James Joseph Gallaher

Exalted: 10-21-1898 in Whitewright Chapter 198
Demitted 3-18-1915 from Whitewright Ch. 198
Affiliated 1915 with Texas Chapter 362 as a Charter Member
King 1900
High Priest 1901 to 1904 #198 1915 #362
E: Grand Scribe 1906-1907
E: Grand King 1907-1908
E: Deputy Grand High Priest 1908-1909
M:E: Grand High Priest 1909-1910

Obituary

James Joseph Gallaher was born 29 February 1872 in Savoy, Fannin County, Texas, and died 22 October 1952 in Waco, McLennan County, Texas. He married Rachel M. McMurry on 06 April 1893 in Whitewright, Grayson County, Texas (Source: Originial wedding Invitation and newspaper article..), daughter of James McMurry and Ermina Montgomery. She was born 21 September 1870 in Prob. Grayson County, Texas (Source: "Hitchcock's complete Analysis of the Holy Bible", Family Records.), and died 24 June 1955 in Marlin, Falls County, Texas.

Obituary Notice of James Joseph Gallaher that appeared in the Waco Times Herald, Wednesday October 22, 1952.

J. J. Gallaher, Texas Masonic, Leader, is Dead

J. J. Gallaher, 80 year old treasurer and librarian of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas, died at 2:30 a.m. Wednesday in a Marlin hospital.

Mr. Gallaher, one of Texas' most widely known Masons, and a foremost authority on early Texas history, had been ill since February.

For several months he had been a patient in the Marlin hospital, but recently returned to his home, 917 North Seventeenth Street, and apparently had made fair progress towards recovery from a stroke which had left him partial paralyzed. Monday he fell at his home and fractured a hip. He was removed to the Marlin hospital.

Funeral service will be Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in Marlin at the Adams Funeral Chapel. Revs. Tom Gallaher and C. T. Caldwell of Waco and H. B. Streeter, pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Marlin will conduct the services.

The Masonic Grand Lodge will conduct service at the grave.

The article goes on to describe his life and his career in Masonery and the Grand Lodge of Texas. (See Gallaher Family History by Harold R. Coffman for more.)

NOTE: Louvenia M. Gallaher Rahal tells a story about how the two brother, Robert and J. J. opened a furniture store and a drug store. The furniture store sold coffins. A sign painter, who owed them money, painted an ad on the side of a brick building. "Somehow", Louvenia wrote,"it just didn't seem to come out right! It read: Come to Gallahers for Drugs and Coffins". She said they allowed it to remain which caused considerable hilarity!

Rachel and J. J. Gallaher had another child born who died at age six years of age. Grace Gallaher was born 22 May 1898 and died 2 July 1904. She is buried at the Oakhill Cemetery in Whitewright, Texas.