Brigham City (Utah). City Recorder Town site deeds, 1870-1877.

The Brigham City recorder transcribed deeds conveying town site lots from the mayor to individual claimants. When the Brigham City town site was originally surveyed, lots were distributed by the Mormon Church. Since this distribution was not valid under federal law, Congressional and Territorial legislation were necessary to correct the problem. In March 1867, Congress passed "An Act for the Relief of the Inhabitants of Cities and Towns upon the Public Lands" (Statutes at Large, Treaties, and Proclamations, of the United States of America, vol. 14, chap. 177). This act provided that officials of incorporated towns should enter town site lands at the land office and purchase them for the benefit of all inhabitants. Pursuant to this law, the Territorial Legislature established further regulations (Compiled Laws of Utah, 1876. Chap 4). Each person claiming to be a rightful owner of any part of this land was required to present a claim to the probate court, which was to determine thevalidity of each claim. Once the probate court had validated a claim the mayor was required to issue a deed conveying that land to the claimant. Each deed in this record book refers to the above mentioned acts of Congress and of the Territorial Legislature. Each deed states that the land is being conveyed by the mayor to a certain individual. Each deed describes the lot being transferred and tells the amount being paid for it. All deeds are signed by the mayor, the probate court judge and the city recorder.