Nancy "Nannie" Gallagher
Nancy "Nannie" Gallagher was born in Dover, Florida more than 139 years ago on June 13th, 1880 to her Father John Wesley Gallagher and Mother Susan Mahaley Lewis.
** Interesting events that occurred around the World during Nancy's birth year of 1880 included.
• On January 1st, 1880 led by Ferdinand de Lesseps the French begin excavating the Panama Canal. Malaria, yellow fever, and other tropical diseases conspired against the de Lesseps campaign and after nine years and approximately 20,000 lives lost, lthe French attempt goes bankrupt.
• On March 31st, 1880 Wabash, Indiana becomes the first electrically lit city in the World.
• On June 24th, 1880 the first ever performance of "O Canada," the song that would become the National anthem of Canada, is sung at the Congrès national des Canadiens-Français.
• On October 15th, 1880 Mexican soldiers under Colonel Joaquin Terrazas in the Battle of Tres Castillos
kill Victorio, who was one of the greatest Apache warriors and Chiefs in what is now the American states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua.
• On November 2nd, 1880 James Garfield is elected as the 20th President of the United States.
• On December 20th, 1880 New York cities Broadway is lit by electricity and becomes known as the "Great White Way".
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Nancy was the eldest child born to her Mother and Father. Her younger siblings chronologically from oldest to youngest were William Bethel, Bessie, Jemmi Mae, Mary Hattie, Vernon Wesley, Sallie Alma, Lucille, and Henry Lewis .
Because Nancy's existence was very brief, there are few documents recording or memorializing her life other than the Florida State census from1880 showing her at one-month-old as well as the 1885 census when she was just five. I did however find "Nannie" mentioned in an article from 1896 when at the age of 16 she attended a Sunday school conference. ( All images can be seen in the comments below )
Her Father Gallagher Patriarch, John Wesley a first generation American who's family hailed from Londonderry in Northern Ireland was a pioneer of Hillsborough County Florida. He was a long-term member of the County Executive board primarily as treasurer and extremely successful farmer. Mr. Gallagher was mentioned as being a part of the "Anti Klan" faction of the Democratic party. By 1926, he had been ill and suffering for more than a year when on January 4th he takes his life at the age of 65 by self-inflicted gunshot
Nancy's younger Brother Vernon Wesley who we honored last week would lose his life in the same manner a decade later when he also takes his life by gun in a Sarasota Florida hotel room on January 28th, 1936. Her Mother Susan loses her life nine months after her Son Vernon Wesley's demise on Saturday September 12th, 1936 when she succumbs to malaria.
We know not how, but the Gallaghers eldest child and this evenings honoree Nancy "Nannie" Gallagher would pass away on September 6th, 1898 after having just celebrated her 18th birthday.
Nancy "Nannie" Gallagher... Beloved Daughter and Sister