CFH First Draft: Margaret Jane Ferguson Gallaher

 This post is part of an ongoing series, sharing the first draft of my Revised Callin Family History. 

Margaret Jane Ferguson is the 46th person in a descendant report beginning with the earliest known ancestor of our Callin family, (1.) James Callin. This descendant report uses the Register Style of the New England Historic and Genealogical Society. 

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Fourth Generation

46. Margaret Jane Ferguson (Eliza Callin-3, John-2, James "1st"-1) was born on 31 Jan 1840 in Richland County, Ohio, and moved with her family when she was 9 years old to  Jackson, De Kalb County, Indiana.

Margaret and Jerome B Gallaher were married on 29 Aug 1858 in De Kalb, Indiana. Jerome B Gallaher was born in Aug 1833 in Connecticut and struck out on his own as a young man.  He farmed in Litchfield, Medina, Ohio in 1850. Jerome enlisted in the 129th Regiment, Indiana Infantry on 15 Feb 1864 from Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana. He received a field promotion to 2nd Lt on 7 Feb 1865, and mustered out as a 1st Sgt on 29 Aug 1865.

After the war the family lived in Albion, Jackson County, Wisconsin, relocating to Chippewa Falls, Chippewa County, by 1880 and to Eau Claire, Chippewa, Wisconsin by 1887. Jerome worked as a photographer, at times the only photographer working in the county. They lived in Iron River, Bayfield County, in 1900.

Margaret died on 6 May 1901 at the age of 61 in Bayfield, Bayfield County, Wisconsin.  Jerome appeared in Hughes, Bayfield County, in 1910. He died on 20 Jan 1912 at the age of 78 and was buried in the Iron River City Cemetery in Bayfield County, Wisconsin.

Jerome’s obituary, clipped and handed down by family without a source citation, appeared in the 20 Jan 1912 newspapers in Hughes, Wisconsin:

“Jerome B. Gallaher was born August 23rd, 1833, in Litchfield, Connecticut. He was one of eight children and moved westward when a young man settling at various points in Ohio and Indiana, until the beginning of the Civil War, when he enrolled as a soldier in the 2nd Indiana regiment, in which he served until August 25th, 1865, when he was mustered out. At the time of mustering out he had attained the position of Quartermaster of his regiment.

“He was married August 15, 1858, in DeKalb county, Indiana, to Margaret J. Ferguson. Two children were born unto them--Mollie M., now Mrs. Ickstadt, of Boyd, Wis., and Helen J., now Mrs. Gregg, of Chippewa Falls. Mrs. Gallaher preceded her husband to the grave by ten years last May.

“After the close of the Civil War Mr. and Mrs. Gallaher moved to Black River Falls, Wis., where Mr. Gallaher engaged in his old business of photography. Later he moved to Neillsville, and in 1872 went to Chippewa Falls, where he re-engaged in his line of business. He resided with his family in Chippewa until the early 90's, when he moved to this city, settling upon a homestead.

“He was a member of the Odd Fellows, and the local lodge had charge of the obsequies.”

Jerome B Gallaher and Margaret Jane Ferguson had two children:

162 i. Mary A "Mollie" Gallaher, born Apr 1860, Indiana; married William John Ickstadt, 16 Sep 1883, Chippewa County, Wisconsin; died 16 Oct 1913, Edson, Chippewa County, Wisconsin.

163 ii. Helen J Gallaher, born Mar 1862, Indiana; married Amasa O Nichols, 16 Nov 1879, Chippewa, Wisconsin; married Wesley John Gregg, 21 Dec 1885, Chippewa, Wisconsin; died 1948.