James Glover.—For over a quarter of a century, James Glover has been a leading spirit in the development of Bluff City, Kans. In fact, the town began its existence with him as sales manager of the original town site in 1886, and since that time, the welfare of the town has been his hobby. He has justly earned the sobriquet, "The Father of Bluff City," by which he is generally known in that section of the State. Mr. Glover is a native of Prince Edward Island, born August 22, 1839. He is a son of John and Mary (Bell) Glover, natives of Scotland. In 1851 the family immigrated to America, locating in New York, and went to Iowa in 1870. The father was a mechanic, but in later life followed farming. He died in Iowa in 1888, and his wife died at Udall, Kans., in 1890. They were the parents of seven children, as follows: James, the subject of this sketch; John Bell, born in 1842, died at Belle Plaine, Kans., February 20, 1913; Robert Leslie, born in 1845 now retired, Kansas City, Mo., William, born in 1847, resides at Belle Plaine, Kans.; Jean, born in 1850, married Dr. Henry Young, died in 1894; Jeanette, born in 1856, married Frank Young a druggist, Manson, Iowa, and the youngest child was a daughter who died in infancy. James Glover is a self-educated man, and has been a close student of books as well as men and affairs all his life. When twelve years of age, he came to New York State with his parents, and at that time engaged at work in a cotton factory at Clark's Mill, during which time he attended night school, and when fourteen years old went to work in a general store, where he was employed until 1861, and at the same time kept up his studies at night school. In 1862, he removed with his old employer to Columbus, Ohio, still continuing in the mercantile business until 1866, with the exception of the time that he served in the Civil war, s a member of Company G, One Hundred and Thirty-third Regiment, Ohio infantry. He enlisted as a private, and was promoted to sergeant, during his term of service. In 1869, he went to Manson, Iowa, a new and unimproved country, which at that time was considered the far West. He erected the first building in that, then new town, with the expectation of engaging in the mercantile business. It required all of his capital to build his store building, but he succeeded in buying a stock of goods on credit, and for sixteen years was successfully engaged in the mercantile business there, when his store was burned. In 1885 he came to Kansas and the following year located where Bluff City now stands. At that time the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad was being built in Harper county, and Mr. Glover secured the position as selling agent for the original town site company of Bluff City. The company had considerable other real estate along its line, of which he also had charge. He assisted in platting the town site of Bluff City, which consisted of 160 acres, ten acres of which was reserved in the center of the town site, for a city park. Little attention was given to this park by way of improvement until 1888, when the city, finally, built a fence around it, and from that time, Mr. Glover took it upon himself to improve the park, at his own personal expense, and for twenty years has given it every care and spent a great deal of money on its improvement. He planted the trees and shrubs, which he artistically arranged, according to his own plans. He persisted in the improvement of this park, and today it is one of the finest city parks to be found anywhere in the country, with trees and shrubbery of a multitude of varieties, arranged in perfect harmony. Every citizen of Bluff City points with pride to "Glover Park," the name which it has been given by the city in honor of its builder and beautifier. This park has received many laudatory notices from the press throughout the State, and Mr. Glover deserves a great deal of credit for what he has accomplished, in creating this beauty spot. Mr. Glover was the editor and publisher of the Bluff City "Herald," from 1880 to 1890, and the columns of that paper teemed with originality, and its editorials were of the forceable and fearless type seldom found in the press of today. The files of this paper bear testimony to his literary ability, and emphasizes the fact that he is a man who has the courage of his convictions. He is, now, a frequent contributor, to the metropolitan press, principally on scientific subjects. Mr. Glover was married September 20, 1871, at West Chicago, Ill., to Miss Mary Ella Seaman, who died January 20, 1874, at Manson, Iowa, leaving no children. On January 17, 1877, Mr. Glover married Miss Sarah Jane Moody, of Manson, Iowa. She was born at The Dalls, Ore., April 20, 1856, and is a daughter of W. C. Moody. To this union have been born three children: Frederick Sheldon, born October 18, 1877; Kenneth Moody, born October 21, 1880, and Elsie, born February 24, 1883, married Truman L. Sturdevant, postmaster of Bluff City. Mr. Glover is a public spirited citizen, and is a stanch supporter of every movement for the betterment of his community, and the State, and is a strong advocate of higher and better education. In 1903, through the representative in the legislature from Harper county, he fathered the township high school law, which gives Stohrville township a high school, and since has become in general effect throughout the State. Mr. Glover has served as postmaster of Bluff City for eight years and for fifteen years has been mayor. He is vice-president of the Bluff City State Bank, and his fraternal affiliations are with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is an enthusiastic believer in the Sunday school and has been awarded an official badge of honor, for three years attendance without missing a Sunday.