Our research
One of our former investigators  took a day and went to the local library for some research on Potter's Field. His finds were intresting to say the least! It appears that Potter's field did not start out that way, but rather was the New Town Company cemetery up until 1900.He found information on five of the individuals listed on the sign. A child, Baby Garland was the first to be burried there. BA Scott, Who it appears is Sheriff Ben A Scott, who drowned 1 April 1882 along with his Deputy Partick Henry Gordon while in persuit of cattle rustlers and their ferry overturned while crossing the Grand River (now the Colorado River).The print up did not appear in the paper until December of 1883. It also appears that Deputy Gordon's daughter is listed as the first marriage on the books of Mesa County. More information will be posted as it becomes known.

The Middaugh Family were settlers from a mining town by the name of Rico (Ouray County). They were once a well established, wealthy family that lost most of their wealth after Mr. Middaugh passed away and their fortune was stolen in a serries of investment scams. Mary Middaugh had fallen Ill, and died from an overdose of Physician administered Lodnum (opimum based medication that was also responsible the the death of Wyatt Earps second wife Mattie) and her Mother Mrs. AA Middaugh, while fighting to keep her daughter from being burried in the paupers cemetery, suddenly died of unknown causes thus facing the same fate herself.

We will be taking Saturday to spend the day at the historical society to see what else we can find.
After spending the day searching records at the historical society and museum, Cliff, Mary and I spend all day weeding through books, newspapers and burial records onsite. We found many other names to add to the list of the Potter's Field forgotten. Upon finishing this task, we went back to Potter's for a day walk through to see if we could find any order to the gravesites. We once again wandered up to the white stone we have pondered on many times before. With having some names, we began running EVPs. To our suprise the light hit the severely weathered stone just right and we were able to FINALLY make out the name on the stone we and many others have tried to decipher so many times and for so many years.....Rest in Peace, Julian, someone has finally found you.  Julian was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Pacheco.  At age 23 after a long illness, he passed away at the Family's home.  The birth year in the paper from 1936 does not match the age of the paper, so Julian must have been born in 1913.
Julian L Pacheco
B 3 May 1913
D 28 Sept 1936
After spending another day at the Museum (we have to give a shout out to Jo, the wonderful lady that has put up with us lately!) we found some more intresting information.  It appears that Elmer Price (spelled Pryce in the paper from 1911) was shot and killed during a botched robbery attempt.  He was the one doing the robbing.  He was killed on 2 January 1911.  It appears he was from Auburn, New York, his parents well into their 80's were not well off enough to pay for the transportation of their son's remains back to New York.  He was burried in Potter's field as the result.
List of Known Burials at Potter's Field
Patrick Henry Gordon, Deputy
Benjamin Scott, Deputy
Mrs. AA Middaugh
Mary Middaugh
Julian L. Pacheco
Mrs. Seville Pacheco
Baby Garland
Clarence Adams
Unknown Male
James Bowman
Unknown Englishman
Lawerence Gaffney
Lettie Hammond
Nils Larsen
Infant Lowe
Monroe Loyd
Thomas Mullen
Infant Palmer
Edward Russell
Frank Ryan
JB Scott
John Shunshee
Ira J Smith
Jack Smith
John H Smith
"Old Scotty" Smith
Unknown Male
Unidentified Male
Unknown Male
Elmer J Price (Pryce)
Bertha Kaufman
The most fustrating part of our research on this project has been the total lack of information on the little girl, Bertha Kaufman.  For a child to be so lovingly burried in such an eloborate crypt, there is nothing on this child.  No birth records or anouncements, nothing on her death.  As with Julian, we hope that when she is ready to be found, she will show us where to look.