Those Illusive Gallahers

For quite a few years now, I've been researching my Gallaher connections from the Juniata area, particularly as they tie in to the Bratton family from the same area. To say it has been a challenge is to put it mildly.

My first clue into research in the area was based on my ancestor, John B. Bratton, of Carlisle, a well-known journalist who had been the editor of the American Volunteer newpaper. John died in 1892 and was born in Mifflin county (probably in what is now Juniata County). A search of old Mifflin wills tuned up this one in Dan McClenahen"s Wills of Mifflin county, Vol I:

Lydia Gallaher, Milford Twp., husband A. N. Gallaher, deceased, sons Samuel, Andrew, daughters Mary Ann, Harriet, Sophia, Lucretia Bratton. Exec.: Robert Gallaher.

There is no date shown on this extract but it is listed between two others dated in 1823. That same year, her son Andrew Nelson Gallaher, the printer, and editor of the Mifflin Eagle, died, his obituary in the Village Record appearing as follows:

Tracking Down Marmaduke

No, not the cartoon dog, but Marmaduke Burr, several of whose children were buried at St. James Perkiomen. One of the ongoing frustrations of researching genealogy is coming across records that are just plain wrong and give limited, if any, sources for the information. Marmaduke’s record is an example, as many online trees list his parents as Joseph Burr and Mary Sloan, based on the marriage of that pair in 1798 at Newton MM in New Jersey. Yes, Joseph did marry Mary Sloan, but she died in 1801, making it rather difficult for her to be the mother of Marmaduke who was born in 1806. Her death is noted in the records for Haddonfield meeting in New Jersey.

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