Alpine, Utah

United States Utah Utah County Alpine

Guide to Alpine, Utah ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

Quick History

Alpine, Utah 1923

Seven immigrant families from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, lead by William Wordsworth, were sent South in the fall of 1850 to a sleepy valley tucked in among the Wasatch mountains. On Jan 19, 1855 the Legislature granted a city charter to Mountainville but because of the beautiful mountains surrounding it, Brigham Young, the Latter Day Saint Prophet, requested the name be changed to Alpine because it reminded him of the Swiss Alps. 

Time Line

Alpine School Monument

• 1850 September- Seven families settled in Mountainville and begin to build cabins. Most lived in dugouts or wagons the first winter. Census taker records 29 people living there.

• 1851 December- First meeting and school house built.

• 1852. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Mountainville Branch organized in February and became a ward in September with Isaac Houston as first bishop.

• 1853. Wordsworth Fort built as protection from Indians.

• 1854. Plague of crickets and grasshoppers destroyed most of crops

• 1855, January- Legislature granted city charter to Mountainville. Brigham Young requested name be changed to Alpine. A larger fort enclosure was built for more protection.

• 1863. Second meeting house dedicated by Brigham Young. Now the Pioneer relic hall.

• 1866. Moyle Tower erected as a protection from Indians.

• 1868. People had began to move outside of fort because peace had been established with the Indians.

• 1870. Population 208.

• 1872. New Rock Church built.

• 1899. Red Brick School House finished.

• 1900. Population 520

• 1924 Gymnasiam built next to school house

• 1928 Rock Church destroyed by fire

• 1930 Purple Church finished to replace Rock Church

Vital Records

Many experts recommend starting your research with the death records first. A first thought might be to begin instead with birth records, but the death record is the most recent record. It may be more likely to be available to you. Death records are kept in the state where your ancestor died, not where they were buried. However these records can provide a burial location. Death records are especially helpful because they may provide important information on a person's birth, spouse, and parents. Some researchers look first for death records because there are often death records for persons who have no birth or marriage records.

Death records are frequently considered as primary source records for the death and burial dates, locations and cause of death. They are secondary sources for birth information unless the birth occurred within days of the death.

Utah requires a death certificate before a burial is completed. A death certificate may contain information as to the name of the deceased,date of death and place of death, as well as the age, birth date, parents, gender, marital status, spouse and place of residence.

• Utah Death Certificates 1904-1964
• Utah Deaths and Burials 1888-1946

• Utah Death Certificates Index 1904-1956- A free internet access to the death cerificates can be viewed at FamilySearch Catalog

• For deaths before 1904 see Utah State Burial Index

• Social Security Death Index 

Birth and Marriage Records

• Utah Births and Christenings, 1892-1941

• Utah Marriage Records Archive

• Utah Marriages

• Western States Marriage Index

Utah Census Records

• Census
  

Resources

Alpine Yesterdays: a history of Alpine, Utah County, Utah, 1850-1980 Author: Wild, Jennie A 1908, (Main Author) Publications: Salt Lake City, Utah: Blaine Hudson Printing, 1982 Call Number 979.224/A2 H2w FHL US/Can Book Available. Film FHL US/CAN Fische Film # 6111021

• FamilySearch Catalog

Cemeteries

Pioneer Children Monument, Alpine City Cemetery

Alpine City Cemetery
200 E. 350 N.
Alpine, Utah, 84004

Alpine City Website

• Alpine City Cemetery Records
• Utah Gravestone Photo Project
• Findagrave.com
• BillionGraves
• Alpine Cemetery Information Booklet
• Utah Burials Database
• Alpine, Utah, death and cemetery plat records
• Alpine, Utah, city cemetery records

Maps

• Alpine City Maps
• Alpine, Utah Topo - Acme Mapper
• Alpine, Utah - Google Maps

Museums and Organizations

• Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museums

• Mountainville Camp DUP, 1922-1990

Newspapers

• Utah Digital Newspapers
• LOC Chronicling America Digitized Newspapers
• Utah County Newspapers
• Utah Newspapers - BYU Lee Library

Church History and Records

Main article: Alpine, Utah Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint Wards and Branches

Early records of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for Utah County Wards and Branches can be found on film and are located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City or at the Family History Library at Brigham Young University.  They are found under:

1. Alpine Stake
2. Alpine
3. Mountainville (old name for Alpine)

• Genealogical record of presidents and members of the high priests group - Alpine Stake
• Record of members, 1850-1956
• Annual genealogical reports, 1907
• Brief history of the original American Fork Ward Relief Society and Alpine Stake Relief Society

History

In 1852, settlers in American Fork Creek, now known as American Fork, asked leaders from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to send surveyors to layout a townsite for them. The town was to be located a few miles north at the base of the mountains. The survey subsequently completed and by the spring of 1853 and settlers started building homes. They were soon counciled by church president, Brigham Young, to move into a fort because of expected Indian trouble. The women and children were moved to Salt Lake City.

The first fort was called Wordsworth Fort and stood from 1853 to 1855. Its design wasn't a long term solution as the houses were integral sections of the wall.

Wordsworth Fort

In 1855, the walls of Wordsworth Fort were torn down and new walls were constructed about 30 ft out from the homes. The Big Fort walls stood from 1855 to 1868. Indian troubles subsided to the point it was safe to remove the fort walls by 1868. By that point in time, their removal was necessitated by the growth in population including many new settlers.

Old Alpine Fort

References

• FamilySearch Catalog

Family History Library