Tooele (Utah)

Certificate recording the patent of land granted to Tooele City mayor.

Certificate recording the patent of land granted to Tooele City mayor, Hugh S. Gowans, by the General Land Office in 1872. These certificates were granted according to the provisions of the act of Congress of the 2nd of March, 1867, entitled "An Act for the relief of the inhabitants of cities and towns upon the public land," which allowed the corporate authorities of cities and towns which were technically on federal land to collect a certificate granting them the plat of land on which their city or town sat. In turn, the authority would then provide deeds for claimants who could prove in the probate court that they owned a particular lot of land within the city or town.