BIOGRAPHY OF ROSARA OBRAY THOMAS

· 12 May 2014 

          Rosara Obray was born 6 December 1865 in Paradise, Cache, Utah Territory to Thomas Lorenzo and Ruth Nuttall Bradshaw Obray.  She was baptized 6 August 1874 at the age of 8.            Her father Thomas Obray was baptized on 25 September 1844. Her grandfather was a shipwright in England and fell 11 December 1845 on one of the stages round a vessel into one of the building slips and was killed.  Thomas became a missionary in February 1852.  He was in the presidency of the Swiss-Italian Mission in Nice and Malta.           On 22 March 1854 he traveled on the Steamship “City of Manchester” stopping in New Brunswick to pick up the Shelton Family.  From there they went to St.Louis, Missouri where he married Louisa Shelton 24 June 1854.  She contracted cholera at Fort Leavenworth,Kansas and died on her way to the Salt Lake valley just three weeks after they were married.            They traveled with the James Brown Company leaving 18 June 1854 and arriving in the valley 29 September 1854.  On 17 October 1854 he married Louisa’s sister Martha.  They had five children, three girls and two boys.  Louisa Shelton was born 8 December 1855 in Ogden, Weber, Utah Territory.            Thomas married Caroline Brenchley 2 August 1857 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory.   He was now participating in plural marriage.  They were married inthe President’s Office.  He was 36 years old and she was 27.  She was born 6 May 1830 in Borden, Kent, England to William and Caroline Weller Brenchley.            From there they moved to Maughans Fort.   Emma Jane Shelton was born to Thomas and Martha 1 November 1857 in Wellsville,Cache, Utah Territory.  They were called to move south when the threat of Johnston’s Army came.  They obeyed and traveled with so many saints to the southern part of the territory.    Thomas and Caroline had their first child Samuel Brenchley born 27 June 1858 in Spanish Fort, Utah, Utah Territory.   They came back in 1859.            Sarah Ann was born to Thomas and Caroline 27 September 1859 in Wellsville, Cache, Utah Territory.   Thomas Lorenzo Shelton was born to Thomas and Martha 21 February 1860 and John William was born to Thomas and Caroline 22 December 1860 both in Wellsville.   Robert was born 15 August 1860 to Thomas and Caroline in Ogden, Weber, Utah Territory and died 30 August 1862 and was buried in Paradise, Cache, Utah Territory.  George Shelton was born 6 December 1862 to Thomas and Martha also in Wellsville.   They moved to Paradise, Cache, Utah Territory.              Her mother Ruth Nuttall Bradshow Obray came to America with her parents Charles Heald and Ann Nuttall Bradshaw on the ship “Clara Wheeler” leaving 4 March 1851 from Liverpool.  They came up through New Orleans.  Both of their parents died out of St. Louis on their way to Council Bluffs.  Her father Charles Heald Bradshaw died on 19 July 1854 and her mother died on 20 July 1854.  Ruth and her sister Elizabeth and brother Thomas were orphaned and they came with their two uncles and their wives, Thomas and Sarah Ann Bradshaw and George and Elizabeth Bradshaw.   Thomas and Sarah raised the children after they got into the valley.           They came with the James D. Ross Company to the Salt Lake valley.  The outfitting took place at Florence,Nebraska by 17 June 1860.  There were 249 individuals with 36 wagons.  Ruth was 13 years old when they left.  On July 4th they were at Ft. Kearney and celebrated with the soldiers the nation’s birthday.  They killed deer and a bear along the way.  They made it to Fort Laramie by July 14.  By 15th August they were at Deer Creek on the Platte River. They camped at Emigration Canyon on 2 September 1860 and came into the Salt Lake valley 3 September 1860.                           Her father married Ruth Nuttall Bradshaw on 30 April 1864 at the age of 42 in the Endowment House.  She was born 14 June 1847 in Manchester, Lincolnshire, England to Charles Heald and Ann Nuttall Bradshaw.  She was just 16 years old.  Thomas and Ruth would have 14 children.  They moved to Paradise, Cache,Utah Territory, where Annie Shelton was born 3 September 1865 to Thomas and Martha.  This would be Martha’s last child.   One day later Marian B. was born 4 September 1865 to Thomas and Caroline.  She died 18 July 1866 and was buried in Paradise.   Ruth had a girl Rosara, born 6 December 1865.           Hyrum was born to Thomas and Ruth 5 April 1867 and Joseph Brenchley was born 15 April 1867 to Thomas and Caroline.   Hannah Bradshaw was born 13 May 1868 to Thomas and Ruth.  EzraThomas was born to Thomas and Caroline 26 October 1869.  Selina was born 27 April 1870 to Thomas and Ruth.  Charles Bradshaw was born 4 March 1872 to Thomas and Ruth.   Caroline had her last child Ida Brenchley on 18 May 1872.            Ruth had nine more children.  Ada Bradshaw was born 25 February 1874; Eva Bradshaw was born 1 April 1877; Caroline was born 24 March 1878.  Martha Elizabeth was born 5 May 1880.  Martha had a stroke in 1881 so Caroline moved to her home to take care of her. Ruth and her family moved to a corner log home to help on the farm.  Thomas was called 21 June 1882 to a mission to England.            After he returned from his mission they had a daughter Maude Bradshaw born 13 January 1883; David Bradshaw was born 31 January 1884; Hilda was born 22 February 1885.  Martha died 24 May 1887 at the age of 56 and was buried 27 May 1887 in Paradise, Cache, Utah Territory.   Thomas served in the Utah Penitentiary for eleven months on 24 May 1888.  He returned home and Ruth Ellenor was born 11 August 1889.  Thomas would serve a second term in the Penitentiary 24 April 1890 to 9 August 1890. Ruth had her last child 29 May 1892.            Her father Thomas had 28 children from his four marriages. He died 21 October 1899 at the age of 78 and was buried 24 October 1899 in Paradise, Cache, Utah.  Caroline died 20 November 1910 at the age of 80 and was buried 23 November 1910 in Paradise,Cache, Utah.  Thomas’s last wife, Ruth died 3 November 1916 in Churchill, Cassia, Idaho at the age of 69 and was buried 6 November 1916 in the Paradise Cemetery, Cache, Utah.            Rosara was the first child for Thomas and Ruth.  She married William Henry Thomas 3 April 1884 at the age of 18 in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah Territory.  He was born 22 April 1860 in Neyland, Pembrokeshire, South Wales to William Nash and Elizabeth Lallis Thomas. He was 23 when he married Rosara.              They had eleven children, seven girls and four boys, all born in Paradise, Cache, Utah.  Elizabeth was born 30 December 1884; William O. was born 19 April 1886; Lorenzo Obray was born 9 April 1888; Harold Obray was born 21 January 1890; Caroline Obray was born 29 February 1892; Martha Jane was born 20 March 1894; Ada Wright was born 6 April 1896; Louise Thomas was born 1 April 1898; a baby boy was born 1900 and died 3 May 1900;  Evelyn was born 1 July 1902; and Rose LaRue was born 16 May 1905.            William Henry died 25 January 1915 at the age of 54 and was buried 29 January 1915 in the Paradise Cemetery, Cache, Utah.  Rosara died 6 December 1946 at the age of 81 and was buried 8 December 1946 in the Paradise Cemetery, Cache, Utah.