Rev. Thomas Galt - Tribute of Respect

©  Kathy Duncan, 2019

Several years ago I located the obituary of Sarah (Happer) Galt, wife of Rev. Thomas Galt of Sangamon County, Illinois. Strangely, a death notice for Thomas Galt was not located. Since he was much better known than her, it was odd that nothing turned up for him. Today, I located his. It seems likely that the paper containing his obituary had not been digitalized at the time.

What I have located, though, is a tribute written by his church and published in the Daily Illinois State Journal of Springfield, Illinois on 24 September 1857 - just a little over a week after he died on 12 September 1857:

This tribute reads as follows:

Tribute of Respect

At a meeting of the Congregation of the Center Presbyterian Church of Sangamon county, Illinois, held Sept. 20th, 1857, the following testimonial of respect to the memory of the Rev. Thomas Galt, deceased, was unanimously adopted and ordered to be placed on the records of our Church:

Whereas; It has pleased God in his wise Providence to remove by death from us, the Rev. Thomas Galt, while in the prime of life and in the midst of his usefulness from his labors on earth to his rest in heaven, thereby depriving us for ever of his labors of love among us, and of his bright and shining example. In it we would recognize the hand of our Father, and humbly submit to the will of God, and bear testimony that, as a friend, he was sincere and generous; as a minister of Jesus Christ, he was able, efficient and persevering in the midst of discouragements; as a pastor, he was faithful and devoted; and it is with the most profound sorrow that we bear testimony that we believe the Church of Christ, and especially this church, has me with a loss not easily repaired. Therefore,

Resolved, That while we feel it to be our duty, in this bereavement, to bow humbly to the will of God, we also feel it to be our duty to expresss our sense of the great loss we have sustained, and of our high estimate of his ministerial labors among us, and of our sincere attachment to him as a friend and pastor.

Resolved, That we most affectionately tender to his bereaved family our most sincere condolence, and our united prayers for grace to sustain them in this afflictive dispense of God's Providence.

Resolved, That a copy of these resolutions be transmitted to the family of the deceased. By order of this Session. 

AARON VAN PATAN, Clerk

Samuel H. Jimison, Chairman

James Junius Galt Family Tree

This is the family tree for James Junius Galt, husband of Mary Ann Brown:

Click on Image to Enlarge

James Junius Galt and Mary Ann Brown

© Kathy Duncan, 2016

James Junius Galt, son of Thomas and Sarah (Happer) Galt, was born 28 Sep 1835 in Sangamon Co., IL.  In Oct 1857 he married Mary Ann Brown, daughter of Resin D. and Rachel (Earnest) Brown. She was born 7 May 1838 and died 4 Sep 1911. She is buried in Appleton City Cemetery, Appleton City, St. Clair Co., Missouri. James Junius Galt died on 3 Nov 1923 in Appleton City Cemetery, Appleton City, St. Clair Co., Missouri.

Children of James Junius and Mary Ann (Brown) Galt:

1. Sarah Rachel Galt b. 30 Jul 1856 in Farmingdale, Sangamon Co., IL.

2. Thomas Resin Galt b. 7 Feb 1860 in Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL.

3. Mary Isabella Galt b. IL

4. Susanna Brown Galt b. IL

5. Minnie Margaret Galt b. IL
6. Charlotte Adele Galt b. Neb

7. Clara Ann Galt b. Neb

8. James Martin Galt

9. Jeanette Happer Galt b. Neb

10. Georgia Galt b. MO

Children of James Junius Galt from a compiled genealogy by Thomas Alexander Galt:

Seventh Generation

Children of James Junius Galt

Sarah Rachel Galt, married Henry Deweese. Present address Appleton City, Mo.

Thomas Reason Galt, married Florence Brown. Present address Wichita Falls, Tex.

Mary Isabelle Galt, married William W. Ingels. Present address Appleton City, Mo.

Louie Brown Galt. Present address Appleton City, Mo.

Minnie Margaret Galt, married Charles Eckles. Present address Nakawa, Siam.

Charlotte Galt. (Dead.)

Clara Galt. (Dead.)

James Martin Galt, married Carrie McMurtry. Present address Shawneetown, Ill.

Georgia Galt, married Mr. Heath. Present address Montrose, Cal.

[Source: Genealogy of That Portion of the Galt Family Descended from James Galt of the Fourth Generation in America, 1710 - 1910 by Thomas A. Galt]

Census Records for James Junius and Mary Ann (Brown) Galt:

1 June 1870, Plamyra Prec., Otoe Co., Nebraska, P.O.: Nebraska City, p. 489:

189-189          

Galt, Jas 33 M W Farmer $8,000 - 2,500 b. IL

--- M.A. 32 F  W K. House b. IL

--- S. R. 11 F  W b. IL

--- Thos. R. 10 M W b. IL

--- M. B. 9 F  W b. IL

--- S. 7 F  W b. IL

--- M. 5 F  W b. IL

--- C. 3 F  W b. Neb.

--- C. 1 F  W b. Neb.

1 & 2 June 1900, Appleton Twp., St. Clair Co., MO, p. 1:

2-2      

Galt, James Head W M b. Spt 1835 64 M-42 b. IL fb. PA mb.  PA

---Mary A. Wife W F  b. May 1838 62 M-42 b. IL fb. KY mb. KY

-----?--- B. Dau W F b. Feb 1863 37 S b. IL  fb. IL mb. IL

-------ette Dau W F b. Oct 1873 26 S b. Neb fb. IL mb. IL

-----ggie E. Dau W F b. Feb 1880 20 S b. Neb fb. IL mb. IL

2 June 1900, Appleton Twp., St. Clair Co., Mo., P.O.: Appleton City, p. 12:

48-51  

Brown, Rachel  Head   W F  b. Mar 1816  84 Wd. 12-7 b. KY  fb. SC  mb. SC

[Notation:  Rachel Brown was the mother of Mary A. (Brown) Galt]

19 Apr 1910, Appleton City, St. Clair Co., MO, p. 167:

176-179          

Galt, J.J. Head MW 74 M1-52 b. IL fb. PA mb. PA

--Mary Ann Wife F W 72 M1-52 b. IL fb. KY mb. KY

--Louisa B. Dau. F W 46 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

7 Jan 1920, Appleton Twp., St. Clair Co., MO, p. 132:

FM 136-141   

Galt, James J.  Head (owns) M W 84 Wd b. IL  mb. IL fb. IL

---Lou A.Dau. F W 56 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

Eckles, Margaret K. Gr-dau.  F W 15 S b. Siam  fb. IL  mb. IL

Annis (Brown) Happer

© Kathy Duncan, 2016

1     Annis Brown, daughter of Resin D. and Rachel (Earnest) married John Gardner Happer. Annis (Brown) Happer was born 16 Aug 1847 in Sangamon Co., IL; died 3 Dec 1884 in Maroa, Macon Co., IL; buried Maroa Cemetery in Maroa, Macon Co., IL.

Census Records of Annis (Brown) and John Gardner Happer:

4 June 1870 Maroa, Macon Co., IL:

272-258

Happer, John 23 M W Farmer $10,000-$500 b. IL

----Annise 23 F W Keeping Housse b. IL

Suckor, Charles 27 M W Works on Farm b. France

8 June 1880, Maroa, Macon Co., IL:

74-75

Happer, John G. W M 32 Farmer b. IL fb. PA mb. PA

----Annis W F 31 Wife Keeping House b. IL fb. KY mb. KY

----Howard H. W M 7 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Nellie W F 5 dau b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

----Lena W F 8/12 Sep dau b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

Oliver, William W M 24 Farm Laborer b. OH fb. OH mb. OH

Green, William W M 20 Farm Laborer b. Ireland fb. Ireland mb. Ireland

Misses Nellie and Lena Happer of Maroa are visiting relatives in this neighborhood.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Journal; Springfield, IL; Wed. 15 July 1891]

Miss Nellie Happer, of West Liberty, IA, is the guest of Dr. and Mrs. H.M. Batchelder.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Register; Springfield, IL; Tues. 27 Nov 1894]

John Gardner Happer married as his second wife Anna Elmira Young.

1895, Muscatine, Iowa:

John G. Happer 47 M b. IL

Anna Happer 39 M b. IL

Howard --- 21 b. IL

Nellie --- 18 b. IL

Lena ---15 b. IL

Hattie Houser 16

Irene Happer (b) 6 b. Iowa

1 June 1900, Muscatine Co., IA:

5-5 Happer, J.G. Head W M Dec 1846 53 M-30 b. IL fb. PA mb. PA

-----Anna wife W F b. Jan 1858 41 M-30 3-2 b. IL fb. NY mb. PA

----Vernice dau W F b. Mch 1899 1 S b. IA fb. IL mb. PA

25 April 1910, Brookings, Brookings Co., SD,:

188-196

Happer, John G. Head M W 63 M-2 16 b. IL fb. PA mb. PA

----Anna Wife F W 49 M-2 16 2-2 b. IL fb. JN mb. PA

----Bernice dau F W 10 S b. IA fb. IL mb. IL

Delayed birth certificate of Bernice Margaret Happer. Affidavit of Harriet H. Bagley, age 60, resident of Cedar Rapids, Linn Co., Iowa. Has known her for 39 years. Bernice Margaret Happer born 7 March 1899 in West Liberty, Iowa. Father: John Gardner Happer, resident of West Liberyt age 52, retired farmer. Mother: Annie Elimira Young of West Liberty, age 31. Harriet was at home on vacation. Father Happer sent her after the doctor and nurse. She is the half-sister.

Dated 26 Jan 1939.

John Gardner Happer b. Dec 1848, IL; d. 2 Nov 1917, Brookings, SD

SONS of REV. THOMAS GALT

© Kathy Duncan, 2013

The photo above is of Rev. Thomas Galt's sons. From left to right: James Junius Galt, Elijah Lamb Galt, John Galt, Rev. Thomas Galt, Jr., and Martin Happer Galt. Elijah Lamb Galt was the son of Rev. Thomas Galt's second wife, Margaret Moore. The rest of the brothers were the sons of Rev. Thomas Galt's first wife, Sarah Happer.

If records are correct and John Galt was the first brother to die on 30 Oct 1899, then this picture predates that.

THOMAS RESIN GALT AND SISTER SARAH

© Kathy Duncan, 2013

Thomas Resin Galt and sister Sarah Rachel Galt c. 1865

Thomas Resin Galt and his sister Sarah Rachel were the children of James Junius and Mary Ann (Brown) Galt.

Sarah Rachel Galt was the eldest of the Galt children and called "Sadie" by the family. She was born 30 July 1858 in Farmington, Sangamon County, Illinois. As the eldest daughter, she was named after both of her grandmothers: Sarah (Happer) Galt and Rachel (Earnest) Brown.  She married Aemesiah Howard DeWeese. She died 8 January 1933 and is buried next to her husband in the Appleton City Cemetery in Appleton City, St. Clair County, Missouri.

Thomas Resin Galt was one and a half years younger than Sadie. His death certificate states that he was born on 7 February 1860 in Springfield, Illinois. More than likely, he was also born in Farmington, which was only a few miles from Springfield. As the eldest son, he was named after both of his grandfathers: Rev. Thomas Galt and Resin D. Brown. At the age of 30, Thomas R. Galt married Florence May Brown, age 21, on 24 September 1890 in Weldon, DeWitt County, Illinois. He died on 25 May 1953 in Hale Center, Hale County, Texas.

SARAH (HAPPER) GALT obituary

© Kathy Duncan, 2013

The tombstone of Sarah (Happer) Galt, wife of Rev. Thomas Galt of Farmington, IL, clearly shows her birth date as Sep. 11, 1809. Her death date, however, is not easy to decipher. Fortunately, her obituary was published in the Daily Illinois State Journal along with a touching, poetic tribute:

DIED.--In Farmington, in this county, on the 25th ult., Mrs. Sarah H. Galt, wife of Rev. T. Galt, in the 39th year of her age.

The deceased has left a husband and five children, to rejoice in her exit from this world, to enter that other, and blessed world; him also, to feel his want of a beloved companion; and them, theirs, of an affectionate and dutiful mother.

Again, Oh Death! the orphan's moan,

The widowed heart, thy power attest,

And many a head with grief bowed down,

As thy shalt quivered in her breast.

Yet, kindly was the warning given--

Gently thy mission was fulfill'd,

But like a pure and gentle flower

She slowly faded from the earth.

Quenched was the light of her fair home,

When childhood's minist'ring angle fled;

Yet rests a sainted mother's prayer,

A circling halo o'er each head.

Farmington, Feb. 3, '49 M.H.B.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Journal; Springfield, IL; Tues., Feb. 13, 1849]

BEULAH FRANCES (GALT) GRAHAM'S CHART:

© Kathy Duncan, 2011

Beulah Frances (GALT) GRAHAM, wife of Walter Ballard GRAHAM 1891 - 1989 Thomas Resin GALT 1860 - 1953 James Junius GALT 1835 - 1923 Thomas GALT Sarah HAPPER Mary Ann BROWN 1838 - Rezin D. BROWN Rachel EARNEST Florence May BROWN 1870 - 1934 John Deloss BROWN 1835 - Isaac S BROWN Catherine E. HAY Nancy JOHNSON 1838 - Samuel JOHNSON Esther BRYANT

Pedigree generated by PedigreeQuery.com