Beaver County, Utah Genealogy

United States Utah  Beaver County, Utah

Guide to Beaver County, Utah genealogy. Birth records, marriage and death records, cemeteries, census, church records, probate records, and obituaries—resources to find parents and family history since 1856, when the county was formed.

Begin with these records:


 * Census
 * Birth
 * Marriage
 * Death
 * Church

See also Utah Online Records

County Court House
Beaver County Courthouse 105 E Center, PO Box 392 Beaver, Ut 84713-0392 Phone: 435-438-6463

County Clerk has birth records 1897-1905, divorce records from 1871, probate records from 1872 and court records from 1856. The Beaver City Office has burned records.

Parent Counties
was created Jan 10, 1856 from: Iron and Millard Counties.

Boundary Changes
See UT: Index of Counties... from Newberry Library's Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, for a timeline of boundary changes for.

Neighboring Counties
is surrounded by: Garfield·Iron·Millard·Piute·Sevier counties in Utah and Lincoln County, Nevada

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

Mining Industry
The mining industry in Beaver county created several boom towns, most of which are now ghost towns.


 * List of Mines in Beaver County

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 in the FamilySearch Library Catalog at the (space, then select the town) or the  level (select every Church topic - History, Records, and - Indexes).

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons)
Early church records, for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for Beaver County Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.

Court Records
Many of your ancestors will 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 Probate · Naturalization · Divorce · Land


 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Funeral Homes
Southern Utah Mortuary 195 North 90 East Beaver, UT 84713 Phone: 877-438-2201 Fax: 435-438-2323 298 South 100 West Milford, UT 84751 Phone: 435-5886-4040 Toll Free Phone: 888-586-4040 Fax: 435-586-4343

Swindlehurst Funeral Home 360 West 100 North Beaver, UT 84713 Phone: 435-439-5565

History

 * Bradley, Martha Sonntag. A history of Beaver County, Utah Centennial County History Series of Utah State Historical Society.
 * Daughters of the Utah Pioneers of Beaver County, Utah. Monuments to Courage: A History of Beaver County Beaver, UT: The Beaver Press, 1948. Online at Sherratt Library Digital Collections, SUU. Searchable.
 * are listed in the FamilySearch Library Catalog for . For other libraries (local and national) or to gain access to items of interest, see Archives, Libraries, etc.

History Timeline
See UT: Index of Counties... from Newberry Library's Utah Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, for a timeline of boundary changes for.

Emphasis for this timeline is on events that affected migration, records, or record-keeping. Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wikipedia for and towns within the county.


 * 1776. Southern Piute Indians inhabited the area when the visited the area.
 * 1856 January. Beaver County created by the from Iron and Millard Counties.
 * 1856. Mormon settlers from Cedar City founded the city of . By 1869, there were enough people to organize a stake.
 * 1873. Ft. Cameron was established by the U.S. Army and abandoned after World War I (1914-1918).
 * 1880. Arrival of the Utah Southern Railroad increased development.
 * 1880s. Mining increased development. Mining declined after World War I (1914-1918).
 * 1918-. After World War I ended, Ft. Cameron was abandoned and mining declined.

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.
 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Maps

 * Google highway map of Beaver County 2012

Migration
Early migration routes to and from for emigrant settlers included:


 * Mormon Trail 1846 to 1869 from Nauvoo, Illinois to Salt Lake City, Utah :
 * Mormon Trail to Southern California 1847 from Salt Lake City, Utah to Los Angeles, California :*Union Pacific Railroad 1869 Ogden, Utah (among others) to Omaha, Nebraska

Military

 * World War II (1941–1945) army enlistments at the county GenWeb site has about 400 entries, mostly from Beaver and Salt Lake Counties. Key (at end of the list)explains codes and columns. Gives year and state of birth. Free.

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
Resources include:


 * The Southern Utonian and Beaver City Press, covering 1881-1929 are included.
 * List of existing copies of[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/titles/results/?state=Utah&amp;county=Beaver&amp;city=&amp;year1=1690&amp;year2=2013&amp;terms=&amp;frequency=&amp;language=&amp;ethnicity=&amp;labor=&amp;material_type=&amp;lccn=&amp;rows=20
 * [[Beaver County, Utah
 * [[Beaver County, Utah

Obituaries

 * Newspapers of
 * Local Funeral Homes, Societies, Libraries, or in family records.
 * Obituaries of neighboring counties: Garfield, Iron, Millard, Piute, and Sevier counties in Utah and Lincoln County, Nevada
 * 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.
 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Vital Records
Vital records of birth, marriage, death, and divorce are created by civil (state, county, or city) officials. See Utah Vital Records for details and history of the records.


 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Birth before 1856

 *  was formed in January 10, 1856.

Parent Counties.

Birth 1856 - 1897

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

Birth 1898 - present

 * Online index to births 1897–1905 Series 83773 There is one record of birth for December 1897.
 * FamilySearch Library copy:.
 * Idea: use censuses and church records to learn those missing children's names.
 * 1906-1910 online images


 * Southwest Utah Public Health Department (Beaver County) PO BOX G Beaver, UT 84713 Phone: (435) 438-2108

Marriage

 * 1887-1937 - Western States Marriage Index. Includes Beaver County 1887-1937. See also Statewide collections.

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.


 * Archives, Libraries, etc.

Death
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.


 * Before 1900 - Utah State Burial Index (Free)
 * 1900-1905 - Beaver County Death Registers (1900-1905) online at Utah State Archives. (Free)
 * Beaver County, Utah Deaths, 1900-05 at Ancestry.com. ($)
 * 1904 - deaths This county GenWeb site contains about 45 user-submitted entries. (May not be complete). Click on a file name to see details. (Free)
 * 1904-1956 - Utah Death Certificates 1904 - 1956 at FamilySearch.org (Free)

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

Check websites and catalogs of archives and libraries for items for this county. Examples: items in  (Utah) or Allen County Public Library (Indiana).

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

Courthouse
Beaver County, Utah Website County Administration Building Post Office Box 392 105 East Center Beaver UT 84713 Beaver County doesn't have a main switchboard, and each department has its own mailing address. To get individual phone numbers, fax numbers, and mailing addresses, go to that department's page or check the Officials page.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Introduction to LDS Family Search Centers
 * Beaver Utah Family Search Center
 * Milford Utah Family Search Center

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.


 * Beaver Public Library; 55 W Center Street, Beaver, Utah 84713-1092; Phone 435-438-5274; Fax 435-438-5826
 * Collections:
 * Milford Public Library; 100 W 400 S, Milford, Utah 84751; Phone: 435-387-5039; Fax: 435-387-5027
 * Collections:
 * Minersville Public Library; 40 W. Main, Minersville, Utah 84752-0250; Phone: 435-386-2267; Fax: 435-386-1813
 * Collections:

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

Towns and Communities
The mining industry in Beaver county created several boom towns, most of which are now ghost towns.