Marriage Records of Colorado County, 1837-1886

compiled by Ernest Mae Seaholm and Bill Stein

Though the entries in it begin shortly after the county was established, the earliest known book of marriage records in Colorado County is designated as Book B. The tantalizing possibility that earlier records were kept has not been confirmed. Despite diligent searching, no Book A has ever been found

The marriage records presented here are from the county's first six books, Books B, C, C2, D, E, and F. They include marriages from the years 1837 through 1886. However, the next book in the series, Book G, does not begin in 1886; paradoxically, it contains marriages from as early as 1879. This transcription is based on a list compiled by Angela Boswell, which was audited and expanded by Ernest Mae Seaholm and Bill Stein.

This index is presented in alphabetical order, according to the surnames of both the grooms and the brides. Accordingly, each marriage is listed twice. In all, 3404 marriages are listed. If the date of the marriage was recorded, it is given. If not, other dates are given, as explained in each entry. Grooms are identified as either Mr. or Dr.; brides as either Miss or Mrs. If the title Dr. or Mrs. appears, it is certain that the person was either a physician or a previously-married woman. It is possible, indeed likely, that some persons listed as Mr. or Miss were also physicians or previously-married women.

The persons who performed the weddings have been described as civil or religious officials, to the degree that such information could be determined either directly from each record or from other entries in the marriage books. When an official was specifically identified as a resident of another county, or a community in another county, we added that information. When possible (and if necessary), the names of the officials have been expanded; that is, the man called J. F. Leyendecker in the records is called Johann F. Leyendecker in our index. In one case, and one case only, there is some uncertainty about the name of an official. The Catholic priest whose last name was Tarrillion is sometimes called Charles Tarrillion, but more often R. P. Tarrillion. The Colorado County marriage records most commonly contain only his surname. Some, however, seem to say "C Tarrillion," and so we have used "Charles" as his first name.