Otero County, Colorado Genealogy

United States

Colorado

Otero County

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

County Facts County seat: La Junta Organized: 1889 March 25 Parent County(s): Bent Neighboring Counties Bent  • Crowley  • Kiowa  • Las Animas  • Pueblo See County Maps Courthouse Location Map Adoption This page is available for adoption

County Information

Description

The County was named for Miguel Antonio. The County is located in the southwest central area of the state.

County Courthouse

Otero County Courthouse
13 W 3rd St
La Junta, CO 81050-0000
Phone: 719.384.8701
Otero County Website

County Clerk has marriage records from 1892 and land records 1889
Clerk County Court has divorce and probate records;
Clerk District Court has court records
For early birth records, see Vital Statistics Registrar, La Junta.

Otero County, Colorado Record Dates

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Major Records
Birth*	Marriage	Death*	Court	Land	Probate	Census
1889	1892	1887	1889	1889	1889	1860
Statewide registration for births in 1910 and deaths in 1910. General compliance by 1920.

Record Loss

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

Boundary Changes

1889 March 25: Otero County was created from Bent County. County seat: La Junta 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 Before 1861 the southern 2/3rds of this modern Colorado county were 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.

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:

Cities
La Junta	Rocky Ford
Towns
Cheraw Fowler	Manzanola	Swink
Villages
Unincorporated communities
Marlman	Timpas	Vroman
Census-designated places
La Junta Gardens	North La Junta
Ghost towns
Bloom

Resources

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Otero County, Colorado online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online	COGenWeb COGenWeb Archives Tombstone Project Colorado Gravestones Billion Graves Index at FamilySearch CO Internment
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)	Family History Library WorldCat
List of Cemeteries in the County	Findagrave.com Billion Graves Colorado Cemeteries by County Cemeteries in or near Otero County by EPodunk
See Colorado Cemeteries for more information

The following website may offer additional help in locating cemeteries in Otero County Colorado:

• Otero County Cemeteries  -  Otero County Genealogy and History

 

Census Records

In 1860, present-day Colorado was enumerated in the Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories. Colorado Territory was created in 1861 and was enumerated as such in the 1870 Census. A state census was taken in 1885 for Colorado. See links listed below.

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	4,192	—
1900	11,522	174.9%
1910	20,201	75.3%
1920	22,623	12.0%
1930	24,390	7.8%
1940	23,571	−3.4%
1950	25,275	7.2%
1960	24,128	−4.5%
1970	23,523	−2.5%
1980	22,567	−4.1%
1990	20,185	−10.6%
2000	20,311	0.6%
2010	18,831	−7.3%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

State and Territory Census Records

• 1860 - United States Census, 1860 at FamilySearch Historical Records — index and images; Colorado was included in the 1860 Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Utah Territories Censuses
• 1870 - United States Census, 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

Church records vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Colorado denominations, view the Colorado Church Records wiki page.

Online Church Records
Presbyterian Church

• 1743-1970 - U.S., Presbyterian Records, 1743-1970 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Dates vary for each county
  

Lutheran Church

• 1895-1954 - U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Records, 1875-1940 at Ancestry — ($); Index and images; Trinity Church in Fowler, 1895-1954
  

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

Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.

See Colorado Land and Property for additional information about early Colorado land grants.

After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse, where current records are also housed.

Online Land Records

• 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
  

For more information see Colorado Land and Property

Maps and Gazetteers

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

• Family Maps of Otero 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
  

Military Records

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
  

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 - Colorado Naturalization Records, 1876-1990 at FamilySearch - Browseable images only; District Court records
  

Newspapers

For more information, see Colorado 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

Probate Records

Probate records have been kept by the county courts. Colorado probate records include bonds, affidavits, letters, claims, appraisals, fee accounts, minutes, judgments, dockets, calendars, case files, and wills. The Family History Library does not have copies of probate records from Colorado.

You may obtain copies of documents from the clerk's office in the county courthouse.

Online Records

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

Tax Records

Colorado tax records complement land records and can be used as supplements to censuses. There may be gaps of several years in the records. To find tax records in the FamilySearch Catalog, do a Place Search for the county.

Vital Records

Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. A copy or an extract of most original records can be purchased from the Vital Records Section Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment or the County Clerk's office of the county where the event occurred.

For some online statewide indexes, see the FamilySearch Historical Record Collections for Colorado.

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 - Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 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 - Colorado, County Marriages, 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

• 1851-1985 Colorado, Divorce Index, 1851-1985 at Ancestry - ($); Index only
  
• 1900-1939 - Colorado Statewide Divorce Index, 1900-1939 at FamilySearch - Browseable images of original index
  

Research Facilities

Archives

The Colorado State Archives has the following records available for Otero County, Colorado Genealogy in this online database Archives Search. For a full list of online holdings, click here.
(Statewide)
1880-1939 Divorce Index
1883-1900 Mine Accidents, Non - fatal
1897-1920 Horseshoers
1936-1942 Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollments
1966-1968 Vietnam Deaths

1877-1892 Rocky Ford School Census

Family History Centers

Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes.

• La Junta Colorado Family History Center

Societies

Southeastern Colorado Genealogical Society
PO Box 1407
100 E. Abriendo
Pueblo, CO 81004-4290
Telephone: 719-362-0380
E-mail:secogensoc@gmail.com
Website

Websites

• Otero County CO Trails to the Past
• Orero County CO GenWeb
• Otero County CO GenWeb Archives
• County CO Rootsweb
• Otero County CO Linkpendium
• Otero County CO Genealogy and History
• FamilySearch Catalog - 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