In 1922, Ate Westra built this modest brick home at 2256 South 8th East. Ate lived in this house until his death, in 1946. For Dad/Lamar ... this was "Grandpa Westra's House". Dad took this picture in 1963 and we are grateful he thought to document it! But this wasn't the only location the Westra family lived here in Salt Lake. Ate Obes Westra immigrated from the Netherlands to Salt Lake City in April 1907, with his wife Geeske and three children (Wilhelmina, Obe and Egbert). Upon arriving in Utah ...
- Their first residence was at 445 North 12th West in Salt Lake City. They were hosted by another Dutch family. Halbe Hulshoff and his wife, who had two living children. The Westras were living here when John was born (Dec 31, 1907), and Wilhelmina died (Jan 21, 1908. The two boys Obe and Egbert had passed away earlier). The Hulshoff family was still living at this location per the 1910 census, but the Westra family had moved on ...
- Another child, George, was born October 13, 1909. On his birth certificate, the home address is listed as 413 W 1st North in Salt Lake City.
- In the 1910 census report - the Westra family is listed as living at 565 North 9th West in Salt Lake City. This appears to have been some kind of group home. The 1910 census lists seven families at that address, Ate is listed (incorrectly with the last name Wastra) with his wife Geeske and two sons, John and George.
In the original history written by John (and used to create the histories for Ate and Geeske, found here and on Family Search) he had written "Sometime in the year 1908, a small two-room home was purchased at the end of 8th East, just South of Parkway Avenue, in Forest Dale Ward." However, based on Dad's additional research, this happened not in 1908, but a few years later. There are a number of close but different locations listed on birth/death certificates, and the family seemed to have lived in a few different locations on 8th East ...
- March 17, 1911 ... there is a death certificate for young George. The family address is listed as 2540 South 8th East.
- October 23, 1911 ... birth certificate for Joseph Westra gives an address of 2432 South 8th East.
- March 9, 1913 ... birth certificate for Allen Westra gives a 2544 South 8th East address. This same address is also listed on the death certificate for young Allen on June 25, 1914.
Dad thinks that the structure probably had no house number on it, and the family was just guessing at the exact address. The first guess was 2540, and the next guess was 2432, and the final guess was 2544. As that guess was given at two different events, and it was given latest, he surmised that this was the more accurate. He doubts the family moved three times along the street, and there was just one "small two-room home at the end of 8th East, just South of Parkway Avenue" as mentioned in John's history. Continuing on ...
- In 1914, Ate purchased a small frame home at 2252 South 8th East. Another son (Alma) was born (April 30, 1915) and died (Jan 15, 1916) with the birth and death certificates matching this address.
- In 1918, Ate purchased a nice, new brick home at 2496 South 9th East, just across the street from the old Salt Lake Coutry Club, later known as Forest Dale Golf Club. (This address comes up in Google's Street View, check out a present-day glimpse of this house here).
- In 1919, the family sold the brick home for a profit, needing that money to finance a mission for Ate. They moved back into the small frame home (no plumbing) at 2252 South 8th East. Ate received a mission call to the Netherlands and was gone until May 1922. The 1920 Census records the Westra family living at this address.
- In 1922, Ate built a modest, modern brick home on the lot next to the small frame house. The address was 2256 South 8th East. The 1930 and 1940 Census do show the family at this slightly shifted address. This home is the one featured in the photo above.
It's is obvious, but still interesting, how much official certificates and Census reports can help with history. Narrowing down dates of who was where and when. Do you have a list of all the locations you've lived? Pictures of the homes, inside and out? Have you completed the 2020 Census for your family? Learn a little more about the Census at their site (lots of interesting information!)
Here's a link to the GoogleDoc with Dad/Lamar's original writeup on this topic.
It has also been added as a memory/story on Ate's Family Search page.
Related posts ...
- Home Snapshots Before Hermitage and Havenmoor
- Home Sweet Norman Home (Rex and Zada's Homes/Mom's Homes Growing Up)
- History of Joseph Lamar Westra (shows two of his childhood homes)
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