Arizona Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project

Internet Presentation

Version 061609

Update - Version 112011

PUNTENNEY CEMETERY

By Kevin Hart

Certified APCRP Coordinator & Historian

Photo by: Kevin Hart

Cedar GLADE Cemetery is located in Yavapai County off of Highway 89A at N34* 58.503’, W112* 23.297 (WGS83) It is also known as Puntenney Cemetery.

George and Lucy Puntenney arrived in Arizona in 1879. Shortly after their arrival they identified a large amount of limestone on Hell Canyon’s south rim and proceeded to build the territory’s first limekiln. Being lime was an important commodity in the development of the west they proceeded to build a small community. Lime is used in producing mortar as well as plaster and is used in the production of glass and castings, refining sugar, and tanning of leather. Puntenney Lime Company was reported to be shipping as far as California with their product.

George and Lucy proceeded to develop the Puntenney Lime Company and a small community developed around it. George built a one-room schoolhouse in the community.

Photos by: Kevin Hart – Left, appears in 2009. Right Photo enhanced by Neal Du Shane

The Puntenney Cemetery has been incorrectly identified as the “Cedar Glade Cemetery”.

The actual Cedar Glade Cemetery is approximately ¾ mile to the NE across Hell Canyon at the Ghost Town of Cedar Glade which is now identified as Drake, Arizona

There was an original town called Puntney, which was later changed to Puntenney.

There was a Post Office from 1893 to 1932. According to Az. Place names George Puntenney built the first lime kiln at this site.

Map by: Kevin Hart

It is simple to reach if you read a map right. Which I was having trouble doing, mistaking one road for another. Take 89 north past Paulden. Take a right on an unmarked road just past mile marker 344. Follow the road for .9 miles and take a left at the intersection on FSR 9042P for .2 of a mile to reach the cemetery. The cemetery is fenced off by 4 strands of barbed wire and a zigzag gate to keep out the cows and other big creatures.

Photo by: Kevin Hart

It has 34 graves, there is only one marked grave. That marked grave is of a young boy. The inscription is written in Spanish. Translated it reads:

Translated Infant Son Gabriel G. Felix Born Sept. 19, 1920 He Died At 14 Months

Grave of Gabriel G. Felix (Male)

Photo by Kevin Hart

There is a grave fenced in with wrought iron and 2 graves next to each other who might have been husband and wife.

Photo by: Kevin Hart

Besides that the other graves are mostly just small rock used to cover the graves. Several of them had small American flags on them. They are well worn and probably put there several years ago.

Photo by: Kevin Hart

There are several trees within the cemetery and a few of them have been cut down, with the branches thrown off to the side and the thicker parts hauled off for firewood.

Photo by: Kevin Hart

The cemetery map shows what I was able to ascertain about the gender and age of the interred. There were several graves where I was unable to get significant research results. But due to the size of the grave I determined whether it was a child or an adult.

If not for the well worn sign and the marker and wrought iron fence I would have thought it was just a corral as I passed by. That is how well worn down derelict it is.

Cedar Glade Cemetery - Puntenney, AZ
	MA			MA	FA
	ANR			FA	ANR
	CNR			MC	FA
					MA
	MA			CNR
	ANR	FC		FC	ANR
	MC	CNR		FC	ANR
	FC	MC		FA	FA
	MA			ANR	MA
	MA			MA
	MA			CF	MA
	MA			CNR	MA
			Zigzag Entrance
A=Adult, C=Child, F=Female, M=Male, NR=No Research Info.
By: Kevin Hart 06/14/09 - Not To Scale

The community of Cedar Glade functioned with the infusion of railroad workers living there and maintaining the railroad line. A heavy steel viaduct spanned Hells Canyon between Puntenney and Cedar Glade. The viaduct was completed in 1901, spanned 646 feet, 186 feet high at the center of Hells Canyon. The 108 year old trestle shudders and quakes when an infrequent train passes over Hells Canyon, whistling a sorrowful acknowledgment to the restful souls who once lived in Cedar Glade and Puntenney.

The name Cedar Glade was changed to Drake in 1920 after William A. Drake what was put in charge of constructing a cutoff line there. This was in keeping with the railroads policy of naming railroad stops after bigwigs in the company.

* * * UPDATE INFORMATION * * *

November 20, 2011

By Neal Du Shane

In the past there are two easily confused Pioneer Cemeteries within ¾ mile of each other at the ghost towns of Puntenney and Cedar Glade, separated by Hell Canyon. To access either requires approximately a three mile drive around and over Hell Canyon. Extensive research and interviews of the Puntenney family were conducted to bring clarification to the names of the two cemeteries. The confusion came when someone posted a sign at the Puntenney Cemetery incorrectly identify it as the Cedar Glade Cemetery. Even Topographical maps have incorrectly identified the Puntenney Cemetery as the Cedar Glade Cemetery.

Sign reads: “Puntenney Cemetery For the Ghost Town Of Puntenney, AZ”

Based on APCRP’s extensive research and documentation a new Puntenney Cemetery sign was placed over the incorrect sign.

TEAM APCRP 11/08/11

Photo courtesy: Bill Norman

L-R Back Row: Ed Block, Kathy Block, Harvey Jones, Key Jones, Bob Gibney, Bill Mitchell, Pat Mitchell, Dana Sharp, Bob Galloway

L-R Middle Row: Bruce Colbert, Neal Du Shane, Barbara Marcel, Jim Marcel

L-R Kneeling: Bobbi Wicks, Frank Zurita

Puntenney family unmarked grave identified by Bobbi Wicks

Team APCRP got busy researching the graves within the fenced area and found a few outside the current marked Puntenney Cemetery. Bobbi Wicks has had contact with a Puntenney family member and wanted to identify their family member’s grave and this was accomplished with stones placed around the grave to give it more permanent identification.

Neal Du Shane teaches Frank Zurita how to identify unmarked graves, Bill Norman documents.

Frank Zurita identifies one of his family member’s final resting places.

Frank Zurita takes a moment to pay his respect after placing one of the markers he made for his relative, Bill Norman observes and pays his respects.

Marker made and placed by Frank Zurita at the grave of Benito Flores Jr.

Marker placed and rocks define the grave of a two month old baby. Relative of Frank Zurita

In addition to the work that has been completed here over the past four years, each year new information is found to lend historical restoration to this cemetery. This year in addition to documenting the correct name for this cemetery APCRP received a telephone call from Frank Zurita of Las Vegas that has family buried in unmarked graves in this cemetery. His goal was to document their burials, identify their actual graves, then place a marker that he had made, at each grave to pay honor and respect to his heritage. With a little training on APCRP research techniques Frank was able to find, identify and place a marker at three grave sites of his beloved family member’s final resting site.

Arizona Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project

Internet Presentation

Version 061609

Update 112011

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