| Show ANSWERS FINAL CALL EARLY SAWMILL OPERATOR WHO SERVED EIGHT YEARS AS commissioner OF GRAND COUNTY DIES AT PROVO death claimed another sterling pioneer citizen of moab monday when thomas W branson tor years a county commissioner of grand county and sawmill operator of the la sal mountains passed away at the advanced age of 83 years since 1919 mr branson had been practically helpless having been stricken by paralysis nearly a year ago he was taken to the utah county home at provo where he could have better care in his helpless condition than could be provided in a private home on january 8 of this year he suffered his fourth paralytic stroke and on monday he passed quietly into the great beyond the body was brought back to moab for burial arriving this morning accompanied compa nied by a son jesse M branson of provo funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon from the L D S church thomas wilson branson was bom in gasconade county missouri november 27 1845 while he was still a small boy his parents moved to holt county in the northwest part of missouri there he lived until 1863 when at the age of 17 he drove an ox team across the plains he made several trips across the plains and worked in and around denver colo nd what Is known at the country at one time he owned acres of land where the city of pueblo now stands mr branson remained in colorado until 1869 when he returned to his native state on november 22 1870 he was joined ln marriage to miss mary prances boyd in may 1873 with his wife and one small son he returned to colorado and spent the remainder of his life in the west he followed his trade as a loeger with ox tows until 1894 when he cam to utah a small sawmill in the la bal mountains the family made their home at and near castle rn for years later moving to oab where mr aranson had made Ms home most of the time since mrs branson died february 4 1909 tn mav 1919 mr branson was with after which he was unable to take an active part in business he was stricken in and aaen in on W he was token to the utah home at rov where he would have th benefit of careful and p mert dur ng his declining daw on 8 f this war he sifferd erp W fourth nd f apfl stroke and a few mas later on january 16 he passed away mr and wife were the par ants of seven children five of whom survive him chev are john brann of cann can n oregon george A of mountain home idaho M branson of provo utah alard F branson of dolores colo ard mrs susan J ray of moab pew a creator part in te building and of grand county than did thomas W branson he was a pioneer in every of the word ganv nf the houses built in moah m the early davs were constructed of lumber sawed bv the branson sawmill in those days there were practically no roads and the transportation of dunber to moab from the la sal mountains was ft big problem mr branson with his indomitable energy overcome this problem to a greit extent bv floating lumber down the colorado river from castle valley he and sons brought many huge mats of lumber down the river in the nineties M branson was alwaes a ave in a dav and gave freela of his time and money to the advancement of civic matters he wis a balous member of the democratic parta of grand county and was honored by his party bv being nominated for county commissioner three tames on all three occasions he was ejected mr branson served as commissioner of grand county two 2 year terms and one 4 year term sitting on the county board during the years of 1905 1906 1910 1911 1912 1913 and 1914 in the passing of mr branson grand county loses one of its best alonzer citizens A great debt Is owed by the present generation to mr branson and others of his caliber who braved the dingers of pioneer life and endured countless hardships to pave the way for the advantages now enjoyed the death of thomas branson brings sincere regret to the hearts of hundreds of friends old and young who respected his integrity and honored him for the lifetime af service he had rendered to his fellow man a i |
