District Court (Second District) Criminal case files, 1855-1895.

2.90 cubic feet and 4 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

These case files document criminal cases handled in the Territorial Second District Court in Beaver County.

Scope and Content

Case files document criminal cases as they proceed through the court system and subsequently become the official files of individual cases. Recurrent criminal offenses include theft, larceny, perjury, forgery, libel, mayhem, kidnapping, murder, assault, contempt, unlawful cohabitation, etc. A criminal case is initiated with a complaint, indictment, or arrest warrant. Individual case files may include petitions to the court, complaints, warrants of execution and confinement, warrant of death, notices of appeal, subpoenas, attachments, affidavits, trial evidence, remittitur, jury lists and memorandum of costs. Case 31 is the John D. Lee trial concerning his involvement in the 1857 Mountain Meadows Massacre.

Research Note

Gaps in holdings are numerous and the numbering is inconsistent throughout.

The vast majority of the cases involving polygamy and related charges have been removed and are located at The National Archives, Rocky Mountain Region, located in Denver, Colorado.

Arrangement

Additional Forms

This series is available on microfilm.

This series is available online as part of the Utah State Archives Digital Archives.

Copies of these records are located at Familysearch.org 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

Box 5 was archivally processed by Curt Kelley in May of 2018. These files have not been microfilmed and have been added to the end of the series as all other records have been microfilmed.

Related Material

Minute books from the District Court (Second District), Series 5319, elaborate on the proceedings of these cases.

Final case records from the District Court (Second District), Series 24071, documentfindings of cases heard by the grand jury in the Territorial Second District Court.

Criminal registers of actions from the District Court (Second District), Series 24346, contain a chronological list of documents filed and fees paid related to these case files.

Criminal case index from the District Court (Second District), Series 24553, provides the case number and the corresponding page number in the register of actions for criminal cases heard in the Territorial Second District Court.

Criminal docket from the District Court (Second District), Series 27472, contains the criminal case files cited in this series.

Bar dockets from the District Court (Second District), Series 27474, may contain the criminal case files cited in these docket books.

Indexing Terms

Lee, John D. (John Doyle), 1812-1877

Criminal courts

Mountain Meadows Massacre, Utah 1857

Container List

Reel	Box	Description
1	1	1-585
2	1	586-611
2	2	612-702
3	2	705-781
4	3	782-964

Reel	Box	Folder	Case	Description
4	4	1	31	1874 Sep 21; Grand jury subpoena to John Wilden, F. Wilden, Elliott Wilden, James Whittaker, T. Willis, Robert Keyes, and Isabel Bennett
4	4	2	31	1874 Sep 24; Grand jury indictment against William H. Dame, Isaac C. Haight, John D. Lee, John M. Higby, George Adair Jr., Elliott Wilden, Samuel Jukes, Phillip K. Smith, and William C. Stewart
4	4	3	31	1874 Oct 3; Grand jury subpoena to George Winslow, Mrs. Goff, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Willis, G.W. Crouch, and William Thompson Sr.
4	4	4	31	1874 Dec 5; November 20, 1874 subpoena to William Young and John Mangum
4	4	5	31	1875 Apr 2; March 1, 1875 subpoena to William Lancy
4	4	6	31	1875 Apr 2; March 2, 1875 subpoena to Isaac Haight, John M. Higby, Daniel McFarlane, John McFarlane, William C. Stewart, George W. Adair Jr., Elliott Wilden, and Ira Hatch
4	4	7	31	1875 Apr 2; March 2, 1875 subpoena to John Willis, J. Freeman, A. Kirby, Henderson, and James A. Earl
4	4	8	31	1875 Apr 2; March 20, 1875 subpoena to Emeline Clark, Mrs. Hamilton, Martin Slack, and Jacob Hamblin
4	4	9	31	1875 Apr 2; March 20, 1875 subpoena to John Hamilton Jr., T.J. Clark, J.W. Freeman, and William Young
4	4	10	31	1875 Apr 2; March 20, 1875 subpoena to Samuel Willis, Samuel Pollock, Bishop Henry Sant, and John Hamilton Sr.
4	4	11	31	1875 Jul 14; Defendant's requests for subpoenas
4	4	12	31	1875 Jul 21; John D. Lee's plea to indictment
4	4	13	31	1875 Jul 21; Demurrer to first and second pleas of defendant Lee
4	4	14	31	1875 Jul 21; Replication to third plea of defendant Lee
4	4	15	31	1875 Jul 21; Journal entry for September 24, 1874
4	4	16	31	1875 Jul 22; Rejoinder of John D. Lee to the replication of the said people to the third plea in abatement filed by said defendant
4	4	17	31	1875 Jul 22; Challenge to the array of petit jurors
4	4	18	31	1875 Jul 28; Telegraph to court from W. Anderson (Brigham Young's physician) and George C. Bates
4	4	19	31	1875 Jul 28; Motion not to prosecute further
4	4	20	31	1875 Aug 2; July 28, 1875 notice of taking deposition
4	4	21	31	1875 Aug 2; July 28, 1875 physician's certificate of W. Anderson
4	4	22	31	1875 Aug 2; July 28, 1875 deposition of George A. Smith
4	4	23	31	1875 Aug 2; July 30, 1875 deposition of Brigham Young
4	4	24	31	1875 Aug 6; July 23, 1875 subpoena to Teresa Phelps and Robert Bridger
4	4	25	31	1875 Aug 6; July 31, 1875 subpoena to Joseph Betenson Sr., Robert Thimbleby, E.W. Thompson and Mrs. E.W. Thompson
4	4	26	31	1875 Aug 7; Prosecution's jury instructions
4	4	27	31	1875 Aug 7; Defendant's jury instructions (given)
4	4	28	31	1875 Aug 7; Defendant's jury instructions (refused)
4	4	29	31	1875 Aug 9; Prosecution's request for subpoena
4	4	30	31	1875 Sep 10; August 9, 1875 subpoena to Ezra Curtis, Samuel Pollock, William Young, Willis Young, William Mathews, James Mangum, Barney Carter, James Lewis, Beson Lewis, and William Slade
4	4	31	31	1875 Sep 20; August 9, 1875 subpoena to Edward Dalton and Mrs. F.M. Stark
4	4	32	31	1876 May 16; April 15, 1876 subpoena to William Bradshaw, Robert Kershon, E.C. Mathews, James Pearce, E.W. Thompson and John McFarlane
4	4	33	31	1876 May 16; April 15, 1876 subpoena to Frank Kane, William Roberts, Isaac Riddle, and John Hamilton
4	4	34	31	1876 May 16; April 15, 1876 subpoena to Phillip Klingensmith, Joel M. White, Ann Eliza Hoge, Thomas Willis, John H. Willis, William Mathews, Samuel Pollock, and John Sherratt
4	4	35	31	1876 Sep 4; July 27, 1876 subpoena to Daniel Page
4	4	36	31	1876 Sep 9; Subpoena to Darius Shirts
4	4	37	31	1876 Sep 20; Copy of September 12, 1857 letter from Brigham Young as Governor and ex-officio Superintendent of Indian Affairs to James W. Denver, Commissioner of Indian Affairs
4	4	38	31	1876 Sep 20; Copy of extract of January 6, 1858 letter from Brigham Young as Governor and Superintendent of Indian Affairs to James W. Denver, Commissioner of Indian Affairs
4	4	39	31	1876 Sep 20; Copy of Governor's Proclamation dated originally issued September 15, 1857
4	4	40	31	1876 Sep 20; July 30, 1875 deposition of Brigham Young (same as that filed on August 2, 1875)
4	4	41	31	1876 Sep 20; July 30, 1875 deposition of George A. Smith (same as that filed on August 2, 1875)
4	4	42	31	1876 Sep 20; Copy of September 14, 1857 letter from Brigham Young and Daniel Wells to William H. Dame
4	4	43	31	1876 Sep 20; Prosecution's instructions to the jury
4	4	44	31	1876 Sep 20; Jury verdict
4	4	45	31	1876 Sep 21; Receipt for papers
4	4	46	31	1876 Sep 28; Bill of exceptions of John D. Lee
4	4	47	31	1876 Oct 4; September 14, 1876 subpoena to Richard Robinson and Philo Farnsworth
4	4	48	31	1876 Oct 4; September 15, 1876 subpoena to Samuel Wood and Robert Pollock
4	4	49	31	1876 Oct 5; August 15, 1876 subpoena to Elizabeth Hogh and Jonathan Pugmire
4	4	50	31	1876 Oct 6; Charge of the court to the jury
4	4	51	31	1876 Oct 10; Journal entry for judgment and sentence
4	4	52	31	1876 Oct 14; Notice of appeal
4	4	53	31	1876 Dec 20; Copy of November 20, 1857 letter from John D. Lee to Brigham Young, Superintendent of Indian Affairs
4	4	54	31	1877 Jan 3; John D. Lee order of commitment
4	4	55	31	1877 Jan 13; August 21, 1876 subpoena to James Pearce, C. Shirts, and Nephi Johnson
4	4	56	31	1877 Jan 13; September 11, 1876 John D. Lee order of commitment
4	4	57	31	1877 Feb 6; August 21, 1876 subpoena to Joel M. White, John Thomas, E. Landers, Mrs. E. Landers, and Dan Cook
4	4	58	31	1877 Feb 6; August 14, 1876 subpoena to Philip Klingensmith, Philo Carter, Peter Riggs, H. Kempton, and Gilbert Moss
4	4	59	31	1877 Feb 23; Supreme Court remittitur
4	4	60	31	1877 Feb 27; Fragment of Supreme Court minute entry
4	4	61	31	1877 Apr 23; Transcript and order fixing day of execution and return on order of execution on April 24, 1877
4	4	62	31	Document title sheet "documentary evidence"
4	4	63	31	Fragment jury instruction
4	4	64	31	Signature list
4	4	65	31	1875 Apr 7; Grand jury subpoena to M. Young, Henry Young, and Brigham Young

Box	Folder	Description
5	1	People vs Harris Beaver County; 1881
5	2	People vs Johnson Beaver County; 1881
5	3	People vs Reese Beaver County; 1881
5	4	People vs Edmonds Iron County; 1879
5	5	People vs McCarty Iron County; 1879
5	6	Commitmentof Charles Penney Iron County; 1880
5	7	People vs Barton Iron County; 1881-
5	8	People vs George Iron County; 1881
5	9	People vs Tait Iron County; 1884
5	10	Commitment of George Hanks Iron County; 1886
5	11	People vs Goddard Iron County; 1889
5	12	People vs Dennis Iron County; 1890
5	13	People vs Multiple Iron County; 1890