CHAPTER 4
COUNTY GOVERNMENT DURING THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD, 1850-1896 \J tah County was organized on 31 January 1850 as one of the original seven counties of the territory. Great Salt Lake, Davis, Little Salt Lake (present-day I r o n ) , San Pete, Tuilla, Utah, and Weber Counties were created by the General Assembly of the State of Deseret in Salt Lake City.1 At first, the boundaries were rather indeterminate, as they were based on existing settled areas or proposed regions of settlement. In March 1852, after territorial status had been given to Utah by Congress, the territorial legislature passed an act defining county b o u n d a r i e s a n d created four additional counties (Desert, Green River, luab, and Washington). At the time, Utah County was a thin strip r u n n i n g east a n d west a n d b o u n d e d on the west by Tooele County and on the east by the territorial border (occupying portions of present-day Colorado). In 1856 Green River County annexed the eastern part of Utah County, greatly reducing its size. D u r i n g the next several years there were several attempts to reduced the county area through the creation of new counties. In 1856 Cedar County was created, with Cedar Fort as the county seat, 73
