BIOGRAPHY - JAMES GLASS
James
Page Glass, chairman of the village board of Piper City, has long been
recognized as an active factor in democratic circles and is also well known
as an enterprising and prosperous farmer, deriving his income from valuable
properties in Pella township and also in Winnipeg, Canada. He was born in
Hardin county, Ohio, February 4, 1859, his parents being George W. and Mary
E. (Yates) Glass. The paternal great-grandfather was a native of Ireland,
and in the latter part of the eighteenth century crossed the Atlantic and
established his home in the town of Elbridge, Onondaga county, New York. The
grandfather, William Glass, accompanied his parents on their emigration from
Ireland to the new world, and spent his entire life in the Empire state,
where he engaged actively in farming. He wedded Clarissa Whipple, a native
of Vermont, whose death occurred in 1836, while he survived until 1844,
passing away at the age of sixty-seven years. In his family were five
children: Mrs. Eunice Choate; William, who served in the Civil war and died
in 1863; Adeline, who died in Syracuse, New York; George W.; and James,
whose death occurred in Auburn, New York.
The father of our subject, George W. Glass, was born in Onondaga county, New York. February 11, 1826. Through the death of his father, he was thrown upon his own resources at the age of eighteen years. He secured work on the railroad and at anything that would bring him an honest living. He was also employed as an engineer and spent some years in the railroad shops. He afterward operated a portable engine, making that his business until he had reached the age of forty years. In 1853 he made his way to Sandusky, Ohio, where he continued to operate his portable engine. He was married in the fall of 1863 to Miss Mary E. Yates, who was also born in the Empire state and was reannl in the same neighborhood as was her husband. The young couple began their domestic life in Patterson, Hardin county, Ohio, where they lived for twelve years, subsequent to which time they removed to Stark county, Illinois, where they spent the winter, and in the following spring continued their journey to La Salle county, locating upon a farm near Streator, where they made their home until 1873. In that year they came to Ford county, where Mr. Glass purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land situated in Pella township. It was a tract of wet prairie, entirely unimproved, but he began its cultivation and development and in due course of time had made it an excellent tract of land. He made his home thereon until 1892, in which year he retired and removed to Piper City, where his death occurred in 1904, having survived his wife for about fourteen years, her death having occurred in 1890: lie was thus identified with the agricultural interests of Ford county for almost three decades and was a respected farmer and business man. Unto him and his wife were born five children: George E.; James Page, of this review; Minnie, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Fannie; and Alice.
James Page Glass accompanied his parents on their various removals and during the period of his boyhood and youth he assisted his father in the work of the home farm and was occupied with the duties of the schoolroom in the acquirement of his education. While remaining an active factor in business life he continued to engage in farming and prospered in his work. To his possessions he added from time to time until he now owns two hundred and ninety acres in Pella township on sections 34 and 35, and also one hundred and sixty acres near Winnipeg, Canada. His home farm is very valuable and productive and returns him a gratifying annual income. He made it his place of abode for a long period and brought it under a high .state of cultivation.
Mr. Glass was married in 1895 to Miss Lottie Thompson, a representative of one of the well known and prominent families of the county mentioned elsewhere in this volume. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Glass is the abode of gracious and warm-hearted hospitality and they occupy an enviable position in social circles. In his political views Mr. Glass is an earnest democrat and has been active in the local ranks of his party, doing all in his power to promote its growth and insure its success. He has served for four years as supervisor and at present is chairman of the village board of Piper City. His official service has always been characterized by the utmost devotion to the public good. He has ever placed the general welfare before partisanship and has done effective work officially and otherwise in behalf of public progress in his community. Fraternally he is connected with Piper City Lodge, No. 608, A. F. & A. M. and has also taken the Knights Templar degrees in the chapter at Fairbury. His residence in the county covers more than a third of a century and during this period he has largely witnessed the growth and progress which have marked the county's advancement and development. His cooperation has never been sought in vain in support of progressive public movements and his worth as a citizen is widely acknowledged.
Extracted 16 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 2, pages 606-608.
