Glenn. The Glenns, who lived in the northeastern part of Armstrong county,
in the vicinity of Dayton, were descendants of John Glenn, A native of
Ireland, who came from the land of his birth when eighteen years old and
settled in Chester county, Pa. He married Mary Borland, by whom he had two
daughters, Ann and Mary, and four sons, Robert, John, James and Joseph.
Joseph Glenn was born Feb. 10, 1787, and married Mary Thompson, who was
born the same day as himself. They had three children, Archibald, William
Turner and Mary Ann. In 1818 Mr. Glenn moved to Indiana county, Pa., where he
remained three years, after which he located near Mahoning creek, in Wayne
township, Armstrong county, about two miles from Dayton. On this farm, to
which he came when the region was almost a wilderness, he lived until his
death, April 17, 1852, seeing the country cleared up and wonderfully
developed. He was a strongly religious man, a member of the Methodist Church,
and particularly zealous in Sunday school work, superintending at different
times many schools at quite a distance from home, one of them being on Pine
Creek, twelve miles away. His family were all of the same religious faith as
himself. After his death his wife lived with her children until she died, Oct.
23, 1866. They were buried in the M.E. cemetery at Dayton. Of their three
children, Archibald was the father of James Alexander and A.D. Glenn, both
mentioned below; William Turner was married to Mary Jane Thompson in 1849, and
died in the army at Alexandria, Va., in 1864 (his widow died in Phoenix,Pa.,
Jan 1, 1910); Mary Ann was married in 1856 to Isaac Hopkins, who died in
December, 1882, and she now (April 1, 1914) lives with her son, Dr. Thomas C.
Hopkins, a professor in the university at Syracuse, New York.
Archibald Glenn first settled at Rockport, Clarion Co., Pa., but
subsequently lived at various places in Armstrong county, among them Milton,
Eddyville, and Putneyville, where he resided until his death, May 21, 1888,
when he was aged seventy-eight years, three months, five days. He was elected
to the office of county commissioner in 1849, and served the people acceptably
and efficiently for three years. This was the only public office of
consequence he ever held except that of jury commissioner, to which he was
elected in 1873, and from which he resigned before his the expiration of the
term because his private business conflicted with its duties. He held various
township offices and was justice of the peace for about fifteen years.
On Jan. 28, 1828 Mr. Glenn married Susanna Barnes Coursin, daughter of
Abraham and Elizabeth Coursin, who lived near Curllesville, Pa. To this
marriage were born six sons and one daughter, as follows: John Coursin, who
died unmarried in Illinois in 1855; Abraham Rockey, who married Sarah E.
McCurdy in 1853 and died in Smickburg, Indiana county, in April, 1910; Elijah
C.T., who married Louisa Allen in 1858 and died in February, 1871 (his widow
now lives in Dayton); James Alexander; Mary James, who was married in 1857 to
John S. Oyler, and lived near Murrysville, Westmoreland county (she died in
1901); Archibald David and William Turner.
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It is a remarkable fact that five of the sons, (all of them living) and Mr.
Oyler, husband of the only daughter in this family, served on the Union side
during the Civil war. The brothers all enlisted in 1861. Two uncles were also
in the service. This is a record which so few families can equal that we give
herewith the detailed account of their service which appeared in a local
newspaper some time ago:
“Abraham R. Glenn enlisted Aug. 29, 1861, in Company B 78th Regiment
Pennsylvania Infantry, which joined Negley’s Brigade, and was ordered to
Kentucky in October. Was seized with attack of bronchitis while accompanying
his regiment on its march from Mumforrdsville, Ky., to Nashville, Tenn., and
left Feb. 22d, 1862, with others at Bowling Green Kentucky, where a hospital
was improvised for their accommodation; was detailed as nurse on 6th of April,
in which capacity he served, being subsequently transferred to Nashville,
Tenn., until September, when at his own request he was returned to his
regiment. Feb. 2d, 1863, he was detailed from his regiment and served
successively on the escorts of Generals Negley, Grant and Palmer; was
discharged by reason of expiration of service, October 12th, 1864 at
Kittanning, Pa. During his enlistment he served in the following engagements:
Stone River, Hoover’s Gap, Elk River, Bailey’s Cross Roads, Chickamauga,
Tunnel Hill, Buzzards Roost, Resaca, Kingston, New Hope Church, Big Shanty,
Kenesaw Mountain and Chattahoochee.”
“Elijah C.T. Glenn enlisted August 29th, 1861, in Company B, 78th
Pennsylvania Infrantry, and was with his regiment in all its movements until
the expiration of his term of service except the interval from April 8th to
Aug. 19th, in 1864, during which he served on General Palmer’s escort. He was
attended with remarkable good health; was never an inmate of a hospital and
off duty but a few days. He took part in the following battles, together with
the usual skirmishing which atttend a regiment in active service; Lavergne,
Stone River, Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, and Missionary Ridge; was promoted
to sergeant, in which rank he was discharged.”
“James A. Glenn enlisted July 4th, 1861, in Company I, 62d
Pennsylvania Infantry (Col. Samuel Black, commanding), and was with his
regiment in the following engagements: Yorktown, Hanover C.H., Mechanicsville,
Gaines’s Mill, Harrison’s Landing, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Manassas Gap, Rappahannock Station, Mine Run and
Wilderness, where he was dangerously wounded in the abdomen on May 5th, 1864.
Was five days in government wagons, enduring with others almost incredible
suffering before a more comfortable method of transportation could be
procured. For a time his life was despaired of, but subsequently he partially
recovered,owing no doubt, in part to the attention shown him among others by
Miss Marsh, of Massachusetts, a volunteer nurse in Armory Square Hospital,
Washington, D.C. He was not able to return home till more than a month after
the expiration of his time, and has never fully recovered. Prior to being
wounded he was never an inmate of a hospital and seldom off duty. He was
discharged a corporal.”
“Archibald D. Glenn enlisted as a sergeant, Aug. 29th, 1861, in
Company B, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry (Col. William Sirwell commanding), and
accompanied his regiment to Kentucky; discharged on account of disability, on
Feb. 16th, 1863. Reenlisted in the 58th Regiment, State troops, in July of the
same year; discharged when the troops were discharged.”
“William T. Glenn enlisted when not quite sixteen years of age in
Company F, 48th Pennsylvania Infantry, on August 1st, 1861. Was sent to Camp
Hamilton, near Fortress Monroe, and in October to Hatteras Island, N.C., in
the vicinity of which his company remained until July, 1862, when the 48th was
ordered to join the Potomac Army, with which it was identified till after the
sanguinary conflict at Fredericksburg under General Burnside, when it was
ordered to Kentucky. On its way through Baltimore he was left in the hospital,
having been suffering for some time with inflammatory rheumatism, resulting
from the exposure in the Fredericksburg campaign, and for which he was
discharged on the 8th of April, 1863. During the enlistment he participated in
the following general engagements: Second Bull Run, Chantilly, South Mountain,
Antietam and Fredericksburg, together with numerous others of less note.
Through not fully recovered he could not resist the temptation to enlist in
the State service, when Pennsylvania was invaded in July. was discharged when
the troops were disbanded; again reenlisted for three years in Company M, 2d
Pennsylvania Cavalry, in March, 1864; subsequently transferred to Company K,
as a supernumerary, and promoted to corporal; followed his regiment through
all its vicissitudes about Richmond, participating in numerous engagements,
and recommended on account of meritorious conduct for commission as second
lieutenant, but before it was issued Lee had surrendered, and his old
complaint compelled him to enter the hospital again. At the consolidation of
the 2d and 20th Pennsylvania Cavalry he was mustered out as supernumerary
non-commissioned officer, but was not able to be removed home till several
months afterwards, and he never fully recovered; while making several narrow
and almost miraculous escapes was never seriously wounded.”
“George L. Wheatcroft, business partner, enlisted in the absence of
all the sons in August, 1863, in Company B, 78th Pennsylvania Infantry; was
discharged August. 1864, by reasons of wounds received in service, and from
which he never has and probably never will recover.”
“John S. Oyler, only son-in-law, enlisted in August, 1864, in the
206th Pennsylvania Volunteers (Heavy Artillery), which was sent to garrison
the defenses at Washington City. Discharged when the troops were disbanded in
1865.”
“The situation of this family in the spring of 1862 strikingly
exemplifies the manner in which families are scattered by the fortunes of war.
Though not yet a year in service they were distributed thus: A.R., at Bowling
Green, Kentucky; E.C.T., near Nashville, Tenn.; J.A., in eastern Virginia;
A.D., in Louisville, Ky.; W.T., in Hatteras, N.C. Notwithstanding the number
in service not one ever received a furlough to return home after the State
except A.D., to await discharge, not having his descriptive list with him. All
except W.T., in his last enlistment, enlisted without local bounty, or any
other incentive aside from patriotic impulse; while few families can boast an
equal service in rank and file, perhaps still fewer were favored with the
preservation of the lives of all its members. The father was equally imbued
with the spirit that animated his offspring, and had not his age, which was
fifty-one at the commencement of the war, precluded it, he too would have
enlisted. As it was, and with all sons in the army, he was only prevented from
entering the State troops when Pennsylvania was invaded by the earnest
dissuasions of his friends. At home he was a staunch friend to the Union, and
ever ready, when opportunity offered, to aid those whose friends were absent
battling for the right,”
William T. Glenn, on account of inflammatory rheumatism, was unable to
return home until six months after the close of the war, subsequently enlisted
in Company L, 2d U.S. Cavalry, spent several years in the Rocky Mountain
region, and returned home much broken in health. He died at Eddyville in
April, 1875.
James Alexander Glenn, son of Archibald, was born near Glade Run, about two
miles north of Dayton, on Oct. 12, 1836. After the Civil war he followed
lumbering in Armstrong and Jefferson counties, this State, during the greater
part of his active life. In 1891 he removed to Dayton, this county, where he
has since had his home. During the twenty or more years of his residence at
that place he has proved a valuable citzen. He has been active in its official
circles, having served as councilman, school director, tax collector,
constable and assessor, and its various interests have received his
encouragement and substantial support, he being a stockholder of the Dayton
Normal Institute and of the Dayton Fair Association. Mr. Glenn’s excellent war
record entitled him to membership in the G.A.R., and he is a prominent worker
in the J. Ed. Turk Post, of which he is a past commander. In politics he is a
Republican.
In 1875 Mr. Glenn married Mary E. Brumbaugh, daughter of Frederick and
Elizabeth (Sharer) Brumbaugh, formerly of Huntingdon county, Pa., later of
Armstrong county. Their only daughter, Iva May, died aged sixteen years.
Mr. Glenn’s son, Alfinas A. Glenn, was a well-known business man of
Crookston, Minn., where he died at the age of fifty-two years. He was married,
and left a wife and family of ten children, three sons and seven daughters.
Archibald David Glenn, son of Archibald, was born Jan. 30, 1842, while his
parents were living at Camp Run, about three miles from Dayton. He attended
public school at Milton, the Dayton Union Academy and the Iron City College.
When between fifteen and sixteen years of age he commenced teaching, taking a
place in Milton which the directors had left vacant. Subsequently he taught in
Red Bank and Brady’s Bend townships, this county, at West Mahoning in Indiana
county, and in Robinson township, Allegheny county, where he was engaged four
consective terms of seven months each. When he gave up teaching he was
principal of the Woods Run school in Allegheny city. After his army service,
which has been fully mentioned above, he traveled as the representative of
Wilson, Hinkle & Co.(later Van Atwerp, Bragg & Co.) of Cincinnati, one
of the largest schoolbook publishing firms in the United States. He remained
with this house from April, 1868, to July 1, 1870, having his headquarters
successively at Pittsburgh, Crestline (Ohio) and Meadville. After quitting the
agency he was engaged with his father in the mercantile business at Eddyville.
In 1872 he was elected over six competitors to the office of superintendent of
public schools in Armstrong county, to which he was reelected with
comparatively little opposition in 1875 and 1878, serving nine years— the
longest continuous term served by an incumbent since the establishment of the
office. At his first reelection his salary was increased. Mr. Glenn’s services
were very valuable in the way of elevating the standard of public instruction,
and were generally so recognized, a fact which was attested by the offer of a
fourth election, which, however, he declined. He was editor of the Kittanning
Union Free Press from June, 1879, to April, 1881, and ably conducted that
well-known journal. He served as district deputy grand master of the I.O.O.F.
of Armstrong county for two terms and was urged by several lodges to continue
longer in that capacity. In 1882 he was nominated without opposition by the
Republicans of Armstrong county for the Assembly and was elected by the
majority of 180 votes, while his colleague on the ticket for the same office
had a much smaller majority. Here he found the broad field of his usefulness
that his intellectual and moral merits entitled him to. He served through the
regular session in 1883, also the special session called to meet the day after
the regular session adjourned, June 6, 1883. The special session is frequently
called “the long parliament” as the house being Democratic and the
Senate Republican a deadlock on apportionment, ensued which continued until
the final adjournment, Dec. 6, 1883, so far as the apportionment of the State
into Congressional, Senatorial and Legislative districts was concerned, a
Judicial apportionment alone being made. In 1884 he was reelected
representative by over a thousand majority, and served during the session of
1885, being chairman of the committee on Education. He introduced and had
charge of a bill to provide for instruction in public schools of the State in
the subjects of physiology and hygiene, with special reference to the effects
of alcoholic drinks, stimulants and narcotics upon the human system. This bill
was introduced at the instance of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union of
the State under the leadership of Mrs. Mary H. Hunt, of Boston, Mass., a
gifted lady and talented orator, general superintendent of scientific
temperance instruction in the United States. The bill was carried in the House
against much oppostion and was subsequently passed in the Senate and signed by
the governor, and remains on he statute books to-day substantially the same as
when first passed.
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In April, 1886, Mr. Glenn bought a half interest in the Union Free Press in
Kittanning, and edited that paper until April, 1887, when, being appointed
statistical clerk in the department of public instruction at Harrisburg, he
sold his interest in the paper. In 1889 he was appointed financial clerk in
the same department and continued in that position until July, 1906, during
which time he made the calculations and drew the warrants for the distribution
of about ninety million dollars ($90,000,000) of State appropriations to
schools. In 1906 he was promoted to the position of deputy superintendant of
public instruction, in which position he still serves at this writing, April
1,1914. He has his office at Harrisburg. Whatever Mr. Glenn has attained is
due to his own exertions. Enjoying only limited advantages in his boyhood, he
nevertheless obtained a thorough education, and has made his way in the world
by close application and energetic manly endeavor. He is a member of Jonh F.
Croll Post, G.A.R., Kittanning, Putneyville Lodge, No. 735, I.O.O.F.,
Kittanning Lodge, No. 244, A.Y.M., and Harrisburg Consistory,
A.A.S.R.N.M.J.U.S.A.
Source Pages 408-412 Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 1998 by Rodney G Rosborough for the Armstrong County
Beers Project.
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)
Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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