Hello Ben, The State did not start keeping records as early as 1881, that's why they didn't have anything for you. Before writing to any State find out how early their records start, or you'll just be wasting your money requesting something that doesn't exist. In your case, your best bet is the churches, specifically St. Mary's Catholic Church in Walsenburg. Chavez Plaza was located south east of Gardner, Colorado. The burial record at http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/chavplacem.htm gives his parents as Juan Chavez and Clara Vigil. I would suggest that you submit a Family Group Sheet on the family so we can post it on the web page and hopefully someone else researching the same family will contact you. In the marriages there are several children of Jose Gabriel Chavez's listed at http://www.kmitch.com/Huerfano/marc.html Hope this helps. Happy Hunting! Karen ----- Original Message ----- From: <BenSRod@aol.com> To: <COHUERFA-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 5:35 PM Subject: [COHUERFA] jose gabriel chaves ane wife maria manuela (martin) chaves hi,, doz any one know of any book,s of family that lived in huerfano colorado, 1870--1880--1890, on ,,,,, jose gabriel chaves and wife ,maria manuela ( martin ) chaves, and family,,,,, i do know that he passed a way in the year 1881 and that he is in the chaves cementery,huerfano colorado, i sent off for the death cert, on both of them and they told me that the state of colorado doz , not have any recordes on then at the vitals dept,??? any one could help me out , on this,?? or any livining decendents of this family line , chaves ( martin) doz any one know of this place called los chaves plaza, colorado, this is where my great grand parentes were married at the names were,,,,,,,, juan fransico archuleta and maria virginia ( chaves ) archuleta, i thank you for any information on this family , ben s rodriguez 2004 lancey dr, modesto ca, 95355 bensrod@aol.com