Wayne County, Utah Genealogy

Guide to Wayne County, Utah ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Birth records, marriage and death records, cemeteries, census, church records, probate records, and obituaries—resources to find parents and family history since 1892, when the county was formed.

Quick start:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death
 * Church

County Courthouse
Wayne County Courthouse 18 South Main Street P O Box 189 Loa, UT 84747 Phone: 435-836-2731

County Clerk has some birth and death records 1898-1927 and marriage, divorce, and probate records from 1898. County Recorder has land records from 1898.

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

Parent Counties
was created Mar 10, 1892 from: Piute

Boundary Changes
For animated maps illustrating Utah County boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Utah County Boundary Maps" (1849-1960) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.


 * Boundary changes timeline for from "UT: Index of Counties," Newberry Library's Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by: Emery | Garfield | Grand | Piute | San Juan | Sevier

Resources
The types of records that follow are used for genealogy and family history. Most tell what you may learn and how to locate the records. Links to Internet sites usually go directly to entries with names, images, or information.

Bible Records
The term "Bible records" refers to the practice of keeping family dates and events in a family Bible. This was a common practice in many European countries and carried over to America. Many of these family Bible records are still in existence and preserved by the descendants of the immigrants. In some cases these family Bibles have found their way into libraries and other repositories.

For an explanation of how to find Bible records and for helpful links see Utah Bible Records. See also United States Bible Records.

Business Records and Commerce
See United States Business Records See also Utah Business Records

Cemeteries

 * To 1966 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * Published transcripts of cemetery records are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog at the (space, then select the town) or the  (select Cemeteries).

Cemetery Records -- Wayne County, Utah, by Genealogical Society of Utah. (FHL US/CAN Book #979.254, V3c)

Cemeteries at the Utah State Historical site

Census

 * See Utah Census for online indexes and images of US federal censuses. of: 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940.
 * See statewide printed indexes, including 1856.

Churches and Religious Groups
The information given in church records depends upon the practices of each religious group. Most include the names of members, often with ages and birth places. Several give birth, christening, or blessing dates for infants. See Utah Church Records for details about various denominations.


 * Church records (microfilmed originals or published transcripts) are listed for at the  (space, then select a town) or  (select Church topics) in the FamilySearch Library Catalog.

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

 * 1877-1918 - at FamilySearch — index

Stake(s): Wayne Stake, Utah

Caineville· Fremont· Grover· Hanksville· Loa· Lyman· Teasdale· Torrey


 * List of Wayne County stakes and wards to about 1948


 * }

Court Records
Many of your ancestors may be found in court records as defendants, plaintiffs, witnesses, or jurors. Court records can establish family relationships and places of residence, occupations, and other family history information. See Utah Court Records for the various courts through the years.

For specialized court records, see Divorce · Guardianship · Land · Naturalization · Probate

Directories
See Utah Directories

Gazetteers
See Utah Gazetteers

History

 * Murphy, Miriam B. A history of Wayne County, Utah Centennial County History Series

"Grit Enough to Stick With It" Stories from Blue Valley, edited and introduced by Kent Davis &amp; Kristen Rogers Utah Historical Quarterly Summer 2000 vol. 68 no 3 pg 223

A History of Wayne County online at Marriott Library Digital Archives.

Wayne County Histories

The Family History Library has histories in its collection in Salt Lake City, Utah which can be accessed by visiting the Library. These books may also be available through interlibrary loan.

A History of Wayne County, by Mariam B Murphy (a Utah Historical Society publication) 979.254 H2m. It can also be purchased at the County Clerk's office in Loa.

Rainbow Views: a History of Wayne County, by Anne Snow (a Daughters of Utah Pioneers publication) 979.254 H2s 1977.

Interesting Facts

Hanksville was a supply post for Butch Cassidyand the Wild Bunch, who would hide out at Robbers Roost in the desert southeast of town.

History Timeline

 * Boundary changes timeline for from "UT: Index of Counties," Newberry Library's Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

NOTE: Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wikipedia for http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_County,_Utah ].


 * 1853-54. Fremont was named after the explorer John C. Fremont, who passed through on his last and near fatal winter expedition to the west. It lies along State Route 72just northeast of the town of Loa.
 * 1879. A.K. Thurber, built the first house in Thurber.
 * 1880's. Torrey is established as a town by Mormon settlers, and initially known as Youngstown, after John Willard Young. Located on State Route 24 in, eight miles from Capitol Reef National Park.
 * 1881. More cattlemen settled along Fish Creek. These early settlers referred to their settlement as Carcass Creek (now Grover).
 * 1885 Hanksville took the name, after Ebenezer Hanks, who was the leader of the group of pioneers who established the small Mormon settlement.
 * 1887 The Mormon residents in Carcass Creek were organized into a congregation called the Carcass Creek Branch.
 * 1890s The growing town of Carcass Creek was granted a post office, and the name was changed to Grover in honor of U.S. President Grover Cleveland.
 * 1892 Wayne County was created 10 March 1892 from Piute County. Most of its towns were settled after 1880 because of the remote location and limited resources. County seat: Loa
 * 1893 Lyman was originally known as East Loa and became a distinct place from Loa.The original townsite was changed to the present location at the advice of Apostle Francis M. Lyman and was named in honor of him.
 * 1897 The town of Thurber moved to a new location due to sandy soil and poor water conditions and became Bicknell, a town along State Route 24 in Wayne County, Utah, United States.
 * 1900 The first log school/church/community building was built in Grover.
 * 1914 Thomas W. Bicknell, a wealthy eastern author, historian, and Education Commissioner for Rhode Island, offered a thousand-volume library to any Utah town that would rename itself after him. The town of Grayson also wanted the library prize, so in a compromise in 1916, Grayson took the name of Blanding, Mr. Bicknell's wife's maiden name, as a tribute to her parents. The two towns split the library, each receiving 500 books.

Land and Property
Land records (especially deeds) often give the name of a spouse, heir, other relatives, or other clues for further research. They often have other clues for further research, such as witnesses or the other parties who may be relatives or in-laws. See Utah Land and Property for more.


 * County Recorder's Office: check deeds, file mining claims, get assistance in finding ownership of a particular property, and obtain copies of county plat maps. This office has county plat records dating back to 1878, prior records having been destroyed in a fire.

Maps

 * Google highway map of Wayne County 2012

Military

 * To 1966 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil War

 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch — index

World War I

 * 1917-1918 - USGenWeb Archives Wayne County, Utah lists approximately 426 names of WWI draftees from 1917 to 1918 and approximately 149 names of WWII Army enlistments.

World War II

 * USGenWeb Archives Wayne County, Utah lists approximately 426 names of WWI draftees from 1917 to 1918 and approximately 149 names of WWII Army enlistments.

Naturalization and Citizenship
Declarations of Intent before 1906 often include the nation of origin, his* foreign and "Americanized" names, residence, and date of arrival. See Utah Naturalization and Citizenship for more information. (*Women were not naturalized until 1922 in the United States.)


 * Utah, State Archives Records, 1848-2001, a FamilySearch digital collection, contains certificates of naturalization, 1878-1896 and 1896-1933; declaration of intentions 1874-1896 and a1904-1906; petition and record 1907-1942.

Newspapers

 *  Presently no Wayne county titles  are included.
 * Existing copies of newspapers
 * Existing copies of newspapers

Obituaries

 * 1850 – 2005 at FamilySearch — index


 * Newspapers of


 * Local Funeral Homes, Societies, Libraries, or in family records.


 * Obituaries of neighboring counties


 * Newspapers of major cities: Deseret News and/or The Salt Lake Tribune both in Salt Lake City

Probate Records
Probate cases include court actions regarding property and estates of individuals who have died. Records may locate relatives, provide death dates, and identify property. See Utah Probate Records for more information.

Online Probate Records
 * 1800 – 1985 Utah Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1851 – 1961 at FamilySearch — images

Vital Records
See also How to order Utah Vital Records or download an application for Utah Birth Certificate, Marriage or Divorce Certificate, Death Certificate Applications to mail.

Birth before 1892

 *  was formed on 10 March 1892.

parent counties

Birth 1892 - 1897

 * [[Wayne County, Utah#Churches and Religious Groups
 * See also other records that give birth information, such as Death records, Census, Cemeteries, Obituaries
 * See also [[Wayne County, Utah#Neighboring_Counties
 * See also [[Wayne County, Utah#Neighboring_Counties

Birth 1898 - present

 * 1898 - 1905 - Series #84084 at Utah State Archives. Not online, no online index. The child's name is written in the remarks column in the records.
 * FamilySearch Library copy:.
 * 1903 - 1944 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1906 - 1910 - 1906-1910 online images
 * 1892 - 1941 -


 * Central Utah Public Health Department, Wayne County Office, 18 South Main, Loa, UT 84747, Phone (435) 836-1317.

Marriage

 * 1887-1940 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1892-1935 - Western States Marriage Index. Includes Wayne County 1892-1935.

Divorce
Divorce records give the names of the parties and may give the date and place of their marriage. See Utah Vital Records for excellent information.

Death

 * 1904-1964 - at FamilySearch — index and images . Utah requires a death certificate before a burial is completed. A death certificate may contain information as to the name of the deceased, date of death, and place of death, as well as the age, birth date, parents, gender, marital status, spouse and place of residence.


 * Pre-1904 - Utah State Burial Data Base This site includes information on many Utah residents, who died before 1904.

Websites

 * Wayne County, UT History, Records, Facts and Genealogy
 * Utah Genealogy Network Community on Google+
 * Utah Genealogy Network Group on Facebook

Links to indexes or images of records:


 * FamilySearch.org. Collections are growing at record rates. If the county is not listed, check later.
 * Utah State Archives records, 1848–2001
 * Also see Utah to search items that include.

Links to collections:


 * FamilySearch Library Catalog
 * (Select topics)
 * (Space, then select town)

Sites that gather links to the Internet


 * Linkpendium
 * CyndisList

Archives, Libraries, etc.
Resources for are available in repositories (such as libraries and archives) at all levels: the town, the county, the state (including universities), and the nation.


 * Check websites and catalogs, such as items in (Utah).

See these headings for details: Courthouse·FamilySearch Centers·Libraries·Societies

Courthouse
Wayne County Courthouse, 18 South Main St., Loa, UT 84747. Phone 435-836-2765

Wayne County website

FamilySearch Centers

 * Loa Utah Family History Center 14 S 100 W, Loa UT 84747 United States Location Map

Libraries
Local public libraries usually have histories, genealogies, indexes of cemeteries, copies of local newspapers, or other records for the area they serve. Many libraries in Utah have an area dedicated to local collections and manuscripts.


 * No libraries in Wayne County.

See also Utah Public Library Directory, which provides links to library web pages, addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps. Does not mention holdings.

Societies
See also a List of Utah Archives, Libraries, Publications, Historical &amp; Genealogical Societies

Incorporated Places
Bicknell (originally Thurber), Hanksville, Loa, Lyman, Torrey

Unincorporated places
Caineville, Fremont, Fruita, Grover, Notom, Teasdale

Ghost Towns
Fruita, Giles