History of
Laura Adeline Brough (1893-1983)
and George Clyde Bradshaw

Quoted from the 1980 RBFO book:
Samuel Richard Brough, 1857-1947: His History, Ancestors & Descendants
Originally written by Laura Adeline Brough Bradshaw in 1979

I, Laura Adeline Brough Bradshaw, daughter of Samuel Richard Brough and Phoebe Adeline Cherry, was born November 18, 1893, at Porterville, Morgan County, Utah. I was the first girl and the fifth child. My four brothers, Thomas James, Samuel Jesse, Ernest LeRoy and Wallace Calvin, were all born in Porterville, Utah. I I have heard mother and father say many, many times how grateful and happy they were to have a baby girl.

My father had filled a four-year mission to England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. When he returned, he brought a beautiful little English chlna cup for his first daughter. I have valued it all my life. It was about three years after his return before I was born.

When I was three years old, my parents moved to what is now known as Lyman, Wyoming and took up a homestead. We lived in a tent until father and my older brothers could get enough logs to build mother and Aunt Eliza (the second wife) both nice houses. I remember well the hardships of pioneering life, yet it never seemed hard to us children, for we were all a very healthy and happy family.
I remember my grandmother, Jane Patterson Brough (my father's mother) quite well. She lived just across the street from us in Porterville. One morning I went over to see her, and as I opened the little picket gate a bee stung me. Of course I started crying and grandmother, who was out working in her garden, heard me and came to see what was the matter. She reached down in the ditch and got a handful of mud and held it over the sting and soon it was better. I have done this many times while raising my family.

On October 11, 1897 my sister Nettie Mae was born. Mother was very, very sick for a long time after she was born, but I was so happy to have a little baby sister.

Soon other families began coming to homestead on land for their families in the Bridger Valley. Father was a wonderful leader and organizer. He got the other men together and they went to the mountains and cut, chopped and hauled logs enough to build a large house with a dirt roof and dirt floor. They then split logs and made seats. This was the first school house, church house and everything that a public building was needed for. A large, long black stove was put in to heat the building in the winter. About a four-foot long log could be put in it and it lasted a long time.

The next year a wide board floor was put in so they could have dances. The log seats were pushed together to make beds for the babies and smaller children while the parents and older boys and girls danced and had fun. There was always plenty of pies, cake and homemade ice cream as everyone brought something to eat. Mother used to make carrot pies and they tasted like pumpkin pies. Her peach pies with ice cream on top were delicious.

A few years later father was the presiding elder and Branch President and a leader in everything that helped develop the Bridger Valley. Mother's homestead was on a nice level piece of ground, and it was later chosen to be the town site.

I remember when Apostle Francis M. Lyman was the visiting authority at our conference. At this time the branch was made a ward and father was sustained as bishop, which office he held for 18 years. He was a very humble, faithful and wonderful bishop.

All eight grades of school were taught by one teacher. I remember well Miss Mary Wanlass. Not only was she the school teacher, she was my music teacher as well. When I was about 12 years old, I was the Primary organist. I also would play for Sunday School. Miss Wanlass would pick out the songs and I would practice them for my music lesson.

There was always so much work to do with our big family: washing, cooking, cleaning, sewing, ironing, etc. Mother always planned to bake and iron the same day so that one hot fire could do them both. We used heavy flat-irons. It wasn't as easy as plugging in an electric iron, but mother always took time to teach Nettie and me how to do things. I loved to sew, and when I was 13 years old, I made all my own clothes to go to Logan where I was to attend the B. Y. College. It was quite an experience to go so far away from home alone. I was a pretty lonesome and homesick girl for a while. I majored in Home Economics and sewing and I took violin lessons from Prof. Ottie. I attended college for two and a half years, then my brother Reed was called on a mission, and father could not keep me in college and him on a mission, so when I came home at Christmas I never went back. I was asked to be secretary of the M.I.A., also Sunday School organist and Sunday School teacher. I was very interested in dancing and drama and in mutual I took the leading part in many of the plays. I have always been very interested in artwork and have made many beautiful things: paintings, ceramics, crocheted pieces, quilts and many other things. I was the first telephone operator in Lyman.

When I was 17 years old I taught a dressmaking class to 14 girls and ladies, many of whom were much older than one. I taught them three days a week. It was very interesting as I always loved sewing. I also organized a "string band." It had three violins, two guitars, one banjo and one mandolin. We had so much fun practicing, and we got good enough to play in public.

Mother had two more children after Nettie. They were Byron Cherry and Parley Pratt. I was happy to have six fine, good brothers and just one sister.

I had a very happy childhood with so many interesting and pleasant memories. My teenage years were wonderful with so many dear friends, both boys and girls, and we always had something exciting and adventurous to look forward to.

I had many boy friends through the years, but it seemed I always went back to my sweetheart from the time we were five years old (George Clyde Bradshaw). We went through school and all our church activities together. He also attended the B. Y. College the same time I was there. He was so kind and thoughtful of me. If there was anything special going on at school like dances, drama plays, football games or lectures, he would always ask me if I had a date with some other boy and if I didn't, he would take me. We were together so much of our lives.

When I was 18 years old we became engaged and wanted to get married, but my parents thought that I was too young. They finally gave their consent, but we had to wait until I was 20 years old. Clyde was one of the most outstanding and fine young men in the whole Bridger Valley. We made our plans, and finally came to Salt Lake City and were married in the Holy Temple on December 23, 1914. It was one of the most wonderful days of our lives, and now at 86 years old, I can still remember the beautiful things that happened that day. We went back to Lyman and had a lovely reception and wedding dance. At the end of the dance my cousin, Clara Brough, sang so beautifully., "The End of a Perfect Day."

We started our new life in a two-room log house with a dirt roof. We covered the logs with a cheap factory cloth, then wall papered over it. Everything looked so nice and we were just as happy as if it had been a mansion. We named it the "Rosewood," as there were lots of wild roses growing around it. Clyde has always been a very hard-working and intelligent man, and we have prospered through the years. On December 23, 1979, we will have been married 65 years. We are both 86 years old, and each year has brought a deeper love for each other.

The Lord has blessed us with eight special spirits from heaven. Four boys: Harold George, Gilbert LeRoy, Ronald Brough and Ross Clyde. We also had four lovely and sweet daughters: Theda Deon, Gladys Fae, Vella Mae and Joyce Adeline, who died at birth. We are so proud and thrilled with each of them. They have brought much joy and happiness into our lives. They are all fine, intelligent and wonderful children, and they have all married especially good companions. They have good families, and we have 24 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren and two great, great grandchildren. All are well and healthy.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us in every way all through our lives, and we have always tried to live by the teachings of the gospel and the plan of life as Christ gave to us to live by. I would like to tell some of the things I have done.

I was baptized June 7, 1902 at Lyman, Wyoming by Henry Voss. My patriarchal blessing was given by Joseph Gubell when I was 14 years old. In Lyman, Wyoming, I was Primary organist, Sunday School organist and a teacher in both these organizations. I was also secretary of the M.I.A. After moving to Salt Lake, I have been a seminary teacher, counselor to Clara Love in Forest Dale Ward, president of the Y.W.M.I.A, then in 1934 I was called as the Relief Society President. I was released when my last baby was born, then I was called again to be president of the Relief Society until we were called to go on a mission to the Texas-Louisiana Mission. We labored in Baytown, Texas. We left September 18, 1947 and returned April 4, 1948. After we returned home, I was called to be Ida Dean's counselor in the Stake Relief Society. I also served as the staff chairman on the Pioneer Welfare Program. I was in the Stake Relief Society for seven years, then my husband and I received a call from President David O. McKay to work as ordinance workers in the Salt Lake Temple. We worked there over 15 years, three days a week. I know it was one of the richest blessings and privileges I have ever had. What a spiritual blessing it was. My testimony grew as to the very important work of genealogy and temple work. My husband had a very serious heart attack and he was not able to work any longer. We received a very honorable release. We were so sorry, because we both had enjoyed our work there so much.

At my age, I have retired, but I still serve as a Relief Society block teacher.

I am very grateful to my Heavenly Father, to my parents, my good, noble and loving husband and all my wonderful children for the rich and happy life I have had. I have been blessed by having the privilege of helping to raise our dear, good family who are all so kind, thoughtful and helpful now that I am in the sunset of my life.

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