Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck. 1878-1882.

A 1951 gift from my cousins.

Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck’s life story is continued from this 1872 visit to her father.

The first Primary was organized in 1878 by Aurelia Spencer Rogers in Farmington, Utah.  She felt younger boys in the community were becoming unruly and mischievous. In her first primary meeting, “boys were specifically taught not to steal fruit from orchards and girls were taught not to hang on wagons.” With permission from church leaders and under the initial direction of General Relief Society President Eliza R. Snow, a primary was organized in the 17^th Ward.

30 November 1878

At a special meeting held in the seventeenth Ward meeting house on this date, a Primary Association was organized by Sister Eliza R. Snow with the following named officers.

President:  Elizabeth Groesbeck

1^st Counselor:  Clarissa S. Williams

2^nd Counselor:  Sarah H. Burbidge

Secretary:  Edith Smith

Treasurer:  Rosena Lemon

No history available for 1879

20 June 1880

Pres. Groesbeck resigned and the Primary Association was reorganized at this time, Sister Eliza R. Snow being present, as follows,

President:  Serepta M. Heywood

1^st Counselor:  Lavina T. Clayton

2^nd Counselor:  Lucretia L. Heywood

3^rd Counselor: Minnie Felt

Secretary:  Elizabeth Smith

Treasurer:  Rosena Lemon

Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck was then called to assist Sister Eliza R. Snow at the new Deseret Hospital.

In 1882 when a woman’s hospital became a reality in Utah, the Deseret Hospital was established on August 1, 1882. Eliza R. Snow was president of the Deseret Hospital Association and Zina D. young, vice president.  Elizabeth Groesbeck was listed as one of a ten member finance committee.

Church History Library, Primary Association Minutes and Records, Seventeenth Ward, Salt Lake Stake, Microfilm,  LR 8240 18. Our Pioneer Heritage Vol. 6, compiled by Kate B. Carter, 1963, Daughters of Utah Pioneers, “Pioneer Women Doctors, ‘The Deseret Hospital,’ ” Pgs 413-414.

John Hamilton Morgan and Serepta M. Heywood

Native foliage atop the Salt Lake Conference Center, summer 2009.

This morning while working on Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Thompson Groesbeck’s history (to be continued from here) I discovered that after Ellizabeth’s 1878 to 1880 service as president of the 17^th Ward Primary, Sister Serepta M. Heywood was called to be the new 17^th Ward Primary President.

Serepta M. Heywood was Bishop Joseph Heywood’s wife. He was bishop of the 17^th Ward, and Serepta ran the boarding house, where Great Grandfather John Morgan lived soon after he arrived in the Salt Lake Valley.

On a whim I “googled” Serepta Heywood and discovered a wonderful site, Hallowed Ground Sacred Journey where Brigham Young University professors tell the story of the sites that are of importance to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Take a few minutes and enjoy a virtual tour of the Heywood Homesite, and John Morgan’s sacred experience. It is also recorded on the John Hamilton Morgan Family webpage here.