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Silver Stars and Jailhouse Bars
LAW AND ORDER
W,
hen settlement began in Ashley Valley in 1873, Utah was governed by territorial law. Ashley Valley, located in Wasatch County, was far removed from other settlements, and, until the establishment of Uintah County in 1880, all legal matters, criminal cases, probate, and civil court cases were handled in Heber City, the county seat. Many disputes were settled with fists or the end of a six-shooter. Minor infractions by LDS church members were usually handled ecclesiastically by local M o r m o n church officials. Isolated geographically from the county seat, residents of Ashley Valley petitioned the territorial legislature in 1880 for their own county. On 18 February 1880 the territorial legislature created Uintah County, which included all of northeastern Utah from the UtahColorado line west to the 110 meridian, south to the Green River and the Emery County line, and east to the Utah-Colorado line. The town of Ashley was made the county seat. The legislature appointed Jeremiah Hatch as probate judge and Pardon Dodds, Thomas Bingham, Sr., and Isaac Burton, Sr., as selectmen. 1 W h e n the first elections were held in August 1880, Isaac 368
