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Sevier County, Utah Genealogy

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Guide to Sevier County, Utah ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Richfield
Organized: January 16, 1865
Parent County(s): Sanpete
Neighboring Counties
Beaver • Emery • Millard • Piute • Sanpete • Wayne
See County Maps
Courthouse
Utah, Sevier County Courthouse.png
Location Map
Ut-sevier.png

Cathedral & Needle Mountains, Sevier County, UT

County Information

Description

The county was named for the Sevier River, which winding path forms its western boundary. The county is located in the center area of the state.[1]

County Courthouse

Sevier County Courthouse
250 North Main St
Richfield, Utah 84701
Phone: 435-893-0461
Sevier County Courthouse

County Clerk has birth and death records 1898-1905, marriage records, naturalization records 1850-1898.
State court has divorce, probate and court records, military discharge records from 1942.[2]

Sevier County, Utah Record Dates

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[3]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1898 1850 1898 1865 1942 1865 1851
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1905. General compliance by 1917.

Record Loss

There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county.

Boundary Changes

Populated Places

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[5]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
American Indian Communities
Ghost towns
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

History Timeline

  • Parent County(s): *Boundary changes timeline for Sevier County from "UT: Index of Counties and Equivalents," Newberry Library's Atlas of Historical County Boundaries for Utah.

NOTE: Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wikipedia for Sevier County.

  • 1776 The first non-Native Americans to see the Sevier River were most likely the Catholic fathers Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez as they passed through on their expedition to California.
  • 1863 Glenwood was established by Mormon Pioneers. It was named for an early pioneer, Robert Wilson Glenn. The settlement's original name was Glencoe or Glen Cove, but was changed in November 1864 when Orson Hyde (a Church leader) visited the settlement and recommended Glenwood.
  • 1864 The first permanent settlers (about 30 families) moved into the area at the direction of leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They found abundant salt deposits nearby so they named the area "Salina".
  • 1864 Richfield was colonized by Latter-day Saint settlers on 15 June 1864. Much of the area was populated by newly immigrated converts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from Scandinavian countries, and because of the growth in this small community they officially created Sevier County in early 1865.
  • 1865 Sevier County was created 16 January 1865 from Sanpete County.[6]
  • 1865 Work began on a fort to provide protection for both the Setters and their stock. The fort was completed and contained several homes, a blacksmith shop, along with a corral and stockyard for the animals.
  • 1866 A stone fort was constructed in Glenwood in April.
  • 1867 In April, the Settlers of Alma were evacuated. Most of the evacuees made temporary homes in Sanpete County, until they could return home.
  • 1868 The Black Hawk War of 1867 between settlers and local Indians left Glenwood deserted for one year, but was later resettled in 1868 after peace resumed.
  • 1871 The first two families to settle Anabella were those of Harry Dalton, a member of the Mormon Battalion, and Joseph Powell. The first name given to the settlement was Omni Point, and Richfield was called Omni. The town name was later changed to Annabella, after two of the first two children born in the area: Ann S. Roberts and Isabella Dalton.
  • 1871 The town of Joseph was settled and named for Joseph A. Young, a local leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
  • 1871 The settlers returned to Salina from Manti, organized a militia, and constructed a fort and buildings for a school and a church. At that time they discovered coal deposits in "almost inexhaustible quantities" in the canyon east of the settlement.
  • 1872 The town of Alma applied for a Post Office under the city name of Monroe, in honor of U.S. President James Monroe.
  • 1874 The community was first settled in the spring of 1874 by James C. Jensen, Jens Iver Jensen, and others. The area was settled by Danish converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and named after Kronborg Castle, known as Elsinore in Hamlet. The town was given its official name at the suggestion of Church Stake President Joseph A. Young. Previously, the town was named Little Denmark because many of the early settlers were immigrants of that country.
  • 1875 Aurora was founded by Ezra White (or Ezra Curtis, according to some accounts) and three other families along the banks of the Sevier River. Originally named Willow Bend, the name was changed to Aurora due to the presence of the Northern Lights. The city was moved west two to three miles along the Rocky Ford Canal to avoid the spring flooding that accompanied life along the Sevier. While growth occurred more rapidly in the accompanying communities of Salina and Richfield, Aurora grew largely due to the settling of children of many of the large families in the city. Most current residents are able to track their lineage to one of the four founding families of the city.
  • 1875 Redmond was first settled.
  • 1882 The Michelsen Family immigrated from Denmark and moved to Monroe where they had seven children as well as their oldest daughter who was born in Denmark.
  • 1890 One of the town's leading citizens, George Staples (1834–1890) was gored to death by a Jersey bull on his farm outside town on October 30. Staples was the English immigrant who adopted Sioux and who is widely credited with opening the way for peaceful settlement of southern Utah by negotiations with Native American tribes in the area.
  • 1891 The coming of the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad opened the valley for expanded agricultural commerce and mining.
  • 1900 The Michelsen Family was called on a mission to help build an irrigation canal and establish the community of Stirling, Alberta.
  • 1945 During WWII, Salina contained a POW camp, housing 250 German prisoners. On July 8, Private Clarence Bertucci climbed one of the guard towers and took aim at the tents where the prisoners were sleeping. He fired 250 rounds and managed to hit thirty tents in his fifteen-second rampage. By the time a corporal managed to disarm Bertucci, six prisoners were dead and an additional twenty-two were wounded (three would later die of their injuries).

Resources

Bible Records

Biographies

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

Cemeteries

Cemeteries of Sevier County, Utah online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Utah Cemeteries for more information.

Cemetery records often reveal birth, death, relationship, military, and religious information. The spouse and children who died young are frequently buried nearby.

More than tombstone inscriptions, cemetery records include sextons (caretakers) records and interment (burial) records, each with slightly different information. See Utah Cemeteries.

Census Records

  • See Utah Census for databases to territorial and federal Censuses.
Historical populations
Census Pop. %±
1870 19 —
1880 4,457 23357.9%
1890 6,199 39.1%
1900 8,451 36.3%
1910 9,775 15.7%
1920 11,281 15.4%
1930 11,199 −0.7%
1940 12,112 8.2%
1950 12,072 −0.3%
1960 10,565 −12.5%
1970 10,103 −4.4%
1980 14,727 45.8%
1990 15,431 4.8%
2000 18,842 22.1%
2010 20,802 10.4%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

Church Records

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons)

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


Historically, most people in Utah were Latter-day Saints. Their records are, therefore, very important for early Utah research. For additional information, see Tracing Latter-day Saint Ancestors and Utah Church Records.


Guide to history and records of wards and branches of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Stake(s): Sevier Stake, Utah · North Sevier Stake, Utah · South Sevier Stake, Utah

Places: Annabella · Elsinore · Glenwood · Joseph · Koosharem · Monroe · Redmond · Richfield · Salina · Sevier · Sigurd List of Sevier County stakes and wards to about 1948

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records

Directories

Emigration and Immigration

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

Funeral Homes

Genealogies

Guardianship

Land and Property Records

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories

Maps and Gazetteers

Local biographical histories can be found at "Utah Geneology Trails": [1]

Migration

Military Records

Civil War

World War I

World War II

Naturalization and Citizenship

Online Naturalization Indexes and Records

Newspapers

Richfield Reaper, covering 1906-1940 is included.

Obituaries

Other Records

Prisons

Periodicals

Probate Records

Online Probate Indexes and Records


School Records

Social Security Records

Tax Records

Vital Records

Birth

Copies available through FamilySearch Library: FSL film 482273 It. 2-3. There are no names of children in the records.

Marriage

Death

Divorce

Voting Records

Research Facilities

Archives

FamilySearch Centers

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries

  • Monroe City Library
    55 South Main Street
    P.O.Box 120
    Monroe, UT 84754
    Phone: 435-527-4019
  • Richmond Public Library
    38 West Main Street
    Richmond UT 84333-1409
    Phone: 435-258-5525
    Website
  • Salina Public Library
    90 West Main Street
    Salina, UT 84654
    Phone: 435-529-7753
  • Utah's Online Library, which provides links to library web pages, addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps.

Museums

Societies

Websites

  • FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.

Research Guides

References

  1. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Sevier, Utah" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevier_County,_Utah accessed 4 Dec 2018
  2. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Sevier County, Utah Page 687 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Sevier County, Utah . Page 686-688 At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 676-677.
  4. ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002).At various libraries (WorldCat); FSC Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Sevier County, Utah," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevier_County,_Utah, accessed 17 February 2019.
  6. ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
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