Indexed by Pat Allen
The obituary clipping file at the Denver Public Library is the source of this look at Colorado history. Most of the obituaries were not of the famous, just the ordinary people, who came to this area looking for a new start. Pat Allen searched through this extensive collection and indexed the people considered pioneers of the state. Many were noted as being born in the state. Because birth records were not required until 1908, it is often difficult to locate evidence of births that occurred in the state before then. This index is just one resource that may allow you to find that elusive birth. Obviously not every birth will be listed here, only ones whose obituary listed the decedent as being born in Colorado before 1900.
The index is organized by surname. The other information includes the first name, the date of the obituary in the newspaper, the name of the newspaper, and the page if it was recorded with the article. The place of birth category at the end will also give the maiden name of a woman if it appeared in the article. These articles may be accessed by contacting the Denver Public Library, Western History/Genealogy Division. The newspaper abbreviations used in this database are:
ADC – Alamosa Daily Courier
BC – Boulder Camera
BDC – Boulder Daily Camera
CCDR – Canon City Daily Record
CCR – Canon City Record
CCS – Canon City Sun
CEC – currently unknown
CSGT – Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph
CT – Colorado Transcript, Golden
DJN – currently unknown
DNP – Del Norte
DP – Denver Post
DT – Denver Times
EE – Englewood Enterprise
GJDS – Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
LDN – Lamar Daily News
LHD – Leadville Herald Democrat
MHK – Mile High Key, Rotary Publication
RMN – Rocky Mountain News
TCN -Trinidad Chronicle-News
WG – Wray Gazette