Series 21866
Salt Lake City (Utah). Cemetery Record of the Dead
Dates: 1848-1893.
1.90 cubic feet and 4 microfilm reels
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Original records are held by Salt Lake County Archives.
Scope and Content
This series contains books used by the sexton to record deaths and burials in the city. The city council adopted an ordinance in April 1851 requiring the sexton to keep a record of deaths, "which record shall include the name of the person deceased, with his or her parents' names; and where and when born; the time of death; the disease or cause thereof; together with the physician's name or nurse who attended such person. In September 1856 sexton Jesse C. Little obtained a book containing columns for recording the required information, along with the columns to note ward in which the deceased lived and the location of the burial. This book is the earliest book in this series and was apparently "compiled and arranged" by Jesse Little from earlier records and other sources. Information from Little's original book appears to have been copied verbatim into Book A, with some additional information added from other sources over time. The sexton continued recording information in these record books until 1893. The information for each burial typically includes such information as the burial number, the ward in which the deceased lived, name of the deceased, to whom the deceased is related, birth date and location, death date, cause of death, the name of the medical attendant, and location of burial including block and lot numbers. Most persons recorded in the book were buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery, but entries also note persons buried "at home," at Mount Olivet Cemetery, the Jewish and Catholic cemeteries, the Brigham Young Cemetery, as well as those transferred out of state.
Gaps in Series
Records dating from January 1894 to November 1896 are missing. These are available through the Salt Lake County Archives.
Research Note
Since the register entries are roughly chronological, entries may be searched by approximate death date, if known.
Research Note
Since the register entries are roughly chronological, entries may be searched by approximate death date, if known.
Images Available
Copies of these records are located at Salt Lake County Archives View Online.
Copies of these records are located at Ancestry.com View Online.
Access Restrictions
This series is designated as Public.
Reproduction and Use
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Finding Aids
Indexes: A name index with images is available online from the Salt Lake County Archives, covering from 1847 thru 1949.
Related Records
Interment records from Salt Lake City (Utah). Cemetery, Series 6722, Contains much of the same information for persons buried at the City Cemetery.
Death certificates from the Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Series 81448, are the official death certificates maintained by the Utah State Division of Vital Records for the years after 1904.
Indexing Terms
Death--Proof and certification--Salt Lake City (Utah).
Salt Lake City (Utah)--Statistics, Vital.
| REEL | BOX | DESCRIPTION |
| n/a | 1 | 1848 Aug 14 - 1866 Oct 27: Index - Record of the Dead |
| n/a | 1 | 1848 Aug 14 - 1866 Oct 27: Record of the Dead |
| 1 | 2 | 1848 Aug 14 - 1866 Oct 27: Record of the Dead, Book A |
| 1 | 3 | 1850 Oct 15 - 1874 Jan 30: Record of the Dead, Book B |
| 1 | 3 | 1874 Jul 01 - 1888 Apr 30: Record of the Dead [Book C] |
| 2 | 4 | 1888 May 02 - 1893 Dec 30: Record of the Dead, Book D |
| REEL | DESCRIPTION |
| 1 | 1848 - 1888: Books A, B, and C |
| 2 | 1888 - 1893 |
| 3 | 1896 - 1909 |
| 4 | 1909 - 1928 |
| 5 | 1928 - 1933 |