Colfax County, New Mexico Genealogy

United States New Mexico  Colfax County

History

 * The Santa Fe Trail's Raton Pass offshoot brought settlers from the Eastern United States to join the existing Mexican and Native American populations. Colfax County was named for Schuyler Colfax (1823-1885), the seventeenth Vice President of the United States. Detailed Historic and Cultural Overview. History and Historic Trail Maps (Dept.Interior).


 * The Colfax County War 1875.

Parent County
25 January 1869: Eastern part of Taos County was set off to form Colfax County.

Record Loss
List of Historic Places of Colfax County, National Register

Towns or Places with Name Changes
An Alphabetical List of Colfax County Towns and Place Names that have undergone a name change. The Older name will be listed first and generally followed by the more current name.

Neighboring Counties
Mora· Harding· Taos· Union Colorado Counties: Costilla· Las Animas

New Mexico Genealogy Research Outline
Click Here.

Seton Memorial Library
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Rio Grande Historical Collections
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Search by Cemetery Name
Click on Cemetery Name to see details.

Abbott Cemetery, Abreu Cemetery, Agua Dulce Cemetery, Black Lake Cemetery,

Caliente Canyon Cemetery, Catholic Cemetery, Catskill Cemetery, Cimarron Canyon Cemetery,

Cimarron Cemetery, Cimarron Mountain View Cemetery, Clifton Cemetery p.206,

Colmor Cemetery, Dawson Cemetery, Eagle Nest Cemetery, Elizabethtown Cemetery,

Espinoza Cemetery, Fairmont Cemetery, Fairview Presbyterian Cemetery, Gallagher Cemetery,

Hecht Family Cemetery, Herrera Cemetery, Hollenbeck Cemetery,

J.B. Dawson Family Cemetery, Jackson Cemetery, Johnson Cemetery, Johnson Mesa

Cemetery, Kaplan Cemetery, Kelleher Cemetery, Livingston Cemetery, Maxwell Cemetery,

Maxwell Family Cemetery, Miami Cemetery, Mountain View Angel Fire Cemetery,

Mountain View Cimarron Cemetery, Mountain View Kiowa Cemetery, Mountainview Kiowa

Cemetery, Mount Calvary Cemetery, North Abbott Cemetery, Otero Cemetery, Palo Blanco

Mountain Cemetery, Pine Buttes Cemetery, Point of Rocks Mesa Cemetery,

Ponil Park Cemetery, Rayado Cemetery, Ring Place Cemetery, Saint John's Methodist Church

Cemetery, Pacheco Cemetery, San Antonio Cemetery, St. Anthony Church Cemetery,

Saus Creek Cemetery, Seeley Cemetery, Soldier Hill p.207, Springer Cemetery,

Sweet Water Cemetery, Tinaja Cemetery, Touch Me Not Mountain Cemetery,

United Church of Angel Fire Cemetery, Valdez Cemetery, Vermejo Cemetery, Wilson Cemetery,

Colfax County
1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 Free Census Search

1870 US Census, Colfax County: (A-Free), (Fren-Midd), (Mila-Truj), (Truj-Z), Index, transcription and index,

1880 US Census Free Search

1912 - Business Directory:

County Officials, Baldy, Bell, Black Lake, Blossburg, Bonito, Brackett, Brilliant, Capulin, Carlsbrook, Cerrososo. Chico, Chicorica, Cimarron, Clifton House, Colfax, Colmor, Cunningham, Dawson, Dean, Dillon, Dorsey, Elizabeth, French, Gardiner, Gato, Harlan, Hebron, Hunt, Keota, Koehler, Koehler Junction, Lloyd, Lynn, Maxwell, Meloche, Metcalf, Miami, Nash, Otero.

1930 - Federal Census Index: A-C, C-G, G-L, L-P, P-S, S-Z.

Kiowa
1920 - Partial Federal Census Record

Raton
1910 and 1920 Partial Federal Census Records

Other
New Mexico Death Records1889-1945 Search

New Mexico Death RecordsUS GenWeb Index Project

Social Security Death Index Search

Guide to 1788 and 1790 Census of El Paso del Norte

Colfax County Residents (60) who received Patents:

Go to Google Search Patents. Type in "New Mexico" "county of Colfax" OR "Colfax County"

Bureau of Land Management
General Land Office Records Search

Mining
Colfax County was, historically, a mining area. Most of the mines have closed. See, List of Mines.

Angel Fire Community Library
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Eagle Nest Public Library
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Arthur Johnson Memorial Library
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Springer - Fred Macaron Library
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Family History Library

 * Farmington New Mexico Family History Center

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Seton Memorial Library
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Lists of Settlers, 1860
1. Rayado (356)

2. Rio Colorado (707)

Lists of Settlers, 1870
1. Precinct 1 (800): A-E, F-M, N-Z.

Post Office: Elizabeth City. Location: Elizabethtown and environs.

2. Precinct 2 (132): A-Z

Post Office: Elizabeth City. Location: Cimarron.

3. Precinct 3 (1,060): A-E, F-M, N-Z.

Post Office: Elizabeth City. Location: Rayado and outskirts.

Lists of Settlers, 1880
1. Upper and Lower Dry Cimarron (470)

2. Chico (113)

3. Cimarron (1,247)

4. Elizabethtown (287)

5. Otero (50)

6. Rayado (270)

7. Springer (34)

8. Ute Creek (133)

Lists of Settlers, 1900
1. Baldy (111) 2. Black Lakes (205); 3. Blossburg (191); 4.Catskill (976);

5. Chico Springs (398)

6. Cimarron (3363)

7. Cimilario (105)

8. Colmor (1,343)

9. Dorsey (226)

10.Elizabethtown (580); 11. Elkins (61)

12. Gardiner (1,195) A-F, G-L, M-R, S-Z

13. Johnson Park (793)

14. Martines (365)

15. Maxwell (276)

16. Mesa (505)

17.Pena Flor(156)

18.Ponil (50)

19. Ponil Park (100)

20. Raton (3,863)

21. Rayado (135)

22. Springer (589)

23. Trinchera (191).

Pioneers, Others
Published Online Information

Listed by surname

1860
See census enumeration in Mora and or Taos counties. For free census search, click here.

1870
See census enumeration precincts: Elizabeth City Precinct 1, Elizabeth City Precinct 2, or Elizabeth City Precinct 3. Or, For free census search, click here.

1880
See census enumeration precincts: 1. Upper and Lower Dry Cimarron, 2. Chico, 3. Cimarron, 4. Elizabethtown, 5. Otero, 6. Rayado, 7. Springer, 8. Ute Creek. Or, For free census search, click here.

1900
See census enumeration precincts: 1. Baldy, 2. Black Lakes, 3. Blossburg, 4.Catskill, 5. Chico Springs, 6. Cimarron, 7. Cimilario, 8. Colmor, 9. Dorsey, 10. Elizabethtown, 11. Elkins, 12. Gardiner, 13. Johnson Park, 14. Martines, 15. Maxwell, 16. Mesa, 17. Pena Flor, 18. Ponel, 19. Ponil Park, 20. Raton, 21. Rayado, 22. Springer, 23. Trinchera. Or, For free census search, click here.

Immigrant Information
1. List of immigrants from Nanno and Portolo, Italy

Colfax County Family Photo Album
1. Photos taken 1860 to 1879.

2. Photos taken 1880 to 1899.

3. Photos taken 1900 to 1919.

4. Photos taken 1920 to 1939.

Resources
1. List of Online Resources

2. List of Offline Resources

Maps
1895 Colfax County Map, 1895 new Mexico State Map

1895 Map of Taos, Mora, and Colfax Counties

Colfax County Interactive Map of Minerals and Mines

Cornelio Vigil Map of the Beaubien Miranda Land Grant. US Dept. Justice. Map 3, page 34.

Maxwell Land Grant, Map 1, page 7.

Map of the Property Claims on the Ponil River, ca. 1885: page 106.

Map of Cimarron, New Mexico, 1865: Figure 20, Page 14 in the insert between pages 77 and 78.

Surveyor's sectional map of Colfax and Mora Counties, 1889. Figure 21, Page 15 in the insert between pages 77-8.

Sites of the Maxwell and White Incidents on the SantaFe Trail, Map 4, page 42.

Pre - Statehood (6 Jan 1912)
Muster Roll - Coronado Expedition - 1540

Soldier List - Onate Expedition 1598-1608

Partial List of New Mexico Settlers - 1600

Civil War Pension Index Card Search

List of Pensioners 1883

Post - Statehood
WWI Civilian Draft Registrations free online

Vietnam War - Angel Fire Memorial

Mining
The mountains of Colfax County were rich in gold, silver, copper, iron, and coal. page 64; p.90-107;

30 miles to the west of Lucien Maxwell's ranch, Elizabethtown and Virginia City were established in the Moreno Valley close to the extensive placers and mines. Resulting in 5 million dollars of gold output between 1867 and 1872. Near these mines, "one of the richest copper mines of the world" had been established before the discovery of gold in 1867. page 65.

The existence of coal deposits were first officially noticed by Wislezenus, Tour of Northern New Mexico in 1848. p.63, and by Lt. Colonel Emory, Notes of Military Reconnoissance of 1848, page 19. Although, travellers of The Santa Fe Trail, knew of its existence, many years prior. In 1865, Prof. Richard Dale Owen, noted that a five foot coal bed was clearly visible from Lucien Maxwell's hacienda and was close to the stage road. The survey estimated coal deposits to measure 870, 000 acres with contents of 30 billion, 805 million tons. Coal was mined in large scale.1907, the year of greatest production, output of 1,844,550 tons was reached.

Early Mining
Early coal mining operations. page 64.

Early Placers
Early placers prospected for gold page 67.

Mining Claims
List of Mining Claimsfor Colfax County.

Mining Camps
List of Mining Camps.

Eagles Nest
Elizabethtown Museum

Cimarron
Kit Carson Museum of Rayado

Philmont Museum

Villa Philmonte

Raton
Raton Museum

Springer
{{wpd|Dorsey Mansion] history, Dorsey Mansion Ranch

Santa Fe Trail Interpretative Center and Museum

Santa Fe Trail Museum and Historical Society

Newspapers
Current local newspaper addresses and phones

Historic Periodicals and Newspapers

Digital Collections for Colfax County Newspapers

Search Historic Newspapers Library of Congress.

Probate
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Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe Trail went through Colfax County in two places.

1. The Mountain Route went south from Trinidad, Colorado, through Raton Pass, down the slope toward the town of Cimarron. There was a stop on the Canadian River at the Clifton House. About nine miles to the southwest the trail splits, one going to the town of rayado and the other to Cimarron. The Road travels on to Springer.

2. The Santa Fe Trail crosses Colfax County from the eastern border of the Kiowa Grasslands near Clayton, New Mexico, and travels through the Gaine's Cattle Ranch, then beneath the Point of Rocks Mesa, and then travels through the Gillespie Ranch, east of Springer.

More information on the Santa Fe Trail

Santa Fe National Historic Trail

Santa Fe Trail Family History Project

Santa Fe Trail Scenic Byway

Santa Fe Trail Aerial Photos

Santa Fe Trail Museum and Historical Society

Angel Fire
Genealogy Club of Angel Fire, PO Box 503, Angel Fire, NM 87710

Cimarron
Cimarron Historical Society, Les Davis, Cimarron, New Mexico, 87714.

Raton
Raton Historical Society

Raton Family History Center, 2136 La Mesa Drive, Raton, New Mexico, 87740. Phone 505-445-9226.

Raton Museum, Roger Sanchez, 218 S. First, Raton, New Mexico, 87740. Phone 505-445-8979.

Springer
Springer Santa Fe Trail Museum and Historical Society., Mike Taylor, 606 Maxwell Ave., Springer, New Mexico, 87747. Phone: 505-483-5554 or 505-483-0474.

State

 * Colfax County Genealogy Trails
 * Hispanic Genealogical Research Center of New Mexico
 * Historical Society of New Mexico
 * Los Alamos Historical Society
 * New Mexico Civil War Ladies League
 * New Mexico Daughters of the American Revolution
 * New Mexico Genealogical Society
 * The New Mexico Genealogist
 * New Mexico Jewish Historical Society
 * New Mexico State Historian
 * Route 66 Association of New Mexico
 * Southern New Mexico Genealogy Society
 * State Historian
 * Taos County Historical Society

Vital Records
Birth and death certificates are NOT issued at the Colfax County Clerk's Office. They may be obtained from one of the following locations: They CANNOT copy birth and death certificates under any circumstances.

Births

 * Local Office: New Mexico Public Health Office 226 East 4th Street Raton, NM 87740 Phone: (575)445-3601
 * State Office: Office of NM Vital Records and Health Statistics 1105 S. St. Francis Drive P.O. Box 26110 Santa Fe, NM 87502-6110 Phone:(505) 827-0121 Credit Card Orders: 877-284-0963

List of Early Colfax County Birth Records For online birth records, refer to Vital Records below.

List of Colfax County Birth Records 1893-1895, A-W.

Marriages
Marriage Index 1871-1900 (Grooms name Ab to Lo), (Grooms name Lo to Zw)

Marriages 1889-1893, and 1897-1901 - Justice of the Peace Records, Precinct #20 - NMGS

Deaths

 * Local Office: New Mexico Public Health Office 226 East 4th Street Raton, NM 87740 Phone: (575)445-3601
 * State Office: Office of NM Vital Records and Health Statistics 1105 S. St. Francis Drive P.O. Box 26110 Santa Fe, NM 87502-6110 Phone:(505)827-0121 Credit Card Orders: 877-284-0963

Websites

 * Albuquerque Journal online obituaries search
 * NMGenWeb, Colfax County page.
 * New Mexico Random Acts of Kindness
 * Linkpendium for Colfax County
 * Worldcat, Library Booksregarding Colfax County
 * Colfax County Online Genealogy Message Boards: Cousin Connect, GenForum, Rootsweb,
 * Colfax County Newspaper Abstracts
 * New Mexico Pedigree Project, Index of Surnames