Washington County, Colorado
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Please contact
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Search All of Washington County Colorado
Washington County Neighbors:
Adams ~ Arapahoe ~
Elbert [Shares a Corner] ~
Kit Carson ~
Lincoln ~
Logan ~
Morgan &
Yuma
History ~ Biographies & Pioneers ~ Old Washington Co. Files ~ Maps ~ Lookups ~ What's New
Brief History:
Washington County was part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. It later became part of Nebraska and Kansas Territories. In 1861, it was part of Weld and Arapahoe Counties.
In the early 1880’s, Weld County occupied all of northeastern Colorado which served as a vast open range, primarily for three cattle companies – John Iliff’s, Jared L. Brush’s and Bruce Johnson’s 22 Ranch which covered most of present day Washington and Yuma Counties., Homesteaders objected to the vast distance to the county seat in Greeley and in 1884 submitted a petition to divide Weld County in half with the eastern half to constitute Iliff County. The cattle barons roared in protest of the petition and nothing came of the 1884 effort to break up Weld County into small counties.
An act of the Colorado General Assembly created Washington County, named for the “Father of his Country” (George Washington) on February 9, 1887. In 1889, Yuma County was taken from the eastern half of Washington county. In 1903, the current boundaries were established.
Some early communities included: Abbott, Akron, Anton, Arickaree, Brunker, Burdett, Cope, Curtis, Denova, Dillingham, Elba, Flat Top, Fremont, Gilchrist, Glen, Harrisburg, Henry, Hyde, Leslie, Meekton, Messex, Otis, Pinneo, Plum Bush, Platner, Prairie, Rago, Simpson, Spence, Thurman, Wagner, Waitley, Willadel, Woodrow, Xenia. Incorporated towns in Washington County are Akron and Otis. Unincorporated communities include: Anton, Cope, Last Chance, Lindon Otis, Platner and Woodrow.
The highest point of elevation in the county is 5433 feet situated at the Washington-Lincoln County line 11.8 miles south of Last Chance on Hwy 71 and 2.2 miles east on County Road 0, The lowest point of elevation in the county is in the far northeastern corner at 3913 feet just north of county road 54 east of Lone Star.
Washington County is the 12th most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado with a total of 2524 square miles. Most of the land is dedicated to farming and ranching. The county has been a leader of all the Colorado counties in wheat production.
Other crops grown are corn, oats, and millet.
Washington County is strategically located in the center of Northeastern Colorado. Major highways include: Interstate Highway I- 76, U.S. Highways 34 and 36, State Highways 61, 63 and 71. The County is within 115 miles of Denver and has quick access to U.S. trade routes. Most of the land is dedicated to family farming and ranching.
Population is approximately 4,814. Akron is the County Seat and is also home to the Washington County Museum, Colorado Plains Regional Airport, Washington County Golf Course, Washington County Fairgrounds and Events Center with the first home-owned carnival in Colorado. Akron and the surrounding towns offer quality of life without the hustle and bustle of the city. A perfect place to relax, rejuvenate, and get back to the basics of life, our County captures the honesty and determination of rural people and their families.
Washington County resident Carl Lindahl has started an ambitious project to map the locations of past Washington County farms and identify them by owner. Here is Carl's message and website address: I am working on a project to id and map places in Washington County where people live and have lived and with some annotation. Am in the process of interviewing people in the different areas of the county that know some of the history. Many of the old time places are being farmed over and I feel it is important to locate and id those places. Here is the link for my map. People who Lived in Washington County Colorado
Note:
Because Washington County shares a corner with Elbert County,
I have added a chart to Elbert which has Family Search "Historical Images" Listed.
These Files are Filmed Records that cannot be found with the FS Traditional Search Function.
Here is the Link
Scroll down to where it says "Elbert County Neighbors"
Pioneers & Biographies
List of Pioneer Family Histories
The Pioneer Book of Washington County Colorado
Vols I and II - Indexes
These volumes contain histories of pioneer families all having lived in Washington County prior to 1900
Vol I is available in the FS Catalog
"The History of Burdett, Washington County, Colorado"
as related by Dorcas Harvey in 1919
"In the year 1870 there was one William or Bill Burdett settled on Rock Creek, and had his shanty built of buffalo hides, of which there were many running wild on the prairie at that time...."
"The Life-and-Death Story of Hyde", Washington County, Colorado
by Regina Carpenter
"The first lots in Hyde were sold in May 1886 by the Lincoln Land Co. The price varied from $100 to $500."
History of Otis, Washington County, Colorado
"Otis in the Olden Days" by Joan Gartin
"Until the railroad pushed west, it was difficult for most people to move out here in the plains to establish homes. In 1882, however, the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad track was laid through Otis and connected the plains areas with Denver."
Washington County Historic and Pioneer Photos Project
This section contains donated photos of people and places in Washington County with special emphasis on photos
and biographies of Washington County pioneers as follows:
Calvin Chapman, Cary Doggett, John Mosby, Anna Bancroft and Gordon Bullock, Eli and Rosann Conely,
Heath Nels and Josie Oman, John J. and Alice Bates Woods, and the Newsom and Hill families.
Pioneers ~
Places
With Thanks:
Arnold, Linda R F ~ Behrendsen, Darrel ~ Benish, Rick ~ Carey, Barbara
Chapman, Samuel ~ Dole, Jack ~ Glenn, Arlene ~ Grudzinski, Pat
Harbert, Chuck ~ Harris, John ~ Kilgore, Gail ~Monk, M D
Neznanski, Shirley Oman ~ Saul, William ~Thomason, Elizabeth
Files from the old Washington GenWeb Pages If you just want to look at all of the files
that have been reformatted to searchable pdf's
Go Here: General Files
The 'general files' include all of the family information submitted through the years.
Military:
Gold Star Veteran's / Obituaries
Washington County Veterans
The Military / Veteran information that was in the old Washington County Files has been reformatted.
Please use this link.
The Page includes the following: Gold Star veterans, and veterans who served in World Wars I and II.
There were Obituaries which will be found on the above link.
Washington County Post Offices and Postmasters
From 1883 through 1961 with township/range/section coordinates for each post office
Historic Washington County School Districts:
Washington County Maps /
Place Names
A Lee Zion original with a wealth of detail such as the old railroad camps of Xenia and Pinneo
Miscellaneous Washington County Names
Surnames covered: Ball, Butts, Davis, Dunton, Irwin, Jamison, Kendon, Lett, Llewellyn, McCollister, Muntzing, Payne, Pelton, Pickett, Smith, Stokes, Warner, Whitlake, Wilcox, and Yeamans.
The articles linked below
are on the 'Stories' Page
John S Mosby "The Gray Ghost" ~ Christmas at Grandma's House ~ T.A. Erb Family History
The Obits below are self linked.
Ray Edward Smith (1894-1964) ~ Donna Lee Mountain Cooley (1934-2016) ~ Robert Dean Mack (1930-2015) and...
Miscellaneous Photos from the Old Washington County Pages
Families: Mosby, Smith, Schafer 'Signs'
Maps
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Vital Records ~ Military ~ Cemeteries
Vital Record Databases: Family Search
Family Search: Catalog / Filmed Records
The File and Information below contains
Marriage Records: Filmed by the LDS Church
Colorado, County Marriages: 1864 - 1998
Washington County
There is a 'search function' for some of them, but not all of the films are included
So...
Here are linked tables that will give you the Type of Records, Volumes, Dates, Film Numbers and Indexes
with Image Ranges for three of the films: Image Links: 5238888, 5238889 & 5238890
The Chart linked here contains the rest of the information along with the Film Numbers: For Access:
Log into your FS Account, Search, Catalog, enter the Film Number of choice in the 'Fiche/Film Slot.
If you need help with the Catalog, send along a note:
Martha
Family Search ~ Michigan
Marriages
This link is for folks born in Colorado and who married in
Michigan: 1868 - 1925
[Available Info: Full Name,
Place of Marriage, Residence, Place of Birth, Age,
Occupation, Officiant, Witnesses]
Sign into your FS
Account, then use the above link.
Another Marriage Record Resource
Marriage Records: Archives
Licenses, Certificates & Dates held by specific Counties
Family Search: Historical Images
Washington County Neighbors: Vital Records
There are also Vital Records which cannot be found using the traditional FS Function,
These are in the 'Historical Image Section'
For Access:
Log into your FS Account, Search, Catalog, Enter Film # from the linked chart in the Fiche/Film Slot
Please use this link for the chart with the film numbers
Military Records
Draft Registrations are a nice source for time and location.
They also give a 'Next of Kin'
Military Grave Registrations ~ Headstone Applications [see below for a specific index] ~ WWI Service Cards
Disabled Veteran Homes ~ GAR Burial Records ~ WWII Bonus Cards
WW I Death Announcements [Stationed in CA, 1918-19 ~ these are deaths from the Spanish Flu]
"Colorado in the Civil War"
Resource: The American Civil War Research Database is for researching the individuals, regiments, and battles of the American Civil War. The database contains indexed, searchable information on more than four million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 17,000 photographs.
I have access to the above Subscription Database:
I will do limited lookups: Contact Martha
I also have access to Fold3
Limited Lookups: Send Name, Dates:
Contact, Martha
Soldiers of the Great War, Colorado Section : Vol I
by: Haulsee, W M, Published in 1920
Modern Wars
Timeline of World War I ~ Timeline of World War II ~ Korean Conflict ~ Viet Nam
Bay of Pigs ~ Desert Storm ~ Gulf War ~ Modern Wars and Casualty Lists
Compiled Service Military Records
The Internet Archives [Archive.org] has a huge amount of filmed records.
Archive.org also has books and articles on
'Colorado and War'
'Search the GAR' ~
'Search the DAR' ~ 'Search the SAR'
Civil War Headstone Applications [Family Search]- Please use this link for Chart
Cemeteries
Surnames in Washington County Cemeteries
from the Washington County Cemeteries book
Akron Cemetery Burial List
The above file was found in the old Washington Co Files.
I have no idea how old it is, nor who created it.
It is included here as a reference.
Cemetery Maiden/Married Name Cross-Reference
Compiled from the index to Washington County Cemeteries
Akron Cemetery ~ Cope Community Cemetery ~ Elba Cemetery
Hope Cemetery ~ Saint Joseph's Cemetery ~ Summit Springs Battlefield Cemetery ~ Swan Cemetery
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Obituaries ~ Newspapers ~ Prison Records ~ Odds & Ends
Obituaries
Remember: Obits, Death and Funeral Notices may be found in Newspapers.
Archival Newspapers are a great resource
I will do Obit Lookups:
I have access to the following Subscription Databases [Library Editions]
Newspapers.com ~ NewsBank
Source: Gale Primary Sources [Online Library] "Archives Unbound"
Lookups: Contact Martha
Free Digital Newspapers:
Washington County Newspapers
From 1885 to the only currently operating newspaper, The Akron News-Reporter
The Colorado Historic Newspaper Project
The above link has a digital version of the Akron Pioneer PressColorado Newspapers:
Library of Congress
Family Search: Prison Records [Wiki]
The linked chart below lists Locations & Information on Prisons,
There will be links to the databases included on the wiki
This Link will take you to a very large list for US Correctional Institution and Prison Records
Odds & Ends
NEW>>> USGenWeb® Archives Access:
Tables of Contents
Colorado Divorces: State Wide
Filmed Records: Family Search
1900 > 1939 & 1975 > 1992
Information Entered:
CO County of Divorce ~ Date & Place of Marriage
Number and Names of Minor Children, if any
Maiden Name Restored ~ Date of Decree
Index to Original Land Patents in the Cope area
and the southeast corner of the county
T3SR51W, T3SR50W, T3SR49W; T4SR51W, T4SR50W, T4SR49W; T5SR51W, T5SR50W, T5SR49W
Colorado "Poor" Record" ~ "Pauper Record"
Washington County, Colorado
There are two pages to this LDS Film # 1940599, Volume 1
Item 3: 1896 & 1897
The information on the Pages:
Name, Place of Birth, Immigration Year to USA, Immigration to Colorado
Age, Gender, Dollar Amount Given to Person
Time of the person in the "Poor" System, Cause of Distress or Poverty
The Page for 1896 is Here ~
The Page for 1897 is Here
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Washington County Coordinator:
COGenWeb State Coordinator: Colleen Pustola
If you are interested in volunteering for this project, please review our Volunteer page and contact us!
There are many ways to participate. If you have an idea or comment please let us know.
Information contained on all of the pages within the Washington County portion of the COGenWeb may be used for
personal genealogical and historical purposes.
Please be considerate of copyright information and give credit where credit is due:
Donated data will remain with the County in the event of the resignation of the CountyCoordinator.
Any person donating information in the future retains the right to have it returned to them upon request
Online Continuously since 1997 All Rights Reserved
Washington County, Colorado ~
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