COLFAX COUNTY, NM HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
*None Listed
Colfax County, New Mexico: A Genealogical Overview
Situated in the rugged northeastern corner of New Mexico, Colfax County is a land of dramatic history, defined by the Santa Fe Trail, the immense Maxwell Land Grant, violent range wars, and a boom-and-bust economy driven by gold and coal. Its story is a microcosm of the American West, blending deep Hispanic roots with the turbulent arrival of Anglo-American pioneers, miners, ranchers, and outlaws. For the genealogist, research in Colfax County requires navigating a complex history of shifting county seats, territorial conflicts, and a diverse mix of cultures.
I. County Formation and Evolution
The administrative history of Colfax County is marked by its creation from a larger county, the subsequent creation of a new county from its territory, and a succession of four different county seats, all of which are critical facts for locating records.
- 1869: County Formed: Colfax County was created on January 25, 1869, during the New Mexico Territorial period.
- Parent County: It was formed from the northern portion of Mora County. Research on families and land records prior to 1869 must be conducted in Mora County.
- Subsequent Formations: In 1893, the vast eastern portion of Colfax County was partitioned to create Union County. Researchers with ancestors in the areas of what are now Clayton, Folsom, or Des Moines will need to consult Union County records after that date.
- Name Origin: The county was named for Schuyler Colfax, who was serving as Vice President of the United States under President Ulysses S. Grant at the time of the county’s organization.
- County Seat History: The location of the county seat moved four times, following the shifting centers of economic and political power. This is crucial for understanding where early records were created and potentially held.
- Elizabethtown (1869-1872): The first seat, a booming gold mining town.
- Cimarron (1872-1882): Moved to the headquarters of the Maxwell Land Grant and a major stop on the Santa Fe Trail.
- Springer (1882-1897): Moved to align with the new Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway line.
- Raton (1897-Present): Moved to the growing railroad and coal-mining center of Raton after a contentious political fight. Records from all previous seats are now centralized in Raton.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The region was the traditional homeland and hunting grounds of the Jicarilla Apache and the Muache Ute peoples.
- Spanish and Mexican Era: Prior to American control, the area was a frontier traversed by Hispanic Ciboleros (bison hunters) and Comancheros (traders). The defining event was the 1841 Beaubien-Miranda Land Grant, which was later acquired and expanded by Lucien Maxwell into the nearly 2-million-acre Maxwell Land Grant, one of the largest private landholdings in American history.
- Territorial Period & Key Events:
- The Santa Fe Trail: The Cimarron Cutoff of the trail passed directly through the county, making Cimarron a famously wild and important supply town.
- Gold Rush: The discovery of gold on Baldy Peak in 1866 sparked a major gold rush, leading to the founding of Elizabethtown and attracting thousands of prospectors.
- The Colfax County War: From the 1870s into the 1880s, a violent and protracted conflict erupted between the new owners of the Maxwell Land Grant, who tried to evict settlers, and the ranchers and squatters who had lived on the land for years. This period was marked by assassinations and legal battles.
- Coal and Railroads: With the arrival of the AT&SF Railway in 1879, the county’s economy shifted from gold to coal. Massive coal mining operations were established in towns like Raton, Dawson, Koehler, and Van Houten, attracting immigrant laborers from across Europe and Mexico.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
Research in Colfax County often requires using resources at the county, state, and diocesan levels due to its complex history.
- County Courthouse: The Colfax County Courthouse, located at 230 N 3rd St, Raton, NM 87740, is the primary repository for records since 1869.
- Colfax County Clerk: Holds land records (deeds, mortgages), marriage records (from 1869), and some early birth and death registers.
- Clerk of the District Court: Maintains civil and criminal court case files, divorce records, and naturalization papers. Probate records (wills, estates, administrations) are also filed with the District Court.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide vital records registration in New Mexico was not consistently enforced until 1919. The County Clerk may have some records dating back to the late 1880s, but they are very incomplete. The primary source for births, deaths, and burials before 1919 are church records.
- Marriage Records: Held by the Colfax County Clerk from 1869 forward.
- Libraries, Museums, and Archives:
- Raton Museum: An excellent source for local history, photographs, subject files, and information on the area’s mining and ranching families.
- Arthur Johnson Memorial Library: The public library in Raton has local history and genealogy collections.
- New Mexico State Records Center and Archives (NMSRCA): Located in Santa Fe, this is an essential resource. It holds territorial-era documents, Spanish and Mexican archival materials (including land grant records), and microfilm copies of county records.
- Church Records: Given the long-standing Hispanic Catholic population and the later influx of Catholic immigrants from Italy, Ireland, and Eastern Europe, Roman Catholic church records are vital. The historical parishes in Cimarron, Springer, and Raton are the most important repositories. Records are often centralized at the Archives of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Taos County, NM (west)
- Mora County, NM (south)
- Harding County, NM (southeast)
- Union County, NM (east)
- Las Animas County, CO (north)
- Costilla County, CO (northwest)