The Boulder County, Colorado Probate Court Fee Book, 1874-1890 records the fees paid to and by the estates of the probate cases listed in the book. The records show the names of the deceased and the administrators or executors of the estate along with the judges and clerks who recorded each transaction. Oftentimes, guardians were assigned to children under the age of 14 even if a parent was still living to ensure that any inheritance was protected and preserved for the child. Minors over the age of 14 had the right to request their own guardian. The journal also shows the names of debtors who owed an estate money, and the creditors who were paid by the estate.
Available at: http://www.irongate.com/pages/probate_fee_1874.html
Brainard’s Hotel Register, Boulder, Colorado, 1880: An Annotated Index
December 26, 2015
This index of the hotel’s register gives the names of hotel guests, their residence, the date of their stay, the meal service and what room number they were given. Each guest register page is separated by a blotter page with advertisements for businesses. Some of the more notable events are the P.T. Barnum’s Show stay on August 1st to 3rd, and the hotel’s reception given to former President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife on August 21st, where more than one hundred guests were treated to a ten course dinner, cocktails and desserts while being entertained by the Cremona Park Brass Band of Denver. Some of the more notable signatures in the register are those of Philadelphia financier Charles Yerkes, businessmen Herman and Charles Boettcher, and Colorado Governor John L. Routt.
Available at: http://www.irongate.com/pages/brainards_hotel.html
The original records of the Boulder City Town Company show the initial land lottery of 11 Aug 1859 along with the sale and transfer of different lots beginning just after the town’s beginning on 10 Feb 1859 until 1864. This map index details the land sales and shows each lot sold or transferred. Because no original survey map of Boulder City exists, a map was created using the plat map of 1864, an 1868 map that shows a partial view of downtown, and the 1871 and 1887 maps that use the old numbering system from the original survey. None of the extant maps shows the entire original survey, but the blocks and block numbers of the created map are almost exactly the same. The two exceptions are an unnumbered block where the courthouse stands currently (between 13th and 14th Streets, and Pearl and Spruce Streets), and an unnumbered block between 16th and 17th Streets, and Hill [now Mapleton] and Bluff Streets. I believe these two lots were intended to be left unnumbered and used as public squares—one for the courthouse, the other for a school, perhaps. This book shows each land sale along with a mini-view of the block in question with the street names along all four sides of the block for reference.
ISBN 978-1-879579-87-3 $15.95 + $4.00 S&H, available here.
Boulder County, Colorado Teachers, 1878-1900
September 13, 2013
New book. Boulder County, Colorado Teachers, 1878-1900: An Annotated Index has been compiled from the annual reports to the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The introduction lists the 66 school districts in Boulder County prior to 1900. This book includes the names, years and school districts where each teacher taught.
Available on Amazon.
Boulder County, Colorado District Court Execution Docket, 1875-1885
September 9, 2013
New book. Boulder County, Colorado District Court Execution Docket, 1875-1885: An Annotated Index is a register of the court asking the sheriff to execute the judgment of the court. It’s an interesting look at the winners and losers of both civil and criminal cases, and the actions taken to satisfy the court’s judgment against the losers.
Available on Amazon.
New Book! Boulder County Commissioners Journal, 1871-1874: An Annotated Transcription
August 1, 2013
The Boulder County Commissioner’s Journal, 1871-1874, continues where the first Journal left off. Citizens in Boulder built new roads and fixed up old ones, paid for the care and keep of paupers, and maintained law and order. The County Commissioners hired and paid for work on behalf of the county, chose grand and petit jurors, appointed road viewers and overseers, and took applications for business licenses. If you had ancestors in Boulder during this time period, chances are pretty good that they’re mentioned in this journal.
This index has been compiled from the original birth records filled out by physicians after a birth and turned in to the County Clerk. They were then recorded in the Birth Records Book, Volume 2, for Boulder County. Often the forms were not turned in until months after the birth. Based upon the form numbers recorded, there are many missing certificates for this time period.
There are many different types of forms in the records so the information available for each individual can be quite different. The more complete forms include the following information: the record number, the child’s name, the child’s color, the child’s sex, whether the child was born alive or not, the place where the child was born, the hour and date, the father’s name and occupation, the mother’s maiden name, where the parents lived at the time of the birth (often different than where the birth took place), the names of the other children (sometimes just the number of siblings), notes about any additional circumstances (including information about the death of the child or the death of one of the parents), the physician who attended the birth, where the physician resided, the date the form was filled out (or returned to the clerk) and the page and volume number where the birth was recorded.
ISBN 978-1-879579-79-8 $11.95
Available on Amazon.com
In 1876, the tax records record either the residence (address) of the property in town lots and blocks or the legal description (section, township and range) and number of acres the property holds. It gives a valuation of the property and of the improvements. It makes an assessment of the capital investment in merchandise and manufacturing, how much is held in money and credits, shares and stocks. It notes household property, jewelry, gold and silver, the number and value of: clocks and watches, musical instruments, carriages and vehicles, horses, mules, cattle, sheep, swine and other animals. It shows improvements on homesteads and public lands, and the amount of other property. It sums up by giving a total valuation of city and county property. It lists how many polls (men able to vote), amount of increased or decreased valuation, and remarks. Looking at the tax assessment role will give you a pretty good indication of how these people lived and worked.
print ISBN 978-1-879579-56-9 $11.95
ebook ISBN 978-1-879579-60-6 $5.95
Available on Amazon.com
In the Boulder County Probate Court’s Appraisement Record, you will find the name of the deceased, the Judge and Sheriff charged with administering the appraisement of personal property, the administrator or executor of the estate, the names of the appraisers of the estate, usually three.
Occasionally, you will find the name of a Justice of the Peace before whom the Appraisers took their oath, if different from the Judge charged with administering the appraisement.
The Appraisers estimate also includes the value of property allowed to the widow including: Beds, bedsteads and bedding, Wearing apparel, household furniture, family pictures, school books and library, stoves, cooking utensils, provisions and fuel necessary for six months, Working animals, one cow and calf, ten sheep, one horse, saddle and bridle, food necessary for animals for six months, one farm wagon, one plow, and one harrow.
The second page(s) of the Appraisement includes all articles appraised and their value, including livestock, land, household goods, farm implements, and ownership in businesses or mines. Occasionally, you will find other people named if there are accounts owed or notes outstanding.
The Boulder County Probate Court Appraisement Record A is held by the Colorado State Archives and is accessible for research. You can order a copy of pages from this Appraisement Book by calling the Colorado State Archives or placing an order through their website.
eBook ISBN 978-1-879579-71-2, $5.99
print ISBN 978-1-879579-72-9, $11.95
Available on Amazon.com
Boulder Pioneers Project 