• WILLIAM GALLAGHER
1781-1833
Lived in Sodus Point, N. Y., Conneaut, Ohio and Marine City, Mich.95

• William Jacob Gallagher (born Nov. 6, 1780, place unknown) and his wife Hannah Lamerson of Manlius, New York, (born 1791) moved from N. Y. state to Ste. Claire County, Mich. between 1821 and ‘24, following in the footsteps of Hannah’s older sister, Elizabeth, who had married Samuel Ward, a rich steamboat captain. In 1825 Ward and Gallagher erected a dam, grist mill, saw mill and a dwelling along the Belle River.1495, p 1

• Soon after Capt. Ward was settled, a brother-in-law by the name of Gallagher came, he being the father of David and John Gallagher.283, p 689

• William Gallagher is in St. Clair County by 1830 and died in 1833. His wife was named Hannah. He had sons: William, John L. and David. I believe that he also had a dau., Mary M. Mary M. Gallagher married Miron/Myron Williams between 1837 and 1839.1603

• Supervisor of St. Clair Township, 1829-30.283, p 637

• His estate file gives his death date as 7 May 1833. In the file is a note from his nephew William of Pittsburgh, PA, dated 7 May 1843, who states that he was in Europe at the time of William’s decease and inquiring “whether any of my uncle’s family are living.”1492

• Here is some dope about our ancestors, Sam Ward and William Gallagher. These men lived in New York State previous to 1820, and they married sisters named Lamerson. In 1821 Sam Ward came and located in Newport, which is now Marine City. He sent word back to Gallagher to come with the women. So they all settled in Newport in 1821.
One of the first acts was to build the grist-mill on Belle River at what is now known as Radike’s. The old mill is still there, though probably rebuilt several times. The place was known as Ward & Gallagher Mills, and shows on old maps of Michigan under that name. The mill was the first grist-mill build in St. Clair County.
Gallagher died in 1833, the year of the cholera epidemic, and was buried in the little family burial lot across from the mill on Belle River, along with his wife who died a few years later.
Their oldest child, Mary, also called Polly, became my grandmother. She had the care of her brothers, with the assistance of Emily Ward (Aunt Emily), until her marriage to Miron Williams, who was the mill-wright of that period.281

• They lie in a private cemetery on the east side of Belle River, Marine City, Michigan, near the dam-site where he erected and operated the original mill.1600, p 2

• 1820 Census: Volney, Oswego, New York. 000111/10010.1503
• 1830 Census: St. Clair, St. Clair, Michigan. Age 40-50. 2201001/001001.1604

• Lone Elm (also called Clark) Cemetery, now abandoned, located near the Gallagher sawmill on Belle River, at River Road and Indian Trail.1500, p 1