Alma 'Almy' Lewis Potter

Alma was born the younest of 10 children. His mother died when he was barely one year old. His oldest sister, Sarah, took over caring for him until he was three years old. The Griggs in Payson offered to take him and raise him. They had no children of their own. Almy (as he was called) lived with the Griggs, using their last name instead of Potter.

He met Genevieve Rust (from the Uintah Basin) in the Manti Temple, married her (he was 28 yrs. and she was 20 yrs.), married her, and brought her back to the Griggs home to live. Four children were born into the home - Delsa, Willis, Elton and Arlin. When Arlin was three months old, his mother died from pneumonia.

Alma Lewis sent Arlin to be raised by his grandparents Rust, while he struggled to continue alone with the other three young children himself. The task proved a daunting one.

Three years later, he was grateful to marry again to Ada Brown Lord, from Salt Lake City, to help him raise his young motherless children. There is a wonderful story about how Ada brought presents and joy her first Christmas with the family, making it very memorable.

At the start of their marriage, Ada lived with Alma Lewis and his children in the Grigg's family home, as Genevieve had. Their first child together was born there (Elizabeth Genevieve), but she died about six months later. Later the family moved out of the Griggs home into a home of their own in Salt Lake City

Altogether Ada and Alma Lewis had four children, but only the middle two lived to adulthood.

When Arlin (Alma's youngest son by Genevieve) was seven years old, he came to stay with the family in Salt Lake City. Arlin saw his father Alma Lewis for the first time since Arlin had been sent with Genevieve's parents after her death, when he was three months old.

The Great Depression deepened, and Alma's steady employer had to close, leaving him without employment. Ada started a home bakery to try to make ends meet. Delsa (Alma's oldest daughter by Genevieve) helped in the bakery, did housework, and took care of Hyrum Daniel, Alma's youngest child by Ada. Willis and Elton, (Alma's oldest sons by Genevieve) were kept busy running the bread and baked goods around the neighborhood, giving the money to Ada to keep the household running. Frances, age 7 (Alma's youngest daughter by Ada) helped too. As an adult, she spoke of the "long list of chores" she was required to do every day.

After some time, Alma's sons by Genevieve (Elton, Willis and Arlin) were sent back out to the Uintah Basin to live with the Rust in-laws, where Arlin had lived. Delsa stayed in Salt Lake City to help her step-mother Ada in the home bakery, help with housework, and tend children.

Times continued to be very hard. Alma Lewis still couldn't find work. Tensions ran high in the home. Then, Alma's youngest son, Hyrum Daniel, died on 8 Apr 1930 at five years of age.

Alma left Salt Lake City, looking for work, and 'rode the rails' for over a year, living the lifestyle of a hobo. During this time, in 1933, he recounted having visiting the World's Fair and all the marvelous sights there.

When he returned home, he found that his wife had divorced him in his absence. She had also remarried. Arlin gives his personal remembrance of his sister Delsa's account of how she had been "pressured" by her step-mother to sign a statement claiming her father's infidility so that her step-mother Ada could be remarried in the Mormon Temple.

Soon after returning home, Alma attempted to go to the Mormon Temple but was refused because of the statement of infidelity writtem against him by Ada, seconded by his daughter. Alma wanted to clear his name and attend the Temple again. After talking to Delsa and discovering what had happened, Alma asked her to add her testimony to his that he had never been unfaithful to his wife, which she did gladly. The matter was taken up before leaders of the Mormon Church. Alma's Temple Recommend was returned to him as a faithful member and faithful husband, and he attended the Temple often for the rest of his life.

Soon after Alma had returned to Salt Lake City, he found work again. Within a few years he married for the third time, to a Lydia Ann Farnes from Springdale, Utah. Alma and Lydia had six children of their own, and adopted a daughter.

Lydia and Alma lived in Salt Lake City the remainder of their lives. Alma spent much of his time serving in the LDS Salt Lake Temple. Lydia is said to have had quite a good business mind and participated in lots of "buying and selling and renting", according to son Arlin. -=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=

Alma Lewis Potter lived with Grigg Family Contributor: trekpotter Created: 9 months ago Updated: 9 months ago

Alma Lewis Potter () This is a history written by his son Willis Potter in July 1926. The original document was pencil, handwritten in a composition notebook. It was copied and typed by Mike Potter in 2010. The original is hand written in a notebook in the possession of Richard Alma Potter ( Grandson). The content is completely rewritten in this document. This information answers questions about the relationship of Alma Lewis Potter with the rest of his family. He did not know his father Amasa Potter because he went to live with the Grigg family. When Alma Lewis Potter was a baby his mother Secila Parsons died. His father Amasa was 60 years old and had 3 families. He gave his son, Alma Lewis Potter to the Grigg Family to raise. Following is the story written about his experience. Alma Lewis Potter was the son of Amasy (Amasa) Potter, the son of David Potter. Amasy Potter had three wives-- Helen, Sycelia, and Esther. Helen, the first wife had seven children. Sycelia, the second wife had 10 children, Esther the third wife had no children. Alma Lewis Potter was the tenth child of Sycelia Parsons Potter. He was born February the sixth 1880 and shortly after his birth his mother died with a disease called yellow jaundice. After his mother died he was shifted from one to another among the family. Helen the first wife could not care for him herself having the care for her own family and a large hotel. His oldest sister Sarah taught and cared for him more than the others until he was three years old. When he was three years of age his father gave him to a family by the name of Grigg to be brought up. He lived with them for the first six years but was never adopted. The Griggs family had no children and as one would suppose they would love this little child with all their hearts. Mr. Grigg did but sad to say Mrs. Grigg did not like children being of a nervous (peevish) disposition. She would scold, spank and push him away from her instead of loving and readily caring for the poor little fellow. Mr. Grigg never taught the boy how to pray or to attend church. He was kind to the boy as a child but Mrs. Grigg wasn't. Mrs. Grigg never showed the boy any kind of life for all he had was whiskey and wine to sell against the law. Mrs. Grigg had hired help which was the worse kind of characters. This sure was no life for a youth to grow up under. When he was twenty one years of age his father died. This left him in the hands of Mrs. Griggs who did not care for the boy. Mrs. Griggs would not allow him go out with in young company unless she was with him. A great talk arose that they were living together because he listened to her and did not go out at all, every place he would go they would cry " why don't you marry her?" until it almost drove him crazy but she was to selfish to care what was being said of his character. At last he said "I can't stand this talk I am going away for a trip" Mrs. Griggs said "If you are going, I will go too." So they went down to the valley towards Manti ; while they were at Manti they walked into the temple where they met a girl by the name of Genevieve Rust. When he was twenty nine years of age he married her. They went to live with his mother (Mrs. Griggs); here she was treated almost as a prisoner being allowed no rights the girl would say to her husband. "Why do I have to stand this treatment?" He would say, "When mother dies this will all be ours," and the poor girl would cry like her heart was about to break and she would say "your mother is so mean to me" she would not call her mother. So after her babies were born, she called her grandma. She had four babies under this treatment-Helen, Willis, Clinton, and Arlin. When her fourth baby was 3 months old she died. So father gave the baby to her grandma Rust. I was six years old when mother died and we were never taken anywhere. When Grandma Griggs and father wanted to go any place they would leave us with an old lady named Mrs. McClellan Father and Grandma(Griggs) were dressed well but us children had clothes enough to cover our nakedness. In October 1918 Father and Grandma (Griggs) went to Salt Lake City to conference where he met a young lady by the name of Ada Lord and after he came home he wrote to her and received letters from her. On the 25th of November he went back to see her and for Christmas her father and she went to see us and oh what a Christmas, it sure was a Christmas she brought us. We had a beautiful tree and it was sure loaded. She and her parent's hearts opened up unto us. I cannot express my feelings to our home unless it was like Rip Van Winkle after he had been asleep for a hundred years everything seemed to be awakened when father married this young lady for her whole heart and soul was in our home. Grandma (Griggs) agreed to treat her different than she treated my mother but instead of her keeping her word she didn't. We children learned to love Father's wife (Ada) and call her Mother. Her thoughts seemed to be always for us first and her last. We learned to love her parents and to call them Grandma and Grandpa on account of their goodness to us for they took us into their hearts as their own. Father's mother (Griggs) would not give us room enough so we were forced to make bedrooms in the attic. The wind was blowing and mother was putting the windows down when she fell through the rafters and caused her great pain and agony. This caused a great deal of trouble for she was three months in the family way. Mother said you must call a doctor so Father went to Grandma (Griggs) for she carried all the money that Father made and said we had better have a doctor for Ada is very sick and Grandma said there is no need of a doctor. This is the way she treated my own mother for when my own mother was sick she said, "Alma, I am cold can't I have a quilt?" (This was copied as written by the author, he used Griggs and Grigg) Temple Sealing, No Marriage Record Contributor: trekpotter Created: 9 months ago Updated: 9 months ago

Family Search records list Maude Agatha Janett Chapman, 1886-1906, as a wife to Alma Lewis Potter. Her death certificate, Utah State Death Certificate Online Entry 7747, lists her as Single, and a schoolteacher. No record has been found to show a marriage. She was sealed to Alma 23 May 1913 in Manti Utah Temple, seven years following her death. Alma Lewis Potter married Genevieve Rust 12 Oct 1909, she died 13 Dec 1916 in Payson, Utah and was buried in Payson City Cemetery as was Maud A. Chapman (sic). Maude died of pulmonary phthisis - which is pulmonary tuberculosis; Genevieve's death certificate lists death by Bronchopneumonia, contributed by Pulmonary hemorrhage - which could also be secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis. Alma married Genevieve 12 October 1909 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was sealed to Maude but there was no marriage. Many sealings were done during this time frame for women who died without marriage - for the sealing benefit. My Grandpa Potter, Alma Lewis Potter Contributor: trekpotter Created: 9 months ago Updated: 9 months ago

I loved my Grandpa. He was very tall and had all white hair. He spoke gently and was kind. He loved to quote poetry. I remember hearing him recite, "The Faith of Little Mary". I can almost hear his voice now in my mind. Also he loved, Little Boy Blue" http://www.bartleby.com/104/5.html (it was not the nursery rhyme) and would recite it as well. My Dad, Willis Potter wrote a lot of poetry and loved to read and recite these same poems as well as his own. He loved to go to the Potter Reunion when it was planned in Salt Lake City. So nice to get with cousins and uncles and aunts that we were seldom with. He was old in 1969 but said a prayer at my 1st wedding reception in the Kearns 9th Ward building. I was living in Tuscon Arizona when he died and I was living in a trailer court and did not have a phone so it was hard to contact me. A month after he died I received a letter from my parents speaking about it. I was sad not to have known and could not go to the funeral. I will be so joyous to be with him again after this life. Alma Lewis Potter history on geni.com Contributor: trekpotter Created: 9 months ago Updated: 9 months ago

Alma was born the youngest of 10 children. His mother died when he was barely one year old. His oldest sister, Sarah, took over caring for him until he was three years old. The Griggs in Payson offered to take him and raise him. They had no children of their own. Almy (as he was called) lived with the Griggs, using their last name instead of Potter. He met Genevieve Rust (from the Uintah Basin) in the Manti Temple, married her (he was 28 yrs. and she was 20 yrs.), married her, and brought her back to the Griggs home to live. Four children were born into the home - Delsa, Willis, Elton and Arlin. When Arlin was three months old, his mother died from pneumonia. Alma Lewis sent Arlin to be raised by his grandparents Rust, while he struggled to continue alone with the other three young children himself. The task proved a daunting one. Three years later, he was grateful to marry again to Ada Brown Lord, from Salt Lake City, to help him raise his young motherless children. There is a wonderful story about how Ada brought presents and joy her first Christmas with the family, making it very memorable. At the start of their marriage, Ada lived with Alma Lewis and his children in the Grigg's family home, as Genevieve had. Their first child together was born there (Elizabeth Genevieve), but she died about six months later. Later the family moved out of the Griggs home into a home of their own in Salt Lake City Altogether Ada and Alma Lewis had four children, but only the middle two lived to adulthood. When Arlin (Alma's youngest son by Genevieve) was seven years old, he came to stay with the family in Salt Lake City. Arlin saw his father Alma Lewis for the first time since Arlin had been sent with Genevieve's parents after her death, when he was three months old. The Great Depression deepened, and Alma's steady employer had to close, leaving him without employment. Ada started a home bakery to try to make ends meet. Delsa (Alma's oldest daughter by Genevieve) helped in the bakery, did housework, and took care of Hyrum Daniel, Alma's youngest child by Ada. Willis and Elton, (Alma's oldest sons by Genevieve) were kept busy running the bread and baked goods around the neighborhood, giving the money to Ada to keep the household running. Frances, age 7 (Alma's youngest daughter by Ada) helped too. As an adult, she spoke of the "long list of chores" she was required to do every day. After some time, Alma's sons by Genevieve (Elton, Willis and Arlin) were sent back out to the Uintah Basin to live with the Rust in-laws, where Arlin had lived. Delsa stayed in Salt Lake City to help her step-mother Ada in the home bakery, help with housework, and tend children. Times continued to be very hard. Alma Lewis still couldn't find work. Tensions ran high in the home. Then, Alma's youngest son, Hyrum Daniel, died on 8 Apr 1930 at five years of age. Alma left Salt Lake City, looking for work, and 'rode the rails' for over a year, living the lifestyle of a hobo. During this time, in 1933, he recounted having visiting the World's Fair and all the marvelous sights there. When he returned home, he found that his wife had divorced him in his absence. She had also remarried. Arlin gives his personal remembrance of his sister Delsa's account of how she had been "pressured" by her step-mother to sign a statement claiming her father's infidility so that her step-mother Ada could be remarried in the Mormon Temple. Soon after returning home, Alma attempted to go to the Mormon Temple but was refused because of the statement of infidelity writtem against him by Ada, seconded by his daughter. Alma wanted to clear his name and attend the Temple again. After talking to Delsa and discovering what had happened, Alma asked her to add her testimony to his that he had never been unfaithful to his wife, which she did gladly. The matter was taken up before leaders of the Mormon Church. Alma's Temple Recommend was returned to him as a faithful member and faithful husband, and he attended the Temple often for the rest of his life. Soon after Alma had returned to Salt Lake City, he found work again. Within a few years he married for the third time, to a Lydia Ann Farnes from Springdale, Utah. Alma and Lydia had six children of their own, and adopted a daughter. Lydia and Alma lived in Salt Lake City the remainder of their lives. Alma spent much of his time serving in the LDS Salt Lake Temple. Lydia is said to have had quite a good business mind and participated in lots of "buying and selling and renting", according to Arlin. Alma 'Almy' Lewis Potter The page is managed by:LaMar Farnes Potter, and Mary Alissa Potter