A Soldier's Story: Corporal Nathan Edward Galloway

 


Corporal Nathan Edward Galloway was born on February 18, 1879, in Springfield, Missouri, and in his early years would carve buttons out of mussel shells for his mother. He enlisted in the US Army on May 30, 1901, was assigned to the 28th Infantry, and deployed to the Philippines during the Phillippine-American war. 

After returning home in 1904, Corporal Nathan Galloway supported himself and his wife with farming and began selling carved wooden furniture and trinkets. In addition, he maintained an art studio in Springfield, Missouri. He was preparing for his worldwide artistic debut at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition when, on July 18, 1913, a fire engulfed most of a Springfield city block, including his art studio. 

After the fire, Corporal Nathan Galloway took a job at Charles Page's Sand Springs Boys Home in Sand Springs, Oklahoma, where he taught woodworking skills to the boys. He remained a teacher until his retirement in 1937.

Corporal Galloway moved to a small farm in  Foyil, Oklahoma, where he opened another woodcarving workshop, making trinkets and violins. He also created several totem poles, including one that reached 90 feet. The totem poles and woodshop became popular tourist stop along US Highway 66.

Corporal Nathan Edward Galloway died on November 29, 1962, and rests in the Chelsea Cemetery in Chelsea, Oklahoma.

*Note - Not all of his Springfield work was destroyed. One piece, called "Lion in a Cage," is known to exist. It can be found at the Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, Missouri.

* Read about a.d. elliott's Everyday Patriot Project here*

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a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller living in Salem, Virginia. 

In addition to her travel writings at www.takethebackroads.com, you can also read her book reviews at www.riteoffancy.com and US military biographies at www.everydaypatriot.com

Her online photography gallery can be found at shop.takethebackroads.com

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Location: Springfield, MO, USA

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