Estray Records, 1865-1991

Estrays are valuable, tame animals (cattle or horses) found running at large or outside the limits of their usual range or pasture. Estray notices are filed when an animal is either lost or found wandering and presumed escaped from its owner. The animal is examined for a brand and its owner notified. If no owner is found in the brand records, the notice is posted, allowing the owner time to reclaim the animal. If not claimed, the animal is sold. This collection contains notices of animals found, warrants to appraise, appraisal oaths and reports, and notices of sale of estray stock, dated 1865-1903, 1968, and 1980-1991.

Collection also contains reports of stock killed by the Colorado Central Railroad, 1872-1877. When cattle were killed or injured by a train, the engineer was required to report it and those reports filed with the Clerk and Recorder. Reports include date and location of incident, owner’s name, kind of stock, age, mark or brand, by what train, and how disposed of.