Jefferson County, Jefferson Territory
The Jefferson County was a county of lying outside of U.S. law Jefferson Territory, which consisted of 28 November 1859 to 28 February 1861.
History
In July 1858, gold along the South Platte River in Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory discovered. This discovery triggered the Pikes Peak Gold Rush. Many residents in the mining region felt disconnected from the remote territorial governments of Kansas and Nebraska, so that on October 24, 1859 voted to form their own Jefferson Territory. In the following months, the General Assembly approved the Jefferson Territory to organize 12 counties: Arrappahoe County, Cheyenne County, El Paso County, Fountain County, Heele County, Jackson County, Jefferson County, Mountain County, North County, Park County, Saratoga County and St. Vrain County. The Jefferson County was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson. Golden City served as the county seat of Jefferson County and as a territorial capital of 13 November 1860 to 6 June 1861. The County encompassed much of what Jefferson County, Colorado is today.
The Jefferson Territory never received federal support. On February 28, 1861, U.S. President James Buchanan signed signed a law with which the Colorado Territory was organized. On November 1, 1861, the Colorado General Assembly organized 17 counties, including Jefferson County, for the new Colorado Territory.
County Territory
According to historical records of the Jefferson County covered an area to the west of the Bear Creek was bounded on the west by the South Platte River in the east, the 40th parallel in the north, the Bear Creek in the south and 10 miles. The County thus comprised a territory of the present-day Jefferson County, Adams County, Denver County, Boulder County, Clear Creek County and Gilpin County. The Townsite of Highland on the eastern edge along the South Platte lay outside its borders. The boundaries of the county were established of the General Acts of the Territory of Jefferson in section 10.
Circle city
The Jefferson Territorial Legislature certain after a long debate, Arapahoe City to county town ( county seat ) of Jefferson County. However, in decision making, the city had already left, so that elections were held in which city should be there. On January 2, 1860, the nearby town of Golden new county seat, as they more votes than the other municipalities in the County abbekam and due to the fact that she was the most populous city. According to the Western Mountaineer ( newspaper ) containing all county elections, Arapahoe City was her only existing rival. At the same time resulted in 22 voters in Golden City for the town of Baden, a Paper Townsite, a protest against the government. After a second election on July 2, 1860 Golden City was finally county seat.
Communities
The municipalities in Jefferson County included four built cities and other settlements area. The first city was Arapahoe City, which was built in 1858 along the Clear Creek east of North Table Mountain. The second and most populous city was Golden City. The other cities were Mt Vernon and Golden Gate City. They were near the canyon entrances. Other populated areas were Bergen's Ranch and Henderson's Iceland. 1861 Baden -Baden was officially settled as Apex. Only from the cities in Jefferson County still exists Golden today. All other municipalities except Arapahoe City and Apex were colonized in 1859.
Elections and elected officials
The first officer, who held an office in Jefferson County, JT was McWhirt, who was appointed by Governor Robert W. Steele to the presiding judge of Jefferson County in December 1859. When the first elections were held on January 2, 1860, presented the locals Miners ticket from favorite local candidates, including McWhirt as presiding judge, Theodore Perry Boyd and Asa Smith as Associate Justices, Walter Pollard for the post of sheriff, Eli Carter as a recorder Harry Gunnell as Clerk County Court, Daniel L. McCleery as an assessor, George B. Allen as Treasurer, JF Rhodes as County Attorney and Golden City as the county seat. The ticket won the election. The second choice in the county took place on 2 July 1860 and was designed by Golden City as a permanent county seat. The third and final choice in Jefferson County was held on 22 October 1860. It was held, as two deceased officers had to be replaced, EW McIlhany became the new sheriff and John F. Kirby new recorder.
Secession and " Ni Wot County "
Since the Jefferson Territory acted outside of U.S. law, some lively discussions about Jefferson County's legitimacy and early 1861 voted the citizens of Junction, Mt Vernon and District mountains cleave to him. They formed their own outside of U.S. law functioned Ni Wot County. This led to the Governor Steele and other loyalists who lived at Mt Vernon, also split off from this County and a real city at Apex created, where they shifted towards Jefferson territorial offices. All these circumstances were known only in passing through the Rocky Mountain News, as the secession activities were wonanders same time in the United States in full swing.
County resolution
As the Colorado Territory was organized in 1861, put both the Jefferson County and the rebellious Ni Wot County their differences and be added to the federal government, which they re-united for today's Jefferson County, Colorado.