To Galey family & friends everywhere... ......We wish you a BLESSED CHRISTMAS!

Another "whodunnit"arrives in the mailbox!

A distant Galey cousin -- Harry Colwell from Nebraska -- has sent us a couple of photographs that have been identified by some as Elizabeth Sprinkle and Simon Galey.

As Harry has suggested, it may be impossible to ever learn if these identifications are valid; however, we offer the photos here in the unlikely event that someone with more information might be able to assist.

No dates have been provided.  Our records show that Elizabeth Sprinkle and Simon Galey were married in September of 1851.  She would have been 30 years old -- and Simon would have been only 19.  An unusual age configuration for marriage -- but certainly not unheard of! If this is that couple, the photos were obviously taken at quite different times.  Simon died in 1879 at age 48.  Elizabeth died in 1912 at age 91.  The "Elizabeth" photo would probably been taken in the very late 1800's or very early 1900's, and the "Simon" photo -- given his relative youthful appearance -- would likely have been taken in the 1860's or 1870's -- before  March of 1879 when he died.

Perhaps there's a Sprinkle or Galey cousin who's done some sleuthing or has access to family photos from that era.  If so, we'd surely like to hear from you!

Adding to this challenge is the fact that we have no other photos identified as "Simon Galey," and there are at least three Simon Galey names in our database.

Another cousin provided us with a photo purported to be Elizabeth Sprinkle, but our first glances at the images seem to suggest it's not the same person.  We'll keep exploring! 

Bob & Naomi Galey celebrate 50 years!

It was October 19, 1962, and this young couple was married at the Warring Memorial Methodist Church in Whitney, Nebraska.  Bob and Naomi (Sibert) Galey celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in October 2012.  Daughters Brenda Galey and Linda Turnbull -- along with numerous other families and friends -- helped them mark the occasion.  Bob and Naomi  were married by Reverend H. C. Johnson, long-time paster of the church.  You'll find more photos in our Galey Gallery.

In memory of Dorothy Galey

A visitation for Dorothy Galey, 81, of Lubbock, Texas, will be from 5-7 pm on Friday, Febuary 24th, 2012 in Resthaven's Abbey Chapel in Lubbock, Texas, with a wake to follow.  A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 25, at 10 am at St. Johns Neumann Catholic Church.  Internment will follow at Resthaven Memorial park.  Mrs. Galey went peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, February 22nd.

Dorothy was born on June 13, 1930, in Holly Grove, Arkansas to Lecil A. and Olga L. Ryals Gannon.  She married Thomas A. Galey, Sr., on May 12, 1957.  He preceded her in death on February 16, 2006.  She was a member of St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

Survivors include three sons, Thomas Galey, Jr. and wife Janice, James Galey and wife Debbi, and Joseph Galey, Sr. and wife Jennifer; three daughters, Sheila Lee and husband Robert, Teresa Jobe, and Felicia Galey; one sister, Alma Herndon; 23 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Dorothy was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother, known as a prayer warrior with an unwavering Christian faith.

Condolences may be offered at: www.resthavenfuneralhome.com

For additional family photographs, visit our Galey Family Gallery.

What.....No football in Nebraska?

As the diminutive Danny Woodhead joins his New England Patriot teammates on the field in Indianapolis tomorrow to do battle against the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI, I have a sorry fact to report.

And I do so with full knowledge that in Nebraska, football is a religion, and I don’t want my Galey and Cunningham in-laws to excommunicate me from the family and brand me a “troublemaker” for divulging this fact.

A.V. Cunningham

Grandpa Cunningham was anti-football. 

Now I’m not talking about Grandpa R.R. Cunningham who many family members today remember from their youth in Whitney.  I mean his dad, A.V. Cunningham of Giltner, that highly regarded farmer who served two terms in the Nebraska legislature, from 1903 to 1907, representing his neighbors in Hamilton County.

Who knew?

Doing a little research on the Cunninghams yesterday while visiting Salt Lake City, I came across a story – not in the Omaha or Lincoln newspapers – but from a 1903 issue of the New York Times that revealed Grandpa Cunningham's dim view of football in colleges and high schools.  Here’s the text of the article:

LINCOLN, Neb., Jan. 10 – Representative A. V. Cunningham of Hamilton County is credited with the authorship of a bill which will be introduced in the Legislature the coming week to prohibit playing football at the public educational institutions of the State.

            “I am unalterably opposed to football as part of the athletic amusement of students,” said Mr. Cunningham.  “I consider it more brutal than prizefighting for the reason that in prizefighting only two men are engaged; in the game of football twenty-two are called upon to risk their lives.

            “The presence of a physician is not always required at a prizefight, but did you ever hear of or see a game of football at which one or two physicians were not in attendance?”

            Other members are in sympathy with the bill, but the game does not lack defenders among the legislators.

Chance Galey (left) and his dad Gary Gene Galey in 2007

The good news is that Grandpa Cunningham’s bill failed and never became law.  And that was good news for boys on the gridiron from Omaha and Hastings all the way to Scottsluff and Chadron.

And I have a feeling that if A.V. had been around in the early years of the 21^st Century, he would have been in the front row cheering for his great-great-great-grandson, Chance Galey.    Chance was a three-year starting center for the Chadron State College "Eagles" and was selected  to the 2008 Football Gazette All-America Team.   After studying environmental science and graduating from CSC in 2008, he's gone to work in the oil and gas industry for Halliburton and lives in Greeley, Colorado. 

Gosh, if Gpa Cunningham’s bill had passed, the Nebraska Cornhuskers could never have built their football dynasty.  And Chance Galey would have missed a fun career on the field at Chadron State.

And Danny Woodhead might not be suiting up for the Patriots tomorrow.

The Cunningham California connection

The Galey-Cunningham connection, of course, was created by the 1933 marriage of Tom Galey to Eva Cunningham in Rushville, Nebraska.  Tom Galey never set foot in California, but Eva did.  At least twice that we know of.  The purpose of those trips was to visit her sisters -- three of whom called California home.

All three of Eva's youngest sisters -- Elva, Lois, and Doris -- lived most of their adult lives in California.  Likely, they were a part of the large wave of folks who sought the warmer climes and great opportunities that seemed to await in California.

Of course, it didn't take long and their relatives back home were eager to come visit.  And that's exactly what appears to be going on in this picture when sister Geraldine (Cunningham) Kritenbrink and her family made the trek.  This photo is undated, but it was taken in the L.A. area.  The street sign shows the intersection of Gracia and Atwater, so it would see fairly easy to find out who was living near that intersection in the 1948-50 time period, when this photo was likely taken.

The "big folks" identified in the photo (left-to-right) are Roger Kritenbrink, little Jack Mosher, Elva Mosher, Dick Mosher, Lois Thompson, Abe Kritenbrink, Geraldine Kritenbrink, Kenny Kritenbrink, and Gordon Thompson.  The younger girl in front is Peggy Mosher.  Standing right behind her is her cousin, Betty Thompson.

A higher resolution version of this photo -- and more -- can be found in our Galey Gallery. 

"Bully!" for the A.V. Cunningham family

Perhaps the letter from the President of the United States should have been sent to Mary Jane (Poulson) Cunningham.  After all, she had more than a passing involvement in circumstances that caused the letter to be written in the first place.  Instead -- symbolic of that era -- it was sent to her husband, Alfred V. Cunningham, long-time Nebraska farmer, one-time state legislator, and one of our Galey family ancestors!

  

"The letter" was a treasured missive send to Cunningham in April of 1903 by President Theodore Roosevelt, congratulating Cunningham for what the Omaha Daily News called "his family of eight lusty boys."  A prominent story about that letter and the Cunningham family -- replete with photographs but a rather curious headline -- was published by the Daily News (above) and included a copy of Roosevelt's letter and his autographed picture.

Cunningham was quoted as saying that there "wasn't money enough in this broad land" to buy that letter or photograph from him.     

Mary Cunningham

Interestingly, A.V. Cunningham and his wife Mary were just 39 years old when he received the letter commending them on their family of eight boys.  Roosevelt -- the youngest man to ever serve as a U.S. President -- had six children by the time he was 39 years old.  He had become president in 1901 at just 42 years of age.  Those were prolific times.

Alfred Vlandingham Cunningham's father -- James Cunningham -- came from Canada to the United States and married Caroline Stumph in 1858 at Circleville, Ohio.  They moved to the Bloomington, Illinois, area, where Alfred was born in June of 1864.  Afred's four sisters and one brother were also born in Illinois.

Alfred married Mary Jane Poulson in November of 1885 at Onarga, Illinois, where there first boys, Rayburn and Clarence were born.  In November of 1888 the family relocated to Adams County in central Nebraska, later moving to the Trumbull vicinity of Hamilton County where Alfred continued to pursue farming. He was also active in the Masonic Order.  There's also some evidence that he dabbled in the insurance business.

While the treasured 1903 letter from President Roosevelt referred to a family of eight Cunningham boys, there were in fact 10 boys. Two of them died in infancy.  Those who grew to adulthood included Rayburn, Clarence, Lawson, Russell, Everett, Wayne, Clem, and Doyle.

A staunch Republican, "A.V." was elected to two terms in the Nebraska legislature -- in 1902 and again in 1904.  He, his wife, and four younger sons  moved to a farm north of Lodgepole, Nebraska, a few years later.  Following a family holiday gathering at Christmas time in 1913, Alfred Cunningham died.  He was 49 years old.

A.V. Cunningham

"Mr. Cunningham had arisen and built the kitchen fire, and as he stooped over to lace his shoes, was stricken with apoplexy," reported the Sidney Telegraph on January 3rd, 1914.

"Medical help was secured as soon as the bad roads permitted, but the gentleman expired at twelve fifteen, about five hours after the stroke."

Mary Cunningham lived many years beyond her husband; she died on June 10, 1937 in Iliff, Colorado.  Both of them are buried in Hastings, Nebraska.  Among their many surviving grandchildren was Eva (Cunningham) Galey; hence, the linkage to Galey Family Archives.