Utah, Territorial Militia Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
The collection consists of papers from the Utah State Archives containing various militia records from the Utah Territory. It includes records of the territorial militia, called the Nauvoo Legion, with reference to the Walker and Black Hawk Wars, the Overland Trail, and Johnston's army. Also of interest are records of the only Civil War company from Utah. Papers include muster rolls, military correspondence, payroll sheets, service reports, and journals. The records cover the years 1849 to 1877.

It has been customary to keep service records for soldiers since the founding on the earliest militias were organized. The records were created as proof of service and to track the service of each soldier. The records are fairly reliable; however, the records are only as accurate as the knowledge of the individual who provided the information and the accuracy of the individual who recorded it.

Record Content
The information varies with each type of record. Any of the following may be included:


 * Name
 * Birth date
 * Birth place
 * Mustering in date and place
 * Discharge date and place
 * Details of service such as: companies served in, battles fought in, or injuries sustained
 * Captures and confinements in prison
 * Unit, Rank, and offices held
 * Pensions, bounties, and payments received
 * Death date and place
 * Burial date and place
 * Names of close relatives and/or friends
 * Photographs
 * Date war sketch was made
 * Author of sketch
 * Injuries, illnesses, disabilities, and any nature of disability
 * Salary paid

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the name of your ancestor and some other identifying information such as their birthplace, unit name or residence.


 * Full name
 * Residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection, ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select "Document Number Range,Date Range,Description" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:


 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors. Add this new information to your records of each family. This information will often lead you to other records. For example:


 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * Use the age and location of the military unit to find the soldier’s family in census, church, and land records.
 * Use the age to calculate an approximate birth date.
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Death dates may lead to death certificates, mortuary, or burial records.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have served in the same unit or a nearby unit.
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have been seeking the pension.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for nicknames and abbreviated names.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names.
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records.

Related Websites

 * Utah State Archives Territorial Militia Records
 * Access Genealogy
 * Utah Genealogy Records
 * Ancestor Hunt

Related Wiki Articles

 * Utah
 * Utah Military Records

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection Citation:

Image citation: