Ann Eliza Webb: The Woman Who Divorced Brigham Young

Maren Peterson History, Research Leave a Comment

The Utah State Archives and Records Service holds vital records for the state of Utah, including birth and death certificates, divorce records, and court records. Sometimes when perusing these records, an interesting story emerges. In a District Court Territorial Minutes book, Records and Information Management Specialist Maren Peterson unravels the story of Ann Eliza Webb suing her estranged husband, Brigham …

Utah Black History: Insight Into Alex Bankhead’s Life in Spanish Fork through Primary Source Records

Heidi Steed History, Research

Black Americans were among the first pioneer settlers to arrive in Utah, coming to the Great Basin as enslaved people. Although many lived in Utah long enough to become free, their enslaved status and later position on the fringe of Utah society have left us with incomplete versions of their stories. Secondary sources are often the only available records that …

Utah’s Black History: Green Flake

Maren Peterson History, Research

Early Life On January 6, 1828, Green Flake was born into slavery on the William Jordan Flake Plantation in North Carolina. Green was “gifted” to James, William’s son, as a wedding present in the 1840’s when Green was in his early teens. Shortly after marrying, James Flake moved to Mississippi in hopes of claiming land. Green was taken with the …

Utah Drought Solutions Under Governor George Clyde, 1957-1965

Guest Author Digital Archives, History, Research

This blog post was written by Sadie Webster, a fall 2022 intern at the Utah State Archives and Records Services. She is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Library Science from Emporia State University. Drought is a common plague for the agriculture industry in the dry and torrid West, particularly in a place such as Utah where this industry is …

Help Index the Salt Lake City Tax Assessment Rolls

Lauren Katz History, News and Events

We are excited to announce a new virtual volunteer opportunity to transcribe volumes from the Salt Lake City Tax Assessment Rolls! These volumes record the assessment of real and personal property and were used for taxing purposes. The Assessment Rolls from 1856 to 1892 are digitized and available online, but we would love to provide even more access to researchers …