BIOGRAPHY OF MRS. M. E. GALLEMORE
This biographical sketch of Mary Evelyn Mitcham Gallemore
appeared in A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro,
Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon
Counties, Texas (1893).* Bracketed matter has been added.
MRS. M. E. GALLEMORE, a daughter of James A. Mitcham, one of the most prominent and prosperous farmers of Henderson county, Texas, and a son of Hezekiah Mitcham, a well known man of the county, was born in Henderson county in 1855. Her father was born in Alabama in 1822, where he was reared and educated, the said education consisting of six months of school training, and a large amount of experience of a practical kind, secured by coming into contact with the commercial transactions of an agricultural and grazing region of country. In short, Mr. Mitcham was a self-made man, with all that the name includes. He was very intelligent, an eager reader of newspapers, and most anxious to keep posted on all the public matters of the day; was a successful financier, every enterprise which he undertook seeming to spring into vigorous growth. He was thoroughly familiar with every branch of his diversified interests, seeming to manage one as well as another. In his earlier life Mr. Mitcham was actively and extensively engaged in the cattle business, owning large herds, for the most of which he found a local market, occasionally making a shipment himself. When he had grown old and his physical activity had been somewhat impaired, he entrusted his stock business to employees, while he gave his personal supervision to matters requiring less physical effort.
Upon his return from a ten years' residence in Navarro county [Texas], in 1882, our subject engaged in merchandising in Athens [Texas], and prosecuted it successfully until his death. He owned the tile and crockery works of the place, and operated them. His landed interests in Henderson and adjoining counties amounted to from 2,000 to 3,000 acres, and much of the most valuable land in the city of Athens was on the tax-roll to his credit. In the woods of Henderson county there were hundreds of cattle bearing his brand.
Mr. Mitcham held no public office except that of County Commissioner of his precinct at the organization of the county. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Church, and a liberal contributor to all enterprises bearing the impress of true worth and legitimacy. In the Masonic order he was highly regarded, and exhibited much pleasure at the prosperity of the order. He first married Miss Ruth Crist, whose father was a Texas pioneer. Two children were born of this marriage, both of whom are now deceased. His second marriage was in 1852, to Tabitha, daughter of Charles K. Cotten, of Alabama, and the children were: Mrs. S. J., wife of Dr. Melton; our subject; M. E., wife of W. T. Eustace, of Athens; Arthur, deceased; Lizzie; Charles, deceased; Annie, wife of James Everett, of Athens; and Ira, deceased.
Mrs. Gallemore received fair education in the common schools. In 1872 she married L. A. Gallemore, of Georgia. He was born in 1851, a son of John Gallemore, who came to Texas in 1856, and settled in Navarro county, where he soon after died. As a business man, Mr. Gallemore, the husband of our subject, was a success, and had accumulated property before death. The last sad event took place from meningitis in 1882. He had been a man much respected in the locality where he was known, for many years a Mason, and a valued and consistent member of the Methodist Church. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Gallemore are: Albert, Walter and Dollie. Mrs. Gallemore is a lady of large possessions, owning besides her home tract of 160 acres, 300 acres more land in Henderson county.
*A Memorial and Biographical History of Navarro, Henderson, Anderson, Limestone, Freestone and Leon Counties, Texas (Chicago, Ill.: Lewis Pub. Co., 1893), pp. 762-63, online here.