John W. Galbreath, 1915 [above photo]

5th Generation Real Estate Family

My name is David Galbreath.  I am the 5th Generation of a Real Estate Family; and owner of Galbreath Real Estate in Columbus, Ohio.   I would like to share the stories, successes, and failures from over 100 years of Real Estate endeavors.  My hope is to tell these stories before they are forever lost to time.  Although names of companies and towns have changed, most of the buildings still remain.  However, many of their stories are fading.  This is personal quest to unlock the history for myself and in doing so I hope to keep these stories alive for future generations.

Brothers: (left to right)  Dean Galbreath, John W. Galbreath, Gerald H. Galbreath, Sr.

From The Trail of Tears to Thoroughbred Racing

My father (Michael) and Grandfather (Gerald H. Galbreath, Jr) spent years documenting the history of our family.  We have a very rich history!  A family member has fought in every war of America's history (except the most recent Iraq war – sorry family I dropped the ball!).  We walked the trail of tears as members of the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indian tribes. Operated one of the most successful women-ran businesses (after the men died) in Oklahoma that owned 30,000 acres with 30,000 head of cattle in Indian Territory (now - Lindsay, Oklahoma) in the 1860-1880's; only to have the land taken by the US government as part of the Dawes Act in 1887.  Later, after Robert F. Galbreath (my Great-Great Grandfather's Brother) hit the largest oil field in Oklahoma at the Glenn Pool (later sold to Standard Oil); he developed a town named Bromide, Oklahoma with William H. Jackson (my Great-Great Grandfather).  This town was developed around the area's natural mineral springs which were believed to have healing qualities. This is where the next generation of Galbreath's would began their real estate careers.  Gerald H. Galbreath, Sr (my Great Grandfather) manager of "The Galbreath Hotel" would take his youngest brother, John W. Galbreath under his wing, as cashier of the hotel. John would later become the most well-known Galbreath for his real estate development around the world and ownership of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1945-1986 during which the Pirates won 3 World Series Championships in 1960, 1971, and 1979.  As well as for his Thoroughbred Horse Racing, winning the Kentucky Derby with Chateaugay in 1963 and Proud Clarion in 1967 as well as the Preakness and Belmont Stakes with horse, Little Current, in 1974.

Robert F. Galbreath, Late 1880's

 Robert F. Galbreath and William H. Jackson in Bromide, Oklahoma 1914

The Galbreath Hotel in Bromide, Oklahoma                                                  June 20, 1915

Margaret Galbreath, Family Matriarch

With the passing of time almost all of my family's story tellers from the old generations have passed away.  My Grandmother Margaret Galbreath is now almost 99 and still in good health.  She is one of the last of the family that saw the rise of the Galbreath empire first hand (at least from the 1930's). She has been helping me learn about the old pictures and letters that I now have in my possession. We recently helped her move out of her house and found letter's from 'Bing' (Bing Crosby) and pictures of my Dad as a young boy in front of their twin engine propeller plan (circa 1957).

My Journey

I now own/operate a real estate brokerage and own investment properties.  I see how difficult it is to grow a business from scratch and I have the most admiration for those before me who were able to achieve great success starting from very modest beginnings.  

Since I was a child, I have been asked by many my relation to "The Galbreath Family".  Yesterday, (April 4th, 2016) I was showing a home to a client when a group came out of the house I was about to enter. The Realtor leaving seemed reluctant to give me the key to the house. He promptly asked, "Who are you"?  I said my name and his clients turned to me and said "You're related to the family with the Galbreath Chapel at Ohio University", the other client said "Your family has the big farm in West Columbus."  I said "Yes I am, that is my extended family and I too graduated from OU."  The women looked at me and said "Well, of course you're in real estate!"  My client and I walked into the house, she looked at me and said "Your family is pretty well known."  I gave the cliff note version of the history, which ultimately concluded in the realization that my family built the high rise building she works in downtown at Nationwide. 

Now, I don't want to take credit for any of the achievements from my family members.  I wasn't around and I was not a part of those business transactions (I wish I was!).  However, my Grandfather, Great-Grandfather and great-great uncle were and I would like to share the stories through their old letters and pictures.  It must have been an exciting time! 

I am of course proud of my family legacy.  We are fortunate to live in the same area where much of this history occurred.  I have many cousins (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th) that still live in the area.  We are not as close as the 'old family' was but we all share in the same history.  What most people in the area don't know is that the modern day Galbreath story began in the early 1800's in Derby & Mt Sterling, Ohio.  This is where my story begins….

Gerald H. Galbreath, Sr and Gerald H. Galbreath, Jr, Oklahoma 1918

I would be especially grateful to anyone who would like to share their stories about the Galbreath family.  You can contact me at david@galbreathRE.com.

- David P. Galbreath