Series 767

DISTRICT COURT (FIRST : CACHE COUNTY) [1686]

PROBATE RECORD BOOKS, 1876-1906
3 microfilm reels

A separate agency history is available.

DESCRIPTION: This series is made up of transcriptions of documents filed in estate cases probated in both the Cache County Probate Court (which was eliminated at statehood in 1896) and by its successor, First District Court, while sitting in Logan, Cache County, Utah. These records were created and maintained by the court clerk.

Transcribed documents include wills, bonds, letters testamentary, and deeds which were filed in the course of administering the estates of deceased individuals residing in Cache County. Originally, all documents (including wills) were recorded in a single volume ("Record of Bonds, Letters, and Deeds," Volume D). Beginning in 1887, wills were transcribed in one volume ("Record of Wills," Volume D) while bonds, letters, etc., were recorded in another ("Record of Bonds and Letters," volumes D-F).

ARRANGEMENT: Entries in the probate record books are chronological by date of document filing.

RESEARCH NOTE: Probate record books are a record of documents in a probate case filed in court. No longer produced, probate record books provide useful information both for researchers seeking socioeconomic data on households and those seeking biographical or family history data such as information about the estate, the deceased, and the heirs. As with the minutes, access to the record books is easiest when done in conjunction with the register of actions, which provides the date of each action.

RELATED RECORDS: Corresponding case numbers are available through the PROBATE INDEX (Series 22659). Case numbers as well as a summary of actions filed in probate cases, including a brief abstract of motions and orders, the amount of fees collected, and the eventual disposition, are noted in the PROBATE REGISTER OF ACTIONS (Series 22724). A collection of all documents and actions pertaining to the probate of wills following death which have been filed with the court clerk make up the PROBATE CASE FILES (series 1532). A daily record of documents filed and actions taken with regard to every matter brought before each session of the court is found in the PROBATE MINUTE BOOKS (Series 22905).

FINDING AIDS: One 21-page volume, Record of Bonds and Letters, Book F (August 22, 1904, to January 20, 1905), is self-indexed. A research guide entitled "Judicial/Court Records at the Utah State Archives" is available for patron use.

CUSTODY HISTORY: The probate record books, created by the Cache County Probate Court, were transferred at statehood (January 1896) to the newly created district court, which assumed jurisdiction for probate cases. The Cache County Clerk was constitutionally designated as ex-officio clerk of First District Court in and for Cache County.

PROCESSING NOTE: Microfilm copies of the record books were produced by the Genealogical Society of Utah in May 1966. The film copies were archivally processed by W. Glen Fairclough, Jr., in June 2000.

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	June 13, 1876-April 30, 1887 ["Record of Bonds, Letters, and Deeds," Volume D, pages 1-569]
2	July 16, 1887-August 22, 1896 ["Record of Wills," Volume D, pages 1-241]
1	August 22, 1896-May 12, 1906 ["Record of Wills," Volume D, pages 242-597]
1	July 26, 1887-November 25, 1893 ["Record of Bonds and Letters," Book D, pages 1-465]
3	November 4, 1893-July 13, 1896 ["Record of Bonds and Letters," Book D, pages 462-655]
3	July 28, 1896-August 22, 1904 ["Record of Bonds and Letters," Book E, pages 1-660]
3	August 22, 1904-January 20, 1905 ["Record of Bonds and Letters," Book F, pages 1-21]