San Juan County (Utah). County Recorder Deed records, 1891-1952.

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 Miningand 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.