Ohio History Journal

JAMES GALLOWAY, SR.

In the January issue of the QUARTERLY in the con-

tribution entitled, "Revolutionary War Soldiers Buried

in Clark County, Ohio," there is on pages 95-96, a sketch

of James Galloway, Sr., which contains a number of

errors. These are due evidently for the most part to

errors in previous sketches in county histories and to a

confusion of the name of James Galloway, Sr., with

other Galloways by the name of James. The following

sketch is by Dr. W. A. Galloway, of Xenia, and is

authentic in every particular:

James Galloway, Sr., was born in Cumberland County, Penn-

sylvania, May Ist, 1750, and resided there until the War of the

American Revolution. The monument marking his grave gives

1775 as the date of his removal from Pennsylvania to Kentucky,

where he settled on lands adjacent to Stony Creek in the present

bounds of Fayette County.

The military record in the War of the Revolution shows

three enlistments: 1776, 1777 and 1779, all of which were

served under Pennsylvania officers.  For these services he sub-

sequently drew a United States pension.

He was married in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, to

Rebekah Junkin on October 29, 1779.   Seven children of this

union survived, one of whom was given the name of James. The

suffixes "Sr." and "Jr.," designating them, became necessary be-

cause of their later extensive public relations. James Galloway,

Sr., was Treasurer of Greene County, Ohio, from the date of its

organization, 1803 to 1819. His son, James Galloway, Jr., was

Deputy Surveyor, by appointment, for Virginia Military Lands

which lay between the Scioto and Little Miami Rivers.

James Galloway, Sr., participated in many Kentucky Indian

skirmishes, the most notable of which was the disastrous battle

of Big Blue Licks, August 19, 1782. In October following, he

joined General George Rogers Clark's punitive expedition against

the Shawnees at Old Chillicothe.  Considerable "Indian prop-

(613)

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614       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

 

erty" was destroyed, but no lives on either side were lost during

this expedition.  He and his friends first saw the fine lands of

the Miami valley in 1782, and determined to, settle there perma-

nently when safe to do so. After the Treaty of Greenville, 1795,

these lands became available for safe settlement.

James Galloway, Sr., and the other first settlers near Old

Chillicothe were Scotch Associate Presbyterians (Seceders) who

were not in harmony with Kentucky policy of human slavery.

For this reason, he, with his family, moved from Kentucky in

1797, and established the permanent family home five miles north

of Xenia, Ohio, on the present Springfield and Xenia road. This

location was a short distance north of Old Chillicothe, the prin-

cipal Shawonoese (Shawnee) Indian village on the Little Miami

River.  From 1797 to the date of his death, he resided at this

place. He and his wife are buried in the Massie's Creek Scotch

Associate graveyard, usually called the Stevenson cemetery, four

and one half miles northeast of Xenia, Ohio. On the memorial

tablet is the following inscription:

In memory of James Galloway, born in Pennsylvania, May

Ist, 1750, died near Xenia, Ohio, August 6th, 1838, aged 88

years, 8 months, 5 days. He was a pioneer in Kentucky in 1775,

a soldier of the Revolution in 1776, an honest man and a pious

Christian.

Upon an adjoining stone tablet is the simple inscription,

part of which time has effaced:

Rebekah Galloway

Born Oct. 2nd, 1759. Died August 31st, 1812,

Aged 52 years and -- months.

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