Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Henry Green: 1921 to 1929


In 1921, Harry decided to surprise his family (he was often impulsive and made decisions quickly). He thought it would be nice to be on the Avenues and had the money to buy a house, so he bought a beautiful home there at 127 “F” Street. When Lucille came back from a vacation at Bear Lake, the family had moved to the new home! It was a large and comfortable home, with a big carriage house in back. By now, they had an automobile. Lucille and Mildred remember the flashy “Stutz” (racing) sports car with red seats, and later a new Ford touring sedan with window flaps which they drove on a trip to southern Utah. When Mildred was learning how to drive, she knew how to start the car, but not how to stop it, and consequently ran through the garage. Harry hardly ever lost his temper, but he did this time, and it was bad! He was usually very pleasant and mild-mannered, and had a typical English sense of humor, except when teased about his accent. His children loved him and wanted to please him. He only had to say, “I would like you to do so and so,” and they would do it.

The younger children went to Lowell School. May started there. Mildred, fifteen, had her choice of attending East or West High Schools. She started at West, but under pressure from Lucile and young Harry, she switched to the new East High School. Once Harry, Lucile and Mildred thought it would be good to have an apartment. When they told their dad, he broke down and sobbed, so they changed their minds and stayed at home.

Harry met Lucy Coleman Hart, whom he fell in love with; they were married July 19, 1922. Lucile had some good jobs as secretary. On a trip to Yellowstone, she met William Lester Glade, through her aunt May Green. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on June 6, 1923, and had a reception at the home on “F” Street.

The married children and grandchildren often came to the home on “F” Street, always gathering for Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. There are many happy memories: delicious turkey dinners in the large dining room, after-dinner games of Pit, Touring, and Knucks-Up around the table, huge Christmas trees with a village around the bottom which got more elaborate each year. The grandchildren loved to watch Jack building his boat for Great Salt Lake.

Harry did very well with his business. He was elected president of the National Association of Master Plumbers, and traveled to New York and elsewhere for conventions. Once he went to a convention in Galveston, Texas, and brought back a book on the famous flood of 1900.

Active in the 20th Ward, he was counselor in the High Priests Quorum. Eliza worked in the Relief Society and sang in the Singing Mothers. They had many friends and were very happy there.

In 1926, Harry bought a large ranch at Widstoe, Utah, not far from Bryce Canyon, in partnership with a Mr. Kimball. They schemed to make a fortune growing lettuce, planning on the railroad going through there. He worked hard for weeks at a time at it. He wrote, “I am working harder and putting in longer hours than I have done in my life before.” In spite of his great efforts, the ranch was not successful.

On May 19, 1927, Mildred married Ray Noble. They went to get their marriage license on their lunch break and, on the spur of the moment, decided to get married then, too. When she finally told her parents, they were so shocked that they started to cry. Harry made the most of it, though, and invited the family for ice cream to celebrate.

While in high school, Bert married beautiful, auburn-haired Glacia (Glay) Squires. She was a talented pianist. They lived at home for a while.


Photo of the 1914 Stutz Bearcat from Wikipedia.

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