Thomas Braby ~ Mayor of the Month March 2011

1920-21. Mayor, Thomas Braby; Recorder, N. O. Clemenson; Treasurer, Pauline M. Petersen; Councilors, H. C. Jacobs, four years; Bent R. Hansen, O. M. Aldrich, John Gunderson, Wm. L. Madsen.

Thomas Braby was born in Sussex England, January 10, 1884, a son of Edward and Ann Braby.  The family consisting of the parents and 10 children came to Utah in 1875, after joining the L.D.S. Church in England.

In September 1879, Mr. Braby came to Mt. Pleasant and was employed by L.J. Jordan and John H. Seely, prominent wool growers for 11 years, after which he engaged in business for himself.

He married Eliza Keddington of Salt Lake City on September 21, 1887, and they were the parents of seven children.  Mrs. Braby died February 22, 1927 and on June 18, 1931 Mr. Braby married Annie C. Jensen of Mt. Pleasant.

During his youth when Mr. Braby worked as a sheepherder, he acquired his education with "Gaskell's Compendium of Forms", which was practically his sole teacher.

In 1894, Caleb West, Utah's last territorial governor, commissioned Mr. Braby as Captain of Company C (later Company D); Utah National Guard, which rank he held for 14 years.  During our trouble with Mexico, preceding the World War, Mr. Braby was made Major of Ordinance, and was stationed at Fort Douglas on the staff of General W.G. Williams.  He was a member of the Utah State Shooting Team which competed at Camp Perry, Ohio in 1910-1911.

He was assistant postmaster for three terms, prior to serving 16 years as Postmaster from 1899 to 1915; and later served two terms as Mayor of Mt. Pleasant.  Previously, he had been on the city council committee of three which supervised construction of the municipal water system.  He also served four years as city marshal.

He was active in the L.D.S. Church, as president and later as secretary of the North Ward Elders Quorum.  He was also active in fraternal organizations.  He also served many years as secretary-treasurer of the Pleasant Creek Irrigation Company.

Anna and Thomas Braby in 1941

Anna Jensen Braby

His children were Ann B. Syndergaard and Ada B. Kofoed who lived in Salt Lake City; Edward Braby of Columbia; Orson Braby of California and Mt. Pleasant, and Nellie B. Coates of Mt. Pleasant.  One son, Ralph R. Braby was one of 11 members of the 145th Field Artillery who were drowned at San Diego, California in May of 1918, when a rip tide engulfed them while bathing.  His other two sons were both veterans of World War I.