Correcting Identities: Left: This meme or a version of it is circling throughout social media, and it is not correct. @IrememberOurHistory®

What is wrong about this is the man pictured is not inventor Mr. Albert C. Richardson, this is Mr. Ian Matzeliger who was also an inventor.

The images of a casket lowering device were invented by Mr. Albert C. Richardson.

To date, there are no known verified photographs of Mr. Albert C. Richardson.

Right: November 13, 1894, Albert C. Richardson of South Frankfort, Michigan received patent number 529,311 for the casket lowering device.

Prior to his invention, caskets were simply buried in shallow graves or lowered with ropes into deeper graves by using ropes which often the casket slide out of . His casket-lowering device was made of pulleys and ropes which ensured that the casket got into the ground without tumbling over.

His description of the device from his patent filing reads: "My invention relates to improvements in casket-lowering devices; and the object of my invention is the provision of a simple, durable and inexpensive device adapted to be fitted in the trench or ditch which receives the casket to prevent the dirt from falling from the edges of the ditch and which will lower the casket Without danger of the same falling as is frequently the case with the present manner of lowering caskets and which causes such horror to those who respect the dead." @IrememberOurHistory®

He also received patent numbers 255,022 for a hame fastener on March 14, 1882; patent 446,470 for a modifiied butter churn on February 17, 1891; patent 620,362 for an insect destroyer on February 28, 1899,; and patent 638,811 for an improvement in the design of the bottle on December 12, 1899.
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To date, we are unable to find more information about Mr. Albert C. Richardson's life.