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Cemetery Project Methodology

The PPGS Teller County Cemetery Project began in 1999 under the presidency of Melba Mayall (1998-99). It was completed in 2002 under the presidency of J Richards (2000-03). Cemetery Project chairs were Milton D. Lake (1996-99) and Linda Masden Vixie (2000-02), who created and has been updating this CD-ROM; scores of volunteers contributed their time and energies to this huge task, and their efforts are most appreciated.

This disk contains information on nearly all known burial sites in the county, with more than 5,000 names included. While the society attempted to include all known burials in Teller County, not all owners of property on which graves are located gave permission for their inclusion. Additionally, there are likely some single or small burial sites in the county that are no longer marked and have been lost to history. Most of Teller County was originally part of El Paso County. Gold was discovered in October 1890 by Bob Womack, and the Cripple Creek Mining District soon mushroomed. On March 23, 1899, Teller was formed from El Paso County and a southern sliver from Fremont County.

People researching Teller County should remember two cemeteries close to Teller County borders; many Teller County residents were buried in them. Lake George Cemetery in Park County is located on the Tarryall Road about half a mile northeast of Highway 24 and Lake George. The first known burial dates from 1872 and it is still in use. In Douglas County, Westcreek Cemetery is about 12 miles north of Woodland Park on Colorado Highway 67, near the old town of Westcreek. Established in 1896, it is also still in use.

This document was produced in a format that maintains the relative location of all burial plots, thereby preserving the integrity of cemetery layout for research purposes. The database of records varies for each cemetery. The consolidated surname index for all cemeteries references the numbers used by each cemetery.

Also in the surname index are maiden names, other surnames, and alternate spellings of surnames, all which point to the individual's primary record. Individuals mentioned on markers but not buried here (such as parents or spouses) are listed in the surname index with an exclamation mark (!) next to their surname and reference the location of the associated headstone.

The information in the Inscriptions, Discrepancies, and Comments fields may include discrepancies between the marker and sexton records, additional inscriptions, or comments. In addition, the undertaker is listed following the designation "U."

Although we've made every effort to accurately record the tombstone inscriptions and burial records, you may find errors or omissions. We'd like to correct the errors and add any pertinent additional information to future editions. Please send your correspondence to PPGS Cemetery Project, P.O. Box 1262, Colorado Springs, CO 80901.