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THE GALLAGHER FAMILY The first Gallagher to settle in Aldershot was John Gallagher (1826-1904) and his wife Mary Simpson, who came here in the year 1879. They built the white stucco residence on the north-west corner of what is now No. 2 Hwy, and Gallagher's Lane, across from Shadeland Ave. At that time the road was just a dirt one called the Plains Road. John's eldest son, Richard, married and went to live in Hamilton, founding the Canada Business College. Another son, Samuel went to New York and worked for an insurance co. A younger son, George Thomas, then twelve years old, stayed on the farm with his father and later established the family now known to this generation. During a visit to the Waterdown Fall Fair George met a vivacious charming girl from Toronto and from then on he travelled to that city as often as possible to court her and in December of the year 1896 Anna Louise Whatmough became the bride of George Thos. [Thomas] Gallagher. We have heard stories of the sensation Anne created in Aldershot with her sophisticated trousseau of rustling taffetas with leg-o-mutton sleeves and bustles and her tiny sailor hats! Anne and George had eight children - Howard, Gordon and Percy, Helen (who died in ?), Jean, (now Mrs. Gilbert Stevens) Norman, Mary, (now Mrs. J. Murphy) and Anne. Howard married Lucy Reid Seagers, Dec. 9th, 1925 Gordon married Ellen Mary Green, Dec. 8th, 1926 Percy married Flora Jean Whatmough, Oct. 18th, 1932 Howard and Lucy had two children, Lucy Anne (Mrs. Martin J. Mooney) of Washington, D.C. and John Douglas, now a pilot with Trans-Canada Air Lines. Percy and Jean had four children, George, Janet, Freddy and David. It is interesting to note in passing that Mary Simpson Gallagher's family was of pioneer stock. The Simpsons settled at Cedar Springs, and Mary's Mother was the first woman to attend Hamilton market, travelling the 40 odd miles by horseback. When John Gallagher purchased the land from David Fonger in 1879 the farm consisted of 100 acres. John raised cattle and planted a fine apple orchard on the front of the property. These trees are still there. In 1910 George Gallagher purchased an additional 65 acres from the Johnson family. George continued to raise cattle and pigs and also ventured into fruit growing, especially strawberries and asparagus. As his sons Howard, Gordon and Norman matured and took their place in the management of the farm more fruit trees were planted. From 1925-33 four fine apple orchards of some 2,250 trees were set out; Delicious, MacIntosh, Spy and Courtland were the varieties chosen. Two cherry orchards of 200 trees each were planted about 1920 and a vineyard of three acres was planted in 1920.