St. Vrain's County, Jefferson Territory facts for kids
St. Vrain's County (sometimes called St. Vrain County) was a special type of county that existed for a short time. It was part of the Territory of Jefferson, which was a government set up by settlers that the United States government didn't officially recognize. St. Vrain's County existed from November 28, 1859, until February 28, 1861.
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History of St. Vrain's County
In July 1858, people found gold near the South Platte River in what was then Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory. This discovery started the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, where many people rushed to the area hoping to find gold.
The people living in this mining area felt very far away from the official governments of Kansas and Nebraska. They decided to create their own government. So, on October 24, 1859, they voted to form their own unofficial government called the Territory of Jefferson.
On November 28, 1859, the leaders of the Jefferson Territory created 12 counties. St. Vrain's County was one of these new counties.
Where Was St. Vrain's County Located?
The law that created St. Vrain's County described its borders. It started in the main part of the South Platte River, where the 104th line of longitude crosses it. From there, it followed the South Platte River up to the mouth of the Cache la Poudre River. Then it went up the Cache la Poudre River to the eastern border of Heele County. After that, it went south to the 40th line of latitude, then east along that line to the 104th line of longitude, and finally north along that line back to where it started.
St. Vrain's County was named after Ceran de Hault de Lassus de St. Vrain. He was a French trader who set up the first trading post in that part of the South Platte River. Today, much of the land that was once St. Vrain's County is now part of Weld County, Colorado.
Why Did St. Vrain's County End?
The Jefferson Territory was never officially approved by the United States government. However, on February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed a law creating the official Territory of Colorado.
On November 1, 1861, the new Colorado Territory created 17 counties. One of these was Weld County, which covered much of the area that St. Vrain's County used to be. This meant St. Vrain's County no longer existed.
Who Were the Officials of St. Vrain's County?
The first official in St. Vrain's County was Corydon P. Hall. He was appointed by Governor Robert Williamson Steele in December 1859. Corydon P. Hall was the President Judge of St. Vrain County. He was meant to hold this job until the county's first public election, which happened on January 2, 1860.
