Galloway, Pioneer of this town
Family, Descendants seen as early factors in local up-building
(date published unknown)
Following is an account of the family and descendants of James Galloway, early Marion settler, as contained in a paper read before the Marion Historical Society.
James Galloway Family
The name Galloway is prominent in the town at an early date. James Galloway, the pioneer came with his wife and six small children in 1815. Three more children were born in Marion.
He purchased a large tract of land on the west side of what is now South Main Street, extending from the north line of Thomas Young's farm to the farm now known as the Robinson Farm, on North Main Street. The settlement was at one time known as 'Galloway's Corners,' according to information given me by the late Mrs. Oscena Newton Burrud.
James Galloway lived in the house on S. Main St. built on the site of the log cabin of Henry Lovell. The house, still standing, is the oldest house on that side of the street. Mrs. Burrud also said the Jeffrey house was the first house built on the south side of Main St.
Pioneer Died at Early Age
When the Christian church was formed in 1820 the names of A.D. Galloway and Phoebe Galloway were among the 41 members who formed the church. A visit to our village cemetery yielded the following information. James Galloway died in 1824 at the age of 41, and must have been born in 1783. As he came to the settlement in 1815, was only a resident for nine years. The closing lines of a rather long epitaph on his headstone are 'Justly few shall ever him transcend as husband, parent, brother, neighbor, friend.'
Beside him lies his wife, Emilia, who died Jan. 3, 1817 in her 62nd year. Only two of their nine children lived their lives in Marion. One son, Rev. Edward M. Galloway, whose home was in the handsome old Colonial house, later known as the Robinson Farm on North Main Street, and now owned by Comstock Canneries, was pastor of Marion Christian church from 1839 to 1844. He was one of the first trustees of Marion Collegiate Institute. He was born Sept. 12, 1803, and died March 18, 1878. He was twice married. His first wife was Deborah, daughter of R.B. and S.A. Sutton. She died in 1852. His second wife, Catherine W. Stolp, was the widow of David Crane, and died May 20, 1889.
Descendants Listed
A daughter, Julia, became the wife of Milo Yeomans, and her daughters, Mrs. Emilia Yeomans Chapman, Palmyra, and Mrs. Fannie Yeomans Burbank are both well known to Marion people. Mary Galloway married James Holling and their son, W.J. Holling, was postmaster and following his death his widow married Charles M. Hodges, also a well known Marion postmaster.
A daughter of James Galloway, named Maria, married Dr. B.H. Lawson, but before their children were grown they moved to Michigan, where the rest of James Galloway's children had gone earlier as pioneers in that state, where there are many descendants living now. Mary Galloway Holling married a man named Schoonmaker as her second husband.
On the family lot in Marion cemetery are also headstones inscribed 'Sarah Galloway died in 1831, in her 25th year.' 'Mary, wife of Archibald Cole, mother of James and Samuel Galloway, died Dec. 5, 1843, aged 81.' 'Elder Samual Galloway died July 16, 1821 in the 37th year of his life.' It is to be regretted that none of the descendants of this pioneer now live in Marion.
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