Catron County, New Mexico
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Cooney Cemetery
(Contains Cooney's Tomb)
COONEY CANYON
MINERAL CREEK
COONEY CANYON
MINERAL CREEK
 |
| (Photo courtesy Sharon Linneer) |
(Photo courtesy Cheryl Harris)
Copy of
email from Cheryl Harris, 2007/05/17
"This very small graveyard is found in an isolated area east of the town of Alma, NM. Located in the southern part of the county, in the Mogollon Mountains, it is named for James C. Cooney, sergeant of the 8th U.S. Cavalry, who came to Fort Bayard in 1870. While on duty as a scout, he discovered silver-bearing rock, but said nothing about it. After his discharge, he came to the area in 1876 with two companions to work the claim. He was killed by Victorio's Apaches. His brother, Captain Mike Cooney, and friends carved a sepulcher out of a rock in the canyon where he was killed and buried him there, sealing the tomb with the silver-bearing ore taken from the mine he discovered."
"This very small graveyard is found in an isolated area east of the town of Alma, NM. Located in the southern part of the county, in the Mogollon Mountains, it is named for James C. Cooney, sergeant of the 8th U.S. Cavalry, who came to Fort Bayard in 1870. While on duty as a scout, he discovered silver-bearing rock, but said nothing about it. After his discharge, he came to the area in 1876 with two companions to work the claim. He was killed by Victorio's Apaches. His brother, Captain Mike Cooney, and friends carved a sepulcher out of a rock in the canyon where he was killed and buried him there, sealing the tomb with the silver-bearing ore taken from the mine he discovered."
The GPS is 33 deg 24.767'N, 108 deg
50.248'W.
It is approximately 7 miles east of Alma on County Road 7."
It is approximately 7 miles east of Alma on County Road 7."
| Location: About 15
miles northeast of Glenwood, NM off US 180 |
|
| J. C. Cooney Killed by Victorio's Apaches April 29, 1880 Aged 40 years |
|
| Jack Chick Died 29 Apr
1880 Mr. Buhlman Died 30 Apr 1880 |
|
| All
above were horribly mutilated & killed by
Victorio, the Apache Chief, and his warriors. The men were riding to warn settlers of an impending Indian Attack. Their bodies were later found & buried in a tomb carved out of a large boulder. |
|
| Also
buried there: John D. Cooney Born Aug 20th, 1880 Died Dec 15, 1891 Hugh C. Cooney Born Oct 3, 1898 Died Jan. 7, 1900 |
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| Graves behind Cooney's Tomb | |
| 1. Unmarked 2. Charley Clark 2 Oct 1868 - 28 Aug 1910 3. Unmarked 1905 4. Elza May Clark, Daughter of Charley Clark , 29 Jun 1896 - 5 Sep 5. Unmarked |
|
| Steve
Conroy is going to keep us posted regarding the
reconstruction of the vandalized plaque at Cooney's
Tomb. Thanks, Steve! |
|