Return to the El Dorado County Page Return to El Dorado County TalesWritten by Joanne Burkett from research taken from Paolo Sioli's History of El Dorado County California, from El Dorado Co. birth, marriage, death and land records and often from interviews.
George W. Gallanar was a man for all seasons, a pioneer with an adventurer's spirit and a tremendous drive to better himself.
Like so many modern young men of his era, he possessed an abundance of daring and boldness, and these qualities would take him to the other side of the continent and see him through a variety of experiences and occupations.
Gallanar was born on Aug. 1, 1852 in Pittsburgh, Penna., but when he was about 2 years old, his adventurous father, seeking a better life, uprooted the young family and headed west, pausing for varying lengths of time along the way in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Davenport, Iowa. When they reached St. Louis, Mo., George buckled down to his schoolwork, receiving an education at the state university that would serve him well throughout his life.
His initiation into the working world was as a U. S. Mail carrier, traveling between Jefferson City and Hibernia, Mo. His next venture was with the U. S. quartermaster's department, followed by a stint with the Missouri Elevator in St. Louis. From there, he went to work for the Missouri, Kansas City and Northern Railroad, was soon promoted to yard master and stationed on the other side of the state at St. Joseph, Mo. Railroading would prove to be a faithful and profitable friend to Gallanar, providing a living when other prospects were less than lucrative.
From there, once again, he followed his wanderer's heart, this time crossing the continent, zig-zagging between new opportunities and new places.
When he arrived in Genoa, Nev., an important way station along the trail to the California gold fields, Gallanar taught school for a time while he studied law with George P. Harding, the district attorney of Douglas County.
Apparently intent on moving further west, he returned to railroading, spending some time employed by the Eureka and Palisade railroad before moving on to San Francisco, which was growing rapidly. In San Francisco, he found work as a carpenter on the construction of railroad and mining mogul "Lucky" Baldwin's hotel and theater.
Somewhere during this period, Gallanar met the woman he would marry. On July 18, 1876, he took Anna A. Lohry as his bride and on May 17, 1877, the young couple was blessed with the birth of a son, Frederick.
Gallanar had been working for the Central Pacific railroad, but in May 1878, he packed his family up once again, and moved to Uniontown, an El Dorado County town that he would later be instrumental in renaming - Lotus.
Lotus was a beautiful place to be that spring, and the future looked as bright as the wildflowers that dotted the hillsides.
There George Gallanar found success and permanence, first as a merchant, then as he was named the town's postmaster in 1881, went on to practice in the Probate and Justice courts and the U. S. Land Office.
Gallanar wasn't satisfied, though, and eventually, became editor and publisher of the Lotus Press, which was founded on June 27, 1882. With his prominence in the community came memberships in a number of civic organizations, among them the Coloma Lodge No. 27, International Order of Odd Fellows.
Permission is granted by the author to use or republish this article, but proper attribution to the author -- Joanne Burkett -- is requested.
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Last Updated on: 11 October 2003