Introduction

To understand who you are today, you need to know where you came from. As a history buff, I spent countless hours over the past years researching the history of others. I read numerous books on American and European history, volunteered as a tour guide for historical houses and walked through the oldest cemeteries in the country just to satisfy my need for knowledge. Then one day, I went to Gettysburg and to my surprise discovered the name of my grandfather 's grandfather written on a monument in the middle of the battlefield. It brought back memories of the stories and lessons taught to me by my grandparents William and Anna Gallagher. As the memory gates flooded open, I realized I did not need to look any further then my own backyard to satisfy my love for history. What better history then one's own.

My first research stop was Laurel Hill cemetery because as a cemetery friend's member and a East Falls native, I knew the grounds well and had easy access to the burial records of my Weleski and Schroeder relatives interred there. The funny thing about researching is when you open the can all the worms come falling out.

The records at Laurel Hill lead me to St. John the Baptist Church in Manayunk, a short distance up the river from East Falls. As I reviewed the Weleski Church records I came across records of other relatives such as the Bolands, McCafferys and Gallaghers. Before, I knew it I was walking the grounds of other cemeteries such as Westminster in Belmont Hills and Holy Sepulchre in Cheltenham. Then I ended up in Center City Philadelphia looking up ship passenger lists and immigration records. I joined web site mailing lists and gained access to census records and city directories. I found street addresses, military pension records and lists of family members I did not even know existed. I ended up in libraries, Ellis Island and even reached out as far as Montana. Before I knew it I could follow a relative's life from the time they entered this country to the burial plot in which they laid.

Grandmom once told me that a man approached her mother in law Mary Keller Gallagher and asked Mary if she would be interested in recording her family's history. See, Mary's father was the name on that monument in Gettysburg. She also had a cousin who died a hero's death (well documented) at the Battle of Little Big Horn. But as proud as Mary was of her family's history she also was not the type to brag so the history was never recorded but was passed down throughout the generations by word of mouth and old fashion Irish Story telling. ( by my grandfather)

So here I am doing what I believe my grandparents would have wanted and may have been a little proud of. I call it a labor of love. Its the love I hold deep for grandparents long gone from this world but not from my heart.