Series 352
Secretary of State Commission registers
Dates: i 1875-1938.
4.50 cubic feet
These records are housed in the Utah State Archives' permanent storage room.
Scope and Content
A commission constitutes an official charge to perform various acts or duties. From territorial times into statehood, the governor commissioned all individuals appointed to office. Elected officials were also required to receive their commissions from the governor following the canvass of the election and their filing of an oath and any required bonds. Appointed volunteer board members and militia officers were likewise commissioned by the governor. The Secretary of State, as part of his duties in documenting the governor's activities, kept records of those commissioned.
Entries in this collection of registers record the individual's name, office title, when and by whom commissioned, the location involved (city, precinct, county), the date of election or appointment, and the term of office or duration of commission. Each volume is focused somewhat differently, and there is some overlapping of entries so that the commission for some individuals is recorded in more than onebook.
Commissions and Requisitions, 1875-1888. The offices represented cover government officials commissioned in both territorial and local governments. Territorial offices include those such as treasurer and librarian and board members such as those on the Commission to Locate University Lands. County level offices include probate judges, clerks, recorders, selectmen, notaries, etc. Municipal positions include mayor, alderman, justice of the peace, etc. Entries are grouped by office and recorded chronologically. There is an index with entries arranged alphabetically by the first letter of the surname and by the first letter of the office title.
County and Territorial Officers Commissioned, 1888-1895. This includes the same mixture of territorial officers, trustees, and board members. It also includes similar county-wide positions. The entries are grouped by office then date, with an alphabetical index by office.
Precinct Officers Commissioned, 1888-1890. Only Justice of the Peaceand Constable positions are included. Entries are arranged by office then date, with an alphabetical name index.
Municipal Officers Commissioned, 1888-1895. Entries include all town officials, similar to those included in the first volume. Entries are arranged by city then date, with an index by city and by name.
County and Precinct Officers, 1889-1896. Entries partially overlap those found in the County and Territorial Officers and the Precinct Officers volumes. They are arranged by location then date, with an alphabetical index by county and precinct.
Register of Commissions, 1896-1909. Entries pertain to members of state agencies or boards such as agricultural trustees, board of equalization, board of regents, militia, etc. Entries are arranged by office then date; there is no index.
Register of Appointments and Commissions, 1909-1921. This continues the list of gubernatorial appointees found in the previous volume, i.e. heads of state agencies (eg. Architect, Geologist,Chemist) and members of boards of trustees and special commissions. Entries are arranged by office and by date. There is an alphabetical index by office.
Record of County Officers Elected and Appointed, 1906-1938. This resumes listing county officers, as previously described, for the period from the 1906 November election through the 1938 November election. The secretary of state had not been required to keep track of local elections following statehood, but starting in 1906 he was expected to compile a report. In 1907 this was codified by law: County clerks were required to send a certified list of elected and appointed officials to the secretary who was in turn to file the originals plus compile a bound book. Entries are arranged by county then date; there is no index.
Access Restrictions
This series is designated as Public.
Reproduction and Use
These records are available for reproduction and use.
Finding Aids
Indexes: Most of the volumes have indices by surname, office, and/or location, covering from 1888 thru 1938.
Related Records
Public documents serial set from the Secretary of State, Series 240, contains the Secretary of State's annual reports which include compilations of many commissions issued.
Executive record books from the Secretary of State, Series 242, include lists of many officials whose appointments are also recorded in this series
Commission register from the United States. Board of Registration and Election in the Territory of Utah, Series 304, was kept by the commission in the 1880s.
Election papers from the Lieutenant Governor, Series 364, contain bonds, certificates, oaths, and returns for many offices commissioned by the governor and recorded in this series.
Notaries public commissions registers from the Secretary of State, Series 388, became a separate series in 1887.
Election returns register from the United States. Board of Registration and Election in the Territory of Utah, Series 396, during the same period as the election returns this series recorded commissions.
Oaths of office from the Division of Archives and Records Service, Series 17170, include original oaths of office for some of the same elected and appointed officials whose duplicate oaths appear along with their commissions in this series.
Indexing Terms
Utah--Militia--Officials and employees.
Utah--Politics and government--1888-1938.
| BOX | DESCRIPTION |
| 1 | Commissions and Requisitions, 1875-1888 |
| 2 | County and Territorial Officers Commissioned, 1888-1895 |
| 3 | Precinct Officers Commissioned, 1888-1890 |
| 4 | Municipal Officers Commissioned, 1888-1895 |
| 5 | County and Precinct Officers, 1889-1896 |
| 6 | Register of Commissions, 1896-1909 |
| 7 | Register of Appointments and Commissions, 1909-1921 |
| 8 | Record of County Officers Elected and Appointed, 1906-1938 |