(The following was recorded from memory by Myrtle Brooks Burnside with the help of George Lavely, and is reprinted from “Reflections II”, a collection of local stories available at the Grove City Welcome Center and Museum. Any opinions made in the article are from the authors.)
This same summer the railroad company built a station and ticket office. My father, Wells J. Brooks was the first ticket agent, selling the first tickets to Columbus. All the work of course, fell to the ticket agent, and I assisted in this work, such as receiving and sending freight, making out way bills and selling tickets.
Following the completion of my father’s house in the Summer Of 1872, the same carpenters contracted for and started the building of the Methodist Church. They were David Deffenbaugh, Wallace Peddicord and Collier Burkey. The next Improvement was a small house with one room attached for dry goods, built by Martin Suver. This was opposite the Methodist Church. A third dwelling was next built and occupied by George Ray, his wife and Mr. Ray’s niece, Lizzie. One room in the house was used as a grocery and post office. Mr. Ray was appointed postmaster. This house stood where the present Township House stands.
The Ray’s were followed by the Neer family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. William Neer and their two children, Kerry and Frank. Into the Neer family came the first child born in Galloway, Nellie Neer. There were no modern houses here until Dr. D.B. Peters built a large Brick house by the railroad. Next, I believe, came the John Felton family and their son Joe was the first male child born in Galloway.
For many years there was no school here but the pupils were forced to walk through all the mud and snow in the winter months over what they called, “Frog Pond”, on Bukey Road. Many a day, children were forced to sit in their wet clothes and muddy shoes. Then, finally, a two-room schoolhouse was built in Galloway.
Mrs. Busby-Postle was the first teacher. The first minister of the Methodist Church was Rev. Cherrington, this being one of either three or four churches held by him. Four evangelists from Columbus often held revival services, their names were Dunbar, Weaner, Webb and Rev. Rusk. Some years later the present United Brethren Church was built next to the cemetery. From then on, Galloway grew gradually and other business places came into existence.
Mrs. Smith and Mr Galloway drained the land, first by making a “V’ shaped trough. This trough was inverted and placed in a ditch. This really helped a great deal as in some places a boat could be navigated easily. Later very wide and deep ditches were dug, and there was running water in them most of the year.
The railroad changed hands and then was known as the I. B. & W. So many accidents occurred, people were afraid to ride on it, and spoke of it as the “I better walk” railroad, which indeed seemed the only safe way. The accidents were often due to the fact that the trainmen were obliged to work from 14 to 18 hours a day and many times I went to sleep while on duty. Later the railroad was sold to the BIg Four Company. Todd Galloway gave the land and the franchise to the New York Central Railroad to build a railroad with the stipulation that a passenger train would stop once a day traveling in each direction.
From 1872 to September 1922, I lived in Galloway or nearby. There might be other items of historical value, but these I have mentioned will probably be sufficient to acquaint the present generation with the beginnings and historical progress of the village of Galloway.
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