Residence of Simeon Galloway in Perkins Township

This is the residence of Simeon Galloway in Perkins Township from the latter part of the nineteenth century. A description of early homes in Perkins Township was provided in the chapter on Perkins Township in History of Erie County, Ohio, edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich. These early residences were made of logs, and usually consisted of just one room with an open fireplace. Windows were made of greased paper, the floor and door were made from a simple slab, and no nails were used. In the 1860 U.S. Census for Perkins Township of Erie County, Ohio, Simeon Galloway was listed as age 42, occupation farmer, and his birthplace was Pennsylvania. His wife Amelia, age 38, was born in Ohio. Simeon and Amelia had a son and six daughters, ranging in age from infancy to 19. Simeon Galloway died in 1890, and his wife Amelia died in 1900. Both are buried in Perkins Cemetery.

By viewing the Agricultural Schedules for Erie County, Ohio from 1860, we learn that Simeon Galloway’s farm was on ten acres of improved land. He had a milk cow, and two other cattle, and the crops on his farm included wheat, corn, oats and sweet potatoes. Mr. Galloway also produced one hundred pounds of butter between June 1, 1859 and June 1, 1860. The Sandusky Library Archives Research Center has the Agricultural Schedules for Erie County for 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880. Usually several counties are contained on one roll of microfilm. While there is no surname index to the Agricultural Schedules, a little time spent browsing in the township where one’s ancestor resided can yield interesting details about that ancestor’s farm. Information is provided about acreage crops, and livestock. To learn more about the Nonpopulation Census Records compiled by the United States Government, see the website of the National Archives and Records Administration.