Wards and Branches of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in San Jaun Stake, Utah

This page includes the boundaries of wards and branches around 1930's, a timeline history, and how to obtain the records.

Source for this page: p.772-773.

San Juan Stake
Stake boundaries as of about 1930 See Encyclopedic History..., p. 772-773.


 * Area of the County:All of San Juan County and part of Grand County, Utah
 * Headquarters in (town): Blanding, UT

San Juan Stake of Zion consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in San Juan and Grand counties, Utah, with headquarters at Blanding. The stake, in 1930, consisted of only three organized bishop’s wards, namely, Blanding, Monticello and Moab.

History Timeline up to about 1930


 * 1855 - The first attempt made by Latter-day Saints to colonize in that part of Utah now included in the San Juan Stake of Zion took place in 1855, when the authorities of the Church called a number of missionaries, mostly from Manti, Sanpete Co., to locate a settlement among the Indians in the beautiful little valley in which Moab is now situated. This mission, known in the history of the Church as the Elk Mountain Mission, left Manti May 21, 1855, and arrived on the present site of Moab June 12, 1855.
 * 1883 - Organized into the San Juan Stake of Zion Sept. 23.

Obtain the Records

 * List of church and other records at the Family History Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Wards and Branches
Blanding, Monticello and Moab

Blanding Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 71-72.

Boundaries: Blanding Ward, San Juan Stake, San Juan Co., Utah, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing on a stretch of cedar-covered highland lying north of the San Juan River, 25 miles north of Bluff, 22 miles south of Moab, and 125 miles southeast of Thompson Springs, the nearest railroad station on the Denver &amp; Rio Grande Western Railroad. By wagon road and railroad Blanding is 342 miles southeast of Salt Lake City.

History timeline


 * 1904 - Presiding Elder in the new settlement (named Grayson) from 1904 to 1908.
 * 1908 - Grayson Branch organized as the Grayson Ward, July 19, 1908.
 * 1916 - The name of the settlement was changed from Grayson to Blanding; Grayson became the Blanding Ward.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the Family History Library. *For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Monticello Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 527-528.

Boundaries: Monticello Ward, San Juan Stake, San Juan Co., Utah, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in the town of Monticello, and the neighboring village of Verdure, the former situated on North Montezuma Creek, and the latter on South Montezuma Creek.

History timeline


 * 1887 - The settlement of Monticello founded by Latter-day Saints. After 1887, the settlers on South Montezuma Creek organized as the Verdure Branch.
 * 1888 - Name of Monticello given to settlement.
 * 1890 - Church meeting house erected and on Aug. 25 the Monticello Ward organized.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the Family History Library. *For additional resources, see Church History Library.

Moab Ward
See Encyclopedic History..., p. 520-521.

Boundaries:

Moab Ward, San Juan Stake, Grand Co., Utah, consists of the Latter-day Saints residing in Grand Valley situated on the Colorado River, formerly Grand River.

History timeline


 * 1855 - Establishment of the Elk Mountain Mission by Latter-day Saint missionaries. That mission met with disaster and was broken up.
 * 1880 - Latter-day Saints again entered the valley and founded the present settlement of Moab.
 * 1881 - The saints residing in Moab or Grand Valley were organized as a ward Feb. 15.

Obtain the Records


 * List of church and other records at the Family History Library.
 * For additional resources, see Church History Library.