Jerry and Linda Butler

Gaston Lafayette Braley (1858-1934) and Josephine Olofson Mayberry Braley (1865-1952)

Born in Ashland, Wayne, Tennessee on 14 Jul 1858
Married Josephine Olofson Mayberry in Logan, Utah on 6 Jan 1886
Died in Oakland, Alameda, California on 11 April 1934
Buried in the Sunset View Cemetery, Berkeley, Alameda / Contra Costa, California on 14 April 1934

Biography

LEAVES from ************************ LIFE'S JOURNAL

Some incidents in the life of

GASTON LAFAYETTE BRALEY

Born July 14, 1858 Died 11 April 1934
Tennessee California

A highly prized poem, carried for many years by G.L.B.

PRAYER of a SPORTSMAN

Dear Lord, in the battle that goes on through life
I ask but a field that is fair,
A chance that is equal with all the strife,
A courage to strive and to dare;
And if I should win, let it be by the code
With my faith and my honor held high;
And if I should lose, let me stand by the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

And Lord, may my shouts be ungrudging and clear,
A tribute that comes from the heart,
And let me not cherish a snarl or a sneer
or play any sniveling part;
Let me say, "There they ride, on whom laurel's bestowed
Since they played the game better than I."
Let me stand with a smile, by the side of the road,
And cheer as the winners go by.

So grant me to conquer, if conquer I can,
By proving my worth in the fray,
But teach me to lose like a regular man,
And not like a craven, I pray;
Let me take off my hat to the warriors that strode
To victory splendid and high,
Just teach me to stand by the side of the road
And cheer as the winners go by.

(By Berton Braley)
1925
-1-
LEAVES FROM LIFE'S JOURNAL
The greater part of the contents of the following pages
was dictated by Gaston LaFayette Braley (Braly);
"With the hope that this may be of interest to my
children, grandchildren and other relatives and friends.
"Therefore I dedicate this effort to them."
Summer of 1933
At home - 1514 Allston Way
Berkeley, Calif.
Copied by Josephine Mayberry Braley
Recopied by Rosanna Combs Andersen
Recopied by Margie Baker Combs
Conversion to ASCII text by L Daniel Baker
Very little interest was manifested, in the South, during my
childhood days, in keeping records, or family history; therefore I am
depending on memory for the most part, for these early reminiscences,
and later episodes of my life, which I will endeavor, to the best of
my ability, to portray truthfully.
My immediate family are more or less conversant with many of the
important events which I have related to them at various times; never-
theless, I will proceed to give a somewhat detailed account of events
as they occur to me.
I was born on July 14, 1858, in Ashland, Wayne Co., Tenn. in a log
house of four rooms, in the backwoods of the state, and surrounded by
very primitive, unsettled conditions.
I grew up without the companionship of my father, as he died when
I was but little more than three years of age. My knowledge of him is
very limited. I remember seeing him but twice; the first time was when
he saved my life by rescuing me from the jaws of a vicious hog, by
killing him with a hammer. The second time, he lay in his casket --dead.

A Short History of my Father
JOHN STEELE BRALEY
He was born on Feb. 14, 1813 in Orange Co., N.C.
Was educated in the University of North Carolina
Was a Civil Engineer and Surveyor
Married Nancy Melvina Stowe, Nov. 11, 1846, and moved west to Tennessee.
-2-

He was an athlete - 6 ft. 4 in. tall, weight about 240 lbs., had black
hair and black eyes. He built the first house, in what is now Linden,
Perry Co., Tenn. which later became the County seat. The family lived
there for many years. Surveying Counties was his special work, and in
many instances, he was paid in land... thereby acquiring several hundred
acres of forest land; which after the war, and after his death, my
mother was unable to hold title to, thereby loosing all but one small
farm. He died in Sept. 1861, of pneumonia caused by exposure while
surveying. Perhaps at this time it might be of interest to describe
the method used at that time, for marking the boundary lines, through
the forest, and I will do so by relating an event that to me was intensely
interesting; an old friend of my father's and I were walking along the
road, in a part of the country that I didn't know that my father had ever
seen, when the friend - Mr. Dabbs said, "Come here, and I will show you
some of your father's work." He pointed up on a tree to some marks about
eight feet from the ground which had been made with a small ax, saying;
"Your father did that while surveying my father's land." We followed along
the line which he had surveyed and the trees on either side were marked
like the one above mentioned. After a while we came to a corner, and he
showed me how all the surrounding trees were marked on the side next to
the corner. Mr. Dabbs said that my father remarked that "those notches
would remain as long as the tree existed." They were shallow marks made
in the outer bark. (If I were there today I could go to the exact spot.)
He was buried close by a large tree, near the town of Hohenwald, Tenn.

A SHORT STORY OF MY MOTHER
NANCY MELVINA STOWE BRALY
She was born on Feb. 28, 1824, in Lincoln Co., N.C.
Stood about 5 ft. 7 in., weight about 140 lb., brown eyes and hair.
Married John Steele Braly Nov. 11, 1846. Moved west to Wayne Co., Tenn.
Was very attractive. Had a common school education, besides being highly
trained in all the ways of converting raw material - such as wool, cotton
flax and silk - into clothing. Was an expert weaver on the hand loom,
making cloth of different kinds and beautiful designs in counterpanes,
(Bedspreads etc.) gathering bark and leaves with different kinds of flowers
from most kinds of trees and plants to make combinations of colors for
dying cloth. She was self reliant, industrious, honest and strict.
She wouldn't allow even a semblance of wrong to be committed by any
member of her family without applying the old method of punishment...
the switch. She was a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church and
wanted me to become a minister, but I didn't see it that way, so we
disagreed.
-3-

She was the mother of six children... three boys and three girls whose
names follow:

1. Stanhope Hugh; born Sept. 9, 1847. He was conscripted into the
   Southern Army at the age of 15; and was killed about Dec. 12, 1863, at
   Parker's Cross Roads (Under Captain Harder).
2. Louisa Jane; Born Aug. 1, 1859, Linden Co., Tenn. Married
   George Jackson, born about 1845. Children: Solon, Susan Elenor, Joseph
   Acum, Lee, Anna Belle, Jarrett Edward, and Bff. She died about 1901.
   He died Jan. 1912.
3. Octavia Elenor: Born Dec. 1, 1851, Linden Co., Tenn. Married
   John W. Braley, second cousin.. Children: Emma, John and Bulah. (He
   died in Tenn. 1883). Moved to Franklin, Idaho, 1883. Married Mark
   Preece June 1885, Cove, Utah. Children: Freeman, Ella, George.
   Octavia died 1901. Preece about 1912.
4. Byron Emmerilla ?: Born Dec. 25, 1855. Married Thomas Jeter
   Oct. 9, 1870 who was born May 18, 1839. Children: Lena Vance, Panic,
   Leona, Thomas Island, Donald Carl, Jessie Lee, Hattei Erma, Byron E.
   Died Dec. 31, 1839. Jeter D. Oct. 5. 1902.
5. Gaston LaFayette: Born July 14, 1858, Ashland, Wayne Co., Tenn.
   Arrived in Franklin, Idaho Nov. 22, 1883. Married Josephine Olofsen
   Mayberry Jan. 6, 1886. Parents of ten children: Myrtle M., LaFayette.,
   Blanche M., Rena M., Glenn M., Wayne M., Leda M., Erva M. born in
   Franklin, Idaho. Vance M. and Doris Linda born in Blackfoot, Idaho.
   Moved to Berkeley, Calif. on Dec. 24, 1924; and Gaston LaFayette Braley
   died 11 April 1934 and was buried in the Sunset Cemetery.
6. William Thomas(Mack) was born Nov. 14, 1861 about 3 months after
   the death of my father. Married Francis Seabolt. Children: Elmer and
   Arthur. Mack died Feb. 11, 1886, Tenn.

• source: http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~slaekttraed/AncGen2-3-4/Braley/F/GastonLafayetteBraley.html