Although tax records have a reputation of being boring, they are a super useful tool for finding people in a specific location and time! To prove residency, a patron needed to find a property record in the Piute County tax records. I searched these records on their behalf and found a familiar name instead: Lula Betenson!
You might ask, who is Lula Betenson? She is none other than Butch Cassidy’s younger sister! Born 18 years after the legendary cowboy outlaw, Lula was delivered in Spry, Utah Territory in 1884. As an adult, she was active in politics and served as Piute County Democratic chairwoman for 28 years. In 1962 she was appointed by Governor Clyde to fill an unexpired term as state senator from Piute County. She also wrote a book about her brother called “Butch Cassidy, My Brother” in 1975. Lula lived a long life and died in 1980 at the age of 96. She is buried in the Circleville Cemetery in Piute County.
Give our tax records a search; maybe you, too, will find someone famous! The Salt Lake City Tax Assessment Rolls, which are available in our Digital Archives, are a great example of these records.
References Consulted
- Gertsch, Arlene, and Enid Jamison. n.d. “Lula Christene Parker Betenson (1884-1980).” Find a Grave. Accessed February 22, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39655823/lula-christene-betenson.