Series 5319
District Court (Second District) Minute books, 1851-1896.
3.90 cubic feet and 8 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
This series contains minutes documenting the daily business handled by the court, including civil, criminal, citizenship, and administrative matters. The books document daily proceedings, but are not transcripts of court cases. Administrative matters noted in the minutes include such tasks as jury selection, judicial appointments, approval of expense claims. The record of any particular civil or criminal cases is typically spread over multiple court dates and may be interspersed with other cases. Criminal cases handled by the court include those for murder, bigamy, polygamy, cohabitation, violations of liquor and tobacco tariff laws, trespassing, and illegal fencing. Many of the civil cases include settling various land disputes. The minutes also document numerous naturalizations.
The earliest books in this series were created by the court based in Parowan and designated as the Third Judicial Court. In 1851 Iron County was the only county in the southern part of Utah Territory. In 1856 the court was redesignated as the Second Judicial Court and moved to St. George and then to Beaver.
Gaps
Minute Book 7 covering from 1887-1888 is missing from the holdings of the State Archives.
Research Note
More detailed information for the Territorial Second District Court may be found in case files, transcripts and information and indictment records. Judgment books and civil case decisions record the outcome of cases. Naturalization books show further documentation of naturalizations. Registers of action can be used to identify the specific dates for actions recorded in these minute books.
Arrangement
Chronological by court date.
Additional Forms
This series is available on microfilm.
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.
Custody History
The exact custody history of Minute Book No. 1, covering 1874-1877, is unknown, but it came into the custody of the State Archives before 2001. The rest of the books were transferred from Southern Utah University to the Archives in 2025.
Acquisition Information
These records were acquired from the creating agency through established retention schedules.
Processing Information
This series was archivally processed by Jim Kichas and Emily Gurr in May 2008 as part of a NHPRC grant project designed to preserve the historic records of Utah's Fifth District Courts. The original paper copies were processed by Alan Barnett and Katie McGirt in September 2026, after the Archives received those records from Southern Utah University.
Other Finding Aids
Indexes: Some volumes are indexed. The indices are separate volumes in series 24247, GENERAL INDEXES, these books are alphabetical name indexes. They index the court minutes (Books A, B, A-1, 1-6, 7-9), and in some cases, case number, judgments and judgment dockets. Alphabetical name indexes for Minute Book and Naturalization A, B and C.
Related Material
Criminal case files from the District Court (Second District), Series 24291, contain the documents filed in the criminal cases referenced in this series.
Civil case files from the District Court (Second District), Series 24293, contain the documents filed in the civil cases referenced in this series.
Execution book from the District Court (Second District), Series 27473, contains further reference to the case information cited in this record book.
Indexing Terms
Container List
| Reel | Box | Description |
|---|---|---|
| n/a | 1 | Minute Book A; 1851 Nov 5-1855 Nov 25 |
| 1 | n/a | Minute Book and Naturalization record A; 1852 May 3-1855 Oct 18 |
| 1 | n/a | Minute Book and Naturalization record B; 1854 Oct 17-1856 Jan 15 |
| 1 | n/a | Minute Book and Naturalization record C; 1855 Nov 13-1865 Jan 6 |
| 3 | 2 | Minute Book No. 2 (Minute Book A-1 pp. 13-359); 1865 Oct 16-1874 Jul 13 |
| 3A | 3 | Minute Book No. 1; 1874 Sep 7-1877 Sep 8 |
| 3 | 2 | Minute Book No. 2 (pp. 360-667); 1877 Sep 10-1879 Mar 17 |
| 4 | 2 | Minute Book No. 2 (pp. 667-789); 1879 Mar 17-Nov 29 |
| 2 | 4 | Minute Book B, minutes (pp. 7-49); 1869 Nov 8-1874 Oct 5 |
| 2 | 4 | Minute Book B, Minutes of Proceedings in Bankruptcy (pp. 51-66); 1876 Apr 19-1878 Oct 7 |
| 2 | 4 | Minute Book B, proceedings by case (pp. 67-576); 1874 Sep 17-1881 Sep 14 |
| 4 | 5 | Minute Book No. 3; 1879 Dec 1-1880 Nov 2 |
| 4 | 5 | Minute Book No. 4; 1880 Dec 6-1881 May 17 |
| 4 | 6 | Minute Book No. 5; 1881 Jun 14-1883 Apr 17 |
| 5 | 7 | Minute Book No. 6; 1883 May 7-1886 May 28 |
| 5 | 8 | Minute Book No. 8 (pp. 41-619); 1888 Aug 27-1892 Jun 28 |
| 6 | 8 | Minute Book No. 8 (pp. 619-702); 1892 Jun 28-1893 Mar 7 |
| 6 | 9 | Minute Book No. 9; 1893 Mar 13-1896 Jan 16 |