24–25.  Nelson Reed Galbreath was born in Darke County, Ohio, on Thursday, May 22, 1845, and died in Pierceton, Kosciusko County, Indiana, on March 27, 1891. Cynthia Ann Royce was born in Kosciusko County, Indiana, on Thursday, May 10, 1849, and died in Kosciusko County on August 11, 1889. They were married in Kosciusko County on Tuesday, July 14, 1868. She took the name Cynthia Ann Galbreath. He is the son of Alexander and Eliza (Keltner) Galbreath. She is the daughter of George Washington Augustus and Nancy (Chaplin) Royse. They had nine children:

i. Charles Edward Galbreath [#12]: He was born in Pierceton, Indiana, on April 3, 1869, and died on July 12, 1945.
ii. Ida Alice Galbreath: She was born July 23, 1871 and married John A. Dallas on March 14, 1896. They had one daughter, Edythe, born December 9, [year not given in Bible, could be implied to be 1896, year of the previous entry]. Her second husband was Frank Atwood by whom there were no children.
iii. Nancy Roxanna Galbreath was born in Pierceton on May 21, 1873. married H. Frank Radcliff on October 3, 1894. They had one child: Helen Frances, born on May 28, 1895 [family Bible]. Nancy belonged to the D.A.R., #77066, using the name Nannie Galbreath Radcliff.
iv. Belle Eliza Galbreath was born in Pierceton on March 4, 1875. The birth entry in the family Bible gives her name as Eliza Belle, but all other records use Belle E. She married Ira J. Dohner on June 15, 1895. They resided in Wenatchee, Washington, and had one child, Gerald Ross, born February 14, 1896; died August 6, 1994.
v. Minnie Grace Galbreath was born in Pierceton on November 24, 1876. Her name and birth date appear in the family Bible, her name appears in Nelson's will and on his Civil War pension folder (as just Grace)
vi. Augustus Alexander Galbreath died on September 4, 1948. He married Vera Ester Sternaman; they resided in Pullman, Michigan. She was born on November 13, 1888, in Bangor Township, Van Buren County, Michigan, and died on March 11, 1969. They had nine children: Dorothea, Beatrice, Richard, Kenneth, Donald, Ruth Jean, Robert, Peter, and Doris Nan.
vii. Clara Pearl Galbreath was born probably in Indiana on December 15, 1881, and died in Toledo, Ohio, in December, 1971. Per the "Minor Child's Claim" of May, 1896, Clara was "in the custody of Lemuel Royce of Warsaw, Indiana". She married Fred Moran, they had one child: Willard Royse Moran. Her last residence of record by the Social Security Administration was Toledo, Ohio. Her Social Security number was 278-42-3265.
viii. Ethel May Galbreath was born probably in Indiana on October 23, 1885. Per the "Minor Child's Claim" of May, 1896, Ethel was adopted by George F. Joynes of Chicago. She married George W. Bowen and resided in Grand Rapids, Michigan; they had two children: Ralph Apted and Jack. She died in November, 1970.
ix. Hattie Florence Galbreath was born probably in Indiana on May 10, 1888, and died on May 3, 1966. Per the "Minor Child's Claim" of May, 1896, Florence was "in the care of Miles G. Teachout of 211 N. Prospect St., Grand Rapids, Michigan." She married Carl F. Spiesshofer.

His second marriage was to Elizabeth Brown in Warsaw, Kosciusko County, Indiana, on Wednesday, September 10, 1890. She took the name Elizabeth Galbreath. She died in Pierceton on July 5, 1893. She went by Lizzie. Dates and places came from Nelson's Civil War pension records, certificate #332985. The pension application for Clara states that Lizzie "never had the custody of the children."

Nelson Galbreath fought in the Civil War (known as the War of Rebellion at the time). He enlisted on May 27, 1864, as a private and was honorably discharged at Indianapolis on September 22, 1864. On January 29, 1879, he applied for an invalid (i.e., disabled person) pension claiming that while on duty at Tullahoma, Tennessee, he had "contracted chronic diarrhea under the following circumstances. We were encamped there on the 6th of July and in a few days 100 or more of us took the camp diarrhea some claiming the cause to be a change of climate, others the water but the most probable was the use of a kind of light breads that was drawn as rations which was said to have been raised by a process in which soap was used." He was living in Wooster, Kosciusko County, at the time.

Nelson Galbreath filed the following statement to support his claim of being an invalid as a result of his service in the Army. It is dated May 26, 1879.

[With original spelling and punctuation as written by his lawyer.]
Claimant in Invalid Pension claim No 266701 in reply to Requirements as forwarded would say that from May 26 1852 to May 19, 1864 I resided with my parents on the South half of Section 26 Town 32 North range 7 East Kosciusko Co Ind and followed withe my Father the occupation of a farmer & on May 19th 1864 I enlisted as a private in Co E commanded by Capt D W Hamlin in 138 Regt Ind Vol Commanded by James H Shannon Colonel that after several marches and encampments we finally camped at Tullahoma Tenn on the 6 day of July 1864 and there remained until Aug 19th 1864 during which time I took camp Diarrhea as to cause I can not say but give as my best Judgement that it was caused by the use of a kind of light bread that we drew as rations and that was raised by a process in which soap was largely used I was treated by the Regtimental surgeon C V H Seent (who is now Dead) from that time until I went home about the first of Oct 1864 after which I was treated by Dr D M Marshal now of Columbia City Whitley Co Ind then by Dr Jacob Leedy of Warsaw Koscuisko Co Ind who is also Dead after which I was treated by Dr E H Makemson of Pierceton Kosciusko Co Ind who is now my family Physician I have had two attacks of disease since 1864 one a billious attack in the fall of 1868 treated by the above named Marshall and the other a nervous prostration accompanied by chills and fever commencing in Sept 1876 and ending in Nov 1878 treated by the above named Dr Makemson.
      My places of residence and occupations since 1864 have been as follows from Oct 1864 to Oct 1874 I was at home withe my father on the above described premises and my occupation when able to work was that of a farmer in Oct 1874 I was Elected constable and removed to Pierceton that being the central point in our Township I served as constable 2 years and was then reElected in 1876 for 2 years more at the expirations of my time I found myself unable to walk or ride sufficient to discharge the duties of the office I refused to run for reelection but Moved to wooster Kosciusko Co Ind where I engaged in the raising of fancy Poultry which is my preasant Residence and occupation.
      I reply to too what extent does my disability extend I would say I am never free from the feeling of languor and weakness caused by Diarrhea during the first 4 months of the disease I had it continualy after that Several years the attacks were Irregular comeing on when ever I changed diet water location or effected any other change such as Eating my meals at irregular Intervals walking until my blood became over warm riding over rough roads or any exposure to extreme heat or cold or the use of hot food or cold drinks more latterally the attacks seen to come on every two or three weeks withe out any provoking cause some times in the night or on Sunday while setting still for the first few years the disease did not disable me mutch only while the Diarrhea lasted but for the last ten years I am not fully recovered from one spell until I am agan attacked withe another and for the last 18 months I have been so reduced as to not be able to do a full days work
      I Nelson R Galbreath claimant in Invalid pension claim 266701 do selemnly swear that the foregoing statement of facts are true in substance and in fact as I verily believe I shall answer to God
Nelson R Galbreath
His signature
Claimant
Subscribed and Sworn to Before me A Justice of the Peace this 27 day of May 1879
J.H.Stinsom J.P. {seal}

Much effort was required to satisfy the pension claim representative that his case was real, including a notarized statement stating that the military doctor who treated him was dead and that he could not find the doctor who treated him after his discharge. On August 20, 1884, he submitted the following as additional evidence to the U.S. Pension Office.

[With original spelling and punctuation as written by his lawyer.]
In the claim for increase pension on certificate No 179627 of Nelson R Galbreath late private of Co E 138 Regt Ind Vol Inft Claimant first being duely sworn on his oath says I contracted my original disease Camp Diarrhea at Tullahoma Tenn in the month of July 1864 while in the service of the United States as a private soldier and while in the line of duty as such Soldier the disease was probably caused by exposure to extreme heat the use of bad water and unwholesome food I have neaver been able to permanently cure said disease the best medical skill only furnishing temporary relief on or about the day of March 1882 I was attacted with Diarrhea with increased severity and on the 9th or 10th day of the same month while over the chamber at stool a severe attact of purging caused me to rupture myself in the left groin (I do not know the technical term for it) Since which time I have been almost totally disabled I have not been employed in the Military or Naval Service since the date of my discharge Sept 22nd 1864 my present P O addres is Pierceton Kosciusko County and State of Indiana

 

The Civil War Pension Index of Ancestry.com includes the following entry.

Name of
Soldier		 Galbreath, Nelson R.
Name of
Applicants		 WidowGalbreath, Elizabeth
MinorJoynes, George F. Gdn.¹
  
Service  
E. 138 Ind. Inf.
 
Dates of FilingClaim Application No.Certificate No. State From
Which Filed
1899 Feb 10Invalid266 701 179 627 
1891 Mar. 27Widow513 278 332 985Ind.
1896 May 18²Minor633 946 466 864Ill.
  1. This word was not clear

Nelson's will is dated March, 1891, and can be found in Will Book 4, page 413, Kosciusko County, Indiana. In it are mentioned his brother, Levi P. Galbreath, and children Minnie Grace, Augustes[sic] A., Clara F., Ethel May. Levi was named guardian of the minor children. The witnesses were Cyrus C. Humphreys and William Yohn.

Daughter Nancy joined the Daughters of the American Revolution thru this line:

Note: Errors shown in grey, corrected in italics.
Mrs. Nannie Galbreath Radcliff.
DAR ID Number: 77066
Born in Pierceton, Ill.
Wife of Henry Franklin Radcliff.
Descendant of John Whitney.
Daughter of Nelson R. Galbreath (1845-91) and Cynthia Royce (1849-89), his 1st wife, m. 1868. Granddaughter of G. W. FA. Royce (1801-59) and Nancy Chaplin (b. 1813), his 2nd wife, m. 1835. Gr-granddaughter of James Chaplin (1784-1865) and Sarah Whitney (1787-1858), his wife, m. 1807. Gr-gr-granddaughter of John Whitney and Hannah Atherton (d. 1795), his wife.
John Whitney (174554-99) served as a private in Captain Sawyer's company, Colonel Dike's regiment, which assisted, 1776, at the evacuation of Boston. He was born in Harvard, Mass.; died in Milledgeville, Ga.
Also Nos. 66556, 70542.
Sources:; March, 2004 (Vern Stearnaman's birth date and place) *These documents obtained from the National Archives as part of Nelson Galbreath's veteran's records.