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John T. Rich House

The John T. Rich House, built about 1880, is architecturally significant as one of eleven documented extant examples of Italianate box in Utah. The Rich house is the only Italianate box that was built of adobe, and is one of only two examples of this type located in a rural area. The other nine houses are all located in Salt Lake City. There was great variation in the local expression of the style, ranging from vernacular to high style forms. Utah’s Italianate, following a national trend for such houses is found in three distinct forms: the large cross-wing house, the two story box; and the one story cottage. A great majority of Utah’s Italianate houses were the two story box type with a side passage, built as affordable middle class homes. The attenuated verticality of the box form and the low pitched hip roof with overhanging eaves provided the basic form to which additional elements of the style could be added if funds were available. The characteristic elements of the style include: rectangular massing and side hall plan; a low hip roof with overhanging eaves; a wide cornice with decorative brackets; projecting bays; long narrow windows; and other elements of classical detailing. All of these elements were incorporated in the Rich house. The Rich house is distinctive in that its rectangular form has been expanded to include a square bay on the north side and a large two story bay on the east side, effectively documenting the flexibility of form as one of Utah’s standardized house types. Of the eleven documented examples of the two story Italianate box in Utah, five have been listed on the National Register, and one has been determined eligible for listing in the National Register. Four other examples of the Italianate Style are also listed on the National Register.

The John T. Rich House is located at 275 West Clark Street in Grantsville, Utah and was added to the National Register of Historic Places (#84002423) on May 2, 1984.

John T. Rich was born at Mineral Point, Illinois on June 28, 1840. His parents were John Rich and Agnes Taylor. His mother was the sister of John Taylor, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). John Rich later came to Utah and settled in the Grantsville area. The 1870 Census indicates that Rich, his wife Agnes, and two daughters were living at St. lohusa, a small community located in northeastern Tooele County. Rich was a livestockman and his estate was valued at $400 while his personal property was valued at $4,000. In October 1875 Rich purchased the land on which this house was built. The 1880 census shows that Rich had his wife and six family members living in his household. In August of 1875 Rich was elected mayor of Grantsville but resigned from the position one month later. From August 1879 through March 1887 Rich served as a city councilor (1879, 1883, 1884) and as city alderman (1881, 1884, 1887). On March 26, 1887 Stephen S. Worthington was appointed to fill Rich’s place because Rich “was absent from the city,” Rich had apparently moved to Brigham City, in northern Utah, at this time. In August of 1889 Rich sold his Skull Valley Ranch (northeastern Tooele County) of 1280 acres to the Mormon church for $35,000. Rich’s ranch became the community of losepa which was inhabited by Hawaiian converts to the Mormon church. Ranch animals were also purchased from Rich. He received $12,279 for 129 horses and 335 head of horned cattle. In Brigham City Rich “invested most of his large fortune. . .in lands, the Bank of Brigham City, [and] the Electric Light System.” Rich eventually bought the Bank of Brigham City and became its president. At the same time Rich was involved in the livestock business. John T. Rich died on February 8, 1897 in Brigham City, Utah.

Tooele County has a dry and windy climate and older Grantsville residents report that Rich’s wife, Agnes, was displeased living in the area. Her dissatisfaction found Rich building three or four houses, each one more impressive than the last, in an effort to change her mind. The house at 275 West Clark Street is purported to be the last of these houses. Apparently the elegance of this Italianate Style house was not enough to help her overcome the stark Grantsville environment. After living in the house for about eight years the Riches moved to the more hospitable environment of Brigham City, Utah.

Rich sold the home to Hyrum Sutton in March of 1890. Sutton borrowed $5,500 from Rich (Rich was then living in Brigham City) to pay for the house and accompanying land. Sutton was in the sheep business and in August of 1893 he leased 2,000 head of sheep from Rich. Sutton remained in the sheep business until 1913 when he retired from sheepraising, though, he kept a small flock of sheep at his home. Sutton then concentrated on cattle raising and did some dairying and farming. In 1919 an historian wrote about Sutton, he “has never sought nor desired public office, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention upon his business affairs, and as a sheep raiser he has been very successful, while at the present time he is winning a substantial measure of prosperity from his cattle interests and his dairying.” Hyrum Sutton died September 27, 1941.

Following is a list of the 11 documented extant examples of the Italianate Box house in Utah and the status of each house with regard to listing in the National Register.