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Arthur L. Chaffin papers, 1920-1976

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Chaffin, Arthur L.
Title
Arthur L. Chaffin papers
Dates
1920-1976 (inclusive)
Quantity
7.75 linear feet
Collection Number
ACCN 1638
Summary
The Arthur L. Chaffin papers (circa 1920-1976) contains correspondence, financial records, mining documents, and other records concerning Chaffin's owning and operating of the Chaffin Ferry and his mining career. Arthur L. Chaffin operated the ferry across the Colorado River at Hite, Utah until the site was covered by Lake Powell in the 1960s. He was also extensively involved in mining in southeastern Utah.
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English
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Biographical Note

Arthur L. Chaffin was a farmer who grew up in Teasdale, Utah. He owned and operated the Chaffin Ferry (also called the Hite Ferry). Established in 1946, the ferry service was designed to transport people and their vehicles across the Colorado River. The river created a gap in the Hite Road, which was the main route through Southeastern Utah, including San Juan County. The ferry was the only crossing along a 200-mile stretch of the river. Chaffin was also extensively involved in mining operations in southeastern Utah, specifically the Lucky Strike and Green Copper Mines.

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Content Description

The Arthur L. Chaffin papers (circa 1920-1976) contains correspondence, financial records, mining documents, and other records concerning Chaffin's owning and operating of the Chaffin Ferry and his mining career.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Gift of William and Jenny Barclay in 1997.

Separated Materials

Photographs and audio-visual materials were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0769 and A0512).

Processing Note

Processed by Xan Morris in 1998.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

  • Correspondence

    • Description: Correspondence from Arthur L. Chaffin
      Dates: 1945-1958
      Container: Box 1, Folder 1-6
      Location: Correspondence
    • Description: Correspondence to Arthur L. Chaffin
      Dates: 1934-1976
      Container: Box 1, Folder 7-20
      Location: Correspondence
    • Description: Correspondence from Bert Seaholdt

      This folder contains correspondence concerning Chaffin's mining friend, who died in 1947.

      Container: Box 2, Folder 1-3
      Location: Correspondence
    • Description: Correspondence Related to Arthur L. Chaffin
      Dates: 1946-1957
      Container: Box 2, Folder 4
      Location: Correspondence

  • Introductory Information, Agreements, Court Documents, and Employer Information

  • Financial Materials

    • Description: Documents Used to Make 1949 and 1950 Income Tax Returns
      Container: Box 4, Folder 1
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Quarterly Tax Returns
      Container: Box 4, Folder 2
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Income Tax Returns
      Container: Box 4, Folder 3-7
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Income Tax Adjustments
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box 4, Folder 8
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Income Tax Documents
      Dates: 1952
      Container: Box 4, Folder 9-15
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Tax Assessment
      Dates: 1953
      Container: Box 4, Folder 16
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Documents Used for 1954 Tax Returns
      Container: Box 4, Folder 17-25
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Income Tax Adjustments
      Dates: 1957
      Container: Box 4, Folder 26
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Richfield Commercial and Savings Bank Checking
      Dates: 1959-1960
      Container: Box 5, Folder 1-9
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: State Bank of Wayne Checking
      Dates: 1946
      Container: Box 5, Folder 10
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: The First National Bank Checking
      Dates: 1953
      Container: Box 5, Folder 11-22
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Ferry Statements
      Dates: 1956-1957
      Container: Box 5, Folder 23-26
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Receipts
      Dates: 1954-1955
      Container: Box 6, Folder 1-10
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Invoices
      Dates: 1946-1957
      Container: Box 6, Folder 11-14
      Location: Financial Materials
    • Description: Invoices
      Dates: 1948-1957
      Container: Box 7
      Location: Financial Materials

  • Chaffin Ferry Materials

    • Description: Chaffin Ferry Account Books

      This box contains notes, notebooks, and ledgers on ferry ledgers and prices.

      Dates: 1945-1955
      Container: Box 8
      Location: Chaffin Ferry Materials
    • Description: Ferry Account
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 9, Folder 1
      Location: Chaffin Ferry Materials
    • Description: Ferry Notes
      Dates: 1948-1957
      Container: Box 9, Folder 2-3
      Location: Chaffin Ferry Materials

  • General Materials

    • Description: Financial Ledgers
      Dates: 1939-1951
      Container: Box 10
      Location: General Materials
    • Description: Financial Ledger
      Dates: 1949-1952
      Container: Box 11
      Location: General Materials
    • Description: Annual Reports
      Dates: 1952-1955
      Container: Box 12, Folder 1-4
      Location: General Materials
    • Description: Time Books
      Dates: 1947-1956
      Container: Box 12, Folder 5-8
      Location: General Materials
    • Description: Guest Registers
      Dates: 1952-1955
      Container: Box 12, Folder 9-10
      Location: General Materials
    • Description: News Clippings
      Dates: 1950-1960
      Container: Box 12, Folder 11-13
      Location: General Materials

  • Mining

    • Description: Mining Correspondence
      Dates: 1942-1971
      Container: Box 13, Folder 1-11
      Location: Mining
    • Description: "Geologic Report on the Lucky Strike and Green Copper Groups"
      Container: Box 13, Folder 12
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Uranium Claim papers for the Green Copper and Lucky Strike Groups
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 13, Folder 13
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Location Notices for the Green Copper and Lucky Strike Mines
      Dates: 1953-1957
      Container: Box 13, Folder 14-22
      Location: Mining
    • Description: "Old Contract With Schuck"

      This folder contains copies of mining leases.

      Container: Box 13, Folder 23
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Assay Reports

      This folder contains reports assessing the value of ores found in mines.

      Dates: 1937-1964
      Container: Box 13, Folder 24
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Bureau of Land Management, "Lode and Placer Mining Regulations"
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 13, Folder 25
      Location: Mining
    • Description: "Mining Claims Restoration Act of 1955"
      Container: Box 14, Folder 1
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Deeds and Leases
      Dates: 1950
      Container: Box 14, Folder 2-3
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Legal papers
      Dates: 1958-1966
      Container: Box 14, Folder 4-12
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Rental Memo
      Dates: 1964
      Container: Box 14, Folder 13
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Financial Documents
      Dates: 1974
      Container: Box 14, Folder 14
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Maps of Mining Areas
      Container: Box 14, Folder 15
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Notes About Colorado River Placers
      Container: Box 14, Folder 16
      Location: Mining
    • Description: Notes
      Container: Box 14, Folder 17
      Location: Mining

  • Subject Files

    • Description: Insurance Policy for the Chaffin Ferry
      Dates: 1953-1954
      Container: Box 15, Folder 1
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Chaffin Ferry Tickets
      Dates: 1953-1955
      Container: Box 15, Folder 2
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Operational Certificate of Registry
      Dates: 1953
      Container: Box 15, Folder 3
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Land Free Use Application and Permit
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box 15, Folder 4
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Motor Vehicle Registration Forms
      Dates: 1950
      Container: Box 15, Folder 5-6
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Rodeo Announcement
      Dates: 1925
      Container: Box 15, Folder 7
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Forgive Me When I Whine!"

      This folder contains an anonymous poem about taking things for granted.

      Container: Box 15, Folder 8
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Notes Made of Trip for P.W. Tompkins of Curtis and Tompkins, Ltd."
      Dates: 1939
      Container: Box 15, Folder 9
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Postcards from Virginia City, Nevada
      Container: Box 15, Folder 10
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Map of the Colorado River
      Container: Box 15, Folder 11
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Questions and Answers About the Glen Canyon Dam
      Container: Box 15, Folder 12
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Brochure About the Flaming Gorge Dam
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 15, Folder 13
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Dept. of the Interior, "Vernal Unit: Central Utah Project"
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 15, Folder 14
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Dept. of the Interior, "Curecanti Unit: Colorado River Storage Project"
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 15, Folder 15
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Dept. of the Interior, "Homesteading: Past and Present"
      Dates: 1961
      Container: Box 15, Folder 16
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: United States Dept. of the Interior, "Yellowtail Unit: Missouri River Basin Project"
      Container: Box 15, Folder 17
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Natural Bridges National Monument"
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 15, Folder 18
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Buzz' Footsteps: 1909-1946"
      Container: Box 15, Folder 19
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: F.E. Masland, Jr., "By the Rim of Time"
      Container: Box 15, Folder 20
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Surveyor's Document
      Container: Box 15, Folder 21
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Wayne County Centennial Celebration Program
      Dates: 1947
      Container: Box 15, Folder 22
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: National Park Service Report on Capital Gorge
      Container: Box 15, Folder 23
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Johnny Marsing

      This folder includes a statement by Chaffin as well as other documents concerning Marsing's drowning.

      Container: Box 15, Folder 24
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Calendar
      Dates: 1949
      Container: Box 15, Folder 25
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: National Parks Magazine
      Dates: 1954
      Container: Box 15, Folder 26
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Ford Times and Ford Truck Times Magazines
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box 15, Folder 27
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Farm Vehicle papers
      Dates: 1952-1953
      Container: Box 15, Folder 28
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Bureau of Land Management, "Homesteading"
      Container: Box 15, Folder 29
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: U.S. Geological Survey Booklet
      Dates: 1963
      Container: Box 15, Folder 30
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Map of U.S. Geological Survey, Southern Utah
      Container: Box 15, Folder 31
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Flavell's Log"

      This folder contains an account of a trip made through Narrow Canyon and Glen Canyon.

      Container: Box 15, Folder 32
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Arthur L. Chaffin and Harry Aleson, "Notes on Hall's Crossing Trip"
      Dates: 1957
      Container: Box 15, Folder 33
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: "Lincoln's Day Broadcast--February 13, 1950"
      Container: Box 15, Folder 34
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Center Line

      This folder includes a magazine containing an article about the Chaffin Ferry.

      Dates: 1976
      Container: Box 15, Folder 35
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Z.C.M.I. Advertisements
      Dates: 1925
      Container: Box 15, Folder 36
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Government Title 43 on Public Lands
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 15, Folder 37
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Land Leveling and Soil Conservation papers
      Dates: 1951
      Container: Box 15, Folder 38
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Notes on the Flow of Water
      Container: Box 15, Folder 39
      Location: Subject Files
    • Description: Notes
      Container: Box 15, Folder 40
      Location: Subject Files

  • Oversize Documents

    • Description: Assessment Notice
      Dates: 1955
      Container: Box 16, Folder 1
      Location: Oversize Documents
    • Description: Map of Southern Utah
      Container: Box 16, Folder 2
      Location: Oversize Documents
    • Description: Blueprint for the Hite Reservoir Dam
      Container: Box 16, Folder 3
      Location: Oversize Documents
    • Description: Map of Township No. 34
      Dates: 1924
      Container: Box 16, Folder 4
      Location: Oversize Documents

Finding aid created by Xan Morris
1998 (last modified: 2019)

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