Samuel Brough

2024 Booklet about Richard Brough (1786-1873) and his Descendants--including Samuel Brough

     In 2024 the Brough Family Organization produced a 26-page all-color perfect-bound booklet about Richard Brough (1786-1873) and his Descendants, including his three children--Thomas Brough and Elizabeth Brough and Samuel Brough--who were "Mormon Pioneers" and early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  This publication is available HERE.

History of
Samuel Brough (1839-1911) and Elizabeth Bott

Edited by Ronald Dee Rex, R. Clayton Brough and John M. Brough, June 2004.  Updated by R. Clayton Brough in September 2020

Edited from material that originally appeared in the 1999 book by Ronald Dee Rex (pp. 65-69): History, Descendants, & Ancestry of William Rex & Mary Elizabeth Brough of Randolph, Utah

     Samuel Brough was born 16 September 1839 to Richard Brough and Mary Horleston in Lane End, Longton, Staffordshire, England. He was christened on 19 October 1839 in St. John's Parish (Church of England), Lane End, Longton. As a young man, Samuel worked in the coal mines around Longton and practiced the trades of masonry and carpentry. In fact, British census records state that Samuel was working as a "Coal Miner" when he was only "11" years of age. As a young man, Samuel also gained a good education through extensive reading. 

     On 7 February 1858, Samuel Brough married Elizabeth Bott in Edensor, Staffordshire. Elizabeth was born on 9 March 1838 in Lane End, Longton, Staffordshire, the oldest of nine children born to Benjamin Bott and Elizabeth Abbott. Prior to their marriage, Elizabeth had worked in the Staffordshire potteries in the china-painting department. When Elizabeth started keeping company with Samuel, her parents bitterly opposed it because they belonged to the Church of England and Samuel's father, Richard Brough, was a "Mormon"--having joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in 1840--and Samuel and Elizabeth were actively investigating the LDS Church. Samuel and Elizabeth joined the LDS Church on the same day, both being baptized on 1 May 1857 by Thomas Orgill of the LDS Longton Branch. After Elizabeth joined the LDS Church, her parents turned her away from their home, but in later years she and her siblings often communicated by letters which she sent from Utah or they sent from England.

     On February 1, 1858, Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott were privately married in the home of Thomas Orgill by William Franklin Pace Sr., a LDS missionary serving in England (during 1856-1858).  Then on February 7, 1858 they were married in the parish church of Edensor, Staffordshire.  On February 24, 1861, Samuel was made an "Elder" in the LDS Priesthood at the LDS Longton Branch.

     After Samuel and Elizabeth were married in February 1858, Samuel built one room onto his father's house. They lived in this one room until they came to America. Four children were born to them in England: Mary Elizabeth (born 20 December 1858), Jane (born 22 February 1860), Samuel (born 9 September 1861) and Eliza (born 3 March 1863). 

     Samuel and Elizabeth and their four children left Liverpool on 30 May 1863 on the ship "Cynosure" and came with a company of 754 Saints under the direction of David M. Stewart. They arrived in New York Harbor on July 19. While on board ship there was an epidemic of measles. Their little son, Samuel, became very sick with the measles. Several times they were afraid he would die and be buried at sea. He finally improved, but never was very healthy after this.

     Soon after arriving in New York, Samuel and Elizabeth and their four children started westward, traveling part of the way to Florence, Nebraska in cattle cars. They crossed the Missouri River near Florence on the ferry. Shortly after arriving in Nebraska, Samuel died on 7 August 1863 with complications from the measles. He was buried in the Mormon cemetery in a dry-goods box at Florence, Nebraska. He was dressed in a little colored nightgown. Elizabeth took the crepe from her bonnet (that she had worn to her father's funeral the year before) to stuff the cracks in the box.

     They remained in Florence until 15 August 1863, waiting for the pipes for the Salt Lake Tabernacle organ to arrive. They then started across the plains in the Samuel D. White Company. Several families were allotted to each wagon. A bedridden woman rode in their wagon. Elizabeth walked much of the way and carried her baby, 5 month old Liza. Mary walked part way but Jane rode because she was a cripple.

     Samuel walked and drove a team all the way to Utah. Every morning and evening they had company prayers and everyone was supposed to attend. The company stopped one-half day each week for the women to wash. They washed their clothes in the creek (without soap) and hung them on bushes to dry.

     Snow had fallen before they reached Salt Lake City on 15 October 1863, making it cold and miserable. They lived in Bountiful the first winter and in the spring moved to Porterville in Morgan County. They lived in a dugout in the hillside. It was lined with adobes, and there was a fireplace in one end. In the spring when the snow started to melt, the frost came out of the ground and the water washed down the chimney and part of the wall caved in. A little daughter, Emma, was born in this dugout 25 March 1865. Mother and baby had to move to the Thomas Brough home. This same year (1865) little Eliza died. They watched her all night before she died in the light of the fireplace. During her illness, Eliza had cried for a potato but there were none available. Later in the time of plenty, this death grieved Elizabeth because she felt her little girl had died of starvation. The family was able to move into a two-room house and it was here their son, William Thomas, was born on 11 December 1866. The following February, they went to Salt Lake City, to the old Endowment House and took out their endowments. In February 1867, the Union Pacific Railroad was starting down the Weber Canyon. They moved to Henefer and found employment. Prudence was born in Henefer on 24 September 1868. Samuel then moved his family back to Porterville and another son, George Henry, was born on 9 July 1870. 

     In May 1870, Samuel went to Randolph and built a two-room log house. It was located on the corner of Field Street and Second East. He went to Laketown, Utah, for a grist of flour and bran and then returned to Porterville to harvest his crops and move his family to Randolph. The trip to Randolph took Samuel quite some time and before he returned, Elizabeth feared for his life. She was sitting by the side of the house crying when she saw Samuel walking over the hill. 

     When Samuel's family left Porterville, Samuel sold his farm to his older brother, Thomas Brough, and their house to Charles White. With a horse, a pair of oxen and a prairie schooner, Samuel, Elizabeth and their six children left for Randolph. Ducks, pigs, chickens and all their belongings were packed in the wagon, which also had a box on the back. Their three cows along with some other cattle were driven. It took a week to make the trip. It was after dark when they reached Big Creek. The wagon got stuck in the mud and they all walked into Randolph and stayed at Samuel Henderson's while Mr. Henderson went back to help Samuel get the wagon out. It was near midnight when they finally reached the little log house. Samuel had gathered the chips from the hewed logs and piled them in the center of the room. A fire was soon started in the fireplace in the west end of the room. At the time, it did not have any doors or windows in it.

     Elizabeth and the children stayed and milked and fed the cows, pigs, chickens and ducks while Samuel went to Almy, Wyoming to work in the coal mines during the winter. In the spring Samuel cleared a piece of land and planted grain and had a small vegetable garden. They gathered hay from the "bottoms" east of town for the cattle. They cut the hay with a sickle and raked it with a rake not much larger than a garden rake. They carried their water from "Little Creek" for household purposes until a well could be dug-they called it the "Old Windless." They still had hard times as their crops were not certain. Samuel was a very good farmer and worked at this in the summertime, and worked in the coal mines in Almy during the winter.

     Three more children, Hannah (born 27 May 1872), Benjamin Richard (born 6 July 1874) and Adria (born 17 July 1876) were born in Randolph. This made a total of eleven children, nine of which were living at the time. Elizabeth and her daughters, Mary Elizabeth and Jane, were among the first members of the LDS Relief Society in Randolph.

     Samuel did much for the building of Randolph. He made the brick for most of the brick homes there-including the LDS Church and the old high school. He also had a lime kiln. They used lime in plaster. He also surveyed a water ditch without any instruments and in many ways helped conditions in Randolph.

     In addition to manufacturing bricks in Randolph, Samuel also assisted his brother, Thomas, in making bricks in Porterville. Also, Samuel and Thomas operated a brickyard in east Kaysville between about 1867 and 1881. However, Samuel moved to Randolph in 1870, and likely didn't have much to do with the Brough Brick Yard after he had moved to Randolph. This large brickyard was known as the "Brough Brick Yard on Cemetery Street," Today, the ground on which the Brough Brick Yard was once located is owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and is occupied by the LDS Kaysville Crestwood Wardhouse--located at 1039 East Crestwood Road, Kaysville, Utah. 

     Elizabeth was always good to those in need and without mothers. She took Lena Hanney and Opal Brough into her home after their mothers died. Bessie Brough also lived with her for awhile. She was always clean and neatly dressed. She always had pretty bonnets that tied under her chin. The way she tied her aprons was to tie the bow in front so she could get the bows even and then slip the bow around to the back. She never regretted the sacrifices and hardships she went through to come to Zion.

     Samuel was a long time building his new brick home. Money was scarce and he would have to stop for awhile, harvest his crops, and sell some to obtain more money. He made his own brick, lime, and did the mason work on his home-the first brick home to be built in Randolph. These bricks were packed in straw and hauled to the building site. The family was very proud of this new home. Samuel had a lot of grandsons and furnished employment for most of them while they grew up. He surveyed the canal that runs west of town-the one you cross on the way to the cemetery. He had only a spirit level and a foot board. Samuel experimented with all kinds of grass and hay seeds to find out which grew the best. He had a herd of cattle and many horses.

     Samuel Brough was a religious man and attended to his LDS Church affairs with real dedication. He died on 29 May 1911 at the age of 71, leaving Elizabeth a widow for eleven years. Elizabeth was the only one of her family to join the LDS Church, but she always defended her faith and encouraged her children and other Latter-day Saints to remain faithful to their beliefs. She died on 23 November 1921 at the age of 83. Both are buried in the southeast corner of the Randolph City Cemetery.

New Historical Memorial added to the Graves of

Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott in August 2012

     In July 2012, members of the BFO Research Committee proposed the placement of a new "discrete low-lying memorial stone" that would lay on the ground in front of the gravestone piller of Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott in Randolph, Utah, and which would contain the following specific information about them and their pioneer contributions to Porterville, Kaysville and Randolph, Utah:

     SAMUEL BROUGH WAS BORN IN LONGTON, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND, ON 16 SEP. 1839, AND CHRISTENED AT ST. JOHN, LONGTON, ON 19 OCT. 1839. SAMUEL MARRIED ELIZABETH BOTT ON 7 FEB. 1858 IN EDENSOR, STAFFORDSHIRE. IN 1857, SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH JOINED THE LDS CHURCH IN ENGLAND. IN 1863 THEY AND THEIR FIRST FOUR CHILDREN EMIGRATED TO THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH PART OF A MORMON WAGON TRAIN, SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH WALKED MOST OF THE WAY ACROSS THE PLAINS TO PORTERVILLE, UTAH. SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH HAD ELEVEN CHILDREN: MARY ELIZABETH, JANE, SAMUEL, ELIZA, EMMA, WILLIAM THOMAS, PRUDENCE, GEORGE HENRY, HANNAH, BENJAMIN RICHARD AND ADRIA. IN 1870, SAMUEL MOVED HIS FAMILY TO RANDOLPH, UTAH. SAMUEL WAS A BRICKMAKER AND MADE BRICKS THAT WERE USED IN CONSTRUCTING A NUMBER OF BUILDINGS IN PORTERVILLE, KAYSVILLE AND RANDOLPH--INCLUDING THE RANDOLPH LDS CHURCH. HE ALSO OPERATED A LIME KILN, FARMED AND RAISED HORSES AND CATTLE. ELIZABETH WAS BORN IN LONGTON ON 9 MAR. 1838, AND CHRISTENED ON 18 MAR. 1838 IN SEIGHFORD. ELIZABETH WAS A CARING, DEDICATED AND TALENTED WIFE AND MOTHER. SAMUEL AND ELIZABETH WERE FAITHFUL MEMBERS OF THE LDS CHURCH. SAMUEL DIED ON 29 MAY 1911. ELIZABETH DIED ON 23 NOV. 1921. THEY ARE BOTH BURIED IN RANDOLPH. THIS MEMORIAL WAS PLACED HERE IN 2012 BY THE BROUGH FAMILY ORGANIZATION (WWW.BROUGHFAMILY.ORG).

     In July 2012, this proposal was discussed and accepted by the Executive Committee of the BFO and construction of his new historical memorial was awarded the "Botts" Bountiful Memorial Art Company in Bountiful, Utah. On 17 August 2012, this historical memorial was placed in front of the original gravestone piller of Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott in Randolph, Utah, as shown in the following photos:

Historical Note: The three small footstones that appear in front of the gravestone piller of Samuel and Elizabeth Brough contain the initials "S.B."--for Samuel Brough, "E.B."--for Elizabeth (Bott) Brough, and "A.B."--for Adria Brough who was born and died on 29 September 1911 and buried on 1 October 1911. Adria Brough was the daughter of William Thomas Brough and Sophia Mary Ann Hellstrom and the granddaughter of Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott. She was apparently buried in the same gravesite as Samuel Brough--who died on 29 May 1911.

Monte J. Brough, Descendant of Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott:  One of the most well-known descendants of Samuel Brough and Elizabeth Bott was Monte James Brough (1939-2011), who was a great-grandson of Samuel and Elizabeth Brough and a General Authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). Monte was a significant contributor to computerized genealogy and family history, and a member and supporter of the Brough Family Organization.

Bott & Abbotts Family Organization

The Bott and Abbotts Family Organization (BAFO) is a Family Organization with ties to the Richard Brough Family Organization (RBFO). RBFO Genealogists currently assist the BNFO with genealogical research and historical documentation. 

In 1858, Samuel Brough (1839-1911)--the youngest son of Richard Brough and Mary Horleston (after whom the RBFO is named)--married Elizabeth Bott (1838-1921) in Edensor, Staffordshire, England. This couple eventually moved to the United States and raised a family in Randolph, Utah. Elizabeth Bott's parents were Benjamin Bott (1817-1862) and Elizabeth Abbotts (1816-1896), whose known genealogies extend back to the 1600's.

The Ancestors and Relatives of Benjamin Bott and Elizabeth Abbotts

In 2005, Nathell Hoffman of Randolph, Utah, supplied the RBFO with an old photograph (below) showing the gravestone of James Abbotts Sr. (1780-1881)--the father of Elizabeth Abbotts and grandfather of Elizabeth Bott--who was buried in 1881 in St. Chad's parish church graveyard in Seighford, Staffordshire, England.

In August 2010, James Highum sent the following email to the RBFO: "I was looking at your website and noted the photo [above] of the unidentified man standing next to the grave of James and Elizabeth Abbotts. I may be able to shed some light on this. I have the same photo in our family's collection. I believe that it is my great-great-grandfather, Thomas Abbotts. I base this on another photo I have of him, and it matches in appearance. It is possible that it is James as you suggest, since they were brothers and naturally there would be a resemblance, but mymother once told me that hte photo was of her great-grandfather Tom, and that he had sailed back to England to visit his ancestral home. He was a son of James and Elizabeth, their 5th child. He was born in 1827, emigrated to the United States in 1854, and settled in Caledonia, Minnesota, where he was one of the earliest settlers and town founders. I believe that he returend to Seighford around 1890 to 1900 and the photo was taken at that time. He died in 1912. Thomas married Mary Myatt in Staffordhsire, and emigrated with his two oldest children Mary and John, and had a total of ten children (I have record of only eight) the others born in Minnesota. (Known children: Mary, John, William, Jennie, James, Thomas, Bessie, and Lona.) His son Thomas Abbotts (1870-1957) was my great-greatfather, his grandson Thomas Harold Abbotts was my grandfather (1899-1962)."

In June 2008, James (Jim) Henry Brough and his wife, Rosemary Elisabeth Rigby, of Alsager, Staffordshire, visited St. Chad's parish church (below) in Seighford, Staffordshire.

Jim and Rosemary Brough found that the gravestone of James Abbotts Sr. (below) had, unfortunately, weathered and deteriorated over the past 127 years to the point that the text on the bottom portion of the gravestone was mostly illegible. 

However, Jim and Rosemary Brough did find (below) other gravestones in good condition--including the gravestone of James Abbotts Jr. (1819-1888), the oldest son of James Abbotts Sr., and brother to Elizabeth Abbotts.