Pueblo County, Colorado
Nepesta Cemetery



Nepesta gates


Page contributed by Karen Mitchell.
Located on Hwy 50, east of Pueblo, at the site of the former settlement of Nepesta. The cemetery is fenced and contains 4 individually fenced family plots. The cemetery is considerably larger than the number of graves would indicate. Many graves were marked with wooden crosses that have deteriorated with time and weather. This cemetery was originally read by Dixie Winden and Edith Christine Todd on 8-5-1981, for the Southeastern Colorado Genealogical Society. Photos were taken by Floyd Kelling on 7-14-2007.
NOTICE All data and photos on this website are Copyrighted by Karen Mitchell. Duplication of this data or photos is strictly forbidden without legal written permission by the Copyright holder.
In memory of Edith Christine Todd.

From "From the Grave, A Roadside Guide to Colorado's Pioneer Cemeteries," by Linda Wommack, published by Caxton Press, Caldwell, Idaho in 1998:  

Nepesta Cemetery - Located five miles west of Fowler, just off Highway 50.  The cemetery is on the south side of the highway, on a small hill, near mile marker 344, and can be seen from the highway.  

This tiny prairie cemetery is all that remains of the long-ago stage stop of Nepesta.  Years of neglect show in the broken tombstones, weathered wooden markers, and broken fencing.  The new wrought iron fence was a gift of Mr. Byron Griffy, in 1996.  The oldest known burials date to 1879, that of the Erdman children, however, the area was settled years earlier, and doubtless has older unmarked graves.  There are five family plots, one is particularly sad.  The rectangular-shaped marble headstone with the name Erdman, marks the gravesite of Charles and Christina's six young children.  Tragically, all six died from diphtheria, in March 1879.  The victims were Charles age 14, Theodor age twelve, Albert age nine, six-year-old Flora, four-year-old Ellen, and nine-month-old Minna.  History does not record what became of the heartbroken parents.
The following information was collected in 1981 by Southeastern Colorado Genealogy Society members Dixie Winden and Christine Todd. It is available at the Historical Society Museum in Fowler, Colorado. Nepesta has long ceased to exist as a stage-stop and community. It is listed as a post office between the years of 1876 and 1929; it is located about 9 miles SE of Boone. Ms. Winden and Ms. Todd have left a description of the cemetery they saw in 1981: " Located on Highway 50 east of Pueblo 22 miles, at the site of the former settlement of Nepesta, Colorado. . . The cemetery is fenced and contains 4 individual fenced family plots. There is not water available so there is only native clump grass, which is dry at this time of year. The markers are in good shape; evidently the vandals have not been in this cemetery. There are many graves that have been marked only with wooden crosses that time and weather have destroyed. This cemetery is considerably larger than the number of names below would indicate. " The description is particularly interesting, since in 1999, only a few decades later, it is very changed. The fenced plots remain. But the wooden markers are gone, save two lying prone on the ground. It is most interesting that they mention that the cemetery is larger than their listing would indicate, since at first glance one might be surprised that it is AS LARGE as the list. Today in 2000, it lies a few hundred feet from the highway. Mr. Byron Griffy of Fowler has been instrumental in working to preserve what is left of the cemetery and its history. The newer wrought iron fence and gate were a gift of Mr. Griffy in 1996. But it is fair to say that the cemetery itself is now located in a cow pasture. If you venture into it, watch for snakes. Besides the fenced family plots, only a few stones remain, although there were certainly many more graves at one time, since historians tell us that local settlers used this cemetery and the one at Rocky Ford to bury their dead, prior to the establishment of the one in Fowler in 1897, at which time some graves in the Nepesta Cemetery were moved to Fowler. Those who know that their families homesteaded, lived and died, in the immediate areas, are safe to guess that their ancestors may be under the ground here in Nepesta. ( Please see the bottom of this page, to see the list of possible burials here. ) Nepesta Cemetery is located five miles west of Fowler beside Highway 50. As you drive from Fowler nearing Mile Marker 344, keep a sharp eye out to the left. You will see the black wrought iron sign standing on a low rise.


?, Owen born no date died 1910

Bush, Hilary B. born 1875 died 1963

Campbell, Ann E. Nix born 7-30-1840 died 3/15/1911 born in Pa., died at Orchard Park, Boone, Co., daughter of John Watts, paid by Clarence W. Campbell of Boone. Dr. H.T. White

Caywood, Stephen born 1829 died 1904

Caywood, Susan N. born 1861 died 1911 born 1-1-1860 Missouri, died 4-3-1911, buried 4-5-1911, single, daughter of Richard Caywood born Ohio and Susan Fulcher born Missouri, funeral at Danielson Ranch. Dr. H.T. White

Collins, Olive Willie born 1898 died 1904

Collins, Ruth born 8/3/1902 died 5/1/1903

Cornman, Frank no dates

Cornman, Harriet T. born 6-24-1866 died 8/2/1904 wife of Frank, WOW also

Dalton, Charles E. born 1877 died 1959

Danielson, A.N. born 2-26-1842 died 12/28/1904

Danielson, Anne Mary born 1870 died 1945

Danielson, CharlotteH. born 4-6-1893 died 2/25/1901

Danielson, Christana born 9-15-1843 died 1/25/1906

Danielson, Christina DeMary born 1905 died 1945

Danielson, Dorothy R.born 1904 died 1905

Danielson, Ethel Anna born 1908 died 1919

Danielson, Evelyn born 1874 died 1960

Danielson, Henry A. born 1876 died 1951

Danielson, Nels F. born 1870 died 1952

Danielson, P. Dorothy born 3/8/1904 died 1/10/1906

Denkenger, Luly Emma born 11-21-1881 died 7-11-1882 dau of J. & M.A.

Elkin(s), Zachariah William born ca. 1826 died 10 Oct 1880

Erdman, Albert I. born 12-17-1869 died 3-17-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Erdman, Charles G. born 4-26-1864 died 3-13-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Erdman, Ellen M. born 12-3-1874 died 3-28-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Erdman, Flora E. born 3-25-1872 died 3-17-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Erdman, Minna C. born 6-3-1878 died 3-13-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Erdman, Theodor M. born 4-23-1866 died 3-15-1879 child of Charles & Christina

Fellhauer, Anton born 6/18/1902 died 3/30/1903

Fleener, W.H. died 9/15/1901 age 59y 11m, resident of Boone, shipped ot Boone accompanied by son Roy Fleener. Dr. A.L. Fugard, McCarthy Funeral Home

Garsol, George born 1873 died 1916

Grimlund, Gary A. born 4-20-1939 in Washington died 9-28-2006 died in Fowler at his home in a farming accident.

Jamieson, John born 1-29-1870 died 10/18/1908 WOW

Kearney, Daisey L.M. born 5/10/1911 died 2/24/1920

Kidwell plot

Kidwell, Benjamin F. born 1834 died 1914

Kidwell, Margaret E. born 1878 died 1915 wife of Benjamin

Kipp, A.E.

Mace. Pearl Marie born 10-12-1899 died 1/7/1910

Mock, Frances A. born 1823 died 1892 Mother

Mock, George R. born 1821 died 1901 Father

Mock, Robert S. born 1862 died 1892 Brother

Moore, Jack S. born 1835 died 1927

Murphy, Phoebe Jane born 1852 died 1923 Mother

Murphy, Thomas F. born 1849 died 1919 Father

Nix, John W. born 1-22-1886 died 4/14/1903 WOW, death may be 1909

Orr, William Snyder died 1920

Payne, Norman B born 4-5-1837 died no date Veteran

Poteet, child no dates

Poteet, Eliza Caroline born 4-4-1848 died 7/11/1920

Poteet, Fanny Ann born 8-11-1887 died 1/24/1968

Poteet, William M. born 4-3-1844 died 7/30/1933

Rodriguez, Luz born 5/20/1912 died 12/10/1914 died in a box car at Nepesta, Co.

Roper, Alice born 1856 died 1933

Roper, infant born no date died 10/1/1921

Scherrer, Cynthia C. born 1868 died 1947

Scherrer, John H. born 1859 died 1925

Schneider, Albert born 1833 died 1922

Seaton, Thomas I. born 7-1-1829 died 5-17-1897

True plot

True, A.E. Kipp born 5-14-1844 died 1/14/1949

True, Agnes born 1886 died 1961

True, Dalia born 8/28/1912 died 8-?-1989

True, Eliza C. born 1856 died 1953

True, Harry born 1-6-1883 died 2-?-1982

unknown

unknown

unknown

unknown

unknown

unknown

Yarberry, Walter Jr. born died 3/4/1902


to the Pueblo County Index Page.


Please e-mail comments and suggestions to Karen Mitchell

© Karen Mitchell