Series 3851
District Court (Third District : Salt Lake County) Coroners' inquest case files, 1870-1871; 1886-1937.
5 microfilm reels
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Historical Note
See history of the records' creator.
Summary of Records
Scope and Content
Inquests, or hearings, were to be held on the bodies of persons who were supposed to have died by unlawful means to determine the cause of death and whether or not it was felonious. In practice, this also included inquests on those individuals whose deaths may have been natural, but where the cause was not certain. These files contain the results of those inquests from various precincts around the county.
Prior to 1896, the records were created in the county coroner's office, and occasionally in a precinct court. After 1896 the position of coroner was abolished and the records were created in various precinct courts of Salt Lake County: City Court (combining precincts within Salt Lake City), Salt Lake City Precinct and other numbered precincts within the city (later part of the City Court), 1st Precinct, 2nd Precinct, 3rd Precinct, 4th Precinct (Magna), 6th Precinct, 10th Precinct (Bingham), 11th Precinct (Murray). For safekeeping, papers were filed with the probate court until 1896and thereafter with the district court for the county.
Until the turn of the century, each file rarely contained a complete transcript of the hearing. It usually contained a copy of the verdict, any subpoena of witnesses, and a venire (warrant to the sheriff to summon jurors). Record of the coroner's determination of cause of death in those instances where an inquest was deemed unnecessary is also included.
By about 1915, each file regularly contains a copy of the transcript of the inquest providing the date and location of the hearing, the names of the officials present, a complete copy of the testimony of the witnesses under questioning by the county attorney, a copy of the verdict, and a certification by the stenographer that the typed transcript was complete and accurate. The file also normally contains a batch of related papers which include a certified, typed one page summary of the hearing and the conclusions; a copy of the verdict signed by all three jurors; a venire; andsubpoenas of witnesses. Occasionally exhibits in the case are included: photos, diagrams, toxicology reports, etc.
Research Note
Sometimes the transcript or the related papers will be missing from a file, rarely because they were assigned separate file numbers. Aliases also resulted in occasional separated files. Not all the expected files are present. There are none before 1870, between 1871 and 1886, or after 1937, although inquests were presumably held before 1870 and up to the creation of a state Medical Examiner's Office in 1965. There are also missing years: 1887, 1894, 1931-1932, 1934-1936; and some years may have few cases filed. Files 59, 65, 122, and 126 were also noted missing at time of processing. Files found after initial processing were spliced at the beginning of the appropriate reel. These late filmings will not be in strict chronological or numerical order.
Arrangement
The files were initially arranged by filing date. By 1916, the files begin to be numbered. (N.B.: These are file numbers, not case numbers.) In those instances where there was no file number, the files have been inserted by date. Files which were located after initial processing are spliced at the beginning of the appropriate reel.
Additional Forms
This series is available on microfilm.
Copies of these records are located at Ancestry.com View Online.
Access Restrictions
This series is classified as Public.
Use Restrictions
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Preferred Citation
Cite the Utah State Archives and Records Service, the creating agency name, the series title, and the series number.
Acquisition Information
These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.
Processing Information
Archivally processed by A.C.C. in 1990. Still lethal quantities of strychnine sulphate (two vials) included as exhibits in a case were returned to the Medical Examiner's office for disposal at the toxic waste dump near Tooele. The series was microfilmed in 1991 with the original papers discarded. The box/folder identification was retained in the container lists to help locate particular files on the film. Files found years after initial processing were filmed and spliced at the beginning of the appropriate reel.
Other Finding Aids
Indexes: An alphabetical index to the deceased is available in an Access data base. View index.
Related Material
Inquest registers from Salt Lake City (Utah). City Court, Series 2245, are similar registers from the Salt Lake City Court.
Inquest register from Salt Lake County (Utah). Justice of the Peace (Fifth Precinct : 1874-1902), Series 4886, records a summary of proceedings for some of these cases.
Indexing Terms
Container List
| Reel | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Misc. Later Additions, incl. Coroner's Report |
| Disc | Reel | Box | Folder | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| pending | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1870; 1871; 1886; 1888 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1889-1890 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1891 Jan |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1891 Feb |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1891 Mar |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1891 May-Jun |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1891 Jul |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1891 Sep |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1891 Nov |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 10 | 1891 Dec |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 11 | 1892 Jan |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 12 | 1892 Feb |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 13 | 1892 Apr |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 14 | 1892 Jul |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 15 | 1892 Aug |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 16 | 1892 Sep |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 17 | 1892 Nov |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 18 | 1892 Dec |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 19 | 1893 Jan-Feb |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 20 | 1893 Mar-Apr |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 21 | 1893 May-Jun |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 22 | 1895 Jan-Feb |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 23 | 1895 Apr-May |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 24 | 1895 Jun |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 25 | 1895 Aug |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 26 | 1895 Sep-Oct |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 27 | 1895 Nov-Dec |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 28 | 1896 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 29 | 1897 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 30 | 1898 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 31 | 1899 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 32 | 1900 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 33 | 1901 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 34 | 1902 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1904 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 36 | 1905 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 37 | 1909 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1910 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 39 | 1911 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 40 | 1912 Mar-1913 Mar |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 41 | 1913 May-Jun |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 42 | 1913 Jul-Dec |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 43 | 1914 |
| pending | 1 | 1 | 44 | 1915 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | File 1; 1916 Oct 19-Oct 1 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | File 2; 1916 Apr 23-May 22 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | File 3; 1916 Mar 2-Mar 3 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | File 4; 1917 May 22-May 4 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | File 5; 1916 Nov 5-Dec 30 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | File 6; 1916 May 6 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | File 7; 1916 Dec 27-Dec 7 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | File 8; 1916 Mar 10-Mar 8 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | No file #; 1917 Apr |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | File 9; 1917 Apr 21-Apr 9 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | File 10; 1917 Jun 9-Jun 10 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | File 11; 1917 Jan 2-Jan 11 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 13 | File 12; 1916 Dec 27-Dec 12 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | File 13, John Young; 1916 Dec 30 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 15 | File 14; 1917 Nov 1-Nov 14 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 16 | File 15; 1916 Dec 30-Dec 15 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 17 | File 16; 1917 Jan 2-Jan 16 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 18 | File 17; 1916 Dec 27-Dec 17 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 19 | File 18; 1918 Jan 7-Jan 18 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 20 | File 19; 1918 Jan 7-Jan 19 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 21 | File 20; 1918 Nov 19-Nov 20 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 22 | File 21; 1918 Dec 2-Dec 21 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 23 | File 22; 1918 Dec 13-Dec 22 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 24 | File 23; 1919 Jul 29-Jul 23 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 25 | File 24; 1919 Oct 2-Oct 24 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 26 | No file #; 1919 Oct 15 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 27 | File 25; 1920 Mar 25-Mar 25 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 28 | File 26; 1920 May 5-May 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 29 | File 27; 1920 May 5-May 27 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 30 | File 28; 1920 May 5-May 28 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 31 | File 29; 1920 Jul 15-Nov 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 32 | File 30; 1920 Jul 19-Nov 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 33 | File 31; 1920 Jul 19-Nov 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 34 | File 32; 1920 Jul 19-Nov 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 35 | File 33; 1920 Sep 8 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 36 | File 34; 1920 Sep 17 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 37 | File 35; 1920 Nov 22-Nov 26 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 38 | No file #; 1920 Dec 28 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 39 | No file #; 1920 Dec 9-Dec 28 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 40 | No file #; 1921 Mar 25 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 41 | No file #; 1921 Mar 25 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 42 | No file #; 1921 Feb 14-Mar 25 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 43 | No file #; 1921 Jun 11 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 44 | File 36; 1921 Sep 19 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 45 | File 37; 1921 Sep 27 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 46 | File 38; 1921 Nov 30 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 47 | File 39; 1921 Mar 25 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 48 | File 40; 1921 Dec 30 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 1 | File 41; 1922 Jan 16 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 2 | File 42; 1922 Jan 16 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 3 | File 43; 1922 Jan 16 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 4 | File 44; 1922 Jan 17 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 5 | File 45; 1922 Jan 22 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 6 | File 46; 1922 Feb 3 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 7 | File 47; 1922 Mar 1 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 8 | No file #; 1922 Apr 12 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 9 | File 48; 1922 Apr 12 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 10 | File 49; 1922 Apr 19 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 11 | File 50; 1922 May 27 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 12 | File 51; 1922 Jul 25 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 13 | File 52; 1922 Aug 11 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 14 | File 53; no date |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 15 | File 54; 1922 Aug 14 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 16 | File 55; 1922 Oct 6 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 17 | File 56; 1922 Dec 2 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 18 | File 57; 1922 Dec 21 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 19 | File 58; 1922 Dec 14 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 20 | File 60; 1922 Dec 28 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 21 | File 61; 1923 Jan 22 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 22 | File 62; 1923 Apr 19 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 23 | File 63; 1923 Jun 11 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 24 | File 64; 1923 Jul 18 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 25 | No file #; ca.; 1923 Sep 1 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 26 | File 66; 1923 Oct 9 |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 27 | File 67; no date |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 28 | File 68; no date |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 29 | File 69; no date |
| pending | 3 | 3 | 30 | File 70; 1924 Jan 31 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 1 | File 71; 1924 Feb 11 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 2 | File 72; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 3 | File 73; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 4 | File 74; 1924 May 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 5 | File 75 (cf File 66); no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 6 | File 76; 1924 Apr 12 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 7 | File 77; 1924 Apr 24 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 8 | File 78; 1924 May 5 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 9 | File 79; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 10 | File 80; 1924 Aug 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 11 | File 81; 1924 Aug 1 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 12 | File 82; 1924 Aug 5 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 13 | File 83; 1924 Aug 5 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 14 | File 84; 1925 Jun 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 15 | File 85; 1924 Oct 14 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 16 | File 86; 1924 Nov 7 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 17 | File 87; 1924 Dec 5 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 18 | File 88; 1924 Dec 5 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 19 | File 89; 1925 Jun 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 20 | File 90; 1925 Jan 3 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 21 | File 91; 1925 Jun 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 22 | File 92; 1925 Jun 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 23 | File 93; 1925 Jun 8 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 24 | File 94; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 25 | File 95; 1925 Jun 12 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 26 | File 96; 1925 Jun 26 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 27 | File 97; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 28 | File 98; 1925 Jul 14 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 29 | File 99; 1925 Jul 17 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 30 | File 100; 1925 Aug 21 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 31 | File 101; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 32 | File 102; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 33 | File 103; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 34 | No file #; 1925 Sep |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 35 | File 104; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 36 | File 105; 1925 Dec 9 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 37 | File 106; 1925 Dec 18 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 38 | File 107; no date |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 39 | File 108; 1926 Jan 18 |
| pending | 4 | 4 | 40 | File 109; 1926 Mar 26 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 1 | File 110; 1926 Mar 26-Mar 31 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 2 | File 111; 1926 Mar 30 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 3 | No file #; 1926 May 27 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 4 | File 112; 1926 Aug 19 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 5 | File 113; 1926 Sep 22-Oct 14 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 6 | File 114; 1926 Oct 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 7 | File 115; 1927 Jan 11 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 8 | File 116; 1927 Apr 2 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 9 | File 117; 1927 Jul 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 10 | File 118; 1927 Jul 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 11 | No file #; 1927 Jul 26 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 12 | File 119; 1927 Aug 3 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 13 | No file #; 1927 Sep 28 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 14 | File 120; no date |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 15 | File 121; 1927 Nov 2 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 16 | File 123; no date |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 17 | File 124; 1927 Sep 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 18 | No file #; 1927 Dec 31 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 19 | File 125; 1928 Jan 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 20 | No file #; 1928 Apr 4 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 21 | File 127; 1928 Aug 23 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 22 | No file #, Joe Carter, ca.; 1928 Sep |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 23 | File 128; 1928 Oct 30 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 24 | File 129; 1928 Dec 10 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 25 | File 130; 1929 Jan 5 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 26 | File 131; 1929 Jan 8 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 27 | File 132; 1929 Jan 8 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 28 | File 133; 1929 Jan 8 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 29 | File 134; 1929 Apr 4 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 30 | File 135; 1929 Apr 30 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 31 | File 136; 1929 Sep 5 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 32 | File 137; 1929 Nov 6 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 33 | File 138; 1929 Oct 31 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 34 | File 139; 1929 Nov 26 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 35 | File 140; 1930 May 31 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 36 | File 141; 1930 Jul 28 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 37 | File 142; 1930 Aug 20 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 38 | File 143; 1929 Aug 5 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 39 | File 144; 1929 Aug 5 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 40 | File 145; no date |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 41 | File 146; 1930 Sep 22 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 42 | File 147; 1930 Nov 24 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 43 | File 148; 1930 Nov 24 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 44 | File 149; 1930 Dec 1 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 45 | File 150; 1933 Sep 6 |
| pending | 5 | 5 | 46 | File 151; 1937 Apr 20 |