March 22, 1877, marks the birth of Will Broad.  He was the fourth son born to the Rev. Thomas and Grace Broad of Devenshire, England.  His place of birth was Quebec, Canada.  Shortly after Will's birth, the family moved to Mason, Texas, then to Brownwood in 1891.  Broad married on April 21, 1898, 18 year old Thursa Belle Brown, the daughter of Sidney and Thursa Dollie Brown of Brownwood, originally from Hot Springs, Arkansas.

     In 1900, Will Broad and his brother,Ed, came to Coleman to open a Hardware Store and Saddle Shop at 204
Commercial Avenue.  After the birth of their daughter (Gussie Irene) Belle joined Will in Coleman, in the year
1901.  The move of his brother, Ed, to Brady in 1905, marks the move of his store to a larger location at 217 Commercial Avenue. Again in 1911, he moved his store to West Street and also opened a Hardware Store in Santa Anna.  In 1918, he closed his store and purchased several ranches. (See Benjamin Floyd Cox).  In 1921, he was shipping a train load of cattle by rail to New Mexico when the train derailed and fell into the river.  The cattle drowned.  Another train load of cattle shipped to Raton Pass froze to death.  After the depression, Will was again interested in buying more ranch land and passed away while purchasing additional land, at the age of 59, October 15, 1936.  Two of the ranches still remain in the family.

     The talents and hobbies of both Belle and Will were in music and art.  Will enjoyed playing the mandolin and Belle enjoyed music, but her talents were best captured on canvas with oils.

     Twenty-six years after the death of her husband, Belle passed away on August 28, 1962.