Genealogists everywhere know the value of a well-written obituary.

In the obits below, you’ll find

• Names of the deceased and names of others in their circle
• Nicknames, maiden names, married names of female family members
• Dates of death
• Possible dates of birth
• Addresses of homes
• Final resting places
• Connections to other cities and states
• Church affiliations
• Memberships in organizations
• Causes and locations of death

Personal notices [see image on the right] add depth too, as grieving family members express their appreciation of others during a difficult time.

The following notices of death appeared on page 11 of the January 11, 1905 issue of the Chicago Daily News,

“ASHUM (nee Mette)-In sacred memory of our dear MOLLIE, who would be 34 years old to-day.

Lonesome are our hearts each day,

Since our dear Mollie has passed away,

Oh, how we loved her, but to heaven she’s gone,

And we must say, ‘Thy will be done’.

To meet in heaven, how sweet the thought,

When life’s short years are passed,

No more to weep, no more to part, but to meet in heaven at last.

May her soul rest in peace.

FROM A HEARTBROKEN MOTHER, SISTERS AND BROTHER.”

“BLONER-ANNA, beloved mother of Charles Bloner and Mrs. Fred Gackle, Wednesday, Jan. 11. Funeral Friday, Jan. 13, 1905, from late residence, 315 Johnson-st., at 11 a.m., to Bohemian National cemetery.”

“BUCKLEY-RICHARD F., at his residence, 1530 14^th-pl., near Kedzie-av., father of James R., Catherine and Mrs. John F. Nolan. Member of Chicago council, C. B. L.; Merchants’ council, National union. Funeral Friday, Jan. 12, at 9:30 a. m., St. Agatha’s church, thence by carriages to Calvary.”

“BERG-SIDNEY, dearly beloved son of Gustave and Gertrude Berg (nee Larson), brother of Hazel, Jan. 9, aged 2 years 11 months. Funeral from parents’ residence, 159 Frankfort-st., Thursday, Jan. 12, at 1 p.m., to Mount Olive.”

“COFFEY-In loving memory of JOSEPH COFFEY, who died this day four years ago, Jan. 8, 1905.

Pray for him all you his friends.

His sorrowing mother. ALICE A. OWENS.”

“FRANKENSTEIN-SIMON FRANKENSTEIN, beloved husband of Rachel Frankenstein and father of Victor, Rudolph, Sam, Ida and Harry Frankenstein. Funeral to-morrow from his late residence, 4319 S. Lake-av., at 10:30 a.m., and by C. & N. W. train to Rosehill.”

“FUNKENSTEIN-MAX, beloved husband of Tillie Funkenstein (nee Kies), father of Nora, son of Janette, brother of Morris and Louis and Mrs. Sig Kies. Funeral Friday, at 10:30, from late residence, 1625 Melrose-st., to Waldheim; member of Chicago lodge, A. F. & A. M.; Victory, 783, Royal Arcanum.”

“GRANQUIST-PETER, beloved husband of Laura, father of Frances and Harry, beloved son of Hannah and the late Peter Granquist, brother of Mrs. Jennie Williams, Tillie, Alma and the late Oscar and Ricka Granquist, aged 40 years and 4 months. Funeral from parents’ residence, 525 N. Park-av., Thursday, 1:30 p.m., to Montrose cemetery. Minneapolis (Minn.), Nebraska, Linsburg (Kas.), Sycamore, Galesburg papers please copy.”

“GROSSMAN-ADOLPH GROSSMAN, Jan. 10, aged 65 years, beloved husband of Sophia Grossman (nee Freud), father of Sam, Rosie, Joe, Nellie and Mrs. Jennie Freusch. Funeral from late residence, 1106 Lincoln-av., Thursday, 9 a.m., to Waldheim.”

“HANRAHAN-JAMES, dearly beloved husband of Margaret Hanrahan (nee McBride), father of John, Richard and Margaret. Burial from vault at Mount Olivet Friday, Jan. 13, 1905.”

“HOOLEHAN-CORNELIUS, beloved husband of Mary Hoolehan and father of Michael, William, Bartholemew, Brother Aloysius, Lucy, Mrs. E. Shoeppe, Mrs. C. Long, Mrs. F. L. Harvey and the late James, member of C. O. F., court No. 1. Funeral from late residence, 467 S. Fairfield-av., Friday, 10 a.m., to Church of Our Lady of Sorrows, where solemn high mass will be celebrated, thence by carriages to Calvary.”

“HAYWARD-JENNIE A. HAYWARD, wife of Edmund B. Hayward, at residence of her daughter, Mrs. C. F. Smith, 6429 Peoria-st., Jan. 8, 1905. Funeral at Janesville, Wis.”

“JOHNSON-Jan. 9, 1905, MARY E. JOHNSON, beloved wife of John M. Johnson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dr. R. Cornwall, sister of Marion, Charles, Joseph and Mrs. Jennie Kain. Funeral Friday, Jan. 13, from late residence, 1618 N. Robey-st., by carriages to Mount Olive, at 1 p.m. South Bend and Bourbon (Ind.) papers please copy.”

“JOHNSON-In memory of my dearly beloved husband, JOHN AUGUST JOHNSON, who departed from us one year ago to-day, Jan. 11, 1904. He is gone, but not forgotten. FROM WIFE CELIA, CHILDREN HARRY AND CIGRID.”

“KAHER-Jan. 11, 1905, ELENORA, at 804 W. 43d-st., beloved mother of Charles S., Joseph and Mrs. Mary Ciz, aged 83 years. Funeral Friday at 8 a.m., St. Wenceslas’ church, thence to Old Bohemia cemetery.”

“KELSEY-GEORGE W., Jan. 9, age 67, father of John W. Kelsey. Funeral Wednesday, Jan. 11, from his son’s residence, 4984 Washington Park-ct., at 2 o’clock p.m., vault Oakwoods cemetery.”

“KELLY-Mrs. ANNIE (nee Fagen), beloved wife of the late Timothy Kelly. Funeral Thursday, at 9:15 a.m., from residence of Mrs. A. Wickens, 668 W. Adams-st., by cars to Mount Carmel cemetery via I. C. Ry.”

“KUHLMANN-BERNHARDT, dearly beloved husband of Otillie (nee Newschaefer), father of Robert, Mrs. Ida Reif, Mrs. Emma Fischer and William. Funeral from residence, 431 S. Troy-st., Friday, Jan. 13, 1 p.m. to Waldheim.”

“MEAD-Miss LINN A., daughter of the late Robert and Nancy Mead, at the home of her sister, Mrs. James M. Hunter, 3313 Calumet-av., Monday, Jan. 9. Funeral at the above address, Thursday, at 2 o’clock; burial private.”

“METCALF-RALPH, son of the late Gov. Ralph Metcalf of New Hampshire. Funeral at the residence of his sister, Mrs. J. J. McDermid, 4032 Ellis-av., Thursday, Jan. 12, 2:30 p.m.”

“NOLAN-MAGGIE NOLAN, Jan. 9, 1905, at her sister’s residence, 11 Buena Vista-pl., beloved sister of the late Mary McMahon. Funeral Thursday, at 9:30 a.m., to All Saints’ church, where high mass will be celebrated, thence to Archer-av. depot, by cars to Mount Olivet.”

“O’CONNOR-JOHN STEPHEN and THOMAS PAUL, beloved sons of Thomas and Bridget O’Connor, will be buried from vault at Mount Carmel cemetery Thursday, Jan. 12, at 12 o’clock.”

“PEASE-LILLIAN BELL, wife of Dr. Hiram L. Pease, Jan. 9, 1905. Services at residence, 7530 Greenwood-av., 1:30 p.m., Thursday; burial private.”

“PEMBERTON-In remembrance of our dearly beloved son and brother, PERCEY PEMBERTON, who died two years ago to-day. Leaves have their time to fall and flowers to wither and die and stars to set, but thou hast all season for thine own, O Death. MOTHER, SISTER AND BROTHER.”

“REED-GEORGE J., suddenly, 1443 Roscoe-st. Funeral services at Church of Our Savior, 700 Fullerton-av., Saturday, Jan. 14, at 10:30 a.m. Interment private.”

“SCHROEDER-Jan. 9, 1905, HENRY, beloved husband of Margaretha Schroeder, aged 78 years; father of Fred, Otto, Albert, Mrs. Clara Liebhardt and the late Henry Schroeder, Jr. Funeral Thursday, Jan. 12, at 2 p.m., from late residence, 692 N. Hoyne-av., to Graceland. Iowa and Los Angeles (Cal.) papers please copy.”

“SVENUNGSEN-ANNIE, (nee Olson), at her home, Wednesday, beloved sister of Mrs. Christian Johnsen, aged 74 years 11 days. Funeral Friday, at 1 p.m., from 348 W. Erie-st., to First Methodist church, corner Grand-av. and Sangamon-st., thence to Mount Olive.”

“STENERSON-CARL S., Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1905, beloved father of J. Nicholas, Mrs. Frank Bodach, Nels and Charles M. Stenerson, aged 62 years and 11 months.  Funeral Friday, Jan. 13, at 1 p.m., from residence of his daughter, Mrs. Frank Bodach, 746 N. Hoyne-av., corner North-av., by carriages to Mount Olive.”

“SEELIG-Jan. 10, THEODORE V., beloved son of Roman and Anna Seelig (nee Heer), brother of Edward and Julia, aged 11 years 2 months…”

“TONEY-FRANK WILLIS, Jan. 10, 1905, beloved son of Frank C. and Lulu M. Toney, aged 17 years and 4 months. Funeral from his parents’ residence, 6414 May-st., Thursday, at 10 a.m., to Graceland. Funeral private.”

“WALSH-ANNA M., of pneumonia, in her 21^st year, beloved daughter of Mary B. and the late Thomas Walsh, sister of John B. Walsh. Burial private. Washington (D. C.) papers please copy.”

My transcription above is exactly as the notices appeared in the January 11, 1905 issue of the Chicago Daily News with the exception of some spacing and my quotation marks at the beginning and end of each obituary.

Abbreviations, capitalization, grammar and references to people, places and things are indicative of the era in which this information was first published.

When possible, the deceased have also been memorialized on Find A Grave.