, Rufus later opened and operated his own funeral home (Your Funeral Home) in New Ellenton, SC while continuing to support the efforts of both Amos and Sons Funeral Home locations.

In 1955, Noah Amos, the founder of Amos & Sons Funeral Home died. But the business continued to flourish and grow with Mimnaugh, Harry and Rufus and their families all working together.

As the years progressed, the needs of the community called and Amos & Sons Funeral Homes answered.  Amos and Sons Funeral Homes began to provide ambulance services for the community before there was emergency transport service for African American clients. They also provided taxi service before there was Uber or Lyft for those who didn’t have transportation or couldn’t afford cars. In 1970, Calvin Coates (Rufus Peterson’s eldest son) joined the business as an apprentice to the business was invaluable.  Calvin attended Gupton Jones Mortuary College in Atlanta, completing his degree in 1971.   He provided excellent support and service to the family business for over 18 years, until he moved to New Jersey.

As in everyone’s life, loss also affects funeral directors. In 1980, Harry Amos died, and in 1984, Rufus unexpectedly passed away.  Mimnaugh, after over 50 years in the business, passed in 1991, while Cleavie (wife of Harry Amos) passed in 1996.    

Because of these sudden and devastating losses, new leadership was required.  Dorothy Peterson (wife of Rufus Peterson) heard and answered this call for leadership.  She took the reins and energetically directed and guided the business into the fifth generation as she began to prepare for the future.  She sent her oldest son, Noah Peterson, to school at the Gupton-Jones School of Funeral Services in Atlanta, GA to carry on the embalming tradition, while Daryl Peterson, her youngest son, also apprenticed to get his license and entered the business.  

After graduation in 1993, Noah was given the opportunity to learn and grow. Along with his growth the business also grew. In 1996, the location in Johnston was remodeled and refurbished with specific attention to increasing the size of the chapel to provide an additional/alternative place for families to honor and revere the lives of their loved ones. This growth brought a renewed commitment to serving the community and its people.

Commitment to quality service exemplify the words that propel Amos & Sons Funeral Homes into the fifth and future generations.  They continue the commitment to meet and serve new and returning treasured friends and support the Johnston and Batesburg-Leesville communities.   The passion for delivering quality service and timeless support to families in their hour of need continues to drive Dorothy, Noah, Daryl and their able-bodied staff.   Amos & Sons Funeral Homes of Johnston and Batesburg-Leesville look forward to the challenge of serving, meeting and exceeding the needs of the community as they arise.

Amos and Sons Funeral Homes has a proud history in serving the Ridge communities of South Carolina with almost 100 years of continuous courteous service to families in bereavement. The staff of both facilities consider being entrusted with this sacred duty is both an honor and privilege and deeply appreciate the continued opportunity to serve the community in this way.  Amos and Sons Funeral Homes are driven by our creed to be and operate as a Ministry of Understanding, with a proud Tradition of Excellence, even unto the fifth and future generations.

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