Newspapers Kept Many Records In Colorado

Early immigrants to the area that would become Colorado mostly had one thing on their mind: gold.

Headlines in 1858 chronicled the discovery of gold at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in the region later named Colorado. Thousands of adventurous souls reacted to such headlines by crossing the plains in wagons inscribed “Pike’s Peak or Bust!” But not all came for gold.

“Consumption,” or tuberculosis, was rampant in the 19th century, and many came to the “pure air” of the West, seeking a cure for their disease.

In 1858, the land of present-day Colorado was made up of parts of four territories: Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Utah. The Territory of Colorado was established in 1861, and in 1876 it became the 38th state.

The transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869, and this spurred settlement of the area. The 1870 territorial population was nearly 40,000. By 1880, the number had swelled to nearly 200,000. It’s quite likely that some member of your family ended up in Colorado in the last half of the 19th century.

Because of its recent settlement pattern, it would seem at first that research in Colorado would be difficult. Vital registration - the official keeping of births, deaths and marriages - began relatively late in Colorado. Some statistics are available back to 1900, but it was 1906 when death records really began, and 1928 when total registration of births was made mandatory.

Lucky for researchers, Colorado newspapers began appearing in 1859. The Colorado Historical Society has indexed most of Colorado’s earliest newspapers, and many of these indexes have been published in their quarterly magazine. These indexes would be a substitute for official vital records, for notices of marriages, births and deaths were published in the newspaper. The Heritage Quest magazine No. 26, January-February 1990, has a name listing of the 337 papers being published in Colorado in 1909. Forty-seven of these were daily papers.

If you’re looking for an ancestor who went West and need some help learning about Colorado records, here are some tips. The National Genealogical Society Quarterly back in June 1989, ran a 20-page article highlighting all major record collections for Colorado. Kathleen W. Hinckley, C.G.R.S., wrote the article and has come to be the recognized authority on Colorado research.

I wrote to Hinckley in 1994 with a question about the Colorado marriage index. Her answer explained that “the statewide Colorado marriage index is by groom only and also only covers the years 1900-1939. There is no index for the years 1940-1974, but a cataloging error in the Family History Library catalog would lead researchers to think there is. There is a bride-and-groom index beginning in 1975 to the present.

“Also, I’ve found that the 1900-1939 index is not 100 percent complete; I’ve found marriages in the counties that were not in the statewide index. There is a project under way to index the brides in that 1900-1939 index, but all that has been completed so far are the brides with grooms with surnames that begin with ‘A.”’

This index may be used via the Family History Centers, or by writing to the Colorado Genealogical Society (address below).

Hinckley welcomes questions from those needing research help in Colorado, and will send a brochure outlining her professional services upon request. Her address is P.O. Box 740637, Arvada, CO 80006-0637. You may also call her at (303)422-9371.

Other sources to help you learn about the records of Colorado would be “The Genealogists Address Book” by Elizabeth Petty Bently; “The Red Book” published by Ancestry, Inc.; and the “Research Outline: Colorado,” a small brochure published by the Family History Library. The books can be accessed at most genealogical libraries, and the brochure can be found in the area of Family History Centers.

Some helpful addresses would include: the Colorado Historical Society, Stephen H. Hart Library, 1300 Broadway, Denver CO 80203; the Colorado State Library, 201 E. Colfax Ave., Denver CO 80203; and the Colorado Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 9218, Denver CO 80209. Be sure to include a stamped, self-addressed envelope with any requests for information.

Priscilla DeAngeles wrote an article on “Italians in Colorado,” for the NovemberDecember 1992 issue of Heritage Quest magazine. She wrote that “life was not easy for the early Italian immigrant families in the West of the late 19th century. There were the usual hardships of a rugged country and climate with few creature comforts such as medical care. Added to these anxieties was open discrimination against Catholics and southern Europeans, and back-breaking labor in mines, railroads and farming.”

But, the Italian presence in Colorado continued, and Denver today boasts a large Italian population.

CD-ROM resources available

Back in January, the American Genealogical Lending Library announced placement of its Census Index Databases on CD-ROM. Available now are CDs for New York City 1870, which includes Long Island; Georgia 1870; and Pennsylvania 1870, which includes Philadelphia.

All of AGLL’s Precision Indexing databases are being converted to CD-ROM, and there will be technical support available on all products. As an added bonus, a full copy of the AGLL film/fiche catalog is included on each CD. This catalog is a great reference tool to over 250,000 titles. Those CDs can be purchased for $49.95 each, or as a set for $125. Add $3 shipping for first item, and $1 each for additional items. For more information, please write AGLL, P.O. Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, or call 801-298-5446.

Genealogical society speaker planned

The May 6 meeting of the Eastern Washington Genealogical Society will feature President Bette Butcher Topp speaking on “Women and the Law of Property in Early America.”

This is a study of the rights of female ancestors in land ownership, inheritance, dower, divorce and separation. The meeting begins at 1 p.m. in the auditorium of the downtown Spokane Public Library.

All folks interested in genealogy are invited to attend.

Today’s laugh

“He that has no fools, knaves, or beggars in his family was begot by a flash of lightning.” (Old English proverb).

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