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Adams County, Colorado Genealogy

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This article is about a northeast Colorado county. For other uses, see Adams.

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

County Facts
County seat: Brighton
Organized: April 15, 1901
Parent County(s): Arapahoe [1]
Neighboring Counties
Arapahoe • Broomfield • Denver • Jefferson • Morgan • Washington • Weld
See County Maps
Courthouse
ColoradoAdamsCourthouse.jpg
Location Map
Colorado Adams County.png

County Information

Description

Adams County was created 15 Nov 1902[2] and was named for Alva Adams, an early Governor of the State of Colorado in 1887–1889. Its county seat is Brighton. It is located in the northern area of the state.[3]

County Courthouse

Adams County Courthouse
450 S 4th Avenue
Brighton, CO 80901-3196
Phone 303.654.6020
Adams County Website

County Clerk / Recorder
4430 S. Adams County Pkwy.
Brighton, CO 80601
Ph: 720.523.6020
Fx: 720.523.6009

County Clerk has marriage and land records from 1902, some burial records, some land records from Arapahoe County prior to 1901, school census 1902-1964 and military discharge records,
17th Judicial District Court Clerk has divorce records;
Probate Court has probate records; Hall of Justice has court records [4]

Adams 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 Government County Records[5]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1902 1902 1902 1902 1902 1902 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

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. Hometown Locator The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county: [8]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places


History Timeline

Resources

Colorado State Archives
1313 Sherman St., Room 1B-20
Denver, CO 80203
Request a Record
Telephone: 303-866-2358
Website

Contains online database Archives Search. See Colorado State Archives for a full list of online holdings
1880-1939 Divorce Index
1883-1900 Mine Accidents, Non - fatal
1897-1920 Horseshoers
1936-1942 Civilian Conservation Corps Enrollments
1966-1968 Vietnam Deaths

1904-1913 Adams County Divorces 1929-1943 Adams County Inheritance Tax 1933-1936 Adams County Old Age Pension 1913-1935 Adams County Teachers 1903-1938 Adams County Wills

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Adams, Colorado online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Colorado Cemeteries for more information

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.[9] See links listed below.

Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1910 8,892 —
1920 14,430 62.3%
1930 20,245 40.3%
1940 22,481 11.0%
1950 40,234 79.0%
1960 120,296 199.0%
1970 185,789 54.4%
1980 245,944 32.4%
1990 265,038 7.8%
2000 363,857 37.3%
2010 441,603 21.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Federal Census Records

Colorado was settled in the latter half of the 19th Century, so the state won't be in censuses prior to 1860. Additionally, the Colorado territory wasn't organized until 1861, so people residing in the area of Colorado, during the 1860 Census, will either be listed under the Colorado, Kansas, or Nebraska territory. For links to federal census indexes, see Colorado Census

Territorial and State Census Records

State censuses were taken at the state-level and territorial censuses were taken by the federal government. See Colorado Census for more information about censuses taken in Arkansas.

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


List of Churches and Church Parishes

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.

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

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 Indexes and Records

For more information see Colorado Land and Property

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Error: No valid link was found at the end of line 8.

Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration

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

Civil War

Spanish-American War (1898)

World War I

World War II

Vietnam War

For further information see Colorado Military Records.

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Records

Newspapers

For more information, see Colorado Newspapers.

Colorado Newspapers Online

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

Obituaries

Other Records

Periodicals

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 FamilySearch 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 Probate Indexes and Records

School Records

Social Security Records

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. [10]

To obtain a recent birth certificate for yourself or a near relative, contact the Tri-County Health Department by calling 303-220-9200 or visiting:
6162 S. Willow Drive #100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Marriage

The Adams County Recorder's office will search their indexes if you call or come in to the office. If a record is found, a copy can be purchased in person or by mail. Call 720-523-6020.

Death

Death records may become public records when 75 years have elapsed after the date of death. [10]

To obtain a recent death certificate for yourself or a near relative, contact the Tri-County Health Department by calling 303-220-9200 or visiting:
6162 S. Willow Drive #100
Greenwood Village, CO 80111

Divorce

For information regarding other divorce documents, please contact the Adams County Court System at 303-659-1161.

Research Facilities

Archives

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

Listed below are libraries in Adams County. For state-wide library facilities, see Colorado Archives and Libraries.

Anythink Huron Street
9417 Huron St.
Thornton, CO 80260
303-452-7534
Website

Westminster Public Library
College Hill
3705 W 112th Ave
Westminster, CO 80031
303-658-2601
Email: WPL-InTouch@cityofwestminster.us
Website

Museums

Societies

Listed below are societies in Adams County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Colorado Societies.

Adams County Genealogical Society
PO Box 1254
East Lake, CO 80614
Email: info@adamscountygenealogy.org
Website

Aurora Genealogical Society
14949 E Alameda Parkway
Aurora, CO 80012
Mailing Address: PO Box 31732
Aurora, CO 80041-0732
303-739-6686
Email: aurgs1981@yahoo.com
Website
Facebook

Websites

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  2. ↑ https://digital.newberry.org/ahcb/documents/CO_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm
  3. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams County, Colorado," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adams_County,_Colorado&oldid=1220415909 (accessed May 28, 2024).
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Adams County, Colorado. Page 97At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Adams County, Colorado. Page 97 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 92.
  6. ↑ The Red Book, American State, County, and Town Sources. Edited by Alice Eichholz. (Ancestry, Provo; 3d ed, 2004.) Colorado article by Birdie Monk Holzclaw and Marsha Hoffman Rising. page 92.
  7. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002).
  8. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Adams County, Colorado," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adams_County,_Colorado, accessed 05/10/2017.
  9. ↑ William Thorndale and William Dollarhide, Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses (Bountiful, UT: American Genealogical Lending Library, 1985), page 51-54; Alice Eichholz, ‘’Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources,’’ 3rd ed. (Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 2004), 86. Free online version; FS Library Book 973 D27rb 2004; WorldCat entry.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Letter from Colorado State Registrar, Dated September 1, 2011. Policy Number 2011- 08. http://www.colorado.gov


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