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Provo, Utah County, Utah Genealogy

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Quick History

Fort Utah.jpg
Wikipedia has more about this subject: Provo, Utah

Provo is the County Seat for Utah County. It is nestled in the valley between the tall peaks of Mount Timpanogos and the shores of Utah Lake. The first inhabitants were the Ute Indian tribes living in villages close to Utah Lake. The area was visited by explorers, trappers, and mountain men. A skillful, well respected mountain man, French Canadian trapper Etienne Provost trapped and explored the area in 1824. Mormon Pioneers from Salt Lake City traveled south to the Provo area and established Fort Utah on March 12, 1849, originally settling near Utah Lake. The name was soon changed to Fort Field. In April 1850 the houses and stockade were moved and replaced to a second spot where the Pioneer Museum now stands called Sowiette Park or North Park. The name of Provo was given the now permanent settlement. Located at the base of the Wasatch Mountain range, Provo and several of its neighboring communities constitute a community referred to as Utah Valley

The first large industry in Provo was Provo Woolen Mills opened in 1872, it was Utah’s largest factory for its time. In 1875 Brigham Young Academy was established. In 1903, BYA was dissolved and replaced by Brigham Young University High School and Brigham Young University.[1] The old BYU High School building has been restored and is now the home of the Provo City Library.

A fire in 1918 damaged the Provo Woolen Mills, which never recovered.[2] Between 1918 and 1919 over 200 people died in Utah county from the Flu Epidemic, some complete families.[3] The Ironton steel mill in the early 1920s and later the much larger Geneva steel plant provided work for the people of Utah Valley. The Central Utah Vocational School (also known as Utah Tech) was established in 1941; the name has changed several times over the years and it is now Utah Valley University.

County Courthouse

Provo Court House.jpg

County Courthouse
100 East Center Street
Provo, Utah 84606

City Center

Provo City Center
351 West Center
Provo, UT 84601
Phone 801-852-6000

Neighboring Communities

Orem | Springville

Provo Neighborhoods

The City of Provo is divided into 5 general areas with 34 smaller, specific neighborhoods.[4] This list not only gives you the five areas, but links to maps of each neighborhood.

Resources

Biography

Cemeteries

History of Cemeteries in Provo

  • Fort Field Cemetery

The first of the settlers that died in 1849 were buried in the first Fort Field Graveyard in the William’s farm Which is located in Lake View which is now know as Geneva Road. There is a Daughters of Utah Pioneers marker near these burial grounds. [5]

  • Temple Hill Cemetery

In 1850, a better location was found and a second fort was built along with a second Fort Field Cemetery. The name was changed to Temple Hill. By 1880 this site was discarded, as the area was too sandy. The Maeser Building of Brigham Young University now stands in this location. [6]

  • Grandview Hill Cemetery

In about 1860 the Grandview Hill Cemetery came to be. By 1879, this location had around sixty burials. This was on private land and the landowners refused to allow other burials to take place. After a request to move the bodies, some were removed to Temple Hill Cemetery. Those that for various reasons couldn’t be moved are there now without markers. [7]

  • Provo City Cemetery

Fort Field Cemetery was too wet, Temple Hill too sandy, and Grandview Hill was closed at the request of the private landowners. It was time for the creation of the Provo City Cemetery, that occurred on June 25, 1853. The transfer of burials from the previous cemeteries took several years to complete. The Daughters of Utah Pioneers memorial drinking fountain lists the name of the pioneers known to have been moved there. Some are buried with headstones, with many in unmarked graves. [8]

Areas of the Provo City Cemetery:[9]

  • Babyland: This special area is located west of the Veterans Monument. This is for families who need only an infant space. This area was filled in 1992.
  • Angel Garden Once the Babyland plots had all been filled, Angel Garden was created with a special Angel “The Messenger” to watch over them.
  • Veterans Monument: Names of all veterans buried in the cemetery are inscribed onto marble tiles which adhere to the stone extensions of the Monument.

Transcriptions:

  • East Lawn Memorial Hills Cemetery
    4800 N. 650 E.
    Provo, Utah 84601
    Phone: (801) 225-9114

Transcriptions:

Other Early Cemeteries Near Provo

  • Christmas City graveyard, located on the south side of the entrance to Provo Canyon shows on old township maps. This was an old mining area and is now a gravel pit.
  • Mary Ellen Flat in American Fork Canyon has a cemetery where many miners are buried.
Undocumented Burial Sites
  • Orem Hill, On the east side of State Street, three-fourths the way up the hill there were several burials.
  • The mouth of Slate Canyon was said to have several burials.
  • Below the "Y" on the mountain had burials.
  • Springdell in the canyon had burials also.

People choose to be laid to rest by favorite trees, hills, and beautiful spots may have burial spots.

Obituaries

Provo Tabernacle

Provo City Library owns microfilmed copies of the newspaper dating back to 1888 (with some years and issues missing for the first forty years). Check the obituary index for you ancestor, the papers can be found at the Provo City Library.

Church History and Records

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

  • Provo, Utah 1884 Ward boundaries [10]
Roman Catholic

Directories

  • 1867 - Owens, George. Salt Lake City Directory: Including a Business Directory of Provo, Springville, and Ogden, Utah Territory. Salt Lake City: G. Owens, 1867. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1884 - Utah Gazetteer and Directory (of Logan, Provo, Ogden, and Salt Lake City). Salt Lake City, Utah: R.L. Polk, 1884. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1891 - Directory of Provo City and Utah County: Containing Alphabetical Lists of Business Firms and Private Citizens of Provo, American Fork, Lehi, Payson, Spanish Fork, and Springville. Salt Lake City, Utah: R.L. Polk & Co., 1891. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1901-1902 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities of Provo, American Fork, Lehi, Payson, Spanish Fork and Springville. Salt Lake City, Utah: R. L. Polk & Co., 1901. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1904-1905 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Clinton, Colton, Fairfield, Goshen, Lehi, Mt. Nebo, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle and Tucker. Salt Lake City, Utah: R.L. Polk & Co., 1904. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1911 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Colton, Elberta, Fairfield, Goshen, Lehi, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle and Tucker. Salt Lake City, Utah: R. L. Polk & Co., 1911. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1913-1914 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Colton, Elberta, Fairfield, Goshen, Lehi, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle and Tucker. Salt Lake City: R. L. Polk & Co., 1913. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1915-1916 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Colton, Elberta, Fairfield, Gilluly, Goshen, Lehi, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle and Tucker. Salt Lake City: R. L. Polk & Co., 1915. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1917-1918 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Clinton, Colton, Elberta, Fairfield, Geneva Resort, Gilluly, Goshen, Lehi, Mosida, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle, Tucker, Tyng and Vivian Park. Salt Lake City: R. L. Polk & Co., 1917. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1920 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Clinton, Colton, Elberta, Fairfield, Geneva, Gilluly, Goshen, Lehi, Mosida, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springville, Thistle, Tyng and Vivian Park. Salt Lake City: R. L. Polk & Co., 1919. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • 1922 - Provo City and Utah County Directory: Including the Cities and Towns of Provo, Alpine, American Fork, Benjamin, Castilla Springs, Cedar Valley, Clinton, Bolton, Elberta, Fairfield, Geneva, Gilluly, Goshen, Lehi, Mapleton, Mosida, Orem, Payson, Pleasant Grove, Salem, Santaquin, Soldier Summit, Spanish Fork, Springvile, Thistle, Tyng, and Vivian Park. Salt Lake City, Utah: R. L. Polk & Co., 1921. Digital version at Internet Archive - free.
  • Provo City and Utah County Directory : including the cities of Provo, American Fork, Lehi, Payson, Spanish Fork, and Springville [48] Library has 1891 (film), 1904-05 (film), 1913-14, 1915-16, 1917-18, 1920, 1926 (film), 1930-31, 1935-36, 1941, 1946, 1950, 1955, 1961, 1965, 1969-70, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1996- .

History

The Provo City Library has a rich selection of items pertaining to the City's history.

  • Founding Fort Utah: Provo's Native Inhabitants, Early Explorers, and First Year of Settlement [51]
  • From Fort to Village: Provo, Utah, 1850-1854 [52]
  • Heart Throbs of the West [53]
  • History of Provo, Utah [54]
  • Memories That Live: A Centennial History of Utah County [55]
  • Our Pioneer Heritage [56]
  • Tales from Utah Valley: Spellbinding and Sometimes Strange Selections from the Daily Herald's History Page [57]
  • The Story of Provo, Utah [58]
  • Treasures of Pioneer History [59]

Maps

Newspapers

Historical Newspapers

Societies, Museums and Libraries

Harold B Lee Library at Dusk.jpg

Suggested Reading

  • Pleasant Views: A History of the Early Pleasant View Area of Northeast Provo, Utah [62]
  • Provo: A Story of People in Motion [63]
  • Provo & Orem: A Very Eligible Place: An Illustrated History [64]
  • Provo, Pioneer Mormon City [65]
  • Provo's Two Tabernacles and the People Who Built Them [66]
  • Tales from Utah Valley: Spellbinding and Sometimes Strange Selections from the Daily Herald's History Page [67]

Vital Records

Birth Records

  • Register of births 1898-1905 [68]

Marriage Records

Death Records

  • Utah Department of Archives 1903 to 50 years ago
    Choices of search types - name, date of death (year, month, day, or any combination) and county.
    Images of actual death certificates

Websites

Sources and Footnotes

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The usage of "Mormon" and "LDS" on this page is approved according to current policy.


  1. ↑ Brigham Young Academy High School.
  2. ↑ Provo Woolen Mills
  3. ↑ Provo Cemeteries
  4. ↑ Provo City Neighborhoods
  5. ↑ Provo Historical Cemeteries
  6. ↑ Provo Historical Cemeteries
  7. ↑ Provo Historical Cemeteries
  8. ↑ Provo Historical Cemeteries
  9. ↑ Provo Historical Cemeteries
  10. ↑ Provo, Utah 1884 LDS Ward Boundaries FS Catalog 979.224/P1 E7pr
  11. ↑ Utah Stake The Provo Utah Stake a profile of past and present FS Catalog 979.224/P1 K2pp
  12. ↑ Record of members and Annual genealogical reports, Form E, Bonneville Ward was organized 16 Feb. 1913 as part of the Utah Stake. The ward became part of the Provo Stake in 1939 and the East Provo Stake in 1947. Record of members 1913-1946 Film: FS Catalog 26340 Utah Stake Form E 1913-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 Film: FS Catalog 26341
  13. ↑ Campus Ward Annual genealogical report, Form E. 1947-1949 FS Catalog 26357
  14. ↑ Edgemont Ward Record of members, 1926-1941 ; annual genealogical report (Form E), 1926-1948 Record of members 1926-1941 FS Catalog 26385 Item 1 Annual genealogical reports 1926-1948 FS Catalog 26385 Item 2
  15. ↑ Record of members; annual genealogical report (Form E), 1912-1948 Grandview Ward; FS Catalog 26353
  16. ↑ Hillcrest Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1947-1948 FS Catalog 26354
  17. ↑ Jeppesen, Christian; History of Lakeview Ward, 1855-1951 FS Catalog 979.224/L3 K2j
  18. ↑ Record of members, 1877-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Lakeview was formally 5th Ward. Films: Record of members [1877]-1910 FS Catalog 26118 Item 1 Record of members 1924-1941 FS Catalog 164607 Items 4-5 Form E 1907-1948 FS Catalog 26118 Item 2
  19. ↑ Manavu Ward Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1942-1948 FS Catalog 26343
  20. ↑ Oak Hills Ward Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1948 FS Catalog 26387
  21. ↑ Park Ward Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948 FS Catalog 26330
  22. ↑ Pioneer Ward, Utah Stake, Deseret Sunday School enlistment records, 1931-1942 FS Catalog 421827
  23. ↑ Record of members, 1891-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-194 FS Catalog 26386
  24. ↑ Record of members, 1852-1942; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Record of members 1925-1942 Film FS Catalog 26325 Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 (includes Pleasant View Ward, 1919 and Provo 1st Ward, 1932) FS Catalog 26326
  25. ↑ Record of members, 1852-1942; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Record of members 1925-1942 Film FS Catalog 26325 Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 (includes Pleasant View Ward, 1919 and Provo 1st Ward, 1932) FS Catalog 26326
  26. ↑ Record of members, 1853-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 1st Ward. Record of members 1853-1876 FS Catalog 2055 Items 2-3 Record of members forms 1926-1941 FS Catalog 26356 Record of members 1875-1916 Includes records of baptisms/rebaptisms Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 FS Catalog 26347
  27. ↑ Record of children blessed and baptized, 1880-1908 1st Ward. FS Catalog 2055 Items 4-5
  28. ↑ Record of members, 1852-1942; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Record of members 1925-1942 Film FS Catalog 26325 Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 (includes Pleasant View Ward, 1919 and Provo 1st Ward, 1932) FS Catalog 26326
  29. ↑ Teachers record book for the second tier of blocks, 1883 3rd ward FS Catalog 2065 Item 1
  30. ↑ Booth, J. E.; A history of the Fourth Provo Ward. Includes some birth, marriage, and death records from the period 1855-1858. Has index. Film FS Catalog 1059491 Item 3
  31. ↑ Record of members, 1852-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 4th Ward; Record of members [1852]-1923 FS Catalog 26333 Record of members 1919-1941 FS Catalog 26334 Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 FS Catalog 26335
  32. ↑ Record of members, 1902-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948; 5th Ward. Record of members 1902-1941 (includes blessing of children and baptisms) Film: FS Catalog 26348 Record of members 1929-1941 Film: FS Catalog 26349 Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 Ward Form E 1918-1948 Film: FS Catalog 26350
  33. ↑ Record of members, 1877-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Lakeview was formally 5th Ward. Films: Record of members [1877]-1910 FS Catalog 26118 Item 1 Record of members 1924-1941 FS Catalog 164607 Items 4-5 Form E 1907-1948 FS Catalog 26118 Item 2
  34. ↑ Record of blessings and baptisms, 1902-1906 6th Ward FS Catalog 2037 Item 2
  35. ↑ Record of members, 1902-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 6th Record of members 1902-1908 Films: FS Catalog 2055; Item 6 Record of members 1902-1937 FS Catalog 26336; Record of members 1937-1941 FS Catalog 26337; Ward Form E 1907 Utah Stake Form E 1908-1917 (photostatic copies) Ward Form E 1918-1948 FS Catalog 26338
  36. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1942-1948 7th Ward: FS Catalog 26351
  37. ↑ Keeler, Virginia Christensen; Provo Eighth Ward biographical review excerpts from "The Echo", February 1956 to May 1958 Includes biographies, blessings, baptisms, marriages, deaths and genealogies as printed in the Provo Eighth Ward monthly newspaper, The Echo. FS Catalog 979.224/P1 K2pe
  38. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1942-1948 9th Ward: FS Catalog 26343
  39. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948 10th Ward: FS Catalog 26352
  40. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948 11th ward FS Catalog 26327
  41. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1947-1948 12th Ward: FS Catalog 26344
  42. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1947-1948 13th Ward: FS Catalog 26345
  43. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948 Rivergrove Ward FS Catalog 26328
  44. ↑ Record of members, 1911-1941; annual genealogical report, Form E, 1907-1948 Sharon Ward; Record of members 1911-1941 FS Catalog 26310 Items 1-4 Form E 1912-1948 FS Catalog 26310 Item 5
  45. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948 Sunset Ward: FS Catalog 26329
  46. ↑ Annual genealogical report, Form E, 1946-1948, University Ward. Film: FS Catalog 26339
  47. ↑ One year of progress a history of Wymount Branch, East Provo Stake, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1947 – 1948 FS Catalog 979.224/P1 K2
  48. ↑ Provo City and Utah County Directory : including the cities of Provo, American Fork, Lehi, Payson, Spanish Fork, and Springville FS Catalog 979.224/P1 E4p
  49. ↑ Holzapfel, Richard Neitzel. A History of Utah County (Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1999) WorldCat 40875878 Provo City Library
  50. ↑ Colton, Ray C. (1946), A Historical Study of the Exploration of Utah Valley and the Story of Fort Utah, Master's thesis, Provo, UT: Brigham Young University (downloadable).
  51. ↑ Carter, D. Robert (2003), Founding Fort Utah: Provo's Native Inhabitants, Early Explorers, and First Year of Settlement, Provo, UT: Provo City Corporation, WorldCat 54094655 FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2
  52. ↑ Carter, D. Robert. From Fort to Village: Provo, Utah, 1850-1854 (Provo: Provo City, 2008) Special WorldCat 288945458 Provo City Library
  53. ↑ Heart Throbs of the West (SLC: DUP, 1939-1947) 12 vols. FS Catalog 979.2 H2 WorldCat 5762737 Provo City Library
  54. ↑ Jensen, J. Marinus, History of Provo, Utah FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2 WorldCat 4827506
  55. ↑ Memories That Live: A Centennial History of Utah County (Springville: Art City Publishing, 1947) FS Catalog 979.224 H2d WorldCat 498809323 Provo City Library
  56. ↑ Our Pioneer Heritage / compiled by Kate B. Carter (Salt Lake City: Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, 1958-1977 FS Catalog 979.2 H2 20 volumesWorldCat 2685817 Provo City Library</
  57. ↑ Carter, D. Robert. Tales from Utah Valley: Spellbinding and Sometimes Strange Selections from the Daily Herald's History Page ([Provo]: Daily Herald, 2005-2007) 2 vols. WorldCat 166257571 Provo City Library
  58. ↑ Moffitt, John C. The Story of Provo, Utah (Provo : John C. Moffitt, 1975) FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2m WorldCat 1527794 Provo City Library
  59. ↑ Treasures of Pioneer History (SLC: DUP, 1957- ) 6 vols. FS Catalog 979.2 H2 WorldCat 4008835 Provo City Library
  60. ↑ Map of Provo City, Utah County, Utah, north of Center Street FS Catalog 979.224/P1 E7m
  61. ↑ Plat maps of Utah County, ca. 1890-1970 FS Catalog 1654690
  62. ↑ Foote, Merle S. Pleasant Views: A History of the Early Pleasant View Area of Northeast Provo, Utah (S.l.: S.n., [1974?]) FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2fm WorldCat 1961340 Provo City Library
  63. ↑ Miller, Marilyn M. and John C. Moffitt. Provo: A Story of People in Motion(Provo: Brigham Young University Press, 1974) FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2mp WorldCat 835360 Provo City Library
  64. ↑ Cannon, Kenneth L.; Provo & Orem: A Very Eligible Place: An Illustrated History (Northridge, Calif.: Windsor Publications, 1987) FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2 WorldCat 16472366 Provo City Library
  65. ↑ Writers' Program (Utah), Provo, Pioneer Mormon City FS Catalog 979.224/P1 H2 WorldCat 3490877
  66. ↑ Christensen, N. LaVerl.; Provo's Two Tabernacles and the People Who Built Them (Provo: Provo Utah East Stake, 1983). FS Catalog 979.224/P1 K2cn 9653518 WorldCat 9653518 Provo City Library
  67. ↑ Carter, D. Robert.; Tales from Utah Valley: Spellbinding and Sometimes Strange Selections from the Daily Herald's History Page ([Provo]: Daily Herald, 2005-2007) 2 vols. WorldCat 166257571 Provo City Library
  68. ↑ Register of births 1898-1905 Film: FS Catalog 485244
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