Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 325

HENRY GLESSNER. The fine farm which occupies the southeast quarter of section 20, in Park Township, invariably attracts the eye of the passing traveler as being under the supervision of a thorough and skillful agriculturist, and a man otherwise of good business qualifications. The residence of our subject in this county dates from the spring of 1872, when he removed from the Hawkeye State to try his fortunes upon the soil of Southern Kansas.

     Like many of the intelligent men around him, Mr. Glessner is a native of Ohio, his birth taking place in Columbiana County, Jan. 22, 1841. He is the only child of Henry and Nancy (Culbertson) Glessner, the former of whom died in Ohio when Henry was an infant. Our subject and his mother continued there until the former was a lad nine years of age, and thence removed to Van Buren County, Iowa. The mother in the meantime had contracted a second marriage, with Patrick Sloan, who died in Monroe County, Iowa, about 1868. After the death of her second husband Mrs. Sloan came to this county, and now makes her home with her son Henry. Of her later marriage there were born six children, five living, namely: Thomas, Kate, Elizabeth, Nancy L. and Mary, who are residents mostly of Iowa.

     Young Glessner completed his education in the common schools of Van Buren County, Iowa, and commenced for himself at the age of fifteen years as clerk in a general store. He remained with his first employer over four years, and with the second, at Bentonsport, Iowa, over five years. In 1863, when twenty-two years old he was first married, January 1, to Miss Margaret E., daughter of William and Rebecca Becker, who became the mother of five children - William B., Emma, Walter W., Otto and E. M. Stanton, the two latter deceased - and departed this life at her home in Kansas, on the 8th of November, 1879. In 1867 he removed to Wapello County, Iowa, and followed farming there until coming to Kansas, in 1871, since which time he has occupied his present homestead, and has given much attention to stock-growing, making a specialty of cattle and hogs.

     Our subject, on the 20th of May, 1884, contracted a second marriage, with Miss Josephine E., daughter of John B. and Mary C. (Downing) Downing, who was born in Chester County, Pa., April 28, 1848. Her parents continued in Pennsylvania until the spring of 1877, then came to this county, where they were joined two years later by their daughter Josephine, who was their third child. Mr. Downing died in Illinois Township in 1878. The mother is still living and a resident of Harper County, this State. This union resulted in the birth of one child only, a son, Earl B., who died in infancy.

     Mr. Glessner is a decided Republican, and has served one term as Justice of the Peace. He has no aspirations for office, and discouraged any further attempt at an election thereto. He identified himself with the Masonic fraternity in 1862, and in religious belief is a Congregationalist.

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