Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck's rocking chair. Her generosity.

During a recent visit to my Aunt Flora Rex Lamborn’s home in Randolph, Utah I saw my GG Grandmother Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck’s rocking chair. It was in the upstairs bedroom I slept in, and so I sat and rocked in it too.

I found record of the organization of the 17th Ward Relief Society, during a visit to the Church History Library in Salt Lake City a while back, and I copied:

“A record of the organization and proceedings of the Relief Society of the 17th Ward, Residence of H. Dorius (sp) 17th Ward, Thursday evening, February 6, 1868. Present Bishop Davis, Counsellor (sp) Morris, H. L. Dorius and others.”

The bishop directed the sisters to elect their officers. Following the calling of the presidency it was also “moved and seconded” that Mrs. E. Groesbeck be the assistant for the 6th block. There were assistants for blocks 1-7. Bishop Davis then rose and said that the Society was now organized.

Minutes of the proceedings of the 3rd meeting of the Female RS of the 17th Ward held on February 20, 1868, at the residence of Thomas Ellerbeck, included a list of member contributions.

Mrs. E. Groesbeck, patchwork, $2.50
Further on in the list, and still under the 3rd meeting,
Mrs. E. Groesbeck, 2-1/2 yds homemade cloth, $3.75
1 pr shoes, $4.00
1 set breakfast plates, $3.00

Grandmother Groesbeck's generosity is well known and included in an article written about the Groesbecks in this March 2009 Capitol Hill Neighborhood Council Bulletin.

A family, destitute because of illness and unemployment, rented a cottage (according to some reports this was the house at 76 West 200 North) from the Groesbecks. A puzzled friend asked the husband where he got the money to pay the rent. The man replied, “We receive the rent money from Mrs. Groesbeck. She comes around with the rent money a day or two before her husband comes around to collect it.”