These tips were posted by Mary in 2009.
A few tips to help those of you looking for Obituaries, births, or deaths.
Consider using date ranges in your search as often the exact dates of death may not appear in an obituary. The date of the death is not the date a death notice or obituary would appear in the newspaper. When searching for obituaries in general you might also try using alternative name spellings and terms like death notices, deaths, funerals, funeral announcements, and died.
First names were seldom used for married women. Typically, the husband’s first name was used
* Mrs. Herbert Clark
* Mrs. C. E. McConnell
Occasionally, abbreviations were used for some first names
* Wm. G. Faulhaber for William G. Faulhaber
* Chas. O. Sevier for Charles O. Sevier
* Geo. Nickols for George Nickols
* Thos. Cale for Thomas Cale.
* Jos. A. Skerritt for Joseph A. Skerritt
* Robt. E. Palm for Robert E. Palm
Full names were not always used for prominent individuals
* General Palmer instead of William Jackson Palmer
* Senator Tabor., Lt. Gov. Tabor, Lieutenant Governor Tabor, Governor Tabor, Mr. Tabor, H. A. W. Tabor, Ex-Senator Tabor, Mayor Tabor (depending on the newspaper and the year) instead of Horace Austin Warner Tabor
* Packer (no first name) or Al. Packer or Alfred Packer instead of Alferd Packer
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