8585 S 100 E
Sandy, UT, USA

National Register of Historic Places - Riley H. and Sarah Ann Russell Graves House

Statement of Significant:

The Riley H. and Sarah Ann Russell Graves House, built c. 1892, is significant under Criterion A for its association with two important periods of development in Sandy's history, the Mining, Smelting, and Small Farm Era, 1871-c. 1910, and the Specialized Agriculture, Small Business, and Community Development Period (1906-1946), part of the multiple property submission. Historic Resources of Sandy City. Riley and Sarah Graves were farmers and early settlers of Sandy. Their cross-wing home was a common house type during this period. Despite some modifications from the 1950s, the Graves house retains a majority of its historic integrity.

Historical Significance
Located 12 miles south of Salt Lake City, Sandy is at the crossroads of what was once a busy series of mining districts. Paralleling to a large extent the history of mining in Bingham Canyon to the west and Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons to the east, Sandy's history and development either boomed or declined based on these mining operations. Sandy's first major period of development is known as the Mining, Smelting, and Small Farm Era, 1871-c. 1910 During this period Sandy became a strategic shipping point and a number of sampling mills and smelters were built in the area. While the dominant force in the economy of Sandy during the 1870s through the 1890s was undoubtedly that of mining, the local agricultural community continued to develop. The majority of those involved in agriculture were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon church) who were encouraged to pursue agriculture instead of mining.'' The Riley and Sarah Graves were among those early settlers who worked on subsistence-level small family farms.

The Specialized Agriculture, Small Business, and Community Development Period (1906-1946) is the second period of development in Sandy. It encompasses the first half of the twentieth century and was a period of transition for the city. The mining, smelting and small farm era (1871-circa 1910) was being replaced by a more diversified economy. In some ways the town still resembled the earlier predominantly agricultural community founded by Mormon settlers in the 1860s, especially as the "boom town" economy created around the mining industry waned. The population of Sandy remained around 1,500 for the four decades between 1900 and 1940. However, the city was defining itself as the political, economic, civic and social center for a major portion of the southeast Salt Lake Valley.

This period of Sandy's history laid the groundwork for city's eventual transformation from small town to suburb. One of the earliest signs of community development was the creation of subdivisions from large farming parcels. During the first half of the twentieth century, the majority of Sandy residents continued to live on their farms, however most managed to survive economically by combining subsistence farming with other occupations, primarily cottage industries and mercantilism. Other farmers created large specialized agricultural enterprises such as sugar beets and poultry. Many Sandy residents continued to work in the mining and smelter industries in nearby communities after Sandy's smelters closed down.

The property on which the Graves house sits was originally patented to Andrew Hansen. After changing hands, a couple of times, the property was deeded to Riley H. Graves in May of 1892. There is no indication the house was constructed before that time, so it is assumed the Graves family built the house soon after they purchased the property. Riley Henderson Graves was born May 10, 1852 in Indiana. His parents were Henderson and Elizabeth Stone Graves. He married Sarah Ann Russell on October 31, 1888, in Salt Lake City. Sarah was a native of Utah. She was born to Thomas Wilson and Elizabeth Ann Russell in Salt Lake City's Mill Creek area on October 13, 1854.

Riley and Sarah Graves moved to Sandy soon after their marriage. Their first son, James, was born in Sandy in 1890. Two more sons, Corwin and Rulon, were also born in Sandy in 1893 and 1899 respectively. Riley and Sarah Graves were farmers, and Riley Graves also served on the Sandy police force between 1898. He was serving a term as justice when he died on April 9, 1900. Riley Graves had deeded to property the Sarah in 1898. Sarah was still living in Sandy with her three young sons at the time of the 1900 census. She moved from Sandy to Salt Lake City around 1909, and lived there until her death on February 18, 1939 at the age of eighty-four.

It is not known who lived in the house immediately after Sarah Graves moved out. On August 7, 1920, Sarah sold the house to George W. Turpin. George Washington Turpin was born at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on March 16, 1852. His parents were William and Elizabeth Tidwell Turpin. George grew up in the nearby West Jordan area. He married Ellen Booth on February 16, 1881. Ellen Booth was born in England in 1859 and emigrated to Utah as a child. The couple lived in West Jordan where nine children were born to them. Ellen died on December 12, 1918.

After the death of his wife, George W. Turpin moved to Sandy to live with his daughter Effie Turpin Farnsworth. He was listed with Effie's family on the 1920 census in January. Later that year he married his second wife Marie Jorgensen Rasmussen Pierson (born c. 1856-died 1940s?). In August, they probably moved to the Graves' house where they lived the rest of his life. George died on February 26, 1926, in Sandy. Marie Turpin continued to live in the home at least until 1937, though the house was deeded to George's son LeRoy in 1926. LeRoy Turpin (1886-1963) had a poultry farm in Midvale for many years and did not live in the house. It was probably rented after Marie Turpin's death. LeRoy Turpin sold the house to L.J. and Hazel Farnsworth in 1943. The Farnsworths sold the home to Noal and Evelyn Bolliger in June of 1952. The Bolliger family still owns the home today.