Custer County, Colorado Genealogy

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

Description
The County was named in honor of Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer, who had died the previous year. The County is located in the south central area of the state.

County Courthouse
Custer County Courthouse 205 S 6th St PO Box 150 Westcliffe, CO 81252 Phone: 719-783-0441 Custer County Website County Clerk has marriage and burial records

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

State and Territory Census Records

 * 1860 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado was included in the 1860 Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories Censuses - How to Use this Collection
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado Territory Census - How to Use this Collection
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at FamilySearch - Index and images
 * 1885 - Colorado State Census, 1885 at Ancestry - ($), Index and images

Federal Census Records
The 1880 Census was the first Federal Census for Colorado after it became a state in 1876. For links to Federal Census indexes, see Colorado Census.
 * 1860-1940 Colorado Census Records from 1860 to 1940 at FamilySearch.org — index/images

Church Records
Online Church Records
 * 1692-1942 - at FamilySearch — index - How to Use this Collection

Presbyterian Church List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * 1743-1970 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1743-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
 * FamilySearch Places

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.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Records

For more information see Colorado Land and Property
 * Colorado DPA Land Records - Index only; Choose Record Type, and search either "Land Patents" or "Land Records."
 * Land Patent Search - index to federal patents and homesteads on the Bureau of Land Management website, some images available
 * 1796-1907 - U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907 at Ancestry - index, info taken from Bureau of Land Management website
 * 1863-1908 - U.S. Homestead Records 1863-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1862-1908 - Denver Land Office Records, 1862-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index only

Local Histories
Online County Histories
 * History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado. (Includes History of Custer County, by Richard Irwin.) 1881. Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Online at: Internet Archive;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Interactive Formation Boundary Map of Colorado - shows boundary changes for Colorado Counties
 * Colorado Historical Boundary Changes - list of all boundary changes by county provided by Newberry Library
 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Online Collections
These collections are unique to Colorado. You will find nationwide databases for military records on U.S. Military Online Genealogy Records and Colorado Military Records.

All Veterans
 * Colorado State Archives Veterans Grave Registration Index at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Military - Grave

Civil War
 * Colorado Civil War Casualties Index at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Civil War Casualty
 * 1861-1865 - Colorado State Archives Volunteers Transcript of Record Index (1861-1865) at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Transcript of Record

Spanish-American War (1898)
 * 1898 - Colorado Volunteers in the Spanish American War, 1898 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Span-Am War Soldiers

World War I
 * 1916-1919 - Colorado State Archives Denver War Risk Insurance Applicants, 1916-1919 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, War Risk Insurance
 * 1917-1922 - Colorado State Archives World War I Civilian Service Questionnaires, 1917-1922 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, WWI Questionnaire
 * 1917-1918 - Colorado Soldiers in WWI, 1917-1918 at Ancestry.com — ($), index

World War II
 * 1940-1945 - at FamilySearch — index and images - How to Use this Collection

Vietnam War
 * 1966 & 1968 - Colorado State Archives Vietnam War Casualties - June-December 1966 & January-December 1968 - at the Colorado State Archives website - Index only; In the Record Type field, select, Vietnam Deaths

For further information see Colorado Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Records
 * 1868-1990 - Colorado, State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1868-1990 at Ancestry ($); Index and images
 * 1876-1990 - at FamilySearch — index and images; District Court records - How to Use this Collection

Newspapers
Colorado Newspapers Online
 * Colorado Online Historical Newspapers online - in the Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection by the Colorado State Library
 * Colorado Newspapers at Ancestry.com - ($)
 * GenealogyBank - ($), contains images of Colorado newspapers
 * Newspaper Archive - ($), contains images of Colorado newspapers
 * Chronicling America - contains images of some Colorado newspapers; searching tips
 * Elephind - Free; search engine that retrieves newspaper images from other free newspaper websites

Colorado Newspaper Catalogs
 * U.S. Newspaper Directory, 1690-Present on Chronicling America - contains a list of all known newspapers and the dates they cover; once you locate a newspaper name, contact the local library to see if they have copies of the newspaper


 * 1800s-1999 U.S., Newspapers.com Marriage Index, 1800s-1999 at Ancestry - index ($)

Probate Records
'''Online Records
 * 1875–1974 Colorado Wills and Probate Records 1875-1974 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1879-1989 Custer County Probates at Colorado State Archives - index, select record type for search
 * 1887-1966 Colorado State Archives has put an Index to the Custer County Will Records for the years 1887-1966 on-line.

School Records

 * 1880-1896 Custer County Teachers Registers of Students 1880-1896 at Colorado State Archives - index, select record type for search
 * 1891-1896 Colorado State Archives has put an Index to the Pupil Register for District #3 for the years 1891-1896 on-line. The index gives the name of the pupil, date, and birth place.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 1907-1946 Colorado State Archives has put the Custer County Inheritance Tax Records Index for the years 1907-1946 on-line.

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
Online Records
 * 1784-2007 - Colorado, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1809-2011 - Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
 * 1853-2006 - at FamilySearch.org - Index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1862-2006 - Colorado, County Marriages and State Indexes, 1862-2006 at Ancestry ($), Index and images
 * 1864-1995 - at FamilySearch - Index and images - How to Use this Collection
 * 1900-1939 - Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com - ($); Browseable images of original index
 * 1975 - 2004 Colorado, Marriages, 1975 - 2004 at MyHeritage - index and images ($)

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

Divorce
Online Records
 * 1851-1985 Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985 at Ancestry - ($); Index only
 * 1878 - 2004 Colorado, Divorces, 1878 - 2004 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1900-1939 - at FamilySearch - Browseable images of original index - How to Use this Collection

Archives
1879-1989 Custer County Probates 1880-1896 Custer County Teachers Registers of Students 1887-1966 Custer County Wills 1907-1946 Custer County Inheritance Tax

Family History Centers

 * West Cliffe Colorado Family History Center (Silvercliff)

Libraries

 * West Custer County Library District 209 Main Street Westcliffe, CO 81252 Phone: (719) 783-9138 West Custer County Library Dist.
 * Wetmore Community Library 95 County Road 393 Wetmore, CO 81253 Phone: (719) 784-6669 Westmore Community Library

Societies

 * Custer County Historical and Genealogical Society P.O. Box 436 Westcliffe, CO 81252 719-783-2837 Email: [mailto:custercountyhgs@gmail.com custercountyhgs@gmail.com] Website


 * Wetmore-Hardscrabble Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 141 Wetmore, CO 81253 719-784-3374, Email: [mailto:historycenter@wetmorehistoricalsociety.com historycenter@wetmorehistoricalsociety.com] Website

Websites

 * Custer County COGenWeb
 * - The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records
 * Custer County, Colorado Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)