Rio Virgin County, Utah Genealogy

United States Utah  Rio Virgin County

Rio Virgin County, Utah Territory (or Rio Virgen) was created by the Utah legislature on 18 February 1869 from part of Washington County. It was discontinued 16 February 1872 after a survey discovered most of the county was in Nevada and Arizona Territory.

Rio Virgin County was created to serve the residents of Mesquite and Bunkerville which at first were believed to be in Utah, but were actually in Nevada. Apparently the Utah legislature believed the borders they set were farther south and west than they actually were. If the borders had been where the legislature apparently believed they were, they would have mostly been in present-day Nevada and a little in Arizona. After the mistake was discovered the county was dissolved and the tiny sliver actually in Utah was restored to Washington County.

For records of Rio Virgin County in what is present-day Nevada, Arizona, and Utah see:


 * Utah State Archives may have a few records from the Utah Territory's Rio Virgin County courts and deeds.


 * Some records for the short-lived Rio Virgin County, Utah Territory may have been transferred to, or may have been re-recorded in the new counties formed where Rio Virgin County had been imagined to be. See also:
 * Clark County, Nevada
 * Lincoln County, Nevada
 * Mohave County, Arizona (before 18 February 1871 Pah-Ute County, Arizona)
 * Washington County, Utah