Durango, Colorado
Rosa A. Parker
Born: 2 May 1876
Died: 2 Jul 1880 in La Plata Co., CO
She was the daughter of W.C.
and E. Parker.
This page was last updated: February 21, 2017
George Washington Pinyan
Born: 1852 in Georgia
Died: 24 Jan 1886 in La Plata Co., CO
George was an early settler in the Animas Valley having moved there as a single man in 1876. In 1882 he married Mary 'Belle' Belmear and they had two children together. He died from erysipelas (skin infection due to streptococcus) and bilious fever.
Robert H. Pinyan
Born: 1885 in Animas Valley, CO
Died: 17 Dec 1902 near Farmington, NM
Robert was the son of George and Mary ‘Belle’ (Belmear) Pinyan. He died an “unfortunate death” near Farmington after being thrown from his freight wagon and being run over by the tires. His obituary says that he was the son of Mrs. John L. Jones.obert was the son of George Pinyan and Mary ‘Belle’ (Belmear) Pinyan. He died an “unfortunate death” near Farmington after being thrown from his freight wagon and being run over by the tires. His obituary says that he was the son of Mrs. John L. Jones.
The Pinyan Family Plot where George and Robert were laid to rest. It is surrounded by a poured concrete border.
Mr. Pipkin
Born: Unknown
Died: Unknown
He was reportedly a Civil War veteran. Nothing else is known about him. There is no grave marker for him.
Jesse Potts
Born: 1842 in Pennsylvania
Died: 29 Jun 1887 in Durango, CO
According to his headstone, Jesse served in the7th Pennsylvania Reserve. However, there are no military records documenting his service. He was known as a drinker and a gambler with several records of arrest in Durango for disorderly conduct and violating prostitution ordinances. He was mentioned by name in the book by William De Vere, “Jim Marshall’s New Pianner and Other Western Stories.”
Animas City Cemetery
Content copyright 2011. Julie Pickett. All rights reserved.
James Knox Polk Prindle
Born: 1846
Died: 10 Apr 1881 in Durango, CO
James was a successful and well respected miner having been involved in the industry in Leadville, Georgetown, Black Hawk and Central City before moving to Durango. His early years were spent in Detroit, Michigan. James was the shooting victim of an apparant random act of violence by Henry Read Moorman at the Coliseum in Durango. At the time of his death, he was known to have two brothers in Bonanza (Saguache County, CO), Charley and John. His obituary said that he was buried in the Animas City Cemetery until his relatives could be contacted. It is unknown if he still rests in the cemetery. There is no headstone marking his grave.
Infant Boy Rall
Born: 24 Aug 1883 in La Plata Co., CO
Died: 24 Aug 1883 in La Plata Co., CO
He was the son of Silas D. and Margaret (Eggen) Rall. As of 2009 there was a deteriorated headstone laying flat on the ground, marking his little grave. There was no trace of it in 2010, most likely a victim of vandalism.
Bertha Rohrig
Born: 18 Nov 1856
Died: 27 Jun 1881 in Animas City, CO
Bertha was the daughter of Gottlieb Schwartz of Wisconsin. She was the wife of Sam Rohrig, a miner in Lake County. They were well known in Milwaukee before moving to Leadville, CO. The winter before her death, the family moved to Animas City. Bertha died three days after the birth and death of her daughter Darley, and six months after the death of her 3 1/2 year old daughter Hulda. All three were laid to rest in this cemetery and share a pillar headstone that has toppled from its base. In 2009 in was leaning against the base. In 2010 it was laying on the ground.
Darla Rohrig
Born: 24 June 1881 in Animas City, CO
Died: 24 Jun 1881 in Animas City, CO
Little Darla lived less than an hour in this world. She shares a headstone with her sister and mother.
Hulda Rohrig
Born: 12 June 1877 in USA
Died: 17 Jan 1881 in Animas City, CO
Hulda died soon after her family moved to Animas City in the winter of 1880/1881. She shares a headstone with her mother and sister who died 5 months after she did.
Click thumbnails for larger view.
Inez Savage
Born: 31 Dec 1887 in USA
Died: 6 Jun 1891 in La Plata County, CO
Inez was the daughter of John and Calista (Wilson) Savage and the sister of Lyletha who is also buried in the cemetery. The birth date used above is from the mortuary records. The date, if calculated from the headstone would be 31 May 1885.
Lyletha Savage
Born: 14 Jun 1887 in USA
Died: 29 Nov 1880 in La Plata County, CO
Lyletha was the daughter of John and Calista (Wilson) Savage and the sister of Inez who is also buried in the cemetery. Lyletha and Inez share a headstone with their names etched on opposite sides.
Click thumbnails for larger view.
Edward Schnee
Born: 14 Jan 1876 in Texas
Died: 31 Jan 1960 in La Plata County, CO
Edward was the son of Paul and Louisa Schnee. He was the most recent burial in Animas City Cemetery whose body still remains interred at the cemetery. There is no headstone marking his grave.
Louisa Christiane (Schneider) Schnee
Born: 26 Oct 1854 in Germany
Died: 17 Feb 1883 in La Plata County, CO
Louisa was the wife of Paul A. Schnee and the mother of Edward and Robert. She emigrated from Germany to the U.S. in 1870. She died a little less than two weeks after giving birth to son Robert, who died just over two month later.
Robert Schnee
Born: 8 Feb 1883 in La Plata County, CO
Died: 3 Apr 1883 in La Plata County, CO
Robert was the son of Paul and Louisa Schnee. His mother died nine days after his birth. Mother and son share a monument on the northern border of the cemetery.
Rebecca Elizabeth (Samuels) Scott
Born: 11 Mar 1796
Died: 18 Jul 1882 in La Plata County, CO
Rebecca has the earliest birth date of anyone buried in Animas City Cemetery. She was the grandmother-in-law of Joseph Freed, Jr., who was the son of Joseph Freed who is buried in this cemetery. She traveled to La Plata County in a covered wagon with her family when she was in her 80’s and died as they were nearing Durango. According to family lore, her grandson carved her gravestone marker with a spike and hammer.
Sarah Luella (Freed) Shaffer
Born: 2 Mar 1862 in Illinois
Died: 7 Apr 1907 in the Animas Valley, CO
She was the daughter of Joseph and Sarah Freed who are also buried in the Animas City Cemetery. She was highly esteemed by the community. The exact location of her grave site is unknown.
Robert John Sisley
Born: 18 Nov 1890 in USA
Died: 21 Sep 1900 in La Plata County, CO
Robert was the son of William Bassett and Adeline (McClure) Sisley. He died from a rabid dog bite, about which he didn’t tell his parents for a few weeks after he was bitten. By that time it was too late to save him.
Daniel Sheppard
Born: Possibly about 1856 in Iowa
Died: 1 Jul 1881 San Juan County, CO
He was killed by an accidental blast, resulting in a rock crushing his skull. His body was brought to Animas City by train for burial. The exact location of his grave site is unknown.
Mary Ida Sleeth
Born: Unknown
Died: 23 May 1882 in La Plata County, USA
She was the daughter of John and Nancy Sleeth. The exact location of her grave site is unknown.
Isaac "Ike" Thomas Stockton
Born: 29 Feb 1852 in Texas, USA
Died: 27 Sep 1881 in La Plata County, USA
Ike was shot in Durango while resisting arrest for a murder he committed in New Mexico and other various crimes. He and his brother Henry Porter Stockton were the head of the “Stockton Gang.” According to “Many More Mountains, Vol. III,” page 89, author Allen Nossaman said that Ike’s tombstone was placed several years after his death, thus possibly explaining why the date on the tombstone is incorrectly engraved as 26 Oct 1881.
Juan Stratta
Born: Unknown
Died: 16 Oct 1883 in La Plata County, USA
Because of the death date and his residence at the time of death, it is possible that he was buried in the Animas City Cemetery. There is no engraved headstone marking his grave.
Josephine Taylor
Born: About 1878 in Colorado, USA
Died: 14 Dec 1884 in Animas City, CO, USA
Because of the death date and her residence at the time of death, it is likely that she was buried in the Animas City Cemetery. She was the daughter of George W. Taylor and Harriet (Jobe) Taylor and the sister of Laura Taylor, who may also be buried in this cemetery.
Laura Taylor
Born: About 1871 in Kansas, USA
Died: 15 Mar 1881 in Animas City, CO, USA
Because of the death date and her residence at the time of death, it is likely that she was buried in the Animas City Cemetery. She was the daughter of George W. Taylor and Harriet (Jobe) Taylor and the sister of Josephine Taylor, who may also be buried in this cemetery.
James Henry Tilghman
Born: About 1836 in Michigan, USA
Died: About Oct 1877 in Animas City, CO, USA
Previously referred to as 'Mr. Tilman,' it has been passed down through the generations that he was the first burial in the Animas City Cemetery. He was a travelling preacher who came to La Plata County in its infancy. He was the spouse of Nancy Elizabeth Pitts at his time of death. He was previously married to Caroline McDaniel and Harriet Rutledge with whom he had two sons, Lewis and Lester.
Henry H. Thomas
Born: About 1855 in USA
Died: 19 Jan 1886 in Silver Lake Basin in the La Plata Mountains, CO, USA
Henry was killed by an afternoon snowslide that slammed against the cabin in which he waiting for a snow storm to abate. He was buried under 15 feet of snow, but was dug out by his mining partner who then left him behind at Henry's request. A short time later he succumbed to the freezing temperatures. Before his partner left him, Henry wrote a letter to his sister Hannah Thomas of New York City. His obituary stated that he was buried in the Animas City Cemetery, but there is no engraved headstone marking his grave.
James Henry Tilghman and first wife Harriet Rutledge in a locket. Image provided courtesy descendent Susan.
William J. Thompson
Born: 28 Feb 1857 in Missouri, USA
Died: 9 Jan 1906 in Durango, CO, USA
William J Thompson was the Sheriff killed in a shootout with the Acting Marshall Jesse Stansel. According to Stansel’s testimony, there were no bad feelings between them before that day, though they were from opposing political parties and Thompson had beaten Stansel for the office of Sheriff a couple years earlier. Stansel was acquitted of the murder. It is questionable if William Thompson was originally buried in the Animas City Cemetery. If he was, he was later exhumed and reinterred in Greenmount Cemetery. There is no marker for him in the Animas City Cemetery.
Triplett Children
Born: Unknown
Died: Unknown
Two or more Triplett children were buried in the cemetery.
It is possible that they were the children of Charles and Josie Triplett.
The photo at left was taken in 2010. The photo at right was taken in 2003 (courtesy Ruth Lambert).
In 2012, the top of the marker was returned to the cemetery by an unknown person(s).
Alfred James Turner
Born: 10 Aug 1874 in New Mexico, USA
Died: 23 Dec 1904 in the Animas Valley, Colorado
“Alf” was the son of John C. and (Emma Stevens) Turner. He died from gallstones. At one time he was the sheriff. He was a member of Woodmen of the World, the Knights of Pythias Order and the Improved Order of Red Men.
At right is the Turner family plot where Alfred is buried to the north of his parents.
Edith Turner
Born: Unknown
Died: Unkown - Age 5 years
Edith was the only daughter of John C. and (Emma Stevens) Turner.
There is no headstone marking her grave.
Emma E. Turner
Born: 27 Apr 1897 in Colorado
Died: 8 Apr 1901 in La Plata County
Emmas was the daughter of Alfred J. Turner and Kittie E. Turner. She was buried to the south of her grandparents and father. Her headstone is outside of the fenced Turner plot enclosure.
Emma (Stevens) Turner
Born: 1850 in Maine
Died: 1894 in La Plata County
Emmas was the wife of John C. Turner, mother of Alfred J. and Edith, and grandmother of Emma E.
John Charles Turner
Born: Mar 1836 in Connecticut
Died: 20 May 1902 in La Plata County
He was known as “Jack” and was the husband of Emma (Stevens) Turner, father of Alfred and Edith, and grandfather of Emma E. Turner. He was a Civil War veteran having enlisted with the Colorado Territory and was former La Plata County sheriff. He died as a result of internal injuries he received from a fall from his hay wagon.
John and Emma are buried in the south end of Turner family plot (see photo for Alfred Turner). They share a double headstone with Emma on the left and John on the right.
Ella Wallis
Born: Sep 1905
Died: 19 Nov 1905
This burial record was found in the Hood Mortuary index. There is no marker on her grave and nothing else is known about her at this time.
Pitt West
Born: 1854 in Wisconsin
Died: 26 Nov 1879
He was a wagon driver who was shot by the city marshal. His death is recorded in the 1880 mortality census. There is no marker on his grave.
Kate Westcott
Born: 14 Aug 1868 in Memphis, Tennessee
Died: 19 Sep 1881
She was the daughter and firstborn child of J.W. and Leila R. Westcott and the niece of Caroline Westcott Romney, who established the first newspaper in Durango in 1881, The Daily Record. Kate died of Typhoid Fever.
Sarah Wickline
Born: abt 1860
Died: 28 Jul 1882
Sarah died four years before Greenmount Cemetery was created. She lived in Animas City with her husband William, who was the Durango city marshall at one time. Because of the year of her death and her residence at the time of her death, she was most likely buried in the Animas City Cemetery. We can only speculate about whether or not she was exhumed from the Animas City Cemetery and reinterred at Greenmount. It may be that a monument was erected in her memory at Greenmount while her body lies at rest in Animas. There is a record of her husband's burial in Greenmount in 1929, but strangely, no marker is on his grave.
Franz 'Francis' Joseph Will
Born: 27 Mar 1927 in Germany
Died: 23 Apr 1910
He was one of Animas City’s best known pioneers since 1876. He was married to Maria and the father of Hermann and Mina who are all buried together in the Animas City Cemetery. Francis was a successful businessman who owned and developed many properties in Animas City. He died of senility. He was a member of the Masonic lodge.
Anna 'Maria' (Mittenbuhler) Will
Born: 16 Dec 1831 in Bavaria
Died: 17 Sep 1893 in Animas City, CO
She was the wife of Francis and the mother of Hermann and Mina and three other children. She suffered for several years before succumbing to her illness.
Maria shares a headstone with her son Hermann.
Hermann Will
Born: 30 Jan 1873 in USA
Died: 13 Sep 1878 in Animas City, CO
He was the son of Francis and Maria Will. He was killed in wagon accident
Above and below: Hermann's grave marker in 2010.
At left: Hermann's grave marker in 2003
(courtesy Ruth E Lambert)
Mina Will
Born: 19 Jun 1870 in New Mexico
Died: 14 Aug 1945 in Durango, CO
She was the daughter of Francis and Maria Will. She died as a spinster in Mercy Hospital.
George Napoleon Wood
Born: abt 1848, probably in Louisiana
Died: 23 Jun 1882 in Durango, CO
In Durango’s only legal hanging, Woods was executed less than one month after he shot and murdered M.G. Buchanan in Durango’s Pacific Club Saloon. Both Woods, age thirty-four, and Buchanan were members of the notorious “Stockton Gang.” Both were friends with Port Stockton’s widow, who had already remarried by the time of the murder. Woods and Buchanan frequently quarreled about her, apparently because Woods was attracted to her and Buchanan, a friend of the widow’s new husband, tried to discourage the romance. Woods claimed he shot Buchanan in self-defense, as both men had weapons in the saloon. Shortly before his execution, Woods told a newspaper that he regretted that he did not also kill the woman’s new husband, Joel Estes.
George's headstone, in an untraditional manner, faces west.
Will Family Plot
Austin F. Smith
Born: 28 Dec 1817 in Buckland, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA
Died: Death 27 Feb 1903 in Durango, La Plata, Colorado, USA
Husband of Harriet. His death certificate states he was buried in this cemetery.
The exact location of his grave site is unknown.
Harriet B. (Davis) Smith
Born: abt 1820 in Massachusetts
Died: 07 Mar 1887 in Durango, La Plata, Colorado, USA
There is no record of her burial location, but it is presumed that she was buried in the Animas City Cemetery because her husband was buried in this cemetery at a later date.
Click on thumbnails for larger image.
Photos of Kate Westcott and her brother Willard courtesy Stuart Adams.
