Frequently Asked Questions

This page contains information that will help you query the online index.

Displaying Document Images Larger in Java-Oneview

The document display comes up originally very small; to make the screen larger:

• Click on Magnify Icon
• Click on Task Bar Back icon.
• This makes the document display larger.

Searching Documents in Browse Our Files

Name Field

• Remember to place a comma after the last name.
• Companies with "The" in the front of their names do not show "The" when displayed. Don't put "The" in front of a Business name when you input it.
• Trust's are usually listed by Last Name "Trust", first name.
• Anything pertaining to "veterans" in the name has been indexed as Veterans Administration.

Document Type
If you are looking for a specific type of document it's best to use the "Select" button next to the "Document Type" field to find the type you want. Remember to check "amended" document types also.

The Following Books Were Indexed into the Online Database

 (Date indicated are recording dates and do not reflect date of document)

Water Claims 8/12/1889 through 4/12/1912

There is only one Water Claims book for Churchill. In the Inquiry screen it is denoted at Book A; but on microfilm it is just defined as Water Claims 1889-1910.

If section, township, ranges were indicated in the document; I would only use the one that indicated where the diversion of water occurred.

Indexed by Grantor names and Grantee indicated ditch, spring, or place name.

There were a few instances when documents located in this book were a water right deed, water right application, or survey.

I tried to indicate in most cases where the water was being diverted from and the amount of water; and in some cases the purpose for the water diversion.

Estate Book 01 8/16/1906 through 1/24/1962

Estate Book 02 2/05/1962 through 7/10/1968

(Date indicated are recording dates and do not reflect date of document)

Estates of – listed after name does not always mean the person is deceased; they may be incompetent or a minor and unable to handle their own affairs.

Grantor Estates and Grantee names were indexed and only reflected heirs of real property.

Personal property heirs were not listed; so you may find additional names on the documents that do not appear in our database.

Survey Book 01 5/02/1864 through 2/24/1908

Surveys will appear with an "S" in the 2nd field next to the number assigned.

Lyon County Transcripts have Surveys in Book 2 Page 1-101 and 201. These surveys will appear with an "L" in the 2nd field next to the number.

Most of these surveys predate the use of Township, Range and Section; so they won't be listed on the Grantee side of index.

Grantor/Grantee Index

 Why are there no indications as to what town/city indicated after some of the additions, etc. listed on the legal description line??

Because at the time of inputting data into the database (May 1985); there was only one town (Hazen) and one city (Fallon). If no town/city is indicated; you may assume that the property is located in Fallon.

Fallon List of Additions/Tracts:

 W.W. Williams Tract
John Oats Addition
Oats Addition
Oats Park Addition
Ferguson Heights Addition
Gould Survey
McLane Addition
McClane Addition
McLean Addition
Baglin Addition T19N R29E Sec 31
Beach Addition
Jesch Addition
Kennametal Addition
Kerr Tract (not a recorded map) Kolstrup Addition
Saint Patrick Addition
Saunders Addition
Staups Addition
Taylor Addition
Venturacci Addition
Verplank Addition
Verplank Estate Addition

Searching Recorded Records

Remember that the records only reflect the date they were recorded in the indexing portion grantor/grantee sections. In some cases the actual document may have been created/signed years before and just recorded; so don't expect the records to appear in chronological order. One example was a document recorded in 1926 that was actually created in 1896. This occurs frequently throughout the history of this county.

Names may have been misspelled at the time they were created or when they were typed directly into the books; so always try various ways of spelling a name.

There are 2 lines for including the Legal Description and Notes when you open a document. If a document was created prior to October, 1968 the Book type will be indicated on the Notes line; so you can determine where that record resides. It will tie to the fields above the legal description and provide the volume number (Book) and page numbers. Because of the limited space on these 2 lines; more information will flow from the description line to the notes line. This will fall after the book type. So please refer to both lines, as additional legal description may be found there.

Widow

Only appears on the Grantor side on indexed records that were recorded from 1864 to 1968. Because of prior legislation; a wife may not appear on the deed until after the death of her husband. This has caused many issues when researching property; so the Recorder added that information as the Grantor/Grantee index for that period.

Why was it important to create an index in the computer when we already have a handwritten one? 

The handwritten index is in date order, not alphabetical. And in later years, additional information has been added to it after the original entries were made. Having an alphabetical index enables researchers to more readily access the records they are looking for. Users of the index need to keep in mind that any names misspelled on the document, will have the same misspelling in the index.

Why was the following information included on the description and notes line of the Grantor/Grantee index 1864-1968?

An attempt was made to include as much information as the Description and Notes fields would allow.

In-house searching gives you the additional benefit of key word searching for information; so TCID laterals, canals, ditches that were cited in the document could be located. This also included street names and in some cases place names.

Why are the township, range and sections indicated in the inquiry screen on some of the documents and not on others?

 In most cases, a searcher can find the correct property by running an owner name inquiry and tracing from Seller (Grantor) to Buyer (Grantee); but when there are numerous entries on a Government Entity it can become overwhelming.

During the 1990's there were many searches done to determine water right vesting. Whenever the searcher got to a place where an owner lost their property through nonpayment of delinquent taxes, they would lose the chain of title. It was determined at that time that it would benefit the county and the public to include this information on the grantee name field line which would allow you to put in the following: "T___N R___E SEC" This would then pull up all Treasurer Deeds in Township/Range/Section order, so you could find the property. In the 1920 through 1930 timeframe many properties were listed on one document creating a disadvantage for anyone trying to continue the vesting trail.

In 2002 the county decided they would like to do the same for existing easements listed on all properties in the county. They were able to complete 1976 through 2002 before the budgeted money ran out.

Water, W/R, Ditches, D/R

These are noted to indicate that the entitlements were listed on the document. In 1995, legislation was passed to confirm that if these items were not included on the deed, it would be assumed the grantors had acquired these rights. Prior to that, the grantors or grantees would need to search the records to determine IF they had these entitlements.

W/R

Water right

D/R
Ditch right

CC&R
Conditions, Covenants & Restrictions – These are included as they refer back to a recorded document. Most of these have a termination date.

MTG
Mortgage or Deed of Trust – These are included if there was space available; as they were referenced on the actual deed and in most cases were assumed by the new property owner.

A & R

Assignments and Releases refer to Assignments of Deed of Trust (Mortgage) and Release of Deed of Trust (now referred to as a full re-conveyance).

Lease

These are included as they referenced in a recorded document that resides in the Recorder's office.

M/B/E

Metes/Bounds/Exceptions or any combination of the three used to indicate there was more to the legal description or a portion of the legal was "excepted" out.

The term Metes & Bounds refers to the boundary limits of a property as measured by distances and angles from designated landmarks and in relation to adjoining properties.

Acreage

If land acreage or water acreage appears in the document it is listed.

Water Rights

Water Permits, Certificates, wells, etc. are included.

Easements & Right of Ways

These are indexed separately and may have a suffix [+ or –] after the number. In some cases they were "reserved" or "excepted out" of the property and only the Grantor's name would be attached to that record only; with Township/Range/Section on the Grantee side.

"Subject to" would have both Grantor/Grantee listed as well as the Township/Range/Section. There have been many disputes dealing with easements and Right of Ways so this information is especially important.

The index currently does not reference documents easements/right of ways recorded between October 25, 1968 and December 1975. This part of the index should be completed in the next four years.

The index currently does not reference documents easements/right of ways recorded between January, 1969 and December 1975. Whether this gap will be completed will be determined by the incoming Recorder.

Joint Tenancy Deeds

Some deeds prior to 1968 had the Document type as a Grant Deed and a Joint Tenancy Deed. This was usually indicated by additional signatures of the Grantees at the bottom of the document. These will only show the grantee's listed on the grantee field only, as that was how they are listed in the body of the document.

Typo Underlined Indicating Error

If there was a misspelling in the name that appeared on the original document that was noticed by the indexer, it was underlined. It was indexed under the correct and incorrect spelling IF it was listed in the document.