Clarence Lorenzo Branch

submitted by: Harper Hooper


I'm going to write about my great great great Grandpa Clarence Lorenzo Branch. He was born on April 28, 1900. Grandpa Branch was born in Mt. Olive, North Carolina. As a young man he had lots of odd jobs to do to help with money for the family. At the young age of 17 he joined the navy. Grandpa stayed in the navy for a few years. When he got out, he headed west. Grandpa Branch ended up settling in what the town of Glenwood, Utah. Glenwood was about 7 miles from Richfield in the Sevier Valley. As a young man, Grandpa herded sheep around the area. Sometimes it was on Fishlake mountain, sometimes it was on what is called the Parker mountain. Grandpa had a favorite mountain he liked better than all, it was on the west side of Richfield, called the west mountain.
It was on this mountain that stories were told about the family that as he herded sheep, they would keep a few fresh horses around camp. As evening came and it was time to cook supper, grandpa would always make more than he needed. On many occasions as he was cleaning up or just as he was getting to bed, he would have visitors to camp. He was never afraid of the people, and came to become very good friends with Butch Cassidy. Butch would stop by camp, have supper and change horses for fresh ones. There were times he would sleep for a while and then leave. Sometimes during the night, Butch would tell stories of his escapades, and tell Grandpa he was either on the run headed to Holes in the Rock, or was just coming from there. As we were always told, they became very good friends.