SHEBOYGAN HISTORY

William Galaway, Page 380

WILLIAM GALAWAY, of Sheboygan Falls, is one of the pioneers of Sheboygan County, the time of his arrival being in October, 1844.  Since the fall of 1845, he has been a resident of Sheboygan Falls.  Mr. Galaway is a native of Dutchess County, N. Y., where he was born February 27, 1827.  His father was George Galaway, who was born near Ogdensburgh, N. Y., the family being of Scotch ancestry.  The maiden name of the mother of the subject of this sketch was Ann Bross, and she was of remote French ancestry.  George Galaway was a farmer and cattle dealer by occupation.  He and his wife spent their lives in the State of New York.  They had thirteen children born to them, two of whom died in childhood, and eleven, seven sons and four daughters, lived to mature years.  Four of the brothers and the four sisters are living.  William is the oldest of the brothers; George resides at Waldron, N. Y.; John is also a resident of that State; James H., the youngest of the brothers, is a resident of Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; Cornelia is the wife of Henry Fowler, of Marlborough, N. Y.; Catherine became Mrs. Henry ladler, of Plains, Luzerne County, Pa.; Mary and Carrie are the youngest.  The deceased brothers who grew to mature years were Peter, Ira and Lindsey.

    Mr. Galaway continued to live in the State of New York till 1844.  In his Western journey he was accompanied by a friend named Jonathan Lobdell.  Mr. Galaway had learned the trade of a mason in his native State.  On coming West, he resumed work at his trade, and followed the business of contracting and building until 1877.  Among the more important buildings that he erected during his career as a builder are the State Normal School Buildings at White Water and Oshkosh.  For four years following the great fire in Chicago, in October, 1871, he was engaged in work in that city.  Since 1877, Mr. Galaway has been extensively engaged in the egg and produce business.  From January 1, 1892, to January 1, 1893, the firm of Galaway & Son purchased eggs, amounting to over $34,000 in value.

    Mr. Galaway was married August 1, 1850, to Miss Eveline Soper, who was born in the town of Georgia, Franklin County, Vt., December 12, 1830.  Her parents were Remember E. and Amelia (McNoll) Soper.  The former was born in Vermont, but the family came originally from Connecticut, and is of English extraction.  Her mother was born in Milton, Chittenden County, Vt., of Scotch ancestry.  When Mr. Galaway was sixteen years of age, the family, consisting of parents and six children, removed to Lake County, Ill., where they resided for many years.  The parents finally returned to Vermont and spent the last years of their lives in the State of their birth.  The father died at the age of eighty-four years, and the mother at about eighty years.  Five of their six children are living at this writing, in 1893.  One of the sons, Orange, removed to Dakota, where he died several years ago; Adeline, the eldest of the family, still lives in Lake County, Ill.; Julia resides in Vermont; Mrs. Galaway is the next in order of birth; Rachael now lives in her native State, Vermont; and Milton H., in Hamilton, Ill.  Two children died in childhood before the family removed West.

    Mr. and Mrs. Galaway are the parents of four children, namely:  Albert P.; Martha, wife of David Walsh, of Jordon, Minn.; Nellie, who became the wife of Mark Melindy, of the town of Lima, Sheboygan County; and Martin, associated with his father in business.  Mrs. Galaway came to Sheboygan Falls in the fall of 1849, her marriage with Mr. Galaway occurring August 1 of the following year.  Mr. Galaway is one of the well-known citizens of Sheboygan County, where he has resided for the long period of forty years.