My Genealogy Hound

CAPT. J. M. GLENN, one of the prominent and representative citizens of Sedalia, is now serving as Deputy Circuit Clerk of Pettis County. June 29, 1849, he was born in Washington, Iowa, where his father, A. A. Glenn, was one of the earliest settlers. The latter’ s birth occurred in Lancaster County, Pa., as did his father’s, William Glenn, who there spent his entire life, engaged in agricultural pursuits. The family is of Scotch-Irish descent. The father of our subject was reared in Pennsylvania, where he was afterward married, but later emigrated to Iowa, in which state he followed general farming and stock-raising. He has now reached the advanced age of seventy-three years. Religiously he is a member of the United Presbyterian Church, while in politics he supports the Republican party with his ballot. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah McClellan, by her marriage became the mother of eight children, who are still living, three sons and five daughters. Her birth also occurred in Lancaster County, Pa., but in the ‘50s she removed with her father, John McClellan, to Iowa, where the latter followed farming until his death.

Captain Glenn in his youth had the advantages of a good education, first attending the common schools and later an academy in his native city. During the years 1869-70-71 he served as clerk under Colonel Murdock in the Internal Revenue Collector’s office, in Marble Hill, Mo., after which he was employed in a dry-goods house in Ft. Scott, Kan., for three years. In 1876 he arrived in Sedalia, where for two years he worked for the firm of Johnson & Wharton, and then for seven years was salesman for John G. Allen. He was next employed as bookkeeper in the wholesale notion house of C. P. Muir, where he remained for some time. From 1890 until 1895 he served as Assistant Postmaster, for four years under H. C. Demuth and the remainder of the time under V. P. Hart. He resigned, however, on the 1st of January, 1895, to accept his present position, that of Deputy Circuit Clerk.

In Sedalia, on the 11th of February, 1879, Captain Glenn was united in marriage with Miss Rebecca Otten. The lady was born in this city and is a daughter of Henry Otten, one of its leading hardware merchants. The union of our subject and his wife has been blessed with four interesting children. Flora, Harry, Madge and Leonard.

In the spring of 1892 the Captain was elected City Treasurer on the Republican ticket, having a majority of two hundred, and in April, 1894, was re-elected to the same position by a majority of eight hundred, running far ahead of his ticket, which was the largest ever received by any one in the county. He assisted in the organization of the Sedalia Republican Flambeau Club in 1888, which comprises seventy-five members and is one of the finest clubs of the kind in the United States. Lieutenant Burr, of the regular army, was made its first Captain, but after serving six weeks he returned to duty, when our subject was unanimously elected to that position, though he was away at the time. He has worked hard for its success, but his labors have been well rewarded, and it is one of which he may be justly proud. It is now uniformed and is in every way a credit to the leader. He has served as its Captain continuously since September, 1888. During President Harrison’s inauguration the club went to Washington, where it received the second prize. Sixty members were there present and they received a two-column notice in the papers of that city. The club has traveled extensively, and in 1892 took part in the grand naval battle on the Mississippi at St. Louis, where they displayed the finest fireworks.

Captain Glenn is interested in several civic societies. He is a member of Queen City Lodge No. 52, K. of P., belonging to the Uniformed Rank, and served as Captain of Fleur de Lis Division No. 7, of Sedalia, for three years. He also holds membership with Granite Lodge No. 272, A. F. & A. M., and is a charter member of the Royal Tribe of Joseph No. 1, in which he now fills the chair of Worthy Patriarch. The Republican party has in the Captain a faithful ally the principles of which he stanchly advocates. He is public-spirited and progressive, and his friends in Sedalia and surrounding country are numerous. His wife, a most estimable lady, holds membership with the Presbyterian Church.