Utah, Iron County Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of images of land and probate records located at the county courthouse in Parowan for the years 1851 to 1920. This collection is being published as images become available.

Record Content
The information varies between records. You may find any of the following:

Land Records


 * Dates when the transaction occurred, was written up, and recorded in the town
 * Names of the grantors (sellers), the grantees (buyers), witnesses, and sometimes neighbors
 * Ages are seldom given, but a person might be mentioned as a minor
 * Exact relationships may be stated in deeds for property sold or given to heirs during a person’s lifetime
 * Usually the residences of the grantor(s) and grantees(s)
 * Usually the occupations of both the grantor(s) and grantee(s)
 * Signature or mark (usually an X) of the grantor(s)
 * Legal description of the parcel
 * The amount the property was sold for (consideration)

Probate records


 * Name of testator or deceased
 * Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of testator
 * Age
 * Cause of death
 * Lists of belongings, property, and so forth
 * Document and recording dates (Sometimes the date of death will be given. Recording dates are also used to approximate event dates, i.e. a letter of administration was usually written shortly after the time of death.)

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Names of the primary individuals
 * Other identifying information such as the approximate date of the event or transaction or the residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the appropriate "Record" ⇒Select the appropriate “Record Type, Volume, and Year Range" which takes you to the images

Many of these volumes have indexes at the beginning or end. You should search these first.
 * Check the index for the family name (surname) and then the given name. Indexes enable you to access records quickly by searching for the names of the primary individuals. Realize that some entries in earlier years may have been missed. Indexes may also contain inaccuracies, such as altered spellings or misinterpretations.
 * Make a list of the volumes and page numbers for each deed you wish to check.
 * For each deed, search the noted volume and page number.

If you do not find your ancestor in the index, look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * Use the age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment or military records.
 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives.
 * Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date.
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period.

Tips to Keep in Mind
Probate Records


 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions.
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct. Keep in mind that wills are more likely to be found in rural communities than in larger cities and industrial areas.

Land Records


 * Search for the land transactions of a couple and their children. The parents may have sold or given property to a son or daughter. Such transactions confirm relationships that might not be found in other records.
 * Search for records of people in the county who shared a surname. These may have been the couple’s parents, uncles, or other relatives. Your ancestor may have been an heir who sold inherited land that had belonged to parents or grandparents.
 * To find later generations, search the land records a few years before and after a person’s death. Your ancestor may have sold or given land to his or her heirs before death, or the heirs may have sold the land after the individual died. For daughters, the names of their husbands are often provided. For sons, the given names of their wives may be included. Heirs may have sold their interest in the land to another heir even though the record may not indicate this. Continue this process for identifying each succeeding generation.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Some counties were subdivided or the boundaries may have changed. Consider searching neighboring counties as well since that courthouse may have been more convenient for the person.
 * One deed does not usually give sufficient information about a couple and their children. A careful study of all deeds for the person or the family will yield a richer return of information.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities.

Related Websites
Genealogy Inc.]
 * Iron County History and Genealogy
 * [http://www.genealogyinc.com/utah/iron-county/ Iron County, Utah

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah Land and Property
 * Utah Probate Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: