John B. Glassburner
John B. Glassburner who is engaged in the breeding and raising of thoroughbred stock in Washington township, is a native of Iowa, having been born near Drakeville, Marion township, Davis county, on the 14th of March, 1857.
His parents, Samuel B. and Mary P. (Edwards) Glassburner, were both natives of Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, but were married in Iowa. Samuel B. Glassburner came to Iowa with his father in 1847 and located in Davis county, where the latter spent the remainder of his days. John B. Glassburner is the eldest in a family of four children. The others are as follows: Amanda, the wife of Owen Williams, of Batavia, Iowa; William L., who lives in Washington, this state; and Rachel, the wife of Blueford Haines, of Unionville, Iowa. The parents remained upon the homestead as long as the father was able to engage in active farming and then retired to Washington, where they are living with their son.
John B. Glassburner acquired his education in the district schools of Davis county, remaining at home and assisting his father in the cultivation of the farm until he had attained his majority. In 1878 he began farming for himself as a renter in his native county but after living there one year removed to Appanoose county, where he resided until 1881. On the 13th of February in the latter year he located on a farm on section 32, Charter Qak township, this county, and for twelve years Mr. Glassburner engaged in general farming and stock-raising.
In 1903, however, he removed to Charter Oak and lived there until the spring of 1905, at which time he settled on his present homestead in Washington township. During the period of his occupancy he has very much improved this place, having erected, in addition to the other extensive improvements, a fine residence with modern appointments. His farm contains two hundred and forty acres of land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation. He makes a specialty of breeding and raising thorough bred Poland China hogs, Durham cattle and Oxford sheep and is meeting with most gratifying success in his undertaking.
Mr. Glassburner was married in 1878 to Miss Amanda Allen Boyer, also a native of Davis county, and they have become the parents of six children, as follows: Maimie F., who after graduating from the high school entered the training school in Chicago and for six years has been engaged in mission work in southern China, near Hia-kiang; Frank J., who is also a high school graduate; Daisy H., the wife of Joseph Hallowell, of this county; Grace L., the wife of Eldridge Bryan; Fred R., attending college at Ames; and Ruth P., who is attending school at Dow City. All of the children graduated from the high school at Charter Oak with the exception of the youngest daughter.
The family are all members of the Methodist Episcopal denomination and are active church workers. Mr. Glassburner is also identified with a fraternal insurance order. Although he always gives his political support to the candidates of the republican party, he never participates in local governmental matters as he does not care for public honors or the emoluments of office. He is one of the highly respected citizens of the community where he resides, as well as one of the most prosperous, while socially the family affiliates with the best people.
Source: History of Crawford County, Iowa. Vol. II. Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911.