Obituary Index for the Littleton Independent Newspaper

                In 2007 the Queries chairperson for the Columbine Genealogical & Historical Society realized that it would be helpful to that position and to persons sending queries if there was an online index for the obituaries that have appeared in the Littleton Independent newspaper. This index would be similar to that now online for the Denver newspapers through the Denver Public Library. (The latter can be accessed through http://history.denverlibrary.org/research/denver_obit_project/index.html.) Note that a person’s obituary may not appear until as much as four months after death, or in the following year.

                Using the microfilms of the Littleton Independent that are available at the Littleton Historical Museum, this index project was begun with the obituaries published in the year 1999 and will continue backward. Because this newspaper has been published since 1888, this project may continue for many years. The online index will be updated as the index for each earlier year is completed. Later, obituaries published since 1999 will be accessed through the actual copies of the paper and will also be added to the index as quickly as possible. Note that there are two internet indexes already posted for parts of this project. Obituaries in the Littleton Independent are listed at http://history.denverlibrary.org/research/co_obituary/littleton_independent.html, covering the period 17 Sep 1970 to 5 Apr 1973. The other index contains scattered obituaries in the Littleton Independent from 6 Dec 1895 to 16 Mar 1923; this is located at www.ColoradoHistoricNewspapers.org. Neither database is assumed to be complete, and both will be cross-checked at a later date.

                Dates in this index are entered as mm/dd/yyyy to conform with newspaper usage and to the partial index available at the Littleton Historical Museum. Maiden surnames of deceased women are in parentheses, if known with certainty. Some persons will appear in this index twice, because the person had an obituary published in the Littleton Independent on two different dates (although these are usually identical).  Persons who have hyphenated last names may also be entered twice, under each portion of the surname. Data in brackets comes from non-Littleton sources, such as the Social Security Death Index, the Fort Logan National Cemetery database, and the two Denver newspapers.             

                Grateful acknowledgement is extended to the Littleton Historical Museum, the Denver Public Library, and the Colorado History Museum for the use of the indexes and their old microfilms to prepare this index.  The unselfish computer expertise of Don Elliott and Gary Routh is also acknowledged. No representation or warranty is made regarding the completeness or accuracy of this index. For example, research in other sources may prove that in some cases a name or date of death that was published in the Littleton Independent and therefore listed here contained an error.

                For copies of individual obituaries found in this index, send a $20 check payable to “Columbine Genealogical & Historical Society, Inc.” (or “CGHS”). The Society address is:

                                Columbine Genealogical & Historical Society, Inc.

                                P. O. Box 2074

                                Centennial, CO 80161-2074

                These donated funds will be used to purchase genealogical or historical books for Littleton’s Bemis Library or the Denver Public Library.