| OCR Text |
Show PRESS ASSOCIA TlON C/ippinl( .c;"n'ic. rJt' #In. Jt HqjJe ";,::;~' • 1I~ S. ~~ (1~amIIY'S roots entwined (80 I) 328-8678 OREM !)fJ. ~.JJI~ \..a-.-". byREVABOWEN City Editor The histonc home on State Street has survived at 212 South, an example of what historic preservationists call "adaptive reuse" -- bringing an older strue- ture along with the future byapplying a modem uae to it. The business housed in the stately Victorian structure is called "Thru the Grapevine" and sens homemade craft items , dried floral arrangements and wreath., home decorations, crocheted around historic home handiwork, and antiques. Like other Orem homes, this one has a rich history. But it is much more than just 8 house and more than just a business. It is the repository of memories for a family --- the Joseph H. and Ethel Davis Finch family - who lived there from June of 1926 until the home was sold following the death of matriarch Ethel D. Finch in 1974. The yellow brick, eight-room house waSt in a sense, the stage on which the family enacted the drama of life - and that drama contained many elements: love, birth, happiness, hard work, and marriages , but also illness, adversity. tragedy, and death. An interview with family me mber Mary Lylene Peay and a study of the family's written history have provided a glimpse behind the curtain of time and a vi ewof what Orem was like in the 1920. and 1930s. Family background Seven children were born to Joseph H. and Ethel Davis Finch, and five of the seven are still living: Merlin Finch and Louis "Jay" Finch, who both farmed in OTem and worked at Geneva The Finch home at 212 South State in Orem as It looked before the large pine tree was cut down. Steel. for many years; Mary Lylene Peay; Rosa Mae Curr, who teaches second grade in Pleasan t Grove; and Mton Graff. Merlin, Jay, Lylene, and Anon are currently all Orem residents. ,Ilnd Rosa Mae lives in Provo. The oldest son and brother in the family, Stanley Finch, also an Orem resident, died in 1991. A sister, Elizabeth, the third born in the family, died of pneumonia at 21 years of age. History or the home The sta tely house was built in 1909 by Newel James and Eliza Stratton Knight. The couple li ved in the home until 1916, when th ey sold it to Thomas and Anna WaIters and moved to Idaho. The Knights reportedly regretted the In thi.1940 photo, Mary Lyle ne Finch was babysitting her nephews at th e fruitstand in front of her home on State Street _ inOrem. \ move, a nd tried to buy the home back when they retu rned to Orem, but they were not able to. The Finch family bought the home in June or 1926. Lyle ne. th e t~ n I, ~ 1 . :1 , 1 _ .•..1 .1 . _ .. Meeting together for a photo at their childhood home were members of the Finch family: (Back row, left to right) Mary Lylene Peay, Jay Finch, and Mton Graff. Center front, Merlin Finch; front right, Rosa Mae Gurr, ing the fruit to sell. Cherries, · tomatoes, and peaches had to be -faced- -- placed just a certain way in the box. Lylene said the fruit had to be of high quality and at the appropriate .tage of ripeness in order to pass inspection. Everyone in the family was relieved when fruit shipments "passed". Some ofthe produce was packed and shipped through Muir's, but Lylene said the biggest and best was reserved for speciaJ customers --- whol esalers who would purchase it and sell it in turn. Local people and those passing through the area would buy fruit from the stand the family ran under a huge pine tree in front of the house . The tree provided shade for the merchandising, but had to be cut down in the late 19505 when it grew so tall that it swayed and threatened power and aasociating with friends and those organ1Zations. Family neighbors. The resort had a large prayer and blessings on the food dance pavilion with ajukebox for were important in the household. When the family joined extended entertainment and dancing. As long as chores were com- family for reunions or holiday pleted and money was earned for celebrations, "i nvariably, the the show ticket or the swimming, main conversation revolved Finch family members had the around religion among the opportunity to participate in ac- adults;· Lylene wrote. She said tivities. Attending Strawberry her brother, Stan, later followed Days was a family activity which in his fath er's footste ps and beconsisted of watching the parade, came bishop of a Sharon ward. going on the rides, snd eating a Joy a nd tragedy free dish of strawberries and The Finch home was the site cream. of joyous even ts when both J ay Music played an important and Merlin were married thereon role in the F'inches' Jives as well. separate occasion s . Merlin's wed· "Our home was not without musi- ding ceremony was performed by cal instruments, for I remember his fat her. Jay's marriage came as young as I was that my father late r. supplied the opportunity for the Tragedy struck the family in family to develop their talents in 1936, when Joseph Finch, suffermusic," Lyl ene wrote. Farm ing with tuberculosis, was conproducts like milk, eggs. a nd bul· fined to the Mulrose Sanatarium ~~ w~;e tr~ded 80 ~e girls cou ld in nuartp. . CR1iforni~ . Hp!"oon. |
