Historical Records Index Search

The following records descriptions generally apply to the records. We cannot be responsible for omissions or errors in the original records nor can we "fix" them.

Please contact us if you have questions about this database or would like to request records or follow the instructions on the Index Search Page to submit a request from there.

The 1870 Federal Census normally contains information which includes: name, age, race and gender of individuals in each household, professional status/title, place of birth, parental place of birth, month born in Census (only in year of the Census), month married (only in the year of the Census), school attendance (only in the year of the Census), male citizen over 21 and voting status, whether the citizen is a pauper or a convict. More information about the Federal Census may be found on our site.

The Amache Japanese Internment Camp teachers who were approved and hired to teach in the camp by the War Relocation Authority (1942-1945) have been indexed. The actual record is a listing of the approved teachers and provides no detail as to their academic background. The record usually shows their name and date of hire (month/day/year), what subject or grade level they taught, the date when they left the camp and the reason for their leaving. A final report of the Amache school is available at the State Archives. Other information concerning the internment camp is posted on our web site.

Arapahoe County Poor Hospital Records 1895-1899 and Arapahoe County Hospital Records 1891-1899

Information found in the Poor Hospital records may include: date of registration into the hospital, name, age, sex, dates of hospitalization (relief), state or country of birth, year of immigration to United States, year of settlement in Colorado; if a previous Colorado resident, what county moved from and when moved to Arapahoe County . The other hospital records include patient's name, age, how long they had been Arapahoe County residents, state or country of nativity, marital status, discharge date, death date if they died, year of immigration to U.S., year of arrival in Colorado, and remarks which usually was the name of a spouse or close relative and the relative's address. A short history of the hospital is available.

This index was compiled from the official record of the Arapahoe County (1893-1905) Voter Registration Record. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the applicant, the date he/she registered, the area where they resided, their registration number and sometimes a lot-block and subdivision notation. Since no 1890 Federal Census exists for Colorado, this index may be especially helpful for those trying to find people in the Denver area in the 1890s. It is also an interesting index as women were allowed to vote beginning in 1894.

May include: handwritten and/or typed correspondence from the applicant to the Colorado Supreme Court requesting their admission to the Colorado Bar, copies of their licenses from other states where they had practiced, correspondence from attorney colleagues supporting their moral and legal character before the Court, cover jacket with summary application information on it and occasionally a notice to the applicant of their acceptance by the Court to practice law in Colorado.

Colorado did not register births until approximately 1908. Before that time only a few counties kept birth records. The Colorado State Archives has birth records for some counties including Denver, Boulder, Lake, Elbert, Gilpin, Custer, Rio Blanco and Kit Carson counties. Denver kept birth records of children who were born in a hospital or when a physician recorded the birth through a hospital. Since many children were born at home, not all births will show up on the Denver Index. The kind of information usually found on these early birth records is the baby's name (although not in the case of Kit Carson County -- see below), date of birth, physician, the father's name and occupation and the mother's maiden name. We also have delayed birth certificates for pre-1908 births for several counties. These court files have information about witnesses to the birth and other supporting documentation proving the birth date for people later needing an official birth certificate.

These records have the name of the person being buried or being removed from the burial place, the date of the burial or removal, the permit number, residence of the person, and cemetery buried in. They also have the cause of death which is not open to the public for 100 years after the death which means we must white out the cause of death on the copy before sending it to you.

The State Department of Public Welfare was in charge of enrolling young men from Colorado into the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression years of 1933-1942. The statewide CCC enrollment index lists the men who enrolled in the CCC from Colorado and does not include men who enrolled in the CCC from another state who were stationed in Colorado. The index cards generally list the CCC enrollee's name, his county of residence, his birth date, and his assigned camp. We also have applications and sometimes discharge notifications which may contain related correspondence. The applications have biographical information usually including the applicant's name; address; citizenship; birthplace; employment status; usual trade or occupation; and education. Some records may have the individual's height, weight, and marital status. A general history of the CCC may be found on our web site.

After World War I the State of Colorado Historical and Natural History Society sent out questionnaires to citizens who had done some kind of volunteer work to support the war effort at home. Information found on these records may include the name of the person, the city in Colorado where he/she resided, name or names of organizations and offices held in each, nature of duties performed, drives participated in and names of others in the organization who did notable civilian war work. There are many women listed on these questionnaires.

This information was compiled from the Civil War Service Record Index Cards on file at the Colorado State Archives. The names listed are for those among the 4000 volunteer soldiers responding to President Lincoln's call to supplement the regular army, and who lost their lives while serving with the Colorado Volunteers. The cards generally show the name, rank and company of the soldier and how and where he was killed in action. A description of other military records available at the Archives may be found on our web site.

This is an index of the Court of Appeals case files in our custody. It is searchable by either Plaintiff or Defendant. It includes business names such as the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company or entities such as the City of Denver. The indexed items also record the date the case was first filed, the case number and the parties in the case. From the case number we can pull up the Court of Appeals case file which documents the proceedings in the Court of Appeals only. These are not the trial court records from which the appeal is sent to the Court of Appeals, but the file has much valuable information at the appellate level. The Court of Appeals file will also have references to the trial court record and a case number for that record. In a few cases there may be information from the trial court record. While we have many trial court records for various counties, we do not have all of them. If we do not have the trial court case at the Archives you will be directed to go to the court where the trial took place.

The Colorado State Supreme Court was the only appellate court until 1891. Thereafter it was the higher of the two appellate courts. Like the Court of Appeals the Supreme Court dealt mainly with the appellate process although sometimes the trial court record (or part of it) will be in the Supreme Court case file. These files document early important legal history of the state, many times providing national legal precedence for water, mining, land and other civil litigation. There are also many criminal cases including notorious criminals such as Alfred Packer. The briefs were the arguments in the case while the Transcript was essentially the rest of the case including motions, orders, subpoenas, and opinions. In some cases, but not all, a transcript of witness testimony will also be included. For researchers these cases may be a bonanza of information not found elsewhere and provide critical evidence of Colorado's legal foundation. The index includes the plaintiffs and defendants, the case number, year and county from which the case was brought to the Supreme Court.

We have the Record of Convicts for the State Penitentiary (1871-1973) and mug shots to 1992. After 1973 we do not have an index so must be supplied with their prison number in order to find the mug shot. The Record of Convicts usually includes: name, when convicted, when received, crime, sentence, county sent from, age, height, complexion, color of eyes, color of hair, occupation, where born, next of kin (names of parents and residence, marital status, name of wife or husband and where living), whether reads and writes, signature, scars and remarks. For the Reformatory we have the Reformatory Record (1887-1939) which gives similar information as the Record of Convicts plus usually has the mug shot on the page. These are on microfilm but a fair reproduction of the mug shot can be made off of the microfilm copier. We also have the mug shots for these inmates up to 1980.

Colorado did not register births or deaths until approximately 1908. Before that time a few counties kept some kinds of death records, including Denver. These deaths were recorded through the Denver hospitals or physicians so if the person died at home there may not be a record. If one exists then the information commonly found on them includes name of person, date of death, age, sex, address, marital status, occupation, nativity, doctor or coroner, place of internment, undertaker, and cause of death. While the earliest death in this index is dated 1870, most of them were recorded in the 1890's and early 1900's. There are more than 35,000 names in this index.

Volunteer Gerald Sherard has indexed more than 196,000 names for this index. These records show a chain of ownership for property in early Denver. Before 1904 Denver County was part of Arapahoe County, so technically the county would be Arapahoe before that time. The information found on the records consists of grantee number and name, name of addition, block number, name of person or firm platting the addition, grantor number, description (with lot number), number of book in which the deed was recorded, date of filing, and kind of instrument. The "grantor" was the person or entity that was conveying the property while the "grantee" was the person receiving the property. The records are organized by subdivision/addition and then by block number. Because many of the deed transfers were a result of a death, these records may be a good indication of the approximate date of death of the grantee. By knowing the place a particular individual lived for any given year, this can also lead the researcher to additional documentation and records.

This index may also be very helpful for those researching the chain of title on a property as long as the researcher knows a name of someone who received property in this time period. If you do not know any names, the records can be accessed at the Archives and a search can be done using early maps and the Lot and Block Index to find the chain of title for a property.

The Lot and Block Index refers to the deed books which are the legal documentation concerning property transfers. These may give additional information about the property transfer. The State Archives has the deed books up to 1902 and many after that time until approximately 1913. Contact us if you would like to know if we have a particular volume in our custody.

We now have two kinds of divorce indexes on-line. The main index is massive and was compiled in the 1930’s and 1940’s for the Colorado Department of Health, Vital Statistics. It has approximately 80,000 divorces listed on index cards and spans about 1890-1939. A volunteer for the Archives, Mr. Gerald Sherard, meticulously checked case file numbers etc. that were sometimes hard to read on the original cards. The original index was filed alphabetically by plaintiff, but ours will index both plaintiff and defendant in the case for an easier search in case you only know the name of one or the other. Also, because this index refers to the divorce court case files, you need to either search all records by the individual's name or search the "court" records for the individual. While researchers will be able to get some basic information about the divorce from these cards such as date of divorce, they will also be able to find out the court case number, which may be used to access the case file. The case files normally have the complaint, the decree, names of children and other documentation in them. The State Archives has a large portion of the divorce cases from throughout the state during the time span of the index. It is likely that we can find divorce court case files in Adams, Boulder, Chaffee, Clear Creek (to 1927), Conejos, Costilla, Custer, Denver, Dolores, Douglas, Eagle, Elbert, El Paso, Fremont, Garfield, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Kit Carson (1904-1910 with many missing), Lake, LaPlata, Larimer, Lincoln, Mesa, Mineral, Moffat, Montezuma (to 1923), Montrose (to 1934), Morgan (to 1922), Otero, Ouray (to 1935), Pitkin, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Routt, Saguache, Summit, Teller, Weld, and Yuma counties. Please contact us with a county name, case number and court and we will verify that we have the case file in our custody.

The other index lists divorces from Adams, Bent, Boulder, Conejos, El Paso, Garfield, Park and Pitkin counties from various time spans. These indexes refer to volumes where certain documents from the cases are filed. You can search the database either by individual (all record types) or (divorce record type). The "divorce" record type refers to single documents, not entire court case files. Information contained in this record may show the case number, date of the marriage, the state where the marriage took place, general reason(s) for filing for divorce, names of children, court action and the date the Decree of Divorce was granted.

Docket Books

These books generally list the cases filed in a particular court and the nature of the document filed. They may include the names of the parties involved, the date of the case file, what kind of document was filed, and a case number if one exists. In many cases we will have the actual case file in our custody but you will need to contact us to find out if we have them for a particular court.

Gilpin County Bankruptcy Docket Book

This record documents the actions taken by the Gilpin County Court in bankruptcy cases from 1867-1876. The record consists of the name of the petitioners, whether bankruptcy was voluntary or involuntary, dates when the various actions took place, warrants and orders of the court, to whom case was assigned, names of creditors and amount due to them, case number. The actual case files are not in our custody.

Gilpin County Chancery Cases

This record series represents those of a very early period in Colorado's history. These records document legal decisions rendered by the Territorial and District Court of Gilpin County for the years 1862 - 1878. Chancery cases are those types of cases where justice was applied in circumstances not specifically covered by law during these years. Names appearing on this index include some of the earliest gold seekers that came west in search of fortune and fame. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the plaintiff and defendant, date of filing, case number, the charge or claim of the plaintiff and supporting documents submitted to the court on behalf of both parties.

This index was compiled from the Gilpin County Clerk (1864-1944). Please note that there are missing records for a number of years. This inventory is not considered to be complete as the recording of marriages with the county Clerk and Recorder was not required until 1881. As is the case with most historic Colorado marriages, the names of the parents do not exist on the marriage record. Please see our marriages page for further information about marriage records.

In the early years of many Colorado counties, the court system was not fully developed and cases could be tried in justice of the peace, county, district or probate courts. These cases, while tried in the Probate Court, were largely civil cases with few probate cases actually represented.

All appointments made by the governor are recorded in the Executive Record. Up to 1945 most of these appointments were for notary publics. Notarial commissions became a Secretary of State function after that. Others include political and commissioner appointments. Political appointments are especially interesting and may concern the governor's personal staff, judges, representation on a committee, board or national conference. Examples include the Americanization Committee which organized as a result of the "Red Scare" in 1919; the Anti-Trust Convention that occurred during the Populist Governor Waite's administration from 1893-1895, the Relief Committee that existed during the Great Depression of the 1930's and even the State Board of Examiners of Horseshoeing during Governor Orman's term from 1901-1903. These appointments tend to illustrate the major issues of the day. Additional information about these topics can be done through research in the governor, legislative, agency and judicial collections.

This index is a register of "docked" horses. By 1898 Colorado statute it was illegal to dock the tail of a horse except for special circumstances. Docked horses had to be registered in the county clerk's office. Information on these registrations include the owner's name, post office address, description of the horse, age and size and the use made of such docked horse.

This record is simply an index of the master and journeymen horseshoers in Arapahoe County around 1900. There is no information on the record other than the horseshoer's name and the date of his registration.

If a business incorporated under the laws of the State of Colorado they filed certain documents with the Secretary of State's Office. The index that is in our Historic Records Database spans 1861-1914. The database indexes all the documents that were filed with the Secretary of State's Office. Most notably this includes the Articles of Incorporation of a business which shows who the officers and directors of a company were, the endeavors of the business, sometimes where they operated and other information. Other documents might include mergers with other companies, changes of names, dissolution papers and annual fiscal reports that they voluntarily filed with the Secretary of State's Office up until 1914. For family historians these records can flesh out the lives of ancestors and can provide a "story" rather than a simple name or other statistics.

Did you find an old gold mine or oil stock certificate in your grandfather's attic and wonder if you're now rich? The incorporation records can also tell you if the company went out of business or whether it merged with another company. The State Archives has indexes that go up to 1975 although the index we have on-line only goes up to 1914. There are 66,000 entries for incorporations in that time period.

This Census is part of the 1900 Federal Census. The index relates specifically to the enumeration of people living at the Colorado Indian Industrial Schools at Fort Lewis and Grand Junction. The main section included the headings found on the 1900 Federal Census. In addition a special section listed the tribe of the Indian as well as the tribe of his/her father and mother. There is also a heading entitled "Mixed Blood" which inquired if the Indian had any white blood and how much. In the Grand Junction index several additional headings are usually filled out including, "Conjugal Condition," "Citizenship" and "Dwelling" ("Is this Indian living in a fixed or in a movable dwelling?"). The information found in this section of the Census is especially helpful since the Federal Indian Census before 1930 provided only information on the person's name, date of birth, gender, and relationship to the head of the family. For more information about this and other censuses, please see our Federal Census page.

Probate records are documents filed with the court to settle an estate when someone dies. The information contained in the Inheritance Tax Record is very useful when a researcher either can't find the probate case file (which includes all of the documentation filed) or needs only the information found on the Inheritance Tax record. This document generally shows the name of the deceased, date of filing, case number, date of death, names of next of kin, a description of real and personal property, value of the estate, and tax liability due.

This record is a summary report of the Kit Carson County births for the years 1892 - 1907 that were recorded in the District Court of this county. The information contained in the records generally shows the name of the father and mother, the date of the birth, sex of the child, whether the infant was living or still born, skin color, maiden name of mother, occupation of the father, parent's residence location and the name of the attending physician if there was one. It is important to note that the name of the child is not entered as part of this record. The record only reflects that the father and mother had a child and recorded the birth at the court house.

These records were compiled from a summary report of deaths for Kit Carson County, recorded in the County District Court. The information contained in these records generally shows the name of the deceased person, the date of death, sex, age at death, ethnicity, whether they were married or not, the deceased's nativity, place of birth, name of the undertaker, name of the cemetery buried in and the name of the attending physician if there was one.

These 7,322 records and certificates cover only patents issued by the State of Colorado and do not cover land entry and patent papers issued by the U.S. Government. The indexed records (compiled by Gerald Sherard) may cover several land divisions but only one description was extracted for each patent number. Some Colorado towns such as Antonito, Craig, Littleton etc. were encouraged with population growth by selling city lots. These entries are noted by the word "city" in the township entry of the index. Missing patent numbers were land tracts acquired by organizations. Patent numbers 1 - 1027 are only records of the purchase. Information given in these records include: patent number, date of patent, name and residence of purchaser, legal land description including county, acres, purchase price, and date of sale. The date of sale may vary from the date of patent to a few years earlier. Patent numbers 1028 - 7500 are certificates. Information in the certificates is similar to the information given in the records plus the current usage of the land is often given. Much of the land sold was school land. Also, some of the land today may now exist in another county.

La Plata and Mesa County Public Welfare Youth Program Enrollment Files 1934-1941

These files may contain the application and discharge papers for CCC enrollment and National Youth Administration Certificates of Eligibility. There may also be Workers Reports which describe the working capability of the applicant and applications for financial assistance from the Department of Public Welfare. Specific information often found in these files include applicant's name, grade, gender, race, age, eye and hair color, height/weight, household members or dependent relatives, marital status, address, last employment held, place of birth, education, previous work experience and religion.

Location Certificates
These records document mining claims that were staked on state-owned property. Information on these may include the owner of the claim; name of claim; legal description; mining district; county; lode discovery date; certificate number; date of certificate; mining patent number; cancellation notice; and claim assignments. Placer Claim Location Certificates differ somewhat. This record reflects the filing with the county Clerk & Recorder of a placer mining claim and a recording of a location certificate by the claimant(s) in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 6, Title XXXII of the Revised Statutes of the United States.

These records cover licenses issued by the Mesa County Clerk and Recorder in Grand Junction, Colorado, for motor vehicles (automobiles and trucks), motorcycles, drivers, motor vehicle dealers, and motorcycle dealers. Information provided in the record includes name of vehicle owner or driver, post office city of residence, model of vehicle, manufacture's number, name of manufacturer, engine horsepower. For driver's licenses the information includes year, operator's name and license number. Dealer information provided is name of dealer, address and license number. People possessing a motor vehicle or motorcycle license did not need a driver's license number. In the index A=Motor vehicle, M=Motorcycle, D=Driver's License, AD=Motor vehicle Dealer, and MD=Motorcycle Dealer.

These records simply list the names of persons either exempt from military enrollment or subject to enrollment.

Mothers Compensation Records originated with the County Commissioners offices. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the applicant, the date and amount of the compensation payment and any adjustments to the pension. The record generally shows the person’s age, the town nearest to where they lived and any other actions done by the county in the process. These are NOT the actual applications.

Before 1906 the naturalization process took place mostly in the local county and district courts. While people could file in a U.S. court (in Denver or Pueblo) they tended to file in the court closest to them. After 1906 it became a federal process although the counties sometimes kept copies. Before 1906 the records have much less information on them than after that date. First, they usually filed a Declaration of Intention which declared their intention to become a citizen. Before 1906 this was done 5 years before they could file a Petition which included the court order naturalizing them. Generally, only the name, date, character witnesses, court order, signature of petitioner and country they came from will be on these records. After 1906 the records contain all sorts of biographical information including sometimes a photograph, date they immigrated, the ship they traveled on, family members, occupation, birth dates, etc.. In the index "Dec" means Declaration of Intention; "Pet" means Petition and "Fin" means Final Papers which was the term used to describe the papers that resulted in their final citizenship. Sometimes the Final Papers were the same type document as the Petition. For the indexes that we have posted on the Historical Records Database, we should have the actual record except in a few cases. For Clear Creek County we have indexed a Naturalization Register which gives the country the immigrant came from, their allegiance, age, the date of the papers and sometimes their residence.

Colorado recorded non-fatal mining accidents for the years 1883-1900. Most of these accidents covered coal mining incidents and only covered metalliferous mining accidents during the years 1889 - 1900. Information given for each accident is usually the name of the victim, date of the accident, mine name, mining company, county, and nature and cause of injury.

These indexes were compiled from the official record of the Old Age Pension applications granted by the County Commissioners during the Depression years (1933-1936). The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the applicant, the date and amount of the pension payment and any adjustments to the pension. The record may also show the pensioner’s age and the town nearest to where they lived. These are NOT the applications themselves.

These indexes were compiled from the official Poor Records of Costilla (1890-1932), Weld (1902-1913), Washington and Saguache (1915-1926) County Commissioners. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the person, date of registration, nativity, sex, age, time of support, cause of poverty and total amount of aid. It may also show the place of birth, date of arrival into the county and from where, remarks, and time of immigration to the U.S.. For Saguache County, the only information on the record is the date they began receiving aid, the amount provided and the date.

Probate records are documents filed with the court to settle an estate when someone dies. They can be a rich source of information for historians. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the deceased, date of death, a description of real and personal property, value of the estate, tax liability due, names of heirs and next of kin and may include the will if one existed. It may also contain receipts for such items as the cemetery plot, claims against the estate and the final disbursal of money and property. Please see our page concerning court records for further information. In some counties (such as Summit) we may have either or both the probate Case File and the Probate Record which is in a volume format. The Case File includes all the documents for one case filed together in the same jacket. The Probate Record is a court record of all the cases heard and is organized chronologically by when a document from a case was filed with the court. All documents for one case will thus be spread out throughout the volume chronologically by date. In lieu of a Case File the Probate Record may be used to "put together" an almost complete case file. Many times the case number is cited in the Probate Record so that the entire case file may be pulled. With all documents stored together in one place, the case file is easier to research.

These records originated with the Secretary of State's Office licensing section. They span 1918-1926 and document arrests for prohibition violations. The amount of information depends on who entered the data but commonly they include the name, age, occupation and residence of the person arrested. They may also include when and where they were arrested, the charge and disposition of the case, nativity of the person, how much contraband was seized, the name of the officer, date of the trial and remarks. Most of the records have most of this information.

The Routt County Ditch Claim Statements were filed in the District Court of Routt County by the owner(s) of said ditches for the years 1902-1903. The record generally identifies the name of the ditch, names of the owners including post office address, location of headgate and county it is located in, name of river or stream water is being diverted from, legal description at which water is drawn, general direction of the flow of the ditch, its length, width, depth and grade. The information generally includes the original date of appropriation, enlargement or extension of the ditch is recorded to include the amount of flow, cubic footage capacity and the number of acres irrigated.

This record shows only the date the county paid for the burial of a poor person and sometimes the amount paid. It may help to establish the whereabouts of people in this short time period.

Prior to 1960, there was a County Superintendent of Schools who oversaw the educational needs of children within the county. Each local community had their own school(s), was assigned a district number, and annually reported enrollment statistics to the Superintendent. The lower the school district number, the earlier that school district was established. The indexes were compiled from the official school census or pupil records from the County Superintendent of Schools The census records are most numerous and usually show the name of the student, their age at the start of the school year, place of birth, date of birth, school grade last attended, and nationality of parents. Some records, such as the Custer County Pupil Register may show the name and age of the student, birthplace, name of parents or guardians, day of enrollment, number of days in attendance each month and grades in different subjects. The Elbert County 8th Grade promotions may show a student's overall grade average, his/her achievement grades in various subjects, the name of the teacher, name of the school (many of which were one-room schools) and the school district number. Lake County School District records generally show the school district number, age of student, town of residence and years in school there. Teachers Registers were similar to a census list but may not have as much information about parents as the census lists. A list of school district numbers is available on-line while a further description of the school records we have is also available.

These records document the Colorado Volunteers during the Spanish-American War in 1898. The documents usually include name, rank, age, organization, occupation, where born, physical description, residence, when and where enrolled into the service and by whom, when and where mustered out and by whom , as well as special comments.

State Board of Agriculture Register of Entries and Awards Fruit Show 1894-1898

These records list people who entered the annual fruit show, what kinds of fruit they entered, what town they were from and the awards they got for their entries.

What is entered into the database is an index of Colorado State Penitentiary inmates from 1871-1973. From the inmate's number we can access various kinds of penitentiary records from which people can obtain more information. We normally send out the Record of Convicts which is a compilation of most of the other records unless additional records are asked for. The Record of Convicts normally has the convict's name and aliases, his/her number, when convicted, when received, crime, sentence, county sent from, age, height, complexion, color of eyes, color of hair, occupation, where born, names of parents or next of kin and residence, marital status, name of wife or husband and where living, whether reads and writes, signature, scars and remarks.

What is entered into the database is an index of the Colorado State Reformatory from 1887-1939. Reformatory prisoners were usually male, aged 16 to 25 years old and were convicted of crimes other than murder or voluntary manslaughter. The prisoner records normally recorded the inmate number; name; alias; crime; county of conviction; court; date of sentence; date received at the Reformatory; nativity; name of parents and their address; age; weight; height; complexion; color of eyes and hair; size of hat and shoe; educational background; occupation; religion; use of intoxicants, narcotics, tobacco and cigarettes; previous criminal record; date paroled and to where; and photo of inmate. Inmate numbers 1-727 usually do not contain an inmate photo.

We have tax lists for Huerfano County from 1873. The list usually includes the name of the person owing the taxes, land description, total valuation, county tax, territorial tax, school tax, poll tax, military tax, total tax and remarks such as "paid".

This record generally includes the name of the teacher, their date of certification, the grade they taught, their town of residence, and where they came from.

These books are listings of teachers who have certificates, are renewing certificates, or getting a Like Grade Certificate. A Like Grade Certificate was when a teacher transferred from one place or county to another and needed to be certified to teach in a new place. The registers generally have the teacher's name, date of certificate and date of renewal, sometimes the grade they taught and occasionally remarks.

Teachers were tested before they got their certificates in various subjects. The Teacher Exams show their name, age, nativity, standing regarding the various subjects and the kind of certificate they were trying to obtain.

These records contain information about teachers in most counties. They do not, however, include Denver teachers. The records usually consist of a "Teachers Permanent Record" card that has the years taught, school district numbers, county, type of position (superintendent, principal, supervisor or teacher), grade taught, subjects taught, number of years taught in Colorado and elsewhere and total teaching experience. On the "Record of Teachers Training" card there will be information about the college or university granting the degree, graduate school, type of degree or diploma and number of years of courses completed. The "Certification Record" card includes the full name of the teacher, kind of Colorado certificate issued, counties where issued, date of issuance, date of expiration, and certificate date and county of renewal. Finally the "Oath of Allegiance" card is a signed document declaring the oath of allegiance to the United States and State of Colorado. The date on the database index is the date of first certificate issuance.

Manufacturers and dealers of goods wishing to retain the exclusive right and use of their trademark or brands filed descriptions and most times facsimiles of their mark with the Colorado Secretary of State's Office. We have these indexed by name of the filer, the product name, and the company. The trademarks will have this information plus either an original example of a mark such as a flour sack, a hand-drawn facsimile or detailed description of the mark or brand. Products that had trademarks and brands before 1900 included cigars, alcohol, flour mills, whiskey and beer, health tonics, soap, creameries, ice, bakeries, mineral water, coffee and many others. The labor unions and coal companies also had marks. Some of these are works of art as they provided the main source for advertising of goods. As of January 4, 2010 we have indexed 1877-1903 but will continue to put more indexes up. If you wish to see samples of trademarks see our digital archives page at: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/digital/trademarks.htm. For a sample of a trademark record without an image please go to: http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/doit/archives/digital/tmarkwritten.htm.

The Transcript of Records is a compilation of the military records for the Colorado Volunteers from 1861-1865. The information found in this source may include: name of enlistee; rank; place of birth; age; occupation; date, place and name of enlisting officer; duration of service; color of eyes, hair and complexion; height; date last paid; name of paymaster; bounty amount due (if applicable); date and place mustered in, out and by whom; and remarks. If you believe that a person was a Colorado Volunteer during the Civil War and they are not listed in the Transcript of Records then you may find them in the Index of Colorado Volunteers in the New Mexico Campaign (1862).

This index was compiled from news releases of "casualties in connection with the conflict in Vietnam", during 1966 and 1968. The information contained in the record generally shows the name of the deceased, branch of the armed forces, date of the news release and circumstances of the soldier's death. Some news releases are accompanied by a newspaper obituary.

Active duty servicemen entering World War I (the European War) were entitled to war service insurance which would entitle them to compensation claims for disabilities or death. These records document the soldiers who carried risk insurance. Information includes rank and unit, insurance rate and amount, and benefactor to whom the insurance benefit was to be paid. Often the name of the serviceman's spouse or mother was listed as the benefactor. Many of the servicemen were recruits in basic training.

The information found on this record generally reveals the name of the veteran, organization and rank when discharged, name and number of his post, his last address, name of his widow, and if he was a member of the American Legion. There may also be information concerning whether the soldier died in Colorado, the date and place, and names of orphaned children under the age of 16.

Wills were not necessarily filed in a probate case to settle someone's estate if the person did not write one. With or without a will a probate case was usually filed if there was anything in the estate. Wills normally listed the heirs and what each was to get at the death of the person. A Will Record was a book that contained documents pertaining to the Will sometimes including the Will, Letters Testamentary, Order Admitting Will to Probate, Order Setting Will for Probate and the Proof of Death.

What we have in the Historical Records Database is an index to photographs of 45 women who worked for the Women's Council of Defense in the Great War.

Records Descriptions

Docket Books

Gilpin County Bankruptcy Docket Book

Gilpin County Chancery Cases