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The New Mexico Genealogical Society, founded in 1960, is composed entirely of volunteers. 2010 will be our 50th year of providing research materials and networking opportunities for family historians.

Locating NM Catholic Church Records along the NM/Colorado border, Durango Diocese There are more helpful notes at bottom of page. La Plata County Colorado  Churches   Parish Location Missions Microfilm Sacred Heart Sept. 1880   Durango St. Patrick's (Allison, 1924); San Pablo (Hesperus, 1924); San Ygnacio de Loyola (Ignacio, 1929); San Jose (La Posta, 1924); San Antonio de Padua (Tiffany, 1928). Bapt. 1881-1936 FHL 0002705 Marriages 1881-1903 FHL 0002705 Marriages 1906-1917 FHL 0002705 Deaths 1907-1917 FHL 0002705 Bapt. 1936-1957 FHL 0002706 Marr,/Deaths 1917-1957 FHL 0002707 St. Columba Durango   Church Records 1881-1957 FHL 0002704 St. Ignatius Ignacio   No film for Catholic church records; however, film FHL #1698004 is titled "Early Marriages of La Plata County, CO 1876-1921," authored by Anna Lois Tubbs Wilmer. There is also a Mortuary Index (FHL 1753315) for La Plata. La Plata County was established in 1874 from portions of Conejos and Lake counties. The county seat is Durango. Mailing address: County Clerk and Recorder, 1060 E. Second Ave., Durango, CO 81301-5157. Phone (970) 382-6219 or (970) 382-6280. FAX (970) 382-6299. Marriage records date from 1878; land records from 1876. La Plata is the Spanish name for silver, which was discovered by the Spaniards in the region during the 18th century. Coronado passed through, looking for gold in 1541, followed by Father Escalante, who mapped the area in 1776, naming the four rivers running through: Rio de Animas Perdidas, Rio Florida, Rio de la Plata, and Rio de los Pinos.     Las Animas County Colorado Churches Parish Location Missions Microfilm Most Holy Trinity Trinidad   Bapt. 1866-1901 FHL 0002776 Bapt. 1901-1910 FHL 0002777 Bapt. 1910-1919 FHL 0002778 Bapt. 1919-1925 FHL 0002779 Bapt. 1925-1939 FHL 0002780 Bapt. 1939-1957 FHL 0002781 Marr. 1866-1916 FHL 0002784 Marr. 1916-1957 FHL 0002785 Burials Record 1874-1912 FHL 0002786, #1 1651018, #1 Burials Record 1892-1908 FHL 1651018, #2 Burials, Bk 1 1916-1925 FHL 1651018, #4 FHL 0002786, #2 Burials, Bk 2 1925-1937 FHL 1651018, #6 Burials, Bk 3 1937-1949 FHL 0002786, #4 FHL 1651078, #7 Record of Interments 1912-1941 FHL 1651018, #3 Deaths, Bks 3-6 1941-1983 1983-1989 FHL 1651019, #2-6 Cemetery Register 1949-1957 FHL 0002786, #5 Cemetery Register 1949-1961 FHL 1651018, #8 Cemetery Register 1960-1971 FHL 1651019, #7 Cemetery Register 1971-1982 FHL 1651018, #9 Cemetery Register 1982-1989 FHL 1651019, #1   St. Anthony of Padua Aguilar   Bapt., Marr., Deaths 1946-1957: FHL 0002690 Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Trinidad   Bapt., Marr., Deaths 1950-1957: FHL 0002787 St. Joseph (1951) Trinidad   Bapt., Marr., Deaths 1952-1957: FHL 0002788

Las Animas County was created in 1866. It took its name from the main river which flows through the area. The complete name of the river, discovered and christened by the early Spanish explorers, is El Rio de Las Animas Perdidas (River of the Souls Lost in Purgatory). The county seat is Trinidad. Mailing address: County Clerk and Recorder, Las Animas County, P.O. Box 115, Trinidad, CO 81082-0115. Telephone (719) 846-3314. MontezumaCounty Colorado Churches Parish Location Missions Microfilm Santa Rita Mancos   Baptisms 1914-1957 FHL 0002732 Marriages 1928-1957 FHL 0002732 Burials 1928-1957 FHL 0002732 St. Margaret Mary Cortez   Bapt./Marr./Deaths 1945-1957 FHL 0002698 Montezuma County was created by the legislature in April 1889 from La Plata County. The county seat is Cortez. Mailing address: County Clerk and Recorder, Montezuma County, 109 West Main Street, Room 108, Cortez, CO 81321-3154. Phone (970) 565-8317. FAX (970) 565-3420, or (303) 565-3728 (unverified).   Otero County Colorado Churches Parish Location Microfilm St. Patrick/ Our Lady of Guadalupe (Later combined to form La Junta Parish.) La Junta Bapt./Marr./Death 1899-1957 FHL 0002728 Bapt./Marr./Death 1914-1957 FHL 0002727 St. Peter Rocky Ford   Otero County was established 25 March 1889, named in honor of Miguel Otero, descended from a prominent Spanish family of New Mexico. Otero, head of the mercantile firm, Otero, Sellars & Co., was a founder of La Junta. Otero County was taken from the western part of Bent County. Mailing address: County Clerk and Recorder, Otero County, P.O. Box 511, La Junta, CO 81050-0511. (719) 384-4721 or (719) 384-8701 (unverified).   Rio Grande County Colorado Churches Parish Location Mission/ Chapel Microfilm St. Joseph, 1881 (425 Batterton St., 81144) Monte Vista   Bapt./Marr./Death 1920-1957 FHL 0002739 Santo Nombre de Maria (Holy Name of Mary) est. 1872 Del Norte 1) San Juan Bautista - Carnero & La Garita, est. 1872. 2) 7 Mile Plaza (Valdez Plaza) 3) Los Luceros Bapt.1877-1942, 1920-1957 FHL 0002714 Marr. 1877-1895 FHL 0002714 Bapt. 1942-1957 FHL 0002715 Marr. 1876-1957 FHL 0002715 Deaths 1911-1957 FHL 0002715 Rio Grande County was created in February 1874 from Conejos and Costilla counties, in the same year that Colorado was granted statehood. The county seat is Del Norte. Mailing address: Rio Grande County Clerk and Recorder, County Courthouse, 925 6th Street, P.O. Box 160, Del Norte, CO 81132-3299. Phone (719) 657-2744; FAX (719) 657-2514. "The Presbyterians came into Conejos County in 1880, establishing churches in Antonito, Alamosa, Cenicero, Del Norte, Mogote, San Rafael, and Monte Vista. They also established schools in the area and had a large number of Hispanic converts." [Patricia Sanchez Rau] [Additional notes from Henrietta Martinez Christmas] "Saguache is a town and the county by that name, established around 1867, was originally formed from part of Costilla County. In 1858 a group settled La Garita about 15 miles north of Del Norte. Some of the first settlers were Jesus Damian Espinoza, Juan Julian Espinoza, Abelino Archuleta, Jose Guadalupe Torres, Susano Trujillo, Damacio Espinoza, Crecencio Torres and Jose Adolpho White. Land records date back to 1867. Early vital records are available from 1867. The Baptist church was first founded in 1877. This area of Colorado had lots of Presbyterian movement during those 1870-1900 years." San Juan County Colorado Churches Parish Location Mission/ Chapel Microfilm St. Patrick (San Patricio)/ St. Mary Silverton   Bapt./Marr./Deaths 1882-1957, FHL 0002741   Includes records of St. Mary's church, Montrose, CO.   San Juan County was created in 1876 from La Plata County. San Juan, the Spanish name for St. John, was applied to the river and mountain ranges by early Spanish explorers. The county seat is Silverton. Mailing address: San Juan County Clerk and Recorder, P.O. Box 466, SIlverton, CO 81433-0466. Phone (970) 387-5671.   Other Colorado counties along the New Mexico border: Alamosa Archuleta Baca Bent Conejos Costilla Huerfano Film Codes: FHL: Catholic church records filmed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).  (For locations of the research facilities, see Records.) Diocese: With the exception of Montezuma, these counties are in the Catholic Diocese of Pueblo. Pueblo Diocese records prior to 1942 are kept in the individual parishes. Addresses and current information about each church can be found through a search at http://www.parishesonline.net If a microfilm number is shown on the list, you may be able to view the record at one of several facilities. See Records for the sources and addresses known to date. Books: Most Catholic church records are available on microfilm, and volunteers have extracted, translated, and published many of those records with indexes. Click on the links below to see which other books are already available from these societies: National Society of Hispanic Genealogy and Genealogical Society of Hispanic America New Mexico Genealogical Society  (NMGS) (www.nmgs.org/books.htm) Hispanic Genealogical Research Center  (HGRC-NM) (www.hgrc-nm.org/saleitms/pubs&oth.htm) New Mexico Genealogist: Since its first issue in 1962, the Genealogist has been publishing a continuous stream of county records as well as other informative articles. Genealogist subscribers are provided an index at the end of each year of articles and surnames which appeared in the quarterly journal during that year. Selected articles are published on this web site. For a current list, see Genealogist online. The New Mexico Genealogist: The First Forty Years on one CD. Every issue 1962 through 2001. Includes a name and subject index. See www.nmgs.org/NMG-CD.htm. Assistance: Due to the volume of incoming mail, this webmaster is not able to answer online research questions. Instead, please try our extensive link section. Two other volunteer groups are New Mexico GenWeb and New Mexico Ancestors. Both are linked to larger networks of sites covering the entire state of New Mexico. Introduction Maps:    NM    So.CO Records and Sources Cities and Towns To the best of our knowledge, the information presented here is accurate and up to date. If you have corrections or additions to contribute, please add the words "Catholic Church Project" in the subject line, include your source reference, and email to: webmaster@nmgs.org.  Locating Catholic Church Records in New Mexico is a work-in-progress and the pages will be updated as additional information is received. Return to top of page