Series 23263
Washington County (Utah). County Recorder Deeds (Silver Reef)
Dates: 1875-1928.
5 microfilm reels
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Historical Note
An agency history is available.
Scope and Content
The documents in this series of books, including Deed Record Books J, L, M, P, Q, and S, record the boom and bust of a Washington County mining town. Silver Reef had a population of 1,040 in 1877 and was abandoned by 1900. Deeds in Silver Reef conveyed land, town sites, mines, mills, water rights, and especially mining claims. However, the Washington County recorder originally began using Deed Book J for recording deeds transferring property from one individual to another as opposed to deeds conveying original ownership. These deeds include town lots in several town sites, predominantly Saint George, but also Washington, Harrisburg, Leeds, Middleton and Hebron. In addition to town lots, Book J also includes many mining deeds from the Harrisburg Mining District. Beginning with Deed Record Book L, and continuing in Books M, P, Q and S, these books primarily contain documents pertaining to town lots and mining claims in Silver Reef, but also include some deeds in Leeds and Toquerville. Other documents in this series include homestead and federal land certificates, mortgages, mortgages foreclosures, notices of location, liens, sheriff's and auditor's tax deeds, powers of attorney, estate settlements and occasional maps of mining claims.
Of special interest, Deed Record Books J and L contain articles of agreement for the Grand Gulch Mining Company (of northern Arizona), and Books L and M contain articles of agreement for the Pinkham Mining Company. Deed Record Books Q and S document the liquidation of Silver Reef, as mining companies, saloons, stores and etc., were sold outright. Many of these documents involve the Stormont Silver Mining Company and the Christy Mining Company. After Silver Reef, Record Books S and S 2 were used to record deeds and other documents relating to the Leeds area. Book S covers 48 years and S 1 covers 27 years.
Arrangement
Chronological by record date.
Research Note
In the 1950s the county recorder began consolidating record books by ending separate series of books, and integrating them all into one. As various record books became full, such as deeds for Saint George and deeds for Washington, she continued them in Deed Record Books S 1, S 2 and so forth. The S books continue numerically until eventually the designation of S was dropped. Deed Record Books S 1 and continuing are contained in Official Records.
Related Records
Official records from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 7067, replace Silver Reef documents in Book S 1 and continue after Silver Reef was abandoned.
Abstracts (sectional land) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 16432, contain abstracts or chronological histories of property by section.
Water certificates and deeds from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23251, contain deeds and other documents relating to water rights which were recorded after 1889.
Deeds (Washington) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23262, contain additional deeds and other official documents for the Washington area.
Deeds (Toquerville) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23265, contain many early mining records, deeds and land certificates for the Silver Reef area.
Deeds (Saint George) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23286, contain deeds and other official documents for the city of Saint George.
Abstracts (Saint George) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23554, contain abstracts or chronological histories of property ownership for lots in the city of Saint George.
Abstracts (towns) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23555, contain abstracts or chronological histories of property in community surveys other than Saint George.
Mining deeds from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23669, contain mining deeds recorded after 1901.
Abstracts (mines) from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23670, contain abstracts of activity and ownership for Washington County mines, as well as some additional documents relating to Silver Reef.
Mining proof of labor from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 23671, contain proof of labor in Washington County mines after 1897.
Mining records from Harrisburg Mining District (Utah). Recorder, Series 23675, contain notices of location, proof of labor, and other mining related documents for the Harrisburg Mining District which includes Silver Reef.
Mining notices of location from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 81372, contain notices of location recorded before 1891.
Grantee indexes from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82703, provide reference by buyer for documents recorded after 1888.
Grantor indexes from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82704, provide reference by seller for documents recorded after 1888.
Mortgages from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 82705, contain mortgages and mortgage related documents recorded after 1884.
Agreements and leases from Washington County (Utah). County Recorder, Series 84209, contain leases and agreements recorded before 1923.
Access Restrictions
This series is classified as Public.
Preferred Citation
Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.
Processing Note
Washington County Deed Records in this series were microfilmed by Utah State Archives in July and August 1973 and processed by Rosemary Cundiff in June 2001.
Finding Aids
Indexes: Indexes have been microfilmed with Deed Record Books J, L, M, P, a nd Q, however these indexes are often torn, water damaged, or oth erwise incomplete. Various abstracts provide reference based on location.
Indexing Terms
- Land titles--Registration and transfer--Washington County (Utah).
- Land titles--Registration and transfer--Silver Reef (Utah).
- Silver Reef (Utah)--Deeds.
Page Last Updated October 18, 2012.