Lucy Elice Green

Lucy Elice Graham Green

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Birth: Sep. 13, 1869

Union

Salt Lake County

Utah, USA

Death: Feb. 13, 1961

Salt Lake City

Salt Lake County

Utah, USA

UNION

Funeral services for Mrs. Lucy Elice Graham Green, 91, of Union, who died Monday morning in a Salt Lake hopsital of natural causes, will be Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the Union First Ward Chapel, 7400-11th East. Born Sept. 13, 1869, Union, to John D. and Louisa M. Forbush Graham. Married to George Alfred Green Sr., April 26, 1887, Salt Lake City. He died 1948. Lifelong Union resident. Active member LDS Church, Union First Ward. Member, Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Survivors: sons, daughters, George A., Jr., Clemmon E., Frank B., Mrs. Henry (Irene) Perry, all Salt Lake City; Mrs. Sam (Delila) Beckstead, Holladay; 27 grandchildren; 73 great-grandchildren; great-great- grandchild.

Family links:

Spouse:

 George Alfred Green (1864 - 1938)*

• Point here for explanation

Burial::

Murray City Cemetery

Murray

Salt Lake County

Utah, USA

Plot: 02 021 8

• Residence: 1870 - Utah, United States
• Residence: 1880 - Union, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
• Residence: 1900 - ED 63 Murray Precinct, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
• Residence: 1910 - Union, , Utah
• Residence: 1920 - Precinct 6, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
• Residence: 1930 - Union, Salt Lake, Utah
• Residence: 1935 - Same House, ,
• Residence: 1940 - Election Precinct 6, Salt Lake, Utah
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Apr 5 2016, 2:38:38 UTC

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Lucy Elice Graham Green: A Story about Great Grandma Green – Lucy Elice Grahm Green....Utahna’s notes from a phone interview with Judy Green on the 4th of August 2008. Judy is the cousin of Utahna’s mother (Vivian Irene Parry Morris) and the daughter of Lucy Elise Graham Green’s youngest son Frank. Judy lived all of her youth in the same home with Grandma Green so remembers her well. Judy is also well acquainted with Grandma Green’s earlier life from memories shared with her. Grandma Green was born in 1869 and Judy was born in 1939. Judy was 22 when Grandma Green died at age 93.

When Lucy was a young girl she fell in love with a young man named Alfred Green who later became her husband. Judy shared this poem with me that Alfred wrote for Lucy before they were married and which Grandma Green kept in her book of treasures.

Dear Girl, I do accept your heart and value much the prize. Although you never told me, I read it in your eyes. My love for you cannot be told…It’s like a ring made out of gold. It’s round and firm and has no end. So is my love for you my friend. My love to you is given…Oh do give yours to me. I’ll lock them up together, And throw away the key. To Lucy from Alfred Green

Grandma Green played the Concertina (a small accordion) and Grandpa Alfred Green played the violin. Together they played for many dances in Union as well as at home for family. They lived in a log cabin that had a large living room. Their cabin was on quite a few acres in Union, UT. They had a big farm and garden and horses. I was told that Grandma Green was a beautiful horse rider and could “ride like the wind.”

Because Grandma Green raised a lot of raspberries and strawberries, she was able to barter them for an organ with billows. Judy said that she now has the organ. Great Grandma Green gave it to her because she played it so much. Actually she and Mom (Vivian) were the only ones who played it and both cousins played it by ear. Year later when Judy had it refurbished, she found that the organ wasn’t black, but was a beautiful cherry wood. She extended a welcome for us to see it if ever we get the chance.

The black wood color came from the family’s use of coal to heat their house. Judy and her brother Ross had the job of bringing in the coal for the stoves. Some kind of cleaner that smelled like bubble gum and gooped like super blue had to be rolled over the wall paper to clean off the black from the walls…what a job!

Grandma Green developed many talents. Besides playing the accordion well, she made beautiful quilts and blankets, canned garden produce and learned nursing skills. Great Grandma was known for her fine nursing skills. Often her large living room was filled with sick people she helped.

In those days when someone died, their bodies weren’t taken to the mortuary, but were laid in the living room for a few days until time for burial. Because Grandma Green had a large living room, people would often ask if their loved one could be laid out there. Judy said Grandma Green always took care of sick people. She was one of the “Sunshine Ladies” (quite like Relief Society ladies) who took meals and other things to people in need.

Judy said that Grandma Green was a very strong-STRONG lady. She had nine children and had the sorrow of losing four of them – one new baby named Franklin, a son named Edgar (7), and a daughter Louise (5) who died of scarlet fever a couple of weeks apart and a married daughter Alta Green White who died after giving birth to her third son Jim (Don and Dick were Alta’s older children). In the same year that Alta died, Grandma Green lost her husband Alfred (1938).

Some years later when Judy’s mother Melva died of cancer (Judy was just 18 years old at the time), Grandma Green asked why the Lord took Melva who was young and had little children to raise and didn't take her, who wanted to die and join her husband Alfred.

When Grandma Green’s youngest son Frank, who was living with her with his young family, decided to move away to his own house, Grandma Green begged him to stay so she wouldn't be alone. So Judy’s father Frank had an army barrack attached to the log cabin to add the needed room. At that time, Grandma Green’s large living room became her bedroom.

In that bedroom was a large feather bed, or rather a large cast iron fancy framed bed topped with a large soft feather quilt. Judy remembers how soft and comfortable that bed was because she slept with Grandma Green. On cold winter nights, Grandma would warm pieces of wood or bricks and wrap them to keep their feet warm at the bottom of the bed.

Each night Grandma would kneel by her bed and in her prayers would ask the Lord to take her to join her husband. She would say, “I hope the Lordy will come and get me tonight so I can be with my Alfred.” When Judy was about 10 or 11, she stopped sleeping with Grandma Green because she was worried that her prayer might be answered.

When Judy was 12 or 13 years old, her Dad installed their first indoor toilet. The outhouse was useful before that. Another bit of progress Judy recalls from her childhood at Grandma Green’s was when she was about five years old, her Dad brought home their first car. It had wheels with spokes.

Judy shared other fond memories like caring for Grandma Green: trimming her nails and combing her long white hair, twisting it into a bun and securing it with pretty combs. She also remembers joining with other cousins who came to Grandma Green’s, drinking Mormon tea (mostly milk and sugar) and bread and scrapes (jam spread thin).

Judy has some pretty wonderful memories of Grandma Green. I really appreciate her sharing some with me. Utahna Richardson