Genealogy group helping town update cemetery records

Posted

April Holthaus

Special to The PREVIEW

The Town Council of Pagosa Springs reached out to the Archuleta County Genealogical Society (ACGS) for help in updating cemetery records at Hilltop Cemetery. With new software coming to the town’s website, the need was for eyes on each grave to ensure they were correct in town records.

Subsequently, the ACGS scheduled two work days and will spend a few more on site to check each headstone against town records for missing or new information. The goal is to make all records as current as possible to be searchable on the Web. The ACGS has received many email requests to send Hilltop Cemetery information to people working on family genealogy. Having the data entered into the new software will allow people to locate that information themselves.

As dedicated genealogists, with many years of cumulative experience, we have a tender spot for cemeteries. Our interest is to find and honor family members. Correct information to validate research plays a large part in the work we do. Also, the two cemeteries in Pagosa Springs are connected to the Civil War, with heroes buried right in our “backyard.”

Please join us at our Nov. 5 ACGS meeting for a program by Ruth Lambert from the San Juan Mountains Association. She is conducting a new study for three Hispano cemeteries in Gato/Pagosa Junction, Juanita and Trujillo, along the San Juan River. Her study involved historical research and field work to photograph, map and document these sites and headstones. She welcomes volunteers to assist her with the projects.

You are invited to join us at 11 a.m. at the Methodist Church on Lewis Street to hear her interesting presentation.