The Lafayette Cemetery was established in 1891 and is the resting place of many of Lafayette’s earliest residents. Early maps of the cemetery show that the north side of the Lafayette Cemetery was the “Potter’s Field.” Most historical cemeteries have a potter’s field, sometimes called a paupers’ field or public cemetery, intended for the burials of people who could not afford to purchase a plot or whose identities were unknown, many of whom are people of color and immigrants. Because of the circumstances of their burials, the graves are typically unmarked or only denoted with wooden markers that deteriorated over time.
While unknown burials are unfortunately common in potter’s fields, the issue was exacerbated in Lafayette due to inadequate recordkeeping as a result of cemetery management changing hands several times. Beginning in the 1920s, a local mortuary purchased and re-sold cemetery plots that included a portion of the potter’s field. The records from the mortuary were never transferred to the City once the mortuary was sold in 1958 and were subsequently lost. With the burial details missing and conflicting cemetery maps, many people once buried there are missing from the official record.
In 2023, two Lafayette residents, Frank Archuleta and Doug Conarroe, began researching the potter’s field in the Lafayette Cemetery. By looking through death notices in historic Lafayette newspapers, the burial records of local churches, and personal testimony, they identified nearly 200 people who are believed to be buried in the cemetery but are not included in the city record and do not have a grave marker. In 2025, the Lafayette City Council approved the plaque which was installed in the cemetery. The research into the Lafayette Cemetery is ongoing and therefore the list may not be complete yet. The names of those unknown burials who have been identified are listed below, and will be updated as further research is conducted. Some names are partial or don’t include a first name due to the incompleteness of historic records.
The plaque was dedicated on October 21, 2025 by City Council and residents. The plaque reads:
As we visit these hallowed grounds to remember, honor, and commemorate our families and friends, we should acknowledge that nearly 200 women, children, infants, and men, perhaps more, were laid to rest here in unmarked graves. This cemetery, like many others, has a potter’s field where some were buried under wooden markers now lost to time, while others died far from home, unclaimed. Many lived in poverty or faced racism, discrimination, and neglect. Renewed interest and ongoing historical investigations, along with technological advances, have begun to help reveal who, where, and how many lie interred here. Although we cannot right the wrongs of the past, we can begin to atone for them. In this spirit, the City of Lafayette dedicates this plaque to all laid to rest in unmarked graves here.
The names of those unknown burials who have been identified are listed below, and will be updated as further research is conducted. Some names are partial or don’t include a first name or death date due to the incompleteness of historic records.
List compiled by Doug Conarroe. Last updated 10/7/25.
| Name of deceased | Date of death |
|---|---|
| Epinemio Abeyta | – |
| Rafelita Erma Abeyta | 02/21/1923 |
| Baby Agazio | – |
| D. Albiez | – |
| D. Alyiendo | – |
| Francis Anastasio | 06/22/1937 |
| A. B. Anaya | – |
| Pocico Angnewe | 01/01/1926 |
| Baby Antanoff | – |
| L. Antencio | – |
| Romero Antuna | – |
| Victoria Antuna | – |
| Susie Baca | 09/09/1936 |
| L. Baltierez | – |
| J. Banous | – |
| Child Bayless | 11/21/1903 |
| G. Bender | 08/20/1924 |
| Andrew Billensky | 01/04/1937 |
| Florinda Borrego | 03/14/1916 |
| R. Borrego | – |
| Mrs. Harry Bowes | 11/14/1911 |
| Joe Bragetis | – |
| Constantine Brasino | 03/14/1909 |
| Agnes Burquez | 03/24/1944 |
| William Jean Busheff | 05/03/1929 |
| Herman Butler | 10/26/1927 |
| S. Calderon | – |
| Baby Calvo | 12/09/1928 |
| Hipolicia Calvo | – |
| Mary Calvo | – |
| Manilla Camacho | 12/13/1928 |
| Mariam Castillo | 01/01/1931 |
| Chavez | 12/11/1937 |
| Albert Eugene Chavez | 01/01/1937 |
| Catherine Chavez | 07/01/1933 |
| Philamina Chavez | – |
| James Clyde | 01/05/1910 |
| Jaunita Contreis | 12/01/1930 |
| Patricia Cordova | – |
| Roman Cordovia | 10/10/1923 |
| Juanita Corea | 06/24/1916 |
| Hariet Cornelius | 05/01/1923 |
| June Harriet Cunningham | 12/05/1918 |
| M. Cunningham | 09/27/1908 |
| Annie Curnow | 02/18/1906 |
| Baby Daniels | 11/03/1908 |
| Olive Davis | – |
| Richard Thomas Davis | 04/12/1929 |
| Baby Delpino | – |
| Hilario Derera | 09/16/1914 |
| Berudeho Domanico | 10/27/1913 |
| Michael Dominguez | 03/28/1942 |
| George Draginoff | – |
| Baby Druzinski | 04/30/1910 |
| Baby Duarte | – |
| Marcelina Duarte | – |
| Placida Duarte | – |
| Baby Duran | – |
| Barbara Duran | 12/01/1918 |
| Casey Duran | 1952 |
| Kathleen F. Duran | 1953 |
| Alice Pearl Eddy | 10/23/1930 |
| Gladys Burline Eddy | 1928 |
| Baby Espinosa | 05/27/1923 |
| Edward Flores | 04/05/1925 |
| Julia Forney | 02/24/1907 |
| John T. Freeberg | 04/15/1910 |
| Vincent T. Fronk | 05/01/1912 |
| Baby Garcia | – |
| Mary Garcia | 10/11/1923 |
| Baby Georgoff | – |
| Teodor Glava | 12/04/1918 |
| George Gonoff | 01/15/1926 |
| Frank Gonzales | – |
| Louise Gorcia | 12/02/1918 |
| Agnes Griszinkas | 05/18/1910 |
| Adam Grozinski | 02/13/1910 |
| B. W. Guerara | – |
| Baby Guerera | – |
| Jose Gutierez | 02/19/1910 |
| Henry E. Hamilton | 01/06/1908 |
| Victor Hegg | 04/30/1913 |
| Salvador S. Hernandez | 11/25/1939 |
| George Herrera | 08/28/1926 |
| Ambrocita Herrera | 10/01/1931 |
| Edna Hill | – |
| Baby Hurt | – |
| Mike Johnson | – |
| Baby Jones | – |
| Margaret Jordan | 10/05/1908 |
| Wanda Kacrynas | 02/23/1916 |
| Francisco Lara | 08/27/1919 |
| Baby Largent | – |
| Leotia Largent | 03/13/1921 |
| Baby Lazuk | – |
| Filomina Lippe | 01/01/1937 |
| Dalton Loveday | 10/07/1908 |
| John Ludoski | 10/25/1941 |
| Baby Luzmoor | – |
| Baby Madrid | 10/04/1931 |
| V. M. Madrid | – |
| Geo. Madrigal | – |
| Jane Marique | 07/16/1907 |
| Della (Abeyta) Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Emma Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Ernest Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Frances Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Jesus Francisco Martinez | 01/16/1916 |
| Jose Martinez | 05/11/1916 |
| Mary Martinez | – |
| Pauline Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Rosa Martinez | 01/28/1930 |
| Stanley Martinez | 03/13/1931 |
| Baby Mather | – |
| Christian Matterano | 03/04/1931 |
| Mary A. Matthews | 07/28/1901 |
| Elsie Mccoy | 01/20/1928 |
| Hazel Mccoy | 01/20/1928 |
| Helen Mccoy | 01/20/1928 |
| Orthy Mccoy | 01/20/1928 |
| Juanita Mendoza | – |
| Miller | – |
| Miller | – |
| Marguerite Miller | – |
| Mary Monteith | – |
| Henry Montoya | – |
| Anna Morrison | 10/01/1931 |
| Vacarellas Moxa | 05/27/1914 |
| Violet Muniz | 09/01/1929 |
| W. A. Murie | 01/01/1932 |
| Baby Navarro | – |
| Bernice Norman | 02/05/1930 |
| R. Ortiz | – |
| George Otava | 07/21/1937 |
| Florinda Padilla | – |
| Delonis Paleo | 01/12/1931 |
| Baby Pappas | – |
| A. Parrish | – |
| Josephina Peene | 08/18/1918 |
| Baby Pena | – |
| Mary Phillips | 06/16/1929 |
| J. Pineda | – |
| Baby Planker | – |
| Baby Prewitt | 10/30/1928 |
| Normie Prosser | 04/20/1909 |
| Juanita Rampu | 01/01/1937 |
| Jose Resendez | 11/25/1915 |
| Reynoso | – |
| Joe Reynoso | – |
| R. Reynoso | – |
| Baby Rich | 04/08/1923 |
| Mrs. Roy Richards | 11/02/1901 |
| Otilia Rios | 04/01/1933 |
| A. Rivera | – |
| Eloy Rivera | 11/01/1937 |
| Baby Rock | – |
| Baby Rossi | 05/10/1910 |
| Mary Celia Rougemont | 04/21/1914 |
| Ruseff | – |
| Salvador Samano | 05/05/1929 |
| Eupheracia Sandoval | 10/26/1926 |
| John Sandy | – |
| Baby Savidra | – |
| Consula Silva | – |
| Josephine Silva | 1949 |
| John H. Simpson | 07/07/1909 |
| Beverly Jean Sisneros | 01/11/1931 |
| Joseph Stanoski | 07/10/1910 |
| Bonnie May Stenstrom | 04/06/1902 |
| Storey | – |
| Florian Stottman | 10/12/1944 |
| Joseph Swinberg | 09/05/1921 |
| Baby Tafoya | – |
| Felix Tafoya | – |
| Olivia Tafoya | – |
| Louis Tavelli | 05/01/1916 |
| Felix Tovoy | 04/07/1926 |
| John Trandafir | 12/05/1918 |
| Daniel Trujillo | – |
| Anna Turrello | 12/08/1918 |
| Eulalia Valasque | 12/30/1937 |
| Valdez | – |
| E. Valenzuela | – |
| Miriam Varra | 11/17/1927 |
| Baby Vennett | 11/28/1907 |
| Baby Vickles | – |
| Mike Vidovich | 12/01/1927 |
| C. Vigil | – |
| Lorenzo Vigil | 05/08/1930 |
| R. Vigil | – |
| John Voka | 03/19/1910 |
| Frank Walsh | 10/01/1901 |
| T. K. Watkins | 12/13/1910 |
| Dorothy Winn | 11/17/1935 |
| Fred Wiskowski | 07/17/1916 |
| John Wolney | – |
| Pete Zernich | – |
| Stephan Zurick | 06/15/1915 |