Las Animas County, Colorado Genealogy

United States Colorado  Las Animas County

Guide to Las Animas County, Colorado ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Courthouse
County Clerk has marriage records from 1887, land records from 1883 and military dischrage records from 1918; County Health Department has birth and death records. Clerk District Court has divorce, probate and court records

Historical Facts
Las Animas takes its name from the Spanish name for the Purgatoire River that runs through the county. Originally the river was called "El Rio de las Animas Perdidas en Purgatorio", which means "River of the Lost Souls in Purgatory".

Las Animas is the largest of the 64 counties in Colorado.

County Seat
Trinidad

Parent County

 * Before 1861 this modern Colorado county was in New Mexico.


 * 1852 January 9 it was created part of Taos County in New Mexico Territory.


 * 1860 February 1 it became part of Mora County.
 * 1861 February 28 it was transferred to Colorado (1 Nov 1861 Huerfano County).
 * Look for pre-1861 records in New Mexico. For further explanation see Taos County.


 * 1866 Las Animas was created 9 February 1866 from Huerfano County.

Neighboring Counties



 * Baca
 * Bent
 * Colfax County, New Mexico
 * Costilla
 * Huerfano
 * Otero
 * Pueblo
 * Union County, New Mexico

Record Loss
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Other Cemetery Websites

 * Gen Web Archives. Listed Cemeteries for Las Animas County.
 * Gen Web. Listed Cemeteries for Las Animas County.

Census

 * 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — index/images

Court Records
Numerous records are available at Colorado Archives. To use this link scroll down the page to where it asks for Record Type. Click there and scroll down the list to the records you want and select. The next field asks for county. Select the county you want and then click on Search. You can narrow the search by adding the additional information it asks for.

Probate Records
Online Records


 * 1875–1974 Colorado Wills and Probate Records 1875-1974 at Ancestry.com — index and images $

Archives
Las Animas County Naturalizations 1878 - 1906 Las Animas County Old Age Pensions 1933 - 1936

Family History Centers

 * Rye Colorado Family History Center
 * Raton New Mexico Family History Center
 * Alamosa Colorado Family History Center

Libraries

 * Trinidad/Carnegie Public Library 202 N Animas Street Trinidad, CO 81082 Telephone: 719-846-6841 Carnegie Library of Trinidad website


 * Aguilar Public Library 146 W. Main Street Aguilar, CO 81020 Telephone: 719-941-4426 Aguilar Public Library website

Birth
Birth records may become public records when 100 years have elapsed after the date of birth. EXCEPTION: The birth record of any individual who is known to be currently alive will remain confidential even if they are 100 years of age or greater.

Marriage

 * 1853-2006 at FamilySearch.org — index/images
 * 1859-1900 Colorado Marriages, 1859-1900 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1864-1995 at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1900-1939 Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com — index $

Death
Death records may become public records when 75 years have elapsed after the date of death.

Populated Places
Abeyta, Aguilar, Andrix, Barela, Beshoar, Boncarbo, Branson, Cokedale, Cordova Plaza, Delhi, Earl, El Moro, Engleville, Gulnare, Hoehne, Houghton, Jansen, Kim, Ludlow, Lynn, Medina Plaza, Model, Monument Park, Parras Plaza, Patterson Crossing, Reilly Canyon, Rugby, San Miguel, Segundo, Simpson, Sopris, Starkville, Stonewall, Stonewall Gap, Tercio, Thatcher, Tijeras, Tobe, Torres, Trinchera, Trinidad, Tyrone, Valdez, Valleroso, Velasquez Plaza, Vigil, Villegreen, Walts Corner, Weston, Zamara

Ghost Towns
Berwind, Del Agua, Morley, Primero, Tabaco

Web Sites

 * A website with photos of the little town of Kim
 * Las Animas County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
 * Las Animas County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)