Utah, Veterans with Federal Service Buried in Utah - FamilySearch Historical Records

This wiki article describes a collection that is available for free online at FamilySearch Record Search – Pilot Site. To access the collection, see Veterans With Federal Service Buried in Utah, Territorial to 1966



Collection Time Period
These records cover the time period from the earliest territorial time to 1966.

Collection History
These records were compiled by the Military Records Section of the Utah State Historical Society. Form letters were sent to the next of kin of deceased veterans and the information returned was transcribed onto printed cards. This process began about 1957 and continued until 1970. Beginning in 1969 the information returned was entered directly into a database and the transcribing of information onto cards was abandoned the following year. The database continued to grow and information formerly on cards was entered into the database until 1986. In 1990 the existing cards (and some form letters) were microfilmed and subsequently destroyed. The collection published here is derived from microfilming completed in 1966 and therefore excludes any of the subsequent additions to the collection. The records identify thousands of men buried in Utah who had served in the United States military.

Why This Collection Was Created
These records were compiled to track veteran burial locations to assist veterans’ families in obtaining grave markers and help veterans’ organizations to place flags on graves on Decoration Day (later designated Memorial Day).

Collection Reliability
The records are fairly reliable considering that they were compiled from responses to a form letter.

Collection Description
Card file consisting of thousands of cards arranged by county, then by city, and then by the veteran’s name. Only in Salt Lake City were the records filed by cemetery and then by veteran’s name.

Collection Content
Key genealogical facts found in these records are:


 * Name of veteran
 * Serial number
 * Rank
 * Organization (military unit)
 * Branch
 * Date and place of enlistment
 * Date and place of discharge
 * Date and place of birth
 * Date and place of death
 * City and county of burial
 * Cemetery and plot location
 * Name, address, and relationship of next of kin (often blank)

How To Use The Collection
Use date and place of birth to pursue birth records to ascertain parent’s names. Date and place of death may be used to locate death records which may also provide parent’s names.

Bibliographic Information
Utah State Historical Society. Records of veterans with Federal service buried in Utah, territorial to 1966. FHL microfilm 485245, 485488-485505.

Related Articles
Utah Military Records