Sophie Gally (a distant relative through marriage of Louis Dupuy, born Adolphe François Gerard) was housekeeper at the Hotel de Paris from 1878-1901. She immigrated to the United States from France with her husband, Jean-Antoine Gally (a blacksmith), who disappeared rather early; there is no record of whether he died or deserted her.
Sophie is reputed to have never learned to speak English. It is said that Sophie would sit in front of the hotel on a bench. Local children called her Auntie or Aunt Sophie. She had no known life outside of the hotel and apparently very little contact with relatives in France.
When Louis took a trip back to France for a visit, he wrote mutual wills for himself and Sophie; Louis' left everything to Sophie, Sophie's left all to Louis. Needless to say, Louis didn't expect to die--he was only in his mid 50s. However, in the fall of 1900, Louis contracted a fever and died of pneumonia that October. Everything went to Sophie, but she died 4 months later, in February of 1901. At this point, her estate was left to nieces Angeline Pouger Lefebvre and Rose Pouget, who eventually sold the property to James and Sarah Burkholder of Georgetown, Colorado for $10,000 (a fraction of the hotel's true worth).
Sophie Gally is buried with Louis Dupuy. They share a grave marker inscribed with the words "Deux Bons Amis."
In 1985, Sophie was fictionalized by America's storyteller Louis L'Amour in his novel "The Proving Trail."
Sophie is reputed to have never learned to speak English. It is said that Sophie would sit in front of the hotel on a bench. Local children called her Auntie or Aunt Sophie. She had no known life outside of the hotel and apparently very little contact with relatives in France.
When Louis took a trip back to France for a visit, he wrote mutual wills for himself and Sophie; Louis' left everything to Sophie, Sophie's left all to Louis. Needless to say, Louis didn't expect to die--he was only in his mid 50s. However, in the fall of 1900, Louis contracted a fever and died of pneumonia that October. Everything went to Sophie, but she died 4 months later, in February of 1901. At this point, her estate was left to nieces Angeline Pouger Lefebvre and Rose Pouget, who eventually sold the property to James and Sarah Burkholder of Georgetown, Colorado for $10,000 (a fraction of the hotel's true worth).
Sophie Gally is buried with Louis Dupuy. They share a grave marker inscribed with the words "Deux Bons Amis."
In 1985, Sophie was fictionalized by America's storyteller Louis L'Amour in his novel "The Proving Trail."
Sophie Gally (a distant relative through marriage of Louis Dupuy, born Adolphe François Gerard) was housekeeper at the Hotel de Paris from 1878-1901. She immigrated to the United States from France with her husband, Jean-Antoine Gally (a blacksmith), who disappeared rather early; there is no record of whether he died or deserted her.
Sophie is reputed to have never learned to speak English. It is said that Sophie would sit in front of the hotel on a bench. Local children called her Auntie or Aunt Sophie. She had no known life outside of the hotel and apparently very little contact with relatives in France.
When Louis took a trip back to France for a visit, he wrote mutual wills for himself and Sophie; Louis' left everything to Sophie, Sophie's left all to Louis. Needless to say, Louis didn't expect to die--he was only in his mid 50s. However, in the fall of 1900, Louis contracted a fever and died of pneumonia that October. Everything went to Sophie, but she died 4 months later, in February of 1901. At this point, her estate was left to nieces Angeline Pouger Lefebvre and Rose Pouget, who eventually sold the property to James and Sarah Burkholder of Georgetown, Colorado for $10,000 (a fraction of the hotel's true worth).
Sophie Gally is buried with Louis Dupuy. They share a grave marker inscribed with the words "Deux Bons Amis."
In 1985, Sophie was fictionalized by America's storyteller Louis L'Amour in his novel "The Proving Trail."
Sophie is reputed to have never learned to speak English. It is said that Sophie would sit in front of the hotel on a bench. Local children called her Auntie or Aunt Sophie. She had no known life outside of the hotel and apparently very little contact with relatives in France.
When Louis took a trip back to France for a visit, he wrote mutual wills for himself and Sophie; Louis' left everything to Sophie, Sophie's left all to Louis. Needless to say, Louis didn't expect to die--he was only in his mid 50s. However, in the fall of 1900, Louis contracted a fever and died of pneumonia that October. Everything went to Sophie, but she died 4 months later, in February of 1901. At this point, her estate was left to nieces Angeline Pouger Lefebvre and Rose Pouget, who eventually sold the property to James and Sarah Burkholder of Georgetown, Colorado for $10,000 (a fraction of the hotel's true worth).
Sophie Gally is buried with Louis Dupuy. They share a grave marker inscribed with the words "Deux Bons Amis."
In 1985, Sophie was fictionalized by America's storyteller Louis L'Amour in his novel "The Proving Trail."
Bio by: Kevin Kuharic
Inscription
AGED 66 YEARS
Gravesite Details
Sophie Gally shares a grave marker with Louis Dupuy.
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
