The database can be searched in several ways, including by last name, first name, and date of death notice or obituary publication. Please note, this is an index, meaning only the publication date of the newspaper is noted, not the date of death.
Instead of trying to fill in all the search boxes, try searching first by last name. If this search is too broad (if too many names appear in your results) then back up and revise your search by adding a year or a first name.
Using first names can also result in not finding the person you are looking for. Many women of the 19th century were only identified in their obituary notices as “Mrs. John Smith.”
When searching through our Obituary Index, you will note that there are several variations in the types of notices assigned to the person having passed. They are as followed:
- An Article notice, written in similar fashion to that of an obituary is often published for persons of local, historical significance. Generally, these articles are found on the first few pages, if not the front-page of the local newspaper rather than the obituary section. As of January 2022, this type of notice is no longer used, rather the standard is entering it as an Obituary notice.
- A Death notice is a paid announcement in a newspaper that gives the name of the person who died, their age at death, the town and state of where they passed, along with their death date and funeral arrangements. Please note that not all Death notices contain each of these listed aspects.
- A Memorial notice is similar in fashion to that of an Obituary notice. Only eleven (11) entries in our Obituary Index are listed as a Memorial notice. As of January 2022, an Obituary notice became the standard for all notices that are not considered a Death notice, News notice or Article notice.
- A News Article notice is used when a news article mentions the passing of a local resident, often involved in a fatal accident.
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A Funeral notice was a term used by various staff members in the mid-2000s, as suggested by those overseeing the additions to the Obituary Index. As of January 2022, this type of notice is no longer used, and the standard type of notice is an Obituary notice.
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An Obituary notice is an article offering an often-detailed biography of the person who passed. And, like a death notice, an obituary notice may also include the information regarding he funeral or memorial service. Generally, an obituary is accompanied with a photograph of the person who died.
