Rio Arriba County, Nevada Genealogy

United States Nevada  Rio Arriba County

In theory the southern tip of present-day Nevada, the northern part of Clark County and southern parts of Lincoln and Nye counties were part of Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Territory from its creation in New Mexico in 1852 until 29 December 1863 when it became part of the 2nd Judicial District of Arizona Territory.


 * 1852 Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Territory created as an original county from an old Mexican partido. In theory it extended west to the California border including parts of Arizona and later Nevada
 * 1854 New Mexico Territory changes counties stretching to future Nevada from five to three.
 * 29 December 1863 Arizona's three judicial districts were established by Arizona Territory Organic Act from part of New Mexico Territory
 * By November 1864 Mohave County was created by the Arizona legislature as an original county from parts of the 2nd and 3rd Judicial Districts. A part of the 2nd Judicial District eventually became part of Nevada
 * 22 December 1865 Pah-Ute County was created by Arizona from part of Mohave County
 * 18 January 1867 Pah-Ute County, and Mohave County, Arizona Territory west of the Colorado River and west of 114° west longitude were given to Nevada by the U.S. Congress. This area became Clark County, and the southern part of Lincoln and Nye counties in Nevada.

There is little chance someone as far away as Nevada would take the trouble to go to New Mexico to conduct their county business. It is unlikely any records of people living in Nevada are actually found in Rio Arriba County records.

See also Rio Arriba County, Arizona.