Death and funeral notices from 127 newspapers in Iowa and Nebraska, 1837 to 1925, scanned by the Library of Congress. 57,330 people so far, each with the newspaper’s own words and a link to the original page. For 3,715 of them we have also read the family out of the notice: parents, husband or wife, children, brothers and sisters.
These are the years our other records barely reach: most of our database begins with deaths in the late 1930s. A notice from 1907 can name the parents who came west in the 1850s and the children who lived into the 1950s. More states are being added as the Library of Congress scans are read.
Families read from the notices
E. L. HamburgDied about 1906 · Marshalltown, IowaMiss Harriet WrightDied about 1909 · Ottumwa, IowaD. B. WalthallDied about 1907 · Marshalltown, IowaElizabeth Moyer ChapmanDied about 1912 · Ottumwa, IowaMrs. Henry WaltersDied about 1907 · Marshalltown, IowaMrs. William DoveyDied about 1908 · Marshalltown, IowaSusan A. JarolemanDied about 1908 · Marshalltown, IowaMrs. Margaret W. IrwinDied about 1908 · Marshalltown, IowaW. E. HydeDied about 1907 · Marshalltown, Iowa
The newspapers, by state
Iowa: 36,405 people in 76 papers
| Newspaper | Years | People | With family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evening Times-Republican (Marshalltown, Iowa) | 1899–1920 | 9,349 | 1,033 |
| Ottumwa Tri-Weekly Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa) | 1903–1916 | 4,672 | 367 |
| The Oskaloosa Herald (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) | 1885–1918 | 2,500 | 149 |
| The Daily Gate City (Keokuk, Iowa) | 1855–1916 | 2,309 | 212 |
| The Denison Review (Denison, Iowa) 1867-Current | 1898–1920 | 1,966 | 190 |
| Manchester Democrat (Manchester, Iowa) | 1899–1921 | 1,897 | 181 |
| Decorah Public Opinion (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) | 1895–1923 | 1,801 | 270 |
| Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa) | 1899–1903 | 1,797 | 122 |
| The Daily Gate City and Constitution-Democrat (Keokuk, Iowa) | 1916–1920 | 1,412 | 101 |
| The Leon Reporter (Leon, Iowa) | 1899–1920 | 1,313 | 87 |
| Audubon Republican (Audubon, Iowa) | 1894–1921 | 1,116 | 106 |
| Missouri Valley Times (Missouri Valley, Iowa) | 1899–1920 | 1,040 | 22 |
| Iowa State Bystander (Des Moines, Iowa) | 1894–1916 | 867 | 81 |
| Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) | 1895–1913 | 649 | 18 |
| Audubon County Journal (Exira, Iowa) | 1897–1921 | 604 | 41 |
| Cresco Plain Dealer (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) | 1913–1920 | 417 | 26 |
| Ottumwa Semi-Weekly Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa) | 1916–1918 | 390 | 32 |
| Webster City Freeman (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) | 1911–1922 | 367 | 44 |
| The Iowa Plain Dealer (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) | 1868–1891 | 300 | 3 |
| The Bystander (Des Moines, Iowa) | 1916–1921 | 278 | 14 |
| The Weekly Oskaloosa Herald (Oskaloosa, Iowa) | 1869–1885 | 234 | 5 |
| Audubon County Republican (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) | 1886–1894 | 205 | 11 |
| Muscatine Weekly Journal (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890 | 1857–1864 | 74 | 0 |
| Ottumwa Weekly Courier (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) | 1872–1878 | 67 | 0 |
| The Tipton Advertiser (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) | 1856–1877 | 56 | 0 |
| The Miners' Express (Dubuque, Iowa) | 1849–1854 | 51 | 0 |
| The Weekly Ottumwa Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa) | 1857–1872 | 50 | 1 |
| The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye (Burlington [Iowa]) | 1860–1865 | 49 | 1 |
| Iowa Voter (Knoxville, Iowa) | 1870–1874 | 47 | 0 |
| Daily Davenport Democrat (Davenport, Iowa) | 1864–1869 | 37 | 0 |
| The Weekly North Iowa Times (McGregor, Iowa) | 1857–1867 | 35 | 0 |
| Daily Democrat and News (Davenport, Iowa) | 1859–1864 | 29 | 0 |
| Buchanan County Bulletin (Independence, Iowa) | 1870–1878 | 26 | 0 |
| Cedar Falls Gazette (Cedar Falls, Iowa) | 1860–1871 | 26 | 0 |
| The Toledo Chronicle (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) | 1873–1878 | 25 | 0 |
| Daily Iowa State Democrat (Davenport, Iowa) | 1856–1859 | 25 | 0 |
| Sioux City Register (Sioux City, Iowa) | 1859–1868 | 23 | 0 |
| Burlington Hawk-Eye (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185? | 1846–1851 | 23 | 0 |
| Weekly Hawk-Eye and Telegraph (Burlington, Iowa) | 1855–1857 | 21 | 0 |
| The Weekly Hawk-Eye (Burlington, Iowa) | 1858–1859 | 19 | 0 |
| North Iowa Times (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-Current | 1867–1870 | 18 | 0 |
| Des Moines Courier ([Ottumwa] Iowa) | 1849–1854 | 18 | 0 |
| Iowa Capitol Reporter (Iowa City, Iowa) | 1847–1855 | 16 | 0 |
| Tama County Republican (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) | 1868–1872 | 16 | 0 |
| The Davenport Gazette (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185? | 1848–1853 | 15 | 0 |
| Charles City Intelligencer (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) | 1864–1865 | 13 | 0 |
| Iowa Territorial Gazette and Advertiser (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) | 1842–1845 | 12 | 0 |
| The Iowa Transcript (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) | 1859–1866 | 12 | 0 |
| Knoxville Journal (Knoxville, Iowa) | 1874–1876 | 11 | 0 |
| St. Charles City Republican Intelligencer (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) | 1857–1861 | 11 | 0 |
| Weekly Miners' Express (Dubuque, Iowa) 184?-1849 | 1847–1849 | 9 | 0 |
| Charles City Republican Intelligencer (Charles City, Iowa) | 1861–1864 | 9 | 0 |
| The Buchanan County Guardian (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) | 1859–1863 | 7 | 0 |
| Daily Davenport Gazette (Davenport, Iowa) | 1854–1855 | 7 | 0 |
| Bloomington Herald (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) | 1841–1844 | 6 | 0 |
| The Davenport Daily Gazette (Davenport, Iowa) | 1856–1857 | 6 | 0 |
| Buchanan County Bulletin and Guardian (Independence, Iowa) | 1867–1869 | 6 | 0 |
| The Council Bluffs Nonpareil (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) | 1857–1862 | 5 | 0 |
| The Hawk-Eye and Iowa Patriot (Burlington, I.T. [Iowa]) | 1839–1841 | 5 | 0 |
| Muscatine Journal (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185? | 1853–1854 | 5 | 0 |
| Hawk-Eye (Burlington, Iowa) | 1843–1845 | 4 | 0 |
| Burlington Tri-Weekly Hawk-Eye (Burlington [Iowa]) | 1855–1855 | 4 | 0 |
| The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye (Burlington, Iowa) | 1857–1857 | 3 | 0 |
| The Cedar County Advertiser (Tipton, Iowa) | 1854–1854 | 3 | 0 |
| Demoine Courier (Ottumwa, Iowa) | 1854–1856 | 3 | 0 |
| Weekly Council Bluffs Bugle (Council Bluffs, Iowa) | 1858–1859 | 2 | 0 |
| The North Iowa Times (M'gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) | 1857–1857 | 2 | 0 |
| The Iowa Patriot (Burlington [Iowa]) | 1839–1839 | 2 | 0 |
| Decorah-Posten Og Ved Arnen (Decorah, Iowa) | 1904–1907 | 2 | 0 |
| Quasqueton Guardian (Quasqueton, Buchanan County, Iowa) | 1858–1858 | 1 | 0 |
| Luxemburger Gazette (Dubuque, Iowa) | 1918–1918 | 1 | 0 |
| Council Bluffs Bugle (City of Council Bluffs, Iowa) | 1856–1856 | 1 | 0 |
| Weekly New Oregon Plain Dealer (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) | 1866–1866 | 1 | 0 |
| Iowa News (Dubuque, Upper Mississippi Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) | 1837–1837 | 1 | 0 |
| Council Bluffs Bugle (Council Bluffs, Iowa) | 1862–1862 | 1 | 0 |
| St. Charles Republican Intelligencer (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) | 1856–1856 | 1 | 0 |
Nebraska: 20,925 people in 51 papers
| Newspaper | Years | People | With family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | 1873–1922 | 9,346 | 208 |
| The Beatrice Daily Express (Beatrice, Neb.) | 1886–1924 | 4,205 | 157 |
| The Frontier (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) | 1881–1925 | 1,108 | 71 |
| The Columbus Journal (Columbus, Neb.) | 1879–1911 | 782 | 36 |
| The Norfolk Weekly News-Journal (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19?? | 1900–1912 | 543 | 4 |
| The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune (North Platte, Neb.) | 1895–1922 | 493 | 11 |
| The McCook Tribune (McCook, Neb.) | 1885–1912 | 438 | 6 |
| The Red Cloud Chief (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) | 1875–1922 | 431 | 7 |
| The Omaha Morning Bee (Omaha [Neb.]) | 1922–1925 | 421 | 11 |
| The Monitor (Omaha, Neb.) | 1915–1925 | 383 | 12 |
| Dakota County Herald (Dakota City, Neb.) | 1899–1922 | 383 | 15 |
| The Loup City Northwestern (Loup City, Neb.) 189?-1917 | 1895–1917 | 327 | 16 |
| The Alliance Herald (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) | 1902–1922 | 304 | 10 |
| The Falls City Tribune (Falls City, Neb.) 1904-191? | 1904–1911 | 296 | 8 |
| Valentine Democrat (Valentine, Neb.) | 1900–1912 | 182 | 1 |
| The Woman's Tribune ([Beatrice, Nebraska]) | 1885–1909 | 154 | 1 |
| The Nebraska Advertiser (Nemaha City, Neb.) 18??-1909 | 1895–1908 | 143 | 4 |
| The Gordon Journal (Gordon, Sheridan County, Neb.) | 1896–1917 | 135 | 5 |
| The Gordon Journal (Gordon, Sheridan County, Neb.) 1919-Current | 1919–1925 | 113 | 6 |
| The Commoner (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1901–1921 | 84 | 1 |
| Nebraska Advertiser (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) | 1856–1882 | 79 | 0 |
| Custer County Republican (Broken Bow, Neb.) | 1899–1910 | 69 | 1 |
| The Sioux County Journal (Harrison, Nebraska) | 1888–1899 | 62 | 0 |
| The Norfolk Weekly News (Norfolk, Neb.) | 1899–1900 | 44 | 0 |
| Harrison Press-Journal (Harrison, Nebraska) | 1899–1905 | 43 | 0 |
| The Nebraska Independent (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1896–1902 | 31 | 0 |
| The Courier (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1894–1902 | 30 | 0 |
| The Wageworker (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | 1904–1910 | 30 | 2 |
| The Gordon Journal (Gordon, Sheridan County, Neb.) | 1917–1918 | 30 | 2 |
| Western News-Democrat (Valentine, Neb.) | 1898–1900 | 25 | 0 |
| The North Platte Tribune (North Platte, Neb.) | 1890–1894 | 25 | 1 |
| McCook Weekly Tribune (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886 | 1883–1885 | 23 | 0 |
| The American (Omaha, Nebraska) | 1891–1899 | 21 | 0 |
| Capital City Courier (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1888–1893 | 21 | 0 |
| The Valentine Democrat (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) | 1896–1898 | 19 | 0 |
| The Conservative (Nebraska City, Neb.) | 1898–1902 | 14 | 0 |
| The Farmers' Alliance (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1890–1892 | 14 | 0 |
| Lincoln County Tribune (North Platte, Neb.) | 1887–1890 | 13 | 0 |
| The Independent (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1902–1907 | 13 | 0 |
| The Alliance-Independent (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1892–1894 | 8 | 1 |
| The Wealth Makers of the World (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1894–1895 | 8 | 1 |
| Will Maupin's Weekly (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1911–1912 | 8 | 0 |
| The Weekly Independent (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1895–1895 | 6 | 0 |
| The Gordon Semi-Weekly Journal (Gordon, Sheridan County, Neb.) | 1919–1919 | 6 | 0 |
| Bellevue Gazette (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) | 1858–1858 | 2 | 0 |
| The Alliance (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1889–1889 | 2 | 0 |
| Saturday Morning Courier (Lincoln, Nebraska) | 1893–1893 | 2 | 0 |
| South Omaha Stockman (South Omaha, Neb.) | 1886–1886 | 2 | 0 |
| Cherry County Independent (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 18??-1896 | 1892–1896 | 2 | 0 |
| The Lincoln Independent (Lincoln, Neb.) | 1895–1895 | 1 | 0 |
| Dakota City Herald (Dakota City, Neb.) | 1860–1860 | 1 | 0 |
Source: Chronicling America, Library of Congress (public domain). Notices from 1925 and earlier only. They are found and read by software from scanned text, so a few names are misread; every notice links to the original page.