Descendant Reunions

Besides our cemetery cleanups, we are engaged in ongoing research to uncover the genealogy of the residents of Potter's Field.  By using the partial list of names from County records, information from the few existing headstones, vital records, past newspapers and more we are discovering the lost history of Martinez and California's origins.

To that end we have found family and friends of some of the deceased in Potter's Field.  We met and took pictures of them on Saturday with their ancestor's head stone.  They were all thrilled to finally be reunited with those they had lost but not forgotten.  

Judie Palmer & Dorothy Glaros with Nicholas Glaros

The Glaros surname comes exclusively from the isle of Icaria, Greece.  Dorothy is the President of the local chapter of the Pan Icarian Brotherhood, an association dedicated to all descendants of the former residents of Icaria living in the United States.  She was very excited to finally meet Nicholas Glaros.

John Bauer, Kathleen Bauer & Kristin Hawley with August Mueller

The quest to find August Mueller's grave took over twenty years by his family.  It culminated yesterday finally with the reunion of his great grand children and himself.  While examining his headstone we noticed that there was a piece missing.  Joseph remembered a missing piece stored by Nick's headstone and went to retrieve it.  Miracles of miracles, it was a match!

Alexandria Brown & Judie Palmer with Aaron Rice

Alexandria Brown wrote her master thesis on slavery in California and more specifically in the Napa Valley.  She will be publishing a book in 2020 on the subject.  Included in her research is the story of Aaron Rice and his family.  She had no idea that Aaron was buried in Martinez, let alone residing in Potter's Field.  Her information has been invaluable in completing Aaron's Biography.

​Judie & Joseph Palmer are two of the founding members of the Martinez Cemetery Preservation Alliance (MCPA) and the Potter’s Field Project.  Both have a passion for discovery, history, genealogy, anthropology and archaeology.  For more info, please visit our website MartinezCemetery.org. Do you have a Potter’s Field story to tell?  We welcome any pictures or information regarding the Alhambra Pioneer Cemetery or its Potter’s Field.  Please email us at [email protected] or call us at (925) 316-6069.