Utah Church Records: Difference between revisions

Churches keep records of baptisms, christenings, confirmations, marriages, burials, memberships, admissions, and removals. Some keep minutes of church meetings and the histories of their local churches. Each church has its own policies for record keeping. Church records are important for family research because civil authorities in Utah did not begin registering vital records uniformly until after 1895 although some marriage records exist as early as 1887. Church records may include names and dates and places of births, marriages, and deaths. The records are usually recorded at the time of the event and should be accurate for the specific event.  

Before 1900 the largest religious groups in Utah were The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Methodist, and Presbyterian Churches. You must determine the denomination of an ancestor to find their church records.  

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been the predominant religion in Utah since the pioneers arrived in 1847. To locate records of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints it helps to use an index. The LDS Family History Suite 2 and the Early Church Information File are two important indexes used to find Church members and other people of Utah. A source that describes events in Church history from 1805 to 1913 is:  

Jensen, Andrew''. Church Chronology: A Record of Important Events Pertaining to The History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ''(Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=84435&disp=Church+chronology%20%20&columns=*,0,0 book 289.303 J453c; film 599327 it 2; fiche 6051314].) 

Jenson, Andrew. ''Encyclopedic History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret News Publishing Company, 1941. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&callno=289.309+J453e book 289.309 J453e; film 496776; fiche 6053258]; index on [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=81176&disp=Encyclopedic+history+of+The+Church+of+Je%20%20&columns=*,0,0 film 928073 item 8; index on fiche 6051304]). This record contains histories of LDS Church wards and branches describing when units were organized and if they were created from a different unit. From this you will be able to determine where the membership records are found. Leaders of the area are also listed. Indexed in the ''Early Church Information File''.  

The index to the ''Journal History ''is cataloged separately in: 

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Historical Department. ''Index to Journal History''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Historical Department, 1973. (On 58 Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=52690&disp=Index+to+Journal+history%20%20&columns=*,0,0 films beginning with 1233503]). Films do not circulate to family history centers. This index contains an alphabetical listing of individual names, places, events, and subjects. Each entry gives the date and page where the entry is found in the Journal History films.  

Membership records of the LDS Church can identify parentage, birth, marriage, death, baptism, priesthood ordination, and missionary information along with geographical locations of where LDS families were living between the1840s-1960s.  The Family History Library has copies of ward, branch, district, stake and mission records up to 1948 with a few up to 1977. The Church Archives has more recent records than the Family History Library does. A register listing call numbers for available membership records at the Family History Library is:  

Jaussi, Laureen R. and Gloria Chaston. ''Register of Genealogical Society Call Numbers''. Two Volumes. Provo, Utah: Genealogy Tree, 1982. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&callno=979.2258+A3j book 979.2258 A3j; fiche 6031507]). These volumes contain call numbers for LDS Church and temple records. 

== Methodist ==

== Presbyterian ==

*Murray, Andrew E. ''The Skyline Synod: Presbyterianism in Colorado and Utah''. Denver, Colorado: Golden Bell Press, 1971. (Family History Library [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=194310&disp=The+skyline+synod%20%20&columns=*,0,0 book 978.8 K2m]). It is indexed by the name of the church. It is a historical account of the church with a list of officials. There are some pictures of church buildings and reverends.

== Lutheran ==

Each congregation maintains its own records. The Rocky Mountain District office can help you locate current congregations and provide suggestions for finding the records of discontinued congregations.