Farm Days Gone By
In 1951, the Eugene and MaryKay Gallagher family were voted Typical Farm Family of Illinois. They lived in Manhattan Township, where they farmed 440 acres of corn, soybeans, oats and hay. They also raised Hereford cattle, Brown Swiss milk cows, Chester White hogs and 200 White Rock laying hens.
Pictured in back row is Eugene holding youngest daughter Jeanene, MaryKay, Governor Adlai Stevenson and foster daughter Myrtle Mitchell. (Myrtle came for the summer from Guardian Angel Home in Joliet to help when Ricky was born. She then never left the family after her arrival in Summer of 1946 and became a sibling to all the Gallagher children) Front row Kenny, David and Ricky Gallagher.
They were honored by Governor Stevenson at the State Fair in Springfield in 1951.