NGS Research in the States Series: Colorado

“’Gold! Gold!! Gold!!! Gold!!!! Hard to Get and Heavy to Hold. Come to Kansas!’ read the headlines in 1858 when gold was discovered at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in the region later to be named Colorado. Thousands of adventurous souls reacted to such headlines by crossing the plains in wagons inscribed ‘Pikes Peak or Bust!’”

This Issue: NGS Research in the States Series: Colorado; written by Kathleen W. Hinckley.

“Men and women of commerce, gamblers, outlaws, runaway slaves, fancy ladies, and speculators followed closely behind the argonauts—the gold seekers. They organized settlements that included assayer offices, legal services, general stores, stables, saloons, and inns. These fledgling communities vied for the argonauts’ business and attracted morticians, journalists, doctors, and ministers—as well as government clerks who began the record and sources cherished by genealogists.” These are your Colorado ancestors

Each guide in this series offers a bit of history behind each type of record or resource as well as names and descriptions for specific archives. For example, under the heading Ethnic Records, you will find the following:

“Germans were the largest group of early immigrants to Colorado, followed by Irish, English, Scandinavians (Swedish, Danes, and Norwegians), Scots, and Italians. Numerous printed sources offer histories of particular ethnic groups represented among the settlers of Colorado. The Colorado Magazine, for example, has published articles on African Americans, Chinese, Hispanics, Indians, German-Russians, Irish, Italians, Poles, and Swedes. The Helen Karrer Guide to the Colorado Magazine directs researchers to the appropriate articles.

“A unique way to get a glimpse of ethnic groups in Colorado in the early twentieth century is to study the index of…”

In the guide, each section is handled in like manner. Plenty of specific information on what records are available and where to find them.

About the Series

Beginning in 1987, the National Genealogical Society began publishing a series of state guides in the organization’s magazine, the Quarterly. These guides were later re-issued as special publications designed to support genealogical research in each state. Eventually those guides became outdated and out of print. The current set of guides represents a refresh of those publications, updated and improved for today’s traditional and digital research resources.

About the Authors

“Kathleen W. Hinckley, Certified Genealogist, is past president and honorary life member of the Colorado Genealogical Society.” Currently, she is the executive director of the Association of Professional Genealogists and business manager of the International Society for British Genealogy and Family History. She has served in several key roles in many major societies and organizations, and has written at least two additional guides/books on genealogical research topics.

More About the State Guides (from the Introduction)

“Readers should be aware that every effort has been made to include current web addresses throughout the publication and all were verified immediately prior to release…”

“Two research facilities used by many genealogists are the Family History Library (FHL) and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Most genealogists are familiar with the abbreviations used for these two facilities and they are used in these publications. Otherwise the use of abbreviations and acronyms is kept to a minimum.”

Early History and Settlements

Early History
Settlement
Migration

Archives, Libraries, and Societies

Black American West Museum
Boulder Genealogical Society
Carnegie Branch, Boulder Public Library
Colorado Genealogical Society
Colorado Society of Hispanic Genealogy
Colorado Sate Archives
Denver Public Library Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library
Denver Public Library Western History & Genealogy Department
Lloyd Files Research Library–Museum of Western Colorado
Norlin Library–University of Colorado
National Archives–Rocky Mountain Region
Olibama Lopez-Tushar Hispanic Legacy Research Center
Penrose Library, Pikes Peak Library District
Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library, Pueblo City-County Library District
Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society
Stephen H. Hart Library, Colorado Historical Society

Major Resources

Atlases, Gazetteers, and Maps
Biographical Guides
Cemetery Records
Censuses and Census Substitutes
- 1860 Territorial Censuses
- 1861 Territorial Election Records
- 1866 Territorial Enumeration
- 1870 and 1880 Federal Censuses–Auxiliary or Non-Population Schedules
City and County Directories
Court Records
Ethnic Records
- African American
- Chinese from California
- Germans from Russia
- Hispanic
- Japanese
- Jewish
- Native American
Land Records
- Spanish and Mexican Land Grants
- Mexican Land Records
- Federal Land Records
- County-Level Land Records
Military Records and Benefits
- Federal Level Military Records
- State Level Military Records
- Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Records
- Colorado Veterans’ Grave Registration, 1862-1949
- 10th Mountain Division Collection (WWII)
Naturalization Records
Newspapers
- Colorado Obituary Project
- Denver (Denver County)
- Colorado Springs (El Paso County)
- Longmont (Boulder County)
- Mesa County
- Pueblo (Pueblo County)
- Weld County
Probate Records
- Denver City and County
- El Paso County
- Pueblo County
Railroad Employee Records
Religious Records
- Catholic (Roman)
- Episcopalian
- Methodist
Tax Records
Territorial Records
Vital Records
- Birth and Death Certificates
- Marriage and Divorce Records
Women of Colorado
Conclusion

These guides are an excellent resource for state by state research. Available guides, including NGS Research in the States Series: Colorado, are available from Family Roots Publishing.