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Clara Estella McClellan (1889-1976)
(Mrs. Samuel Silas Bradshaw)

Clara Estella was born Jan. 30, 1889 in Colonia Juarez, Mexico, the first child of David Alvin and Esther Turley McCLellan.  Stella had a typical grammar school education and a small town early childhood and was a student at Juarez Academy for two years.  She married Samuel Silas Bradshaw Oct. 9, 1906 and was sealed in Salt Lake Temple Oct. 10, 1907.  Elzina Ruth was born June 29, 1907 at Fort Apache, Ariz. where the Bradshaw family was operating the laundry for the Army Post.  After 15 months the family returned to Colonia Juarez so they could have a farm and where Leonard was born Dec. 14, 1908.  The next move was to San Jose, Mexico, where Horace Isaac was born Oct. 26, 1910 and died of pneumonia Dec. 12.  Ira McDay was born June 16, 1912 in Colonia Morelos. The Revolution forced the Saints to leave Mexico and the family went to Douglas Ariz. and lived in ‘Tent City.’  Clara was born in Douglas Nov. 6, 1913 and the family moved to Tucson and to different ranches.  There was some serious illness and other trials and the family then moved to Virgin, Utah. Tony Bernard was born there Febr. 1, 1916 and in October, Sam was sustained Bishop of the Virgin Ward.  Silas arrived June 29, 1917 but his and other illnesses forced a move to Huntington Beach, Calif.

The family arrived in Mesa, Ariz. in 1918 and lived in various places in Phoenix, Chandler and Mesa.  Little Silas was taken Jan. 26, 1918.  Cecile was born Jan. 13, 1920 at the ranch on Baseline Road where the Japanese now grow the beautiful flowers.  This ranch was taken from the family by fraud and the family then moved to the McClellan ranch in Chandler where Niles was born in a tent house July 31, 1921.  A fruitless trip and wasted effort to St. Johns took three months and upon our return to Mesa Sam began work helping to build the Arizona Temple.  He helped in almost every phase of the temple construction, from foundation until the last stone column was placed.  Orley joined the family Oct. 6, 1923 and Rodney March 15, 1925 in Mesa.  Selling cookware occupied several years of Sam’s life and a short trip to Ogden, Utah ended when the crash of 1929 brought disaster to the family finances.  Edward Neldon was born Aug. 24, 1928 and Anita Joy Aug. 26, 1931.  The family moved to 239 East First Street, Mesa, and lived there 36 years until the property was sold to Berge Ford.

Stella was a hard-working pioneer mother of the church-raising Her family without any of the modern conveniences which are commonplace today.  She lost her hearing a few years after her marriage and when the family was able she finally obtained a used hearing-aid.  Sam worked hard to provide for the family. A bad back and paralysis in his later years kept him more or less disabled.  He passed away July 12, 1968 in his 84th year.  Stella gradually wore down from a heart and lung condition and joined her departed family members on May 21, 1976 in Mesa, Ariz.  Her living descendants numbered 9 children (of 13), 65 grandchildren and 137 great-grandchildren. All of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren that were born alive are still living.

[She died May 21, 1976.]

 

Children of Stella McClellan and Sam Bradshaw:

Elzina Ruth Bradshaw Ellsworth

Samuel Leonard Bradshaw

Horace Isaac Bradshaw

Ira McDay Bradshaw