Bent County, Colorado Genealogy

Guide to Bent 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 for frontier trader William Bent. The County has Las Animas as it's seat and the County was created February 6, 1874. The County is located in the southeast area of the state.

County Courthouse
Bent County Courthouse PO Box 350 Las Animas, CO 81054-0350 Phone 719.456.1353 Bent County Website County Clerk Recorder has marriage and land records from 1888 and military discharge records: Contact information - County Clerk and Recorder Nursing Service has birth and death records Combined Court has divorce, probate and records

Populated Places
The following are locations in the 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
 * 1870 - at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado Territory Census
 * 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 Presbyterian Church
 * 1743-1970 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1743-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county

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
 * 1861-1936 - U.S. Homestead Records 1861-1936 at Ancestry.com - ($), index and images
 * 1862-1908 - Denver Land Office Records, 1862-1908 at Ancestry.com - ($), index only

Local Histories
Online County Histories
 * Bent's Fort. By David Lavender. c1954, 1972. Lincoln [Nebraska] : University of Nebraska Press. Online at:, Google Books;.
 * History of the Arkansas Valley, Colorado. (Includes History of Bent County, by C.W. Bowman.) 1881. Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Online at: Hathitrust, Internet Archive, Google Books;.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Family Maps of Bent County, Colorado Genealogy (land patent maps) at HistoryGeo.com ($). Free surname search.
 * 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

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 — ($), index

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 - Browseable images only; District Court records

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


 * 1873-1875 - Las Animas Leader online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1887 - Water Valley Clarion online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * 1888-1889 - Stuart Chronicle online at Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection - free.
 * Bent County Democrat 516 Carson Avenue Las Animas, CO 81054

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

Vital Records
'''Colorado Vital Records Search

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
 * 1809-2011 - Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011 - Index, incomplete, list of counties included
 * 1853-2006 - at FamilySearch.org - Index and images
 * 1862-2006 - Colorado, County Marriages and State Indexes, 1862-2006 at Ancestry ($), Index and images
 * 1864-1995 - at FamilySearch - Index and images
 * 1900-1939 - Colorado, Statewide Marriage Index, 1900-1939 at Ancestry.com - ($); Browseable images of original index

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

Divorce
Online Records The Colorado State Archives has put a name only Index to the Bent County Divorce Records for the period 1907 to 1919 on-line.
 * 1851-1985 Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985 at Ancestry - ($); Index only
 * 1900-1939 - at FamilySearch - Browseable images of original index

Archives
1907-1921 Bent County Divorce 1907 - 1921

Family History Centers

 * La Junta Colorado Family History Center

Libraries

 * Las Animas-Bent County Library District 306 5th Street Las Animas, CO 81054 Phone: (719) 456-0111

Societies
Bent County Historical Society 305 St. Vrain Avenue Las Animas, CO 81054 Telephone Number: 719-456-2005

Pioneer Historical Society of Bent County PO Box 68 Las Animas, Colorado 81054 Telephone Number: 719-456-6066 Website

Websites

 * Bent County CO Trails to the Past
 * Linkpendium
 * Bent County COGenWeb
 * USGenWeb Archives
 * - 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