A Legacy of Service — Rooted in San Francisco Since the 1880s
Founded by William Duggan, his vision is carried out today by his grandson and funeral director William “Bill” Welch, and great-grandson and Managing Funeral Director/Embalmer Steve Welch.
Here’s how it all began
- 1842 — James Hagan is born in England, the first son of Irish immigrants James and Ermine Hagan.
- 1866 — James emigrates to San Leandro, CA, and establishes himself as a tinsmith.
- 1878 — James and his wife, Sara Letitia, move to San Francisco, where he continues his trade manufacturing metal sealing caskets.
- 1879 — William Duggan is born in Ireland.
- 1883 — James and his younger brother, Joseph Hagan, open their first funeral parlour on Valencia St. At the time, only 12 undertakers operated in all of San Francisco.
- 1889 — Hagan and Schofield form a short-lived partnership. Joseph begins working out of storefront undertaking parlours on City Hall Ave, later establishing himself in the Western Addition, while James remains on Valencia St.
- 1891 — James Hagan operates at 525 Valencia St., where he manufactures the caskets and Sara crafts the interiors.
- 1896 — The business moves to 445 Valencia St. The family resides at this address, with the livery stable located at 3619 18th St.
- 1897 — William Duggan emigrates to New York and joins the US Army. Deployed to Cuba, his unit sees heavy action. While en route to the Philippines, his enlistment ends in San Francisco, where he works as a horse and carriage driver before becoming a motor taxi chauffeur.
- 1903 — The Hagan business moves to 49 Duboce St., near Valencia. That same year, William marries Henrietta Hagan, daughter of Joseph and Sara Hagan, whom he met while chauffeuring funerals.
- 1907 — The business moves to 132 Duboce St. The family resides in the same building, which still stands today.
- 1916–1917 — William learns to embalm while working alongside local undertakers.
- 1918 — William opens William Duggan Co. Undertaking Parlour at 1234 Valencia St., acquiring the previous undertaking business at that location and moving his family into the residence above the parlour.
- 1932 — William moves the establishment to 3434 17th St. and renames it Duggan’s Funeral Service.
- 1963 — William’s daughter, Letitia Duggan Welch, becomes President of Duggan’s Funeral Service. She assumes the role prior to her father’s passing, following her brother Edwin’s departure to establish a competing mortuary.
- 1977 — Upon Letitia’s death, her son William “Bill” Welch assumes management of Duggan’s Funeral Service.
- 2014 — Bill’s son, Steven Welch, becomes Managing Funeral Director and President.
