Greaves-Deakin Home

Standing as a unique house in Sanpete, we have Peter Greaves to thank for this splendid Victorian era house here in Ephraim, Utah. Built sometime between 1875 and 1880, this “modified temple” type Greek Revival house is so authentic that it is magical. It has a lot of original and antique features that include, but are not limited to genuine Victorian paint, wallpaper, carpet, woodwork and fireplaces. On the ceiling of the bay window, there is even still a hand painted rosette. One of the back rooms still has the elaborately painted fireplace made to look like marble. In one of the front rooms there is also still a very Victorian-like fringe on the fireplace mantel. The house is said to be made from stone taken from the same quarry as the Manti temple and the window moldings are made of wood grained walnut. The house has received very little renovation work. Areas where the most work was done was probably in relation to some mid-1900s paneling put up in the bay window, some kitchen updates, and a new paint job on the exterior.

The home was originally built for Peter Greaves (born in Patterson, New Jersey on August 26, 1837) and his wife Elizabeth Motley Greaves (born in England on June 10, 1837). Peter’s family joined the church in the 1840s and with that moved with many others to Utah. Once in Utah in 1852, Peter was quick to establish himself as a skilled carpenter. By the time, though, that he made it to Ephraim in 1856 he started to branch out while living there. He was quite a busy man, being a farmer, carpenter, and more. By the 1870s, he had gotten into the business of buying and shipping goods. Then, in 1886 he was the president of a company out of Nephi called C. Andrews and Co. When the business closed its doors, he continued his own business, that operated from a store he created next door. He eventually gave that business to his daughter, Laura Greaves. He also participated as a churchman, city councilman and in the territorial legislature between 1891 and 1896. No wonder he could afford such a lovely basically 3-story home. He was also part of the Utah Indian War.

Just two years after Peter’s 50th wedding anniversary, he died in 1911. His daughter, Minnie Maud, took care of her mother until her death in 1917. Upon her mother’s death, she and her husband, Charles Fremont Deakin, inherited the home and raised four children there, Eunice, Motley, Cathleen and Anita. They lived a good long life there. Charles was a merchant and skilled weaver, while Minnie Maud would make beautiful artificial flowers and sell raspberries. Charles died in 1965 and left Minnie Maud behind. Their daughter, Cathleen, took care of Minnie Maud until her death in 1971. All four of their children inherited the home together. The family had owned the home for its entire existence until May of 2022 when they sold it and had an estate sale. This gave people an opportunity to see the wonder of its interior. Not only was there a lot of originality in architecture, but there was also much in the way of stuff that remained from the late 1800s and early 1900s from both the Greaves and Deakin's still inside. This home, to say the least, is a magical piece of history for a true multitude of reasons.