Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-09-01
Death Of w. w. b. dalIaher.


Mr.. William Wallace Beale Gallaher,
IF this place, editor Of the Virginia Free |
Press. died Of consumption on Friday
night last, after an illness of several
Mr.. Gallaher was native Of
Jefferson county. son OF the late Hora-
ito Nelson Gallaher. and was at the time
of his death aged 10 years, months and
! days. At the beginning of the War be-
tween the States he entered the Confed-
crate service as Lieutenant of Co. x.
Capt. John w. Rowan,) I'D Virginia
Regiment OF the afterward famous
Stonewall Brigade. After the first year of
the war, on account of i'll health he was
relieved from active service and joined
the commissary department of Major
Wells ]. Hawks. where he served until
the close of the war. Although not
strong physically. yet he was a gallant
solder and held the respect of his COM
mander. The Free Press, of which he
was editor at the time of his death. was
founded by his uncle, John S. Gallaher,
in 1921 at Harper's Ferry. where it was
published until 1928, when it was moved
| to this place. where it has since been
published. His father succeeded John S.
Gallaher and the deceased became a
partner with his father. After his faith
er's death he assumed control of the
paper and had since been sole proprietor.
The next issue of the paper will end the
ninety-second year of its publication, and
during all this time it has been edited by
the Gallaher family. The deceased was
an able editor and brilliant paragraph
writer. and was loyal to his convictions.
In his home life he was kind gentle and
loving husband and father, and was
given to generous hospitality. ministers
of the gospel being his most frequent
visitors. He took greatest delight in the
surroundings of nature, and at Mount
Parvo" one of his greatest pleasures was
to watch for the return of the sweet bird
songsters early each spring and listen to
their warnings through the long sum-
ner days. He was. with a single excep-
ftion, the oldest communicate of the
Charles Town Presbyterian Church.
with which he had been connected for
about fifty years, and had been Ruling
Elder for thirty years or more. Little
gems of poetry have been wont of late to
adorn the head of the leading editorial
column of the Free Press. and these, we
have imagined. were the impress of the
Invalid editors feelings as he gradually
neared the verge of Jordop, where, like
his former famous leader, he should cross
over and rest under the shade of the
eternal trees. In the las: issue of Free
Press appeared the following:
When you have walked the weary way
The weary way that leads by noon
And takes you to the end of day,
You know there waits for you boon;
You know that on ahead is rest,
| For roses drip with twilight dew,
And all things seem but for the best
When Night holds out her arms to you.
The deceased is survived by widow,
who is a sister of Bishop A. w. Wilson,
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South
of Baltimore; one son, Noryal w. Gal
laher. of Washington. and one daughter
Miss Louise H., of this place.
Funeral services were held yesterda,
morning, IN the Presbyterian church
conducted by the pastor. Rev. DIR. A. c
Hopkins; Rev. H. p Hamlll. Presiding
Elder of Winchester District M. E
Church South. and Rev. B. F. Ball, pas
tor of the Methodist church in Charles
Town, after which the remains were in
tered in Edge Hill Cemetery. A goot
number OIL the members of John w
Rowan Camp and other ex-Confederate
attended the funeral IN body. TIL
pallbearers We're Hon. Geo. r. Wend
ling, Cleon Moore, Prof. Wright Denny
S. Lee Phillips. Geo. H. Turner, Geo
| w. Halnes, Gerard d. Moore, Chas. w
Brown, L. K. Dinkle and ]. Ed. Burns
| The floral offerings were profuse, anon,
them handsome designs from the officer
and members of the Presbyterian church
Presbyterian choir, leader (Mr. c. W
| Taylor and wife OF the Methodist choir
Methodist Epworth League, class of Mis-
Louise Gallaher in the Methodist Sunda
School. and John w. Rowan Camp U
c. ".