Washington County (Utah). County Recorder Mining deeds, 1901-1955.

Mining deeds transfer ownership or part interest in mining claims from one party to another. In the document, deeds name a grantor and grantee, specify the amount of consideration money and whether divided or undivided interest in the claim. They describe the location of the claim, and identify when, where and by whom it was originally recorded. In addition to deeds, this series contains many mineral certificates. Ownership of a mining claim involved more than discovery, possession and recording, but also required that the claimant work the ground and perform labor on the claim as required by Congress and the regulations of local mining districts (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. XVII, chap. 152). When sufficient labor has been performed to entitle a claimant to a patent or final ownership, the General Land Office issued a mineral certificate, which the claimant had recorded in the deed books. In addition to mining deeds and mineralcertificates, these books contains other official documents relating to mining, such as powers of attorney and oil leases. Mining Record Book X 3 contains numerous affidavits of failure to contribute or perform labor.

Of specific interest, Mining Record Book X 9 begins with a lengthy agreement between the Anthracite Coal Company and Southern Trust Company. Mining Record Book X 17 includes the correspondence and meeting minutes of Utah Southern Mining Company. It also contains numerous deeds transferring ownership as a result of a court case involving the Silver Reef Consolidated Mining Company, as well as numerous documents selling or leasing oil and gas rights to individuals or corporations in Oklahoma.