Galey - Samuel Smith
SAMUEL SMITH GALEY
Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain County,
Indina, 1893 Chapman Brothers. p. 216
Samuel Smith Galey. But few of the residents of Montgomery County
had lived within its borders for so long a period of time as did Mr. Galey,
who was a son of one of its early pioneers, and might himself have laid
claim to that title, as he entered land from the government in Union Twp.
more than 60 years ago, when this part of the country was an almost unbroken
wilderness, the home of the Indians, and where deer, panthers and other wild
beasts had their lair. That tract of forest-covered land still comprises a
part of his late farm on section 24, cleared and improved by the hard and
unremitting toil known only to the original settlers of the frontier.
Mr. Galey was born August 26, 1809 in Jessamine county, Kentucky and lived there
until he was 3 months old, when the family moved to Shelby County in that
state. His father and grandfather both bore the name of Samuel Galey. The
latter was of Irish birth and came to this country when a boy, living first
in Pa, whence he removed to NC during the Revolution and served with Sumner
in the Continental Army. He married MIss Sallie Moore, a daughter of James
Moore, a Pennsylvania farmer. Samuel Galey, Jr. lived in NC until after the
Revolution and then settled in Ky, on the Ky. River near Frankfort, where he
engaged in farming. He was married in jessamine County, that state to Miss
Nancy, daughter of William Scott, a prominent pioneer farmer of Kentucky.
After their marriage the Galeys settled in the home on the banks of the Ky.
River which was the birthplace of our subject. Soon after he was born they
went to Shelby Co. to live and Samuel continued to till the soil in that
region until he came to Indiana in 1829. In that year he brought his family
to this county, and took up 80 acres of land in union Twp, and made it his
home until he retired from active business to Crawfordsville. He was much
prospered as a farmer, and when he died he left each of his childre 80 acres
of land as their share of the property he had accumulated by his untiring
industry. He was a stnach member of the Presbyterian Church and was a
sturdy Whig in his political faith. He wassed away February 16, 1876, and
was buried in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery, Crawfordsville by the side of his
wife, who died Feb. 16, 1862. Of the children born to them all are dead.
Samuel Galey was 20 years old when he accompanied his parenst to this State.
He entered 80 acres of land just where his widow lives, bought a tract of
160 acres next to it and purchased a good deal of other realty besides. He
had a large and well-conducted farm of 373 acres of rich land, which he
admirably tilled and the place was supplied with substantial improvements
and well kept up.
Mr. Galey had always been a general farmer and his farm
was stocked with a good class of cattle, horses, etc. He had been an
important factor in developing the agricultural resources of the township
and county and the people among whom he lived so many years honored him not
only as an old settler, but as a thoroughly good citizen, as an upright man,
and as a good neighbor in every sense of the term. In his social relations
he was long identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
Politically, he was a Whit ine arly manhood and voted for Henry Clay, and
after the formation of the Republic Party he entered its ranks. Before
coming to Indiana our subject was married to Miss Eliza VanNice, a duaghter
of John Van Nice, who was a prominent farmer of Ky, Mrs. Galey died in 1862,
leaving behind her a worthy record as wife, mother and friend. Mr. Galey
was married a second time in 1872, taking Miss Emeline Wilhite as his wife,
and she ever devoted herself faithfully to his interests. Her father was
William Wilhite, a former father was William Wilhite, a former resident of
Union Township, and one of the original settlers of the county, coming here
at a very early day.
Mr. Galey had 10 children by his first marriage, all of whom grew to maturity and 7 are still living. Those that died were Mary
Ann, who was the wife of Wesley VanArsdall; and Nancy who married F. Graham
who died in Newton County. The surviving children are John V, a resident of
Crawfordsville; SUsan (deceased), who was the wife of Martin Simpson; Sarah
Eliza, who lives with her father; Martha Jane, wife of Greenberry McCrea of
Kenton; William scott a resident of this county; Malvina, w/o Ben Easley, a
farmer in Brown Township; Samuel Smith, who resides in Union Twp, and James
who is also a resident of this township. SS Galey died Feb 15, 1893 at the
age of 83 years.