Utah Business and Occupations

United StatesUnited States Business RecordsUtah Utah Business Records

Introduction
See United States Business Records The genealogical researcher would do well to remember that European settlement of Utah essentially began in 1847 with the arrival of the first Mormon Pioneers in the Salt Lake Valley. But businesses were established from this point forward. Another important date to remember is the arrival of the railroad in 1869, marking the end of the pioneer era. Many early Utah settlers or their children worked for the railroads or depended on the railroad for their businesses. Utah governments are no different than any others and have issued permits and licenses to allow businesses to operate. Also from pioneer times there have guilds and trade unions governing the activities of their members and keeping records. Many businesses have also produced biographical collections of the company's officers and employees. In the Unites States and in Utah, publicly owned companies often produce an annual report in printed form. Cities have produced city directories listing all of the businesses in the city and included, in many cases, all of the residents. It is also important not to overlook advertisement in Utah newspapers which may contain information about the owners or operators of a business.

Mortuary records
Mortuaries keep records of their internments independent of the cemeteries and state death records. Some of the funeral homes and mortuaries date back to pioneer times and are still in business.


 * Utah Funeral Directors Association
 * Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Professional License

Farming and agricultural records

 * U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Lands Records, Utah

Slaves, Apprentices and Indentured Servants
Some of the Utah immigrants and pioneers were from slave states and brought their slaves to Utah. Although the numbers were never large, there was a significant influx of African Americans. Apprentices were also common but indentured servants were far less so.


 * Nichols, Jeffrey D., Slavery in Utah
 * Murphy, Miriam B., Those Pioneering African Americans
 * Coleman, Ronald G., Blacks in Utah History: An Unknown Legacy
 * Christensen, James B., Negro Slavery in the Utah Territory, The Phylon Quarterly, Vol. 18, No. 3 (3rd Qtr., 1957), pp. 298-305, Clark Atlanta University
 * Coleman, Ronald G., African Americans in Utah
 * Williams, Don B. Slavery in Utah Territory. Salem, UT: Mt. Zion Books, 2004.

Insurance records
From fire insurance maps to databases of historical insurance policies, there are companies that date back into the 1700s providing farm, life, fire and marine insurance. Applicants for policies were asked to provide information about their beneficiaries (usually family members), their lifestyle, health, age, residence and other topics. Most of the insurance records that are currently available are still held by the individual companies, with some records dating back to the creation of the companies. Few companies provide search services but some do allow proven descendants to search the records to look for information about an ancestor. See also
 * Sanborn Insurance Maps
 * Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
 * How do I locate an insurance company? Utah Insurance Department
 * Utah Insurance Department

Newspapers
As is shown by the Utah Digital Newspaper Project, See Utah Newspapers, there were quite a few newspapers in the state. Just as any other business, the newspapers had owners and employees and kept records of their activities and the business records may go back over 100 years for some of the older, still operating, newspapers. Search for newspaper records the same as you would any other business type or entity.

Business formation records

 * Incorporations Case Files Index, 1981 Utah State Archives Series 23346

Shipping and other transportation records

 * Utah Department of Transportation Official Photographs Index, 1965-1998

Business licenses and bonds

 * Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Business Search
 * Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

Professional licenses

 * Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Professional License
 * Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing

Medical and Dental office records

 * Utah Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, Professional License
 * Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing