Mary Ann Galbraith 1819-1918

GALBRAITH, ROBESON, TUSSING, HANEY, HEATH, FREEMAN, BEVIER

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 17:43:30

January 14, 1918 - The Clinton Advertiser page 5

A long and interesting life came to a close when Mrs. Mary Ann Galbraith, widow of Josiah Galbraith, passed away at the home of her son, Henry G. Galbraith, on the family homestead near Clinton, to which she had emigrated with her husband and children back in 1854. Death occurred at 2 o'clock on the afternoon of January 5, when she was 98 years, 6 months and 11 days old. But a year and a half more would have completed a century of life for her.

Mrs. Galbraith recalled many interesting occurrences during her long life, retaining her faculties and being in comparatively good health until shortly before her death.

With her husband and family, she emigrated from the east, going by boat down the Ohio river and up the Mississippi, landing first at Davenport. Mr. Galbraith set out on a locating tour from that place, and found a suitable location in Clinton county, where the family set up in camp until they became settled gradually building up a new home here.

In those days this section was still a comparative wilderness. There was no city of Clinton. The town of Lyons had been established, there being a few stores and business houses at that time. Camanche was a very small place then.

It was to Camanche that the settlers of the vicinity, who were the advance guards of civilization in this section, went to have their grain ground into meal. All their grain was carried to the mill at Camanche on their backs. Not even horse and wagon could be used at that time.

The big storm at Camanche in the early sixties, in which something like 40 persons lost their lives, came well within the memory of Mrs. Galbraith and her children. The main part of the town was completely devastated by that cyclone, which was one of the most severe ever visiting this part of the country.

When the present city of Clinton had its beginning, Mrs. Galbraith assisted in the dedication of the new hotel, which was erected on the present site of the Coliseum. This and many other interesting occurrences in the history of this city were well remembered by the aged lady.

She also recalled the big meteoric shower which was a singular natural phenomenon and created a great deal of interest at the time, now many years ago. She would often describe the shower, saying that when she looked out of the door, the meteors appeared to be descending in a regular shower, as if in a rain.

Longevity was one of the characteristics of the family stock of this pioneer woman of Clinton county. She was born June 20, 1819, in Montour county, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Moses Robeson. Moses Robeson was born October 26, 1796, near Birmingham, Pa., and died December 4, 1880. Mrs. Robeson, nee Susanna Pool, was born February 26, 1792 and died December 2, 1880. They were united in marriage August 17, 1816.

Thus this interesting old couple died within two days of each other, the husband being 84 years old and the wife past 88 at the time of death. Their bodies were laid to repose in the same grave which is located in Clearfield county, near Janesville, in Pennsylvania.

It was on September 30, 1838, that Mary Ann Robeson was united in marriage to Josiah Galbraith. Her husband, too reached a ripe old age, as he was born in 1811, and passed away March 25, 1895 thus being 84 years old at the time of death.

Mrs. Galbraith was the mother of 15 children, 24 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild. Six of the children still surviving. A family genealogy owned by Mrs. Conrad Tussing, 321 Fourth avenue, one of the children, contains interesting sketches of some of the children, revealing in the succeeding generations many well known Clinton names. The sketches are as follows, in substance:

A son, Charles Hulin Galbraith, had three children: Emma Idelia, Francis, now deceased; and Stella, now married.

A daughter Jane E. Galbraith, married William J. Haney, died November 30, 1894. Six children were born to them, as follows: Edwin Haney, Minnie Haney, Lizzie Haney, Arthur Haney, Frank Haney, and Bruce Haney.

A daughtger, Caroline Galbraith, married Amos Heath, who is now deceased. A son, Charlie Josiah Heath, is now manager for the Western Union Telegraph company at Corpus Christi, Tex.

A daughter, Mary Alice Galbraith, married Charles E. Freeman. To them were born these children: Josiah G. Freeman; Charles Freeman, deceased, Alan G. Freeman, Edwin G. Freeman.

A son, Moses Robeson Galbraith, married Flora Reynolds, who died. To them were born three children: Walter R. Galbraith, Myra Galbraith and Maybelle Rose Galbraith. After the first wife's death, Moses Galbraith married Mrs. Lulu J. (Hes) Howe.

A son, Henry Guize Galbraith, who now resides on the old family homestead and at whose home his mother passed away. He was married to Elizabeth Kube who passed away in 1883. Four children were born to them: Hulin Galbraith, deceased, Bertram Galbraith, Gertrude Galbraith, and Emma Galbraith. In 1893 Henry married Marie Louise M. Hendricks. To them have been born four children: Henry H. Galbraith, Agnes C. Galbraith, Wilhelmina L. Galbraith and Josiah Robeson Galbraith.

A daughter, Sarah Emma Galbraith, wife of Frank L. Bevier, died August 5, 1915. They had two children, Lee B. Bevier and Pearl L. Bevier.

A daughter, Ada Idelia Galbraith, married Conrad Tussing of this city. One child, Charles Artemus Nathan Tussing was born to them, but died in infancy.

It was as if by a strange but appropriate turn of fate that this aged pioneer of Clinton county, so familiar with its history, coming here in the early days, should have had a funeral with horse and buggy instead of a modern automobile funeral. It was just about the time of her death that the severe blizzard of a week ago put the highways in such condition that automobile drivers found passing difficult. So Mrs. Galbraith was carried to her final resting place in the cemetery by horse and wagon and horse and buggy escorts.