Series 23399

SAN JUAN COUNTY (UTAH). COUNTY RECORDER [904]

DEED RECORDS, 1891-1952.
8 microfilm reels

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: Deeds are official contracts transferring property ownership. According to Utah law, no transfer or sale of property is valid unless it is recorded by the county recorder. (Laws of Utah, 1852. "An Act Regulating Transfers of Possession of Land and Real Estate," p. 66-67, Utah State Archives, series 83155). Deeds include the names of buyer and seller, a legal description of the property, and specify the terms of transfer. They are signed by grantors (sellers) and witnesses. In addition to deeds transferring land ownership, San Juan County deed records include many mining deeds which transfer interest in or ownership of mining claims.

The majority of deeds in Books, C, D, I, and S (1891-1919) are mining deeds. Several corporations were highly involved in buying and selling San Juan County property during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of them were: the Blue Mountain Townsite and Mining Company, the Hoskaninni Company, the Pittsburg Cattle Company, the Golden Dream Mining and Milling Company, the Aztec Mining Company, the Recompense Placer Company, the Red Rock Placer Gold Mining Company, and the San Juan Oil Company.

San Juan County deed records include many homestead and desert land certificates documenting the transfer of title to individuals from the federal government. Townsite deeds document the transfer of town lots from federal to individual ownership and were administered by Seventh District Court. Quit claim and warranty deeds transfer ownership from one individual to another. San Juan County deed records also include sheriff's deeds, administrator's deeds, state land certificates, and a few miscellaneous documents such as leases and agreements. Early books also contain a few additional mining records, such as notices of location and affidavits showing proof of annual labor.

ARRANGEMENT: Within each book deeds are arranged chronologically as recorded.

RESEARCH NOTE: The San Juan County recorder recorded a few townsite deeds in a separate book which also contains a one page water commission record. These deeds, which comprise reel 2, are not continuous with other deed record books in this series.

RELATED RECORDS: Additional deeds were recorded in MINING RECORDS, series 84250 and in MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, series 23400. Deed records are indexed by GRANTEE AND GRANTOR INDEXES, series 14771. Mining deeds and other records are indexed by MINING RECORDS INDEX (LOCATIONS), series 23583.

FINDING AIDS: GRANTEE AND GRANTOR INDEXES, series 14771, provide access to deed records by the names of individuals involved in the transaction. MINING RECORDS INDEX (LOCATIONS), series 23583, provides reference to mining deeds and is organized by name of mining claim.

PROCESSING NOTE: San Juan County deed records were microfilmed by San Juan County in December 2000 and processed by Rosemary Cundiff in January 2002.

PREFERRED CITATION: Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.

GAPS: From 1908-1914 deeds were also recorded in Mining Record Books F, G, and J (series 84250). Book J, in particular, contains many deeds. Deeds recorded in the mining books fill a gap between the end of Book I and the beginning of Book S. Likewise, from 1916-1931 deeds were also recorded in Miscellaneous Record Books T, T 1, and T 2 (series 23400). The gap between the end of book G and the beginning of book H is filled by deeds recorded in Miscellaneous Book T 2.

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Description
1	Aug 1891-Sep 1900 (Deed Record C)
2	Dec 1904-Dec 1905
3	Sep 1900-Apr 1910 (Mining Deeds Book D)
4	Apr 1910-Nov 1913 (Mining Deeds Book I)
5	Dec 1913-Sep 1919 (Miscellaneous Record Book S)
6	Sep 1919-Mar 1926 (Deed Book G)
6	Oct 1929-Dec 1937 (Deed Book H)
7	Dec 1937-Oct 1942 (Deed Book I)
7	Oct 1942-May 1946 (Deed Book F)
8	May 1946-Jun 1949 (Deed Book F 1)
8	Jun 1949-Mar 1952 (Deed Book F 2)