The index series provides information about individuals located in the smallest, oldest and most remote locations in Colorado. This format combines all of the names from the three hardbound volumes into one CD-ROM, bringing the total names herein to over 84,400 separate names. Ninety publications were indexed. The names come from 1,105 different burial sites, from individual graves to cemeteries of over 2,000 recorded names. Whereas the index series is referred to as an "index," for each name the burial site is listed along with each publication and page number where the information was found. To assist the user in identifying the correct name, both birth and death dates are also listed when included in the source material. On occasion, more than one cemetery is listed for a person, usually because of a re-interment. For example, graves were moved when water projects were to cover the cemeteries. Usually the bodies were moved to cemeteries that were larger than those incorporated in this publication, sometimes not. There are also some common names that may show two or three cemeteries. In these instances, it would be different individuals buried in each of the cemeteries listed.
It was found while extracting and recording the names for this project that almost every individual recording the tombstones or burial records of a cemetery used a different standard. Some, for example, have just recorded tombstones. Others have documented the burial records. Others have supplemented tombstone inscriptions with burial records while others have included word-of-mouth, newspaper and other information. Their publications do not always make it clear from where their information was derived. Therefore the user of this index should not assume that when name is associated with a cemetery that there is a tombstone to be found. Nor should he assume that the information provided herein is on the tombstone.
Also, the researcher should be very aware that tombstone reading is not a precise art. As the information on a single cemetery was extracted from several different documents, differences were found in both names and dates. In both cases, it was attempted to record the information both ways, not assuming that one or the other was correct. In this document, differences are separated by a “/” (slash) mark so that the researcher knows that two (or more) spellings or dates were encountered. Also, some researchers that recorded the cemetery information tended to abbreviate names while others did not. An example would be for “Wm. H.” from one source and “William” or “William H.” from other sources. In the case of names, what is recorded here is generally the most complete of all observed versions. In this case it would be “William H.” For dates, all differences were listed here and would look like “1887/9” or “1889/99”.
Lastly, there is a great difference in the names listed from one recorder to another. In fact, of the 977 burial sites recorded, virtually none consisted of the same list of names, and one list was seldom a sub-set of another list. This was true of one person’s tombstone reading from another’s, but is exaggerated when one also supplements the readings from burial records or other accounts of deaths and burials. The point is that when a researcher finds a name of interest, they should go to all of the references for that cemetery as one may have vastly different information from another.
For tombstone readings, one would expect that the name, birth and death date information and perhaps an inscription or epitaph might be found. However, a great many of the documents used for this index have much more information. Often relationships between persons are provided. On many occasions, country and/or town of birth or origin was listed. Again, when finding a name of interest, check all references. There is a gold-mine of information in these documents. Use Appendices A, B & C to find these documents.
Appendix A provides the name of the cemetery, the county of the cemetery and the reference and page number in which the names can be found. Finding cataloged publications is relatively easy. Most were found by using Colorado Virtual Library. When periodicals are referenced, it is not so easy to find the name and/or cemetery. The problem is that periodicals, especially the earlier versions of some societies, often did not have identifying information, such as volume, year or sometimes even the page number. For those that are not specific, it will be necessary for the researcher to search P.E.R.S.I. and go from there. But, if the name references a periodical, it came from somewhere within an issue from the society referenced. For Internet references, the county is shown (four letter abbreviations). In some cases, the cemetery’s county is shown in a county other than where the cemetery actually resides. Expect changes in Internet listings as records are not necessarily permanent. Some seem to be accessible one day and then weeks later, not available.
It is expected that some names are included twice, but with slightly different information associated with each. If there was any possibility that the names might not be the same individual, both names were left. In most cases the “apparent” duplicate names originated from the original source documents where they appeared to be two different individuals. There are also names of individuals listed that, in all probability, are not deceased or buried in that same cemetery. This occurs when a spouse dies, and the tombstone is prepared and placed at the site by the surviving spouse, with their name and birth date placed on the tombstone. In some similar cases, where the spouse could not still be living, the spouse may very well have been buried elsewhere. Thus, caution should be used when no death date has been inscribed on the stone.
An inconsistency may be observed where maiden names are concerned. When maiden names were specifically noted or when it has been stated that a woman was the daughter of someone, the name was shown as the maiden name by enclosing it in parens. Example: Chandler, Anna (Arnold). Otherwise, even though a name was listed that was most likely a maiden name, but not specifically noted as such, parens were not added to the name. Example: Hadden, Missouri Angaline Uptain Bratton Ethridge Tackett. The researcher is left to sort out the maiden name from an individuals middle name. Using a similar philosophy, nicknames are specifically noted by enclosing it in quotes, but again, only when the source document specifically noted it as such. Example: Chamblee, Clarence C. “Curley”.
Whenever only one date is shown and it is not clear if it is a birth or death date, or perhaps intended to mean both a birth and death date, the date is shown as a death date. In some cases later source documents clarify the situation, but often not. When clarification shows it to be a birth date, rather than a death date, it is then changed. However, the researcher should remain cautious and be sure to check all references that apply.
Donald R. Elliott
