History of
Jesse Samuel Brough (1884-1958)
and Luella Nebeker

Quoted from the 1980 RBFO book:
Samuel Richard Brough, 1857-1947: His History, Ancestors & Descendants
Originally compiled by Eugenia Brough Pickup in 1980

Jesse Samuel Brough was born February 12, 1884, at Porterville, Morgan County, Utah. He was the second child and son of Samuel Richard Brough and Phoebe Adeline Cherry. His brothers are: Thomas James, Ernest LeRoy, Wallace Calvin, Byron Cherry and Parley Pratt. His sisters are: Laura Adeline and Nettie May.

He was reared in a plural family, shared his father with a second wife, Ann Eliza Carter, whom he fondly referred to as "Aunt Eliza." His brothers are: Horace, Franklin Reed, Hyrum Carter and Charles Lester. His sisters are: Eliza Viola, Eveline Jane and Emily May.

While he was a small boy, his father was called to Great Britain to fill a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His mother, having a strong testimony of the Gospel, cared for the family (Thomas, age 4" Jesse, age 2, and LeRoy, age 1) until his father's return.

He spent his early childhood in Porterville, Utah and was baptized and confirmed a member of the church on April 17, 1892 at Porterville, Utah by his father, Samuel Richard Brough. Here he lived with his mother, brothers and sisters and a father who shared equal time with his two families until the year 1896. From here he moved with his family into a home his father built for them on a homestead in the Bridger Valley, Wyoming area which later became the town of Lyman, Wyoming. He spent his boyhood here on this farm. Here he was taught to love the soil and all it produced along with the value of hard and honest work, the importance of thrift, and to acknowledge God's hand in all things. He was taught by parents who set a worthy example.

He went to grammar school at Porterville, Utah. Later attended high school at Brigham Young University at Provo, Utah, and then on to the Fielding Academy in Paris, Idaho where he was enrolled in a missionary class.

On June 6, 1906, at the age of 22, he left Salt Lake City, Utah and sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to fill a mission to Great Britain for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While there, he served as president of the Irish Conference. After filling an honorable mission, he was released on May 2, 1908 to return to his home and family in Lyman, Wyoming.

He helped his family with the farm work and was also employed as a salesman for Studebaker Buggies. He was also active in his church. He was called to serve on the Sunday School Stake Board in the Woodruff Stake. It was here he met Luella Nebeker from Randolph, Utah, who was also on the Sunday School Stake Board. They were married on February 2, 1910, in the Salt Lake Temple. Luella Nebeker is the third child of Alfred Woodcock Nebeker and Elizabeth Snowball.

Twelve children were born to them eight sons and four daughters as follows: Myron Jesse, Nellie, Donna and Donald Nebeker (twins), George Kenneth, Eugenia, John Garr, Richard Grant, Wallace Dee, Robert Shirley, Gilbert Lincoln and Bonnie Lou.

He lived in Lyman, Wyoming after his marriage and worked for the Studebaker Company. They built their home there, but later sold it and purchased a farm from his father in Lyman, Wyoming. He had been taught by his father the skills to become a good farmer. Farming was the life he knew and loved. During this time four of his children were born Myron, Nellie, and Donna and Donald (twins).

In the year 1914, land in the Uintah Basin was opened for homesteading. He applied for some of this land.

Since the climate was not favorable in Wyoming (the winters were long and cold with lots of wind and snow), he felt he could do better for his family if he made the move to the Uintah Basin. He, therefore, left his parents, brothers and sisters and friends and came to Utah.

He and his wife and four small children traveled over the mountain in wagons, stopping for the night in the towns they traveled through. After traveling this way for two weeks, they arrived at the home of Alfred and Elizabeth Nebeker at Tridell, Utah on October 12, 1915. They lived in part of their home until the following spring.

In the spring of 1916, he moved his family onto a farm known as the Fletcher farm, where they lived for one year. The following year he leased some land from Mr. John Star, a Ute Indian, in the LaPoint area, and moved his family there. He worked very hard clearing the raw land and planting his crops of oats, hay, wheat and corn. He also cared for livestock and raised gardens to help provide food for his family. He was a faithful man with deep religious principles, honored his priesthood and was active in all church and community programs. Times were not easy for him at this time. He and his friends and neighbors were close to each other and shared what they had to help each other.

He was called to be the second counselor to Bishop LeRoy Taylor while living in LaPoint. He was a man well qualified for this position and served faithfully in this calling until he moved from this area. Two more children were born to them during this time, George Kenneth and Eugenia.

In the year 1920, after a brief stay in Roosevelt, Utah where John Garr, his seventh child was born, he moved his family to Ouray Valley to improve his homestead there. The family spent the summers there building the home and improving the land and then went back to LaPoint during the winters so the children could attend school. Grant, another son, was born during this time in LaPoint.

His homestead was in the boundaries of the Leota Ward where he was called to be a counselor to Bishop John Ecker. The church was ten miles from his home and the only means of transportation at this time was the horse and buggy. The family would leave early on Sunday and stay most of the day. A lunch was packed to be eaten between the meetings. Sunday was a very special day for the family. He encouraged all of us to attend Church.

He was one of the early settlers in Ouray Valley. His homestead was located on the "Brough Bench." A branch of the Leota Ward was then organized and meetings were held in this building. He was called to be the Branch President.

He worked very hard to improve his homestead. Since there wasn't any power machinery at this time, he used horse-drawn equipment for his farming. He took great pride in his well-bred horses and other farm animals. He cleared the cactus and sage brush, plowed and planted his crops. He turned the new land into a productive farm. He was a good farmer; his crops were always very good when it was within his power to make them so. His grain bins were filled and his hay stacks were high. His livestock was always well cared for. He was up at daylight on a summer morning irrigating his crops and getting ready for the new day. He loved work and taught his family to love it also.

Four more children were born during these years: Wallace Dee, Robert Shirley, Gilbert Lincoln and Bonnie Lou. Bonnie Lou, his youngest child, passed away at the age of ten months in the Vernal Hospital of meningitis. This was a very sad note in his life.

He contributed very much to the building of canals, roads, etc. in the Ouray Valley, serving as president of the Ouray Park Irrigation Company for several years. He spent a lot of time and effort trying to improve the water system in the Valley. In the year 1972, a reservoir was constructed bearing his name, "Brough Reservoir."

Since a large number of people had settled in the Valley, it became necessary to build a new chapel and school. He helped to get the lumber from the mountains and also helped in the construction of the chapel where his children attended church and school. Things were good here for him until the depression of the 1930's. Along with the depression, there was a drought which brought added problems. In 1934, he leased a home and farmland in Randlett, Utah from Hoskey McKinley, a Navajo Indian, and moved his family there. Water rights were better there. They lived here for a few years until the drought was over and then the family returned to their farm in Ouray Valley.

Being the father of eight boys, he had help with his farming from his sons. He taught them the art of farming and livestock raising. He enjoyed working with his boys. In later years, some of his sons purchased the farm from him.

In the year 1942, he purchased a home and farmland near Fort Duchesne, Utah. The house and yard was nice, the soil fertile, water rights were good. At this time seven of his children were married and in homes of their own. They lived here for ten years. The younger four married during this time. He later sold this farm to his oldest son, Myron.

He filled the second mission in his later years among the Ute Indian people. He and his wife labored for two years at Whiterocks, Utah. He retired from his farm at this time and moved into the mission home. They left for their mission March 4, 1954 and served two years.

Following his mission, they purchased a home in Roosevelt, Utah where he spent his retiring years. Even though his health was failing, he was still very active in his church work. He enjoyed his retiring years very much as he lived close to his children and grandchildren and showed great love and respect for each one of them. They in return have special memories of their father and grandfather.

He died April 11, 1958. He was laid to rest near the farm where he spent most of his life-in the Avalon Cemetery. At the time of his death he was 74 years of age and had thirty-four grandchildren.

He was an outstanding speaker; he wasn't a speaker that raised his voice or talked real loud, but held his audience with a kind voice and interesting material.

Since he was well read and always prepared, he was frequently asked to speak in funerals, community gatherings and to teach. These he did willingly throughout his life.

It can truly be said of him that he endured to the end. He was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather.

The following advertisements have been selected and provided by
Google.com