1885 Groesbeck Masquerade Ball -- Salt Lake City

Nicholas and Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck home

222 North West Temple

Salt Lake City, Utah

Cousin Karen M. comes up with the most fascinating items. The February 2, 1885 Salt Lake Harold article she recently sent me is my new favorite.

The Groesbeck Masquerade

The first masquerade ball held in Utah [1] was at the Faust Hall (an unfinished hay-loft over a livery stable in a brick building.) where "a fearful row occurred, in which Police-Officer Smith was considerably injured" on February 1, 1872. [2]

Masquerade parties in Utah only got better.

A couple of weeks before the Groesbeck's 1885 masquerade party the Salt Lake Harold  published an invitation to a Grand Masquerade Ball at the Walker Opera House, 34, 36 and 38 West Second South in Salt Lake.

The Groesbeck Masquerade was held at Mrs. Groesbeck's residence on First North Street. Perhaps that home had become Joseph and Sarah Groesbeck's residence following the passing of their parents Nicholas and Elizabeth Groesbeck. Elizabeth passed away in December 1883, her husband Nicholas passed away June 29, 1884. Or did another Groesbeck family reside on First North Street?

The party was held in February, 1885.

Could G. A. Smith be fifteen-year-old George Albert Smith? Could Mrs. S. F. Smith be his mother Sarah Farr Smith? Is Elias Wright the Elias Smith Wright who served in the Southern States Mission (1886-1888) under President John Morgan? 

This gathering reads like a who's who in the Groesbeck-Morgan family. Presumably Mrs. [Helen Melvina "Mellie" Groesbeck] Morgan, listed first, and masqueraded as  Dinah, is Mrs. John Hamilton Morgan. Her brothers John or Joseph, Hyrum, and Samuel and wives were there. Perhaps John's wife Ann or Joseph's wife Sarah was the hostess. 

Thank you Karen for this interesting piece of Groesbeck-Morgan family history.

Notes: 1. The Historical Record, Vol 9, edited by Andrew Jensen. 

2. Tullidges Quarterly Magazine of Utah, her founders. Vol. 1