Sanpete County, Utah Genealogy

Guide to Sanpete County, Utah ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
The County was named for the Ute chief Sanpitch, which was changed to Sanpete. The County is located in the center area of the state

County Courthouse
Sanpete County Courthouse 160 N. Main St. Manti, UT 84642 Phone: 435-835-2121 Sanpete County Website County Clerk has birth records 1897-1905, death records, 1898-1905, marriage records from 1888, divorce, probate and court records from 1878 and land records from 1870.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

History Timeline

 * Sanpete County was created on 3 March 1852.
 * The origin of the Sanpete County name came from a mispronunciation of a local Indian tribe, the San Pitch.
 * Nestled at the base of the mountains, the communities of San Pete county were set up primarily as agricultural communities.The early pioneers set up farms with the use of canals and wells. A vanguard group of 224 men, women, and children settlers were first sent to the area from the Salt Lake Valley in 1849.
 * Although the first Scandinavian settlers, consisting of mostly Danish immigrants, may have reached the Sanpete Valley as early as 1852, the main influx didn’t begin until 1853 and 1854. Upon arriving, the first group of Scandinavians joined other settlers in present-day Ephraim.
 * The area population peaked from about 1900 to 1910, and then declined until the 1970s.

NOTE: Unless otherwise mentioned, the events below were gleaned from Wikipedia for Sanpete County, Utah.
 * 1849 November 19 Sanpete County settled by Latter-day Saint settlers organized by Isaac Morley under the direction of Brigham Young. Named for Chief Sanpitch.
 * 1849 City of Manti founded. County seat. Site of Walker War and Black Hawk War. Named for city in Book of Mormon.
 * 1852 March 3 County created from part of Utah Territory.
 * 1854 City of Ephraim founded. Largest city in Sanpete County. Location of Snow College. Most important fort through end of Black Hawk War located in city.

Cemeteries

 * Territorial-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1848-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * List of Sanpete County Cemeteries

Church Records
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) Historically, most people in Utah were Latter-day Saints. Their records are, therefore, very important for early Utah research. For additional information, see Tracing Latter-day Saint Ancestors and Utah Church Records.
 * 1877-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index

Places: Axtell ·Centerfield · Chester · Clarion· Ephraim · Fairview · Fayette · Fountain Green · Freedom · Gunnison· Indianola· Manti · Mayfield· Milburn · Moroni · Mount Pleasant · Spring City· Sterling · Wales· List of Sanpete County stakes and wards to about 1948

 List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Court Records
Online Court Indexes and Records
 * 1848-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Emigration and Immigration

 * 1847-1868 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & links to images

Funeral Homes

 * Rasmussen Mortuary 96 North 100 West Mount Pleasant, UT 84647 Phone: 435-462-2427 Toll Free Phone: 800-206-5653 Website


 * Magleby-Buchanan Mortuary 195 West 100 North Manti, UT 84642 Phone: 435-835-2311 Toll Free Phone: 866-MAGLEBY Website

Local Histories

 * Antrei, Albert C. T. and Allen D. Roberts. A history of Sanpete County, Utah Centennial County History Series
 * USGenWeb Archives Sanpete County, Utah provides a history of Ephraim's settlement from 1854.
 * History of Sanpete and Emery Counties Utah: With Sketches of Cities, Towns and Villages, Chronology of Important Events, Records of Indian Wars, Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Ogden, Utah: W.H. Lever, 1898. Internet Archive Digital version.

Maps and Gazetteers
See Utah Gazetteers


 * Google highway map of Sanpete County 2012
 * FamilySearch Places Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records

 * Territorial-1966 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 Civil War
 * 1861-1865 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images at Partner site

World War I
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1914-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

 World War II
 * 1939-1945 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1940-1947 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images

Naturalization and Citizenship
Online Naturalization Indexes and Records
 * 1848-2001 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1930 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1930 Utah, Federal Naturalization Records, 1906-1930 at Ancestry.com; index & images($)

Newspapers

 * 1850-2003 Utah Newspapers, 1850-2003 at MyHeritage — index & images ($)
 * Utah Digital Newspapers Project gives newspaper images online. Search All Newspapers by name or keywords, or Browse by County to view the digitized newspapers.
 * Manti Messenger and Ephraim Enterprise covering 1893-1973 and 1891-1972 respectively, are included.

Obituaries

 * 1850-2005 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & links to images
 * 2010-2013 Utah, U.S., Obituary Index, 2010-2013 at Ancestry.com - index ($)

Prisons

 * 1892-1949 Board of Pardons Prisoners' Pardon Application Case Files, 1892-1949 at Utah Division of Archives and Records Service – index and images

Periodicals

 * Utah Periodicals

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1800-1985 Utah Wills and Probate Records 1800-1985 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
 * State and County Probate Records

Birth

 * 1898-1905 1898-1905 Online Birth index, and online birth register, Series 84106.
 * Originals are at the Utah State Archives.


 * 1903-1914 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1906-1910 1906-1910 online images
 * 1905-1915 Register of Births, Wales District

Marriage

 * 1805-1992 Utah, United States Marriages at Findmypast — index ($)
 * 1850 The Sanpete County marriage records index is available online from 1850. This list is alphabetical by surname of the groom. Each entry shows groom's and bride’s full names, certificate number, and complete date of marriage.
 * 1887-1937 Utah, County Marriages, 1887-1937 at MyHeritage - index ($)
 * 1871-1941 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * 1887-1999 Utah, Marriages, 1887-1999 at MyHeritage — index ($)
 * Western States Marriage Index at BYU-Idaho — includes some divorces and alternative sources

Death

 * 1898-1904 Sanpete County Death Register 1898-1904 The scanned images are online and searchable at the Utah State Division of Archives &amp; Records Services.
 * 1904-1965 at FamilySearch — How to Use this Collection; index & images
 * Pre-1904 Utah State Burial Data Base This site includes information on many Utah residents, who died before 1904.

FamilySearch Centers

 * Castle Dale Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Ephraim Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Gunnison Utah Correctional Facility FamilySearch Center
 * Gunnison Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Indianola Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Manti Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Moroni Utah FamilySearch Center
 * Mount Pleasant Utah North FamilySearch Center
 * Nephi Utah FamilySearch Center

Libraries

 * Gunnison Civic Library 38 West, Center Street, P.O. Box 790 Gunnison, UT 84634 Phone: 435-528-3104 Website


 * Manti City Library 2 South Main Street Manti, UT 84642 Phone: 435-835-2201 Website


 * Mt. Pleasant Public Library 24 East Main Street Mount Pleasant, UT 84647-1429 Phone: 435-462-3340 Website


 * See also Utah's Online Library, which provides links to library web pages, addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps.

Museums

 * The Mt. Pleasant Pioneer Historical Association is a non-profit organization. http://mtpleasantpioneer.blogspot.com/
 * They feature a Pioneer of the Month, pictures from the Past, Pioneer Recipes, as well a current events with an historical theme. They also have a Tombstone Page where actual photographs of the headstones can be seen.

Websites

 * Sanpete GenWeb. Utah GenWeb
 * Sanpete USGW Archives, Utah USGW Archives


 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.