Series 24161

RUSH VALLEY MINING DISTRICT (UTAH). RECORDER [ 3133]

TRANSFERS, 1864-1866.
1 microfilm reel

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: Transfers are mining deeds conveying mining claims or mining property from one individual to another. The transfers in this series were created before federal mining law was enacted, and are based on regulations established by the Rush Valley Mining District. According to 1864 by-laws, no individual could hold more than one claim by location on any one vein, with the exception that the discoverer was entitled to one additional claim (By-laws Rush Valley Mining District, Utah Territory, Utah State Archives, series 3651). The by-laws provided exception to this rule by stating that one individual could hold any number of claims if he acquired them by purchase. In addition to limiting the number of claims, original Rush Valley District by-laws also limited the amount which could be claimed to 200 feet along a lode with 100 feet on either side, which is an amount considerably smaller than the 1500 feet later allowed by federal law. These limitations prompted vigorous trading of mining claims in the Rush Valley District. Federal troops, who made up the bulk of prospectors in the district, were called out of Utah in 1866 and mining activity temporarily subsided. When by-laws were revised in 1870 the one claim per person limit was dropped, eliminating the need for claim trading.

Each deed names the grantee (buyer) and grantor (seller) and states his residence. It states the amount of consideration money and that it has been paid. It describes the claim being transferred and is signed by the grantor, witnesses, and the district recorder.

ARRANGEMENT: Transfers are roughly chronological by date recorded.

RELATED RECORDS: The Rush Valley Mining District recorder kept a separate set of books in which to record location notices, MINING RECORDS, series 24160. These books also include miners' meeting minutes, copies of district by-laws, and a few additional transfers for 1866. By-laws for the district as filed with the General Land Office are also included in MINING DISTRICT BY-LAWS, series 3651.

FINDING AIDS: Each book of transfers includes an index either at the beginning or end of the book. Indexes provide reference by the name of the claim and identify the page numbers on which transfers were recorded.

PROCESSING NOTE: The records of the Rush Valley District were processed by Rosemary Cundiff in August 2002. Utah State Archives refilmed these records and updated the inventory in February 2003.

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

CONTAINER LIST

Reel	Description
1	1864, May-1864, Sep (Book A)
1	1864, Sep-1866, Jun (Book B)
1	1865, Apr-1866, Jun (Book C)
1	1966, Jan-1866, Sep (Book D)