Newspaper Article
Galloway Family Reunion
28 September 1905- Howell County Gazette
BIG FAMILY REUNION
Descendants of Mrs. Rhoda Galloway Celebrate....
Had a Large Picnic Dinner Saturday At Home of J.R. Galloway In This City
The Galloway family, one of the oldest and largest families of Southern Missouri, held a reunion at the home of J.R. Galloway on West Broadway, in this city, Saturday. There were over 100 of the relatives present of Mrs. Rhoda Galloway, the oldest member of this family. This reunion was held to celebrate the 83rd. birthday of Mrs. Galloway. Early in the day relatives of this good old lady began gathering, for they came from all parts of the country. By the time the noon hour had arrived the house and yard were full of the young and older generation. Each family came with well filled baskets and a big dinner was spread on the lawn in the beautiful yard and the celebration in fact was an old fashioned picnic dinner. There was everything good to eat and all did ample justice to the repast. Just before the feast began a group picture of the gathering was taken.
Mrs. Rhoda Galloway, in who=92s honor the celebration was held, came to Howell County with her late husband, G.W. Galloway, in 1857. They came overland from East Tennessee, for in those days there were no railroads in this section. They located on a farm one mile northwest of town, where the elder Mr. Galloway passed away several years ago.
G.W. Galloway was widely known throughout this section as a minister of the Primitive Baptist church.When the Civil War broke out he enlisted under General McBride and was made a captain. He fought in the battle of Wilson's Creek and two of his sons, Dan and Charles, were in the same battle. His brother, Uncle Jesse Galloway, was also in the same conflict, but fought in the Union army. Shortly afterwards G.W. Galloway was taken a prisoner and with others sent to St. Louis. He was treated as an ordinary prisoner of war, but the other prisoners soon learned that he was a man of great heart. Every Sabbath he preached the gospel to them and they soon learned to love him. Daily the women of St. Louis brought food to the prisoners, and Mr. Galloway often divided his share with a sick prisoner who was in more need of delicacies than he himself. The following year he was exchanged and finally returned to his family to live the remainder of his days in peace.
Among the older persons present were Uncle Sam Galloway, who resides on Gunter's Valley and is in his 80th. year, and Mrs. M.E. Lasater, of this city. Both are among the early settlers of Howell county, and have a long list of descendants. This is the first time for many years that the Galloway's have been together. All of the eight sons and daughters of Mrs. Rhoda Galloway were present and it was a source of much happiness to her to see them together once more. Mrs. Galloway is still hale and hearty and makes her home in this city with her daughter, Miss Lizzie Galloway, who cares for her. The many friends of this estimable family hope that she shall remain on earth for many more years and live to enjoy other birthday celebrations equally as happy as the one of last Saturday.