by Moises Garza

December 1, 2011

Last Names of Nuevo Leon

The cemetery of Los Trevinos, Tamaulipas, Mexico is situated just a few miles away from town. As to why or how this location was chosen is unknown. This cemetery is simply known as “El Panteon”, “El Panteon de Los Trevinos”, or “El Panteon de Los Gatos”. The first one translates to “Cemetery”, the second to “The Cemetery of Los Trevinos” and the third to “The Cemetery of the Cats”. Yes you read correctly, the cemetery of the cats.

Main entrance to the Cemetery on the South side

Picture was taken on September 21, 2007.

 The Cemetery of the Cats

Story goes that the cemetery was built were an old ranch used to be. They say that the ranch was owned by an old lady who had many cats and thus the name came to be “The cemetery of the cats” (El PAnteon de Los Gatos). Older people still refer to this cemetery by that name. I have asked as to the old ladies name but no one has been to provide it to me since it is a story that has been passed down and no one really knows the details anymore.

Google Earth Location of Cemetery

My Earliest Memory of this Cemetery

I must have been about five years old or less, I remember that my parents took all of us to the burial. I believe that it was someone that somehow was related or known to my parents. I think he was murdered since I clearly remember that a handgun was thrown inside the grave and two buckets of dark dirt were poured on top of the coffin once it was in the ground. I asked my father what was in the buckets and he stated that it was blood that was picked up from were he had been killed. Then they placed two bags on the foot of the coffin and he stated that those were his clothes, I did not asked any more questions. Then the customary “puno de tierra” was done by everyone attending, you grab a handful of dirt and trow it on top of the casket making the sign of the cross as a final farewell. Years later I heard the full story, unfortunately I can not relate it here due to respect for the family. Later memories would be of the yearly visiting on the traditional day of the dead and then the burial of loved ones. In a future post I will be posting a partial index to people buried in this cemetery.

If interested you can check out another post titled “A Partial Index to the Cemetery of Los Trevinos, Tamaulipas, Mexico“.

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About the author 

Moises Garza

I have doing my family genealogy since 1998. I am also the creator of this blog We Are Cousins, and the Mexican Genealogy blog. To always be up to date with both of these sites follow me on Facebook. To contact me or book me for a presentation, buy my books, and or learn more about me visit my personal website at www.moisesgarza.com.

Books to Help You Grow Your Family Tree

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  1. IHAVE BEEN searching for my grand mothers grave or deth certificate her name ws eduvigis solis hinojosa father candido solis cwrvantes and mother petra hinojosa born late 1790s to early 1800s she ws mrried to martin velasco washington-eayers from guadalajara jalisco lst census martin is living in hidalgo county texas ,maybe la grulla 1880 but my grand mother heaven knows ?

  2. My dad and grandparents are buried there. Their names are Dimas Gonzalez, Olegario Gonzalez and Esther Gonzalez. If you have pictures send them my way please and thank you

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