John Gallagher and World War I

John J. Gallagher was born in Toledo, Ohio on April 7, 1896, going on to fight in World War I at the age of 21, registering for the draft on June 5, 1917. At the time he was working as a clerk for the M. I. Wilcox Company, a trade company dealing in a variety of items. Throughout the war he wrote frequently to his family, and most abundantly in our collection are his letters to his sister, nicknamed "Mars," though letters to his other family members are included as well.

John married Katherine Getz on January 25, 1937 and together they had four daughters and a son; Patricia, Kathleen, Maureen, Marcia and John Jr. Over the course of his life, John founded Gallagher Cleaners, a dry cleaning business, which started with a location at the corner of Adams and 21st Streets in 1925, and eventually grew to add five branches. John died on July 7, 1969, and was interred in Calvary Cemetery.

The full collection of letters, clippings, and documents can be accessed through Ohio Memory.

Works Cited

United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6NH-DJ4 : 13 March 2018), John Joseph Gallagher, 1917-1918; citing Toledo City no 2, Ohio, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,851,197.

United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X44X-C7Z : accessed 1 December 2018), John J Gallagher in household of Andrew Gallagher, Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 87, sheet 23A, line 23, family 7, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1836; FHL microfilm 2,341,570.

Ohio, County Births, 1841-2003," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23D-PS31 : 13 March 2018), John J Gallagher, 07 Apr 1896; citing Birth, Toledo, Lucas, Ohio, United States, county courthouses, Ohio; FHL microfilm 2,435,070.

Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKGM-SKZ : 8 December 2014), John J Gallagher, 08 Jul 1969; from "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing vol. 19775, certificate number 062111, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus; Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus.

John Gallagher Obituary. (1969, January 9). Toledo Blade.