Hi List members, I have some great news to share with all of you! If you will remember, about a month ago we were talking about the obituary index cards in the Walsenburg Library and how best to copy those so we could get a full listing on our pages. We decided to take digital photos of them, burn them to a CD then send it to Louise for data entry. Well folks, all those cards have been filmed! Our volunteer, Dick Chenault, went to the library and discussed the project we had in mind with Monica Kirby, Library Director. Monica was so very cooperative and allowed Dick to photograph the cards. Dick found a photo stand at a yard sale that worked perfect for this project and he was off and running! He drove back and forth to Walsenburg until all the cards were done, all 11,000 of them. And you should see what a beautiful job he's done! We can zoom in on every photo to any size we need, and I haven't found one that I couldn't read. Dick needs a HUGE round of applause for this endeavor! Without him this project would have never gotten off the ground. Dick you are definitely our HERO! Dick wanted me to move his name to the end of the Contribution line on the page, but sorry Dick, without you, this wouldn't have happened. Louise is now busy typing her little fingers off to get all of the cards in a database so we can post it to the web. The A's have been posted at: http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/obitcardsa.html Each letter will be posted as it is completed. Louise wanted to get more done and online before I announced it, but geez, you know me, I get so excited, I couldn't wait. This is a project that Louise has dreamed of ever since she became our Tri-County Obituary Coordinator. Well sweetie, your dreams are being fulfilled, and we all owe you a HUGE round of applause also! THANK YOU Dick and Louise!!! Well after Dick got done filming all those cards, I guess he was having so much fun with his camera that we talked about filming the Gardner Protestant Cemetery. We set the date to do it for last Saturday. Dick invited a new volunteer along, John Trujillo. John has recently moved to Huerfano County and contacted me to offer to be a volunteer. I haven't met John yet, but I'm sure anxious to as Dick gives him rave reviews. A big welcome to John as our newest volunteer. So along came Saturday and I had to decline because of a back injury. Well that didn't stop "our guys". Dick seemed a little nervous about it because he's never filmed headstones before, and was sure he was going to do something wrong. But away they went, with John's sister and Dick's wife along to do the transcribing. Holy cow, they shot about 300 photos in just a few hours. Now that's what I call team work. And the photos I've received are beautiful! They plan to go again tomorrow to finish up. Do you people realize how long I've waited to get that cemetery filmed??!! YAHOO! THANK YOU Dick and John and your ladies! John I am so anxious to meet you and discuss further projects with you. I did get to meet Dick's wife Jan and she is a lovely lady. Dick is already discussing the possibilities of other projects he can film so come on members, give him some ideas. We don't want to let him cool off any... LOL. And for those of you that have Trujillo ties, please share them with John in appreciation of his work. John descends from Juan de Jesus Trujillo and Maria Benigna Valdez through their son, Castulo Trujillo. Maybe we could all discuss the Trujillo line here on the list, like we did the Wilkins line, that would be fun. Oh by the way, I just finished a research project on the Cortes line so if anyone here is related, let me know, will be happy to share with you. More great news around our Counties..... Dennis has added another 1,000 photos to Imperial cemetery in Pueblo. Dennis has been steadily filming over there since last February, and he's another one that we need to keep happy, so please send him a BIG thanks for all his work. Imperial now has over 5,000 photos online. Folks that's a LOT of work! Dennis also does look-ups for our out-of-town researchers. THANK YOU Dennis! JoAnn Harmon from Imperial cemetery called me last month and asked me to write an article for their Newsletter. If anyone wants to read it, let me know, I'll post it. It's very short. Sharon still wants to film more at Roselawn but for now has had to take a break because they are remodeling their home. Sounds like they have a major project going on. When she gets done she's going to come organize my office....shhh don't tell her I said that LOL. I finally got the remainder of the photos she sent online which was over 100. THANK YOU Sharon! Jean is still transcribing the digital newspapers and I have a ton of stuff from her that I need to get posted. Sorry it isn't done yet Jean, sure wish there were more hours in the day. Jean amazes me that she can contribute so much when she has little ones to keep up with. Was that 4 or 5? LOL Hmmm, maybe it was 4 with the 5th on the way? Or 5 with the 6th on the way? Okay just teasing, don't shoot! THANK YOU Jean for all your hard work. One of these days I'll catch up with you. I mean the work, not the little people. Let me make that perfectly clear. LOL. Robin has typed the Max and Lulu Valdez Oral History and you can read it at: http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/oral52.html It's a real interesting interview with a lot of local people mentioned. Robin had her work cut out for her when she started, there are 31 pages there! But she completed it in a very short amount of time and was so happy to contribute it to our website. THANK YOU Robin! We do appreciate your work. We can also congratulate Robin on becoming a Grammy for the first time on Oct. 16th. Congratulations, there's truly nothing like it! If you've missed our other Oral Histories you can find them listed here: http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/oralhist.html Someday I hope to have all of them online. That's going to be one of our projects this winter so start thinking which one YOU would like to type up and when I announce the project is ready to go you will get one you want to do. Jeff Arnold dropped by the other day and brought me some family photos that I can scan and put on our website. They are of the Levy and Blickhahn family. He also has a photo of Lila Rose Lawrence Singer that he's offering to give to the family of this lady. It's a great photo. THANK YOU Jeff, I'll get those scanned ASAP. Terry Patterson just contributed a great photo of the headstone of Nathan Cicero Patterson and Rhoda Jane Spears. Terry said: " thought you might want to know that Nathan C. Patterson and Rhoda Spears Patterson now have a marker in the Georgia Colony Cemetery. The stone was placed this summer and unveiled during the Patterson/Ownbey family reunion in LaVeta in July." THANK YOU Terry! I am always so happy to see or hear of headstones being placed for ancestors, I'm sure they are smiling down on their descendants, happy that they are still being remembered. For all of you that sent so many warm thoughts and prayers for my niece, Jenny, she is doing chemo now and when she's done with that she will start radiation and then be on a pill for about a year after that. She still needs your thoughts and prayers, as many of you know, chemo is certainly no fun. We are praying that she will make it through this and beat this cancer. Please keep her in your hearts. Nancy and Kevin are getting all settled in at their new home in Nova Scotia and sent me photos of their beautiful fall colors. They are just fantastic! Taylor just returned home from the emerald isle. So what's with this Tay? We haven't received a report yet! She even stayed in a castle! Actually she said I could go with her. She had it all figured out for me a chair on top the car. Oh and the plane couldn't stop here so she told the pilot to fly real low so I could just grab on. Actually I want you all to know that Taylor has threatened your favorite County Coordinator. Yep, she said if I don't behave she's going to send me a cotton candy machine for my grandkids!! Can you imagine? And here I thought she really liked me. LOL, just teasing you sweetie, but do tell us about your trip. Well that about wraps up this report........no wait, one more announcement. I was recently elected New Mexico 'State' Coordinator and will take office Jan 1st., God willing and the creeks don't rise (grin). Off to build more web pages....... Hugs to all! Karen

THANK YOU, so much to every single wonderful volunteer! i really appreciate all the work you guys all do, i owe so much of my research to people like you! thank you so much, taylor >From: "Karen Mitchell" <km1109@aculink.net> >To: COHUERFA-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: [COHUERFA] Terrific News! 10-31-2005 >Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 20:13:58 -0700 > >Hi List members, >I have some great news to share with all of you! > >If you will remember, about a month ago we were talking about the obituary >index cards in the Walsenburg Library and how best to copy those so we >could >get a full listing on our pages. We decided to take digital photos of them, >burn them to a CD then send it to Louise for data entry. Well folks, all >those cards have been filmed! > >Our volunteer, Dick Chenault, went to the library and discussed the project >we had in mind with Monica Kirby, Library Director. Monica was so very >cooperative and allowed Dick to photograph the cards. Dick found a photo >stand at a yard sale that worked perfect for this project and he was off >and >running! He drove back and forth to Walsenburg until all the cards were >done, all 11,000 of them. And you should see what a beautiful job he's >done! >We can zoom in on every photo to any size we need, and I haven't found one >that I couldn't read. Dick needs a HUGE round of applause for this >endeavor! >Without him this project would have never gotten off the ground. Dick you >are definitely our HERO! Dick wanted me to move his name to the end of the >Contribution line on the page, but sorry Dick, without you, this wouldn't >have happened. > >Louise is now busy typing her little fingers off to get all of the cards in >a database so we can post it to the web. The A's have been posted at: >http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/obitcardsa.html >Each letter will be posted as it is completed. Louise wanted to get more >done and online before I announced it, but geez, you know me, I get so >excited, I couldn't wait. This is a project that Louise has dreamed of ever >since she became our Tri-County Obituary Coordinator. Well sweetie, your >dreams are being fulfilled, and we all owe you a HUGE round of applause >also! > >THANK YOU Dick and Louise!!! > >Well after Dick got done filming all those cards, I guess he was having so >much fun with his camera that we talked about filming the Gardner >Protestant >Cemetery. We set the date to do it for last Saturday. Dick invited a new >volunteer along, John Trujillo. John has recently moved to Huerfano County >and contacted me to offer to be a volunteer. I haven't met John yet, but >I'm >sure anxious to as Dick gives him rave reviews. A big welcome to John as >our >newest volunteer. > >So along came Saturday and I had to decline because of a back injury. Well >that didn't stop "our guys". Dick seemed a little nervous about it because >he's never filmed headstones before, and was sure he was going to do >something wrong. But away they went, with John's sister and Dick's wife >along to do the transcribing. Holy cow, they shot about 300 photos in just >a >few hours. Now that's what I call team work. And the photos I've received >are beautiful! They plan to go again tomorrow to finish up. Do you people >realize how long I've waited to get that cemetery filmed??!! YAHOO! > >THANK YOU Dick and John and your ladies! John I am so anxious to meet you >and discuss further projects with you. I did get to meet Dick's wife Jan >and >she is a lovely lady. > >Dick is already discussing the possibilities of other projects he can film >so come on members, give him some ideas. We don't want to let him cool off >any... LOL. And for those of you that have Trujillo ties, please share them >with John in appreciation of his work. John descends from Juan de Jesus >Trujillo and Maria Benigna Valdez through their son, Castulo Trujillo. >Maybe >we could all discuss the Trujillo line here on the list, like we did the >Wilkins line, that would be fun. > >Oh by the way, I just finished a research project on the Cortes line so if >anyone here is related, let me know, will be happy to share with you. > >More great news around our Counties..... >Dennis has added another 1,000 photos to Imperial cemetery in Pueblo. >Dennis >has been steadily filming over there since last February, and he's another >one that we need to keep happy, so please send him a BIG thanks for all his >work. Imperial now has over 5,000 photos online. Folks that's a LOT of >work! >Dennis also does look-ups for our out-of-town researchers. THANK YOU >Dennis! > >JoAnn Harmon from Imperial cemetery called me last month and asked me to >write an article for their Newsletter. If anyone wants to read it, let me >know, I'll post it. It's very short. > >Sharon still wants to film more at Roselawn but for now has had to take a >break because they are remodeling their home. Sounds like they have a major >project going on. When she gets done she's going to come organize my >office....shhh don't tell her I said that LOL. I finally got the remainder >of the photos she sent online which was over 100. THANK YOU Sharon! > >Jean is still transcribing the digital newspapers and I have a ton of stuff >from her that I need to get posted. Sorry it isn't done yet Jean, sure wish >there were more hours in the day. Jean amazes me that she can contribute so >much when she has little ones to keep up with. Was that 4 or 5? LOL Hmmm, >maybe it was 4 with the 5th on the way? Or 5 with the 6th on the way? Okay >just teasing, don't shoot! THANK YOU Jean for all your hard work. One of >these days I'll catch up with you. I mean the work, not the little people. >Let me make that perfectly clear. LOL. > >Robin has typed the Max and Lulu Valdez Oral History and you can read it >at: >http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/oral52.html >It's a real interesting interview with a lot of local people mentioned. >Robin had her work cut out for her when she started, there are 31 pages >there! But she completed it in a very short amount of time and was so happy >to contribute it to our website. THANK YOU Robin! We do appreciate your >work. We can also congratulate Robin on becoming a Grammy for the first >time >on Oct. 16th. Congratulations, there's truly nothing like it! > >If you've missed our other Oral Histories you can find them listed here: >http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/oralhist.html >Someday I hope to have all of them online. That's going to be one of our >projects this winter so start thinking which one YOU would like to type up >and when I announce the project is ready to go you will get one you want to >do. > >Jeff Arnold dropped by the other day and brought me some family photos that >I can scan and put on our website. They are of the Levy and Blickhahn >family. He also has a photo of Lila Rose Lawrence Singer that he's offering >to give to the family of this lady. It's a great photo. THANK YOU Jeff, >I'll >get those scanned ASAP. > >Terry Patterson just contributed a great photo of the headstone of Nathan >Cicero Patterson and Rhoda Jane Spears. Terry said: >" thought you might want to know that Nathan C. >Patterson and Rhoda Spears Patterson now have a marker >in the Georgia Colony Cemetery. The stone was placed >this summer and unveiled during the Patterson/Ownbey >family reunion in LaVeta in July." > >THANK YOU Terry! I am always so happy to see or hear of headstones being >placed for ancestors, I'm sure they are smiling down on their descendants, >happy that they are still being remembered. > >For all of you that sent so many warm thoughts and prayers for my niece, >Jenny, she is doing chemo now and when she's done with that she will start >radiation and then be on a pill for about a year after that. She still >needs >your thoughts and prayers, as many of you know, chemo is certainly no fun. >We are praying that she will make it through this and beat this cancer. >Please keep her in your hearts. > >Nancy and Kevin are getting all settled in at their new home in Nova Scotia >and sent me photos of their beautiful fall colors. They are just fantastic! > >Taylor just returned home from the emerald isle. So what's with this Tay? >We >haven't received a report yet! She even stayed in a castle! Actually she >said I could go with her. She had it all figured out for me a chair on top >the car. Oh and the plane couldn't stop here so she told the pilot to fly >real low so I could just grab on. Actually I want you all to know that >Taylor has threatened your favorite County Coordinator. Yep, she said if I >don't behave she's going to send me a cotton candy machine for my >grandkids!! Can you imagine? And here I thought she really liked me. LOL, >just teasing you sweetie, but do tell us about your trip. > >Well that about wraps up this report........no wait, one more announcement. >I was recently elected New Mexico 'State' Coordinator and will take office >Jan 1st., God willing and the creeks don't rise (grin). > >Off to build more web pages....... >Hugs to all! >Karen > >

Congratulations for a job well done! Dick and Louise and Karen - what a wonderful thing you've accomplished! I've seen those index cards, and it's quite the job. Now all we need are the microfilm obits they reference on line. (ducking and running!) BTW, if anyone else is interested in seeing the pictures of a fabulous Nova Scotia autumn, you can see them here: <http:// www.flickr.com/photos/godzoriz/> There's whole bunch of them for your viewing pleasure. Up here in NS, there are cemeteries *everywhere*. New cemeteries, old (OLD!) cemeteries, big ones, teeny ones. It's quite astonishing. Just down the road from us is a miniature cemetery, right by the road. Maybe six headstones. There are a bazillion tiny churches, and each one has its own cemetery. The communities here were very insular, and each small community had two or three different churches, each with a congregation of maybe 20-50 people. All of the churches are classic white steepled clapboard style. Very picturesque. It's one of the ways you can tell from a distance where the hamlets are - you see the steeples peeking up from the pines. One thing a lot of people are unaware of is that this part of Nova Scotia is the second oldest permanent European settlement in North America, with St. Augustine, FL being the first. Port Royal was established in 1605, and this year was its 400th anniversary! Many of the cemeteries here date back to that era, making preserving them a subject of a LOT of interest in the area. I have yet to see a cemetery, large or small, that isn't *very* well taken care of, trimmed and tidy. I don't know if many of them are documented, but I'll be exploring that in the months to come. They're all quite pretty, with their antique headstones and green moss and beautiful trees sheltering them. It's a whole different feel than the wild and wind-blown feel of the Huerfano area cemeteries. Best of all, no poisonous snakes or spiders! Hee! As I get more familiar with the area, I'll be posting pictures on my flickr site of the cemeteries and other scenery, so if you're interested in seeing more of Nova Scotia, keep an eye on the page. Again, GREAT work on the obits!!! Nancy

sooo sorry i didn't report back on our recent trip. we had a unbelievably wonderful time & i won't bore you w/the minor details but a few highlights.... beautiful country....does remind me of oregon (where i am from) & washington, where i live. green, green, purple & yellow. for a genealogist, or would be, like me....the idea of standing on ground that people lived on thousands of years ago, & that i decend from, blows me away & it was just as cool in person. speaking of being a genealogist....i'm the one in our family that works for that distinction....but it was my husband who lucked out this trip. part of his family came over in the 1800's to the states....& they've kept in touch, so not only did they show us around dublin & lorum (county carlow), they took us to the graves of rob's family....from 1720. hello. 1720. that's just very cool. we saw sooo many ruins, like trees along the road here, they are everywhere & each had a story, although in some cases, sadly forgotten, the idea that people lived there in their fortresses & live there now next to the ruins of the past, young & old, very overwealming. american friends are rather like zoo or circus animals. in rob's family's home towns & even on a day in a bar taking a break from "hurling" traffic (cort vs. limerick, it was ruthless, cork won)....we were on parade. we stopped in because traffic was brutal & my poor husband had just about had enough of 3 backseat drivers, yes, he's a saint, they were me, my mother & my sister. @ any rate, the locals had us to the wall w/questions about the u.s. & wanted us to know every place they had been in the u.s. they also told us all the side roads & places to see & stay & we all hugged (they even hugged my husband) goodbye, wishing us luck & to stop in again whenever. my husband's family, they introduced us to everyone around us, & everyone we met knew who we were & where we came from, down to my mother from oregon, sister in texas & us in seattle....it was wild but the small village was so real & really neat.... the history was fabulous, we did lots of the guided tours, museums & the touristy things, as well because we had family there, we were taken to the family's (& the village's) "sacred well". we drove to the side of a one lane road, parked two cars there & tramped thru a farmers cow field. there @ the back of the field was a lovely white cross & monument & brick lined culvert for the sacred well. to this day they have a mass there yearly, in which they celebrate the mass but as well those that decend from the families of the chruch wars. aprox. 60 years ago they found a chalice in this well that is now on display in the dublin museum....the story goes that they had the masses in this field & when the english came thru looking for the catholics they would toss the chalice in the well & go about having a "town meeting"....often the attendees were murdered & the chalices would be lost w/the dead. so this particular well was drying up so many years ago & they dug down for water for the annual mass & found the very old chalice. we saw the chalice first, in dublin, w/out knowing it was from rob's home village & realized the connection when we were taken there. the irish are wonderful, wonderful people. i recommend it to anyone. sept. is a prime time to go. kids are back in school & the heavy rains have not yet settled in. we were there from 9.5 thru 9.14 & had....ONE day of rain. it was abnormal but yet we heard lots of stories from the locals that this was not all that unusual in sept. so if you're going, try sept. i suggest....fodors.com for anyone travelling anywhere, they have great forums, tips, & great advice for a traveler going anywhere. ok, one more thing....plan the trip yourself, the tours only show you things from their list, & while this may work for many, you miss sooo much. driving is only difficult in places like dublin & once you get the hang of it, it's really not that hard & you see so much more. b & b's are the only way to go, unless you're made of money. hotels are VERY expensive there & if you are there to see the country, do the b & b's....really worth it, you can ck on fodors for rec's & we literally had NO bad ones, breakfast included & neat locals w/lots of great info. ok, i'm sure you've had enough.... ok, one more thing....SAVE YOUR MILEAGE....& plan early w/the airlines when you want to cash them in....we were able to fly the entire trip for mileage & it was very, VERY, much worth it. taylor ps....to date my family castle has YET to be located. you are all invited when it is located & finally turned over to me as the hayes/mannix family guardian....

Congratulations and kudos to all the volunteers, we are so lucky to have these contributors. Karen, this all has to do with the website and the coordinator(the hardest working coordinator on the web). The site is becoming self generating (with the help from all of the folks volunteering time, work and resources), and creating more work for you. Thanks too all of you for all you do to enrich our research experience. Dave Silva Columbia, Illinois