ALBERT H. GLASSCOCKALBERT H. GLASSCOCK displays in his life the notable traits of open frankness and cordiality which is stamped on the native Texan. He is generous to a fault and is always willing to extend the hand of friendship and hospitality. At the same time his sense of justice and honor are developed to a marked degree, which would make him resent an injury or stand unfalteringly in support of the principle which he believes to be right. His father, George Washington Glasscock, was a Kentuckian by birth, his natal day being April 11, 1810, and at an early age he removed from Kentucky to Texas, settling first at Bastrop, and later on moved to Travis county, and about 1841 took up his abode on a farm in the fork of Gillian’s creek and the Colorado river, about thirteen miles east of Austin. There he carried on general agricultural and mercantile pursuits, surveying and contracting, and early took an active interest in the development of the county. He was the contractor who built the lunatic asylum, at Austin, Texas, but through some complications which arose during its construction the time he needed for the work so exceeded that which had been specified for its completion that the whole thing resulted in a loss rather than a gain to him. However, he became a large land-owner, having investments in various parts of the state and because of his extensive business relations, and the active and helpful part which he took in public affairs, he became well known to the people in the different sections of the commonwealth, and was respected and honored wherever known. For a period of three terms he served his constituents in the state legislature and took an active interest in constructive measures which have for their object improvement and benefit of the commonwealth along various lines. Eventually he left his farm on Gillian’s creek and removed to Georgetown. He gave the land for the town site there and the new municipality was named in his honor. He was closely identified with its early material improvement and development, and erected there a flouring mill which he operated for several years. During the exciting and trying period that followed Texas’ declaration of independence when she threw off the yoke of Mexican government, Mr. Glasscock laid aside his surveying instruments for the weapons of war, and with others of his friends and associates marched to the assistance of the young republic in opposition to its oppressors and was in several battles, among which were the engagements at Grass, Fight and Alamo. While living in Kentucky, before coming to Texas, he was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln, and on several occasions they made trips together on flat boats on the Sangamon and Illinois rivers. Mr. Glasscock was a Mason of high standing, taking various degrees of the York and Scottish rites. On the 25th of May, 1837, George W. Glasscock was married to Miss Cynthia Catherine Knight, a native of Tennessee, born July 30, 1815. In their family were ten children, of whom seven, three sons and four daughters, reached adult age. Mr. Glasscock was a typical Texas pioneer, and lived through many vicissitudes in the history of the state, and personally experienced many of the hardships and trials incident to life on the frontier. Starting out for himself when a poor boy he acquired, through his well directed labors and business relations, a comfortable fortune so that at the time of his death, which occurred on the 28th of February, 1868, his estate was estimated to be worth from seventy-five to one hundred thousand dollars. Albert H. Glasscock, an esteemed citizen of Abilene, was born on his father’s farm on Gillian’s creek, February 15, 1847, and attended school at Austin for two terms, while for a short time he was a student in a private school conducted by T. J. Johnson, in Hays county, about seventeen miles from his home. After the death of his father, he and his eldest brother, G. W. Glasscock, now a prominent member of the state senate, went to Georgetown for the purpose of operating a mill which belonged to their father there. The plant was later destroyed by fire and the brother then returned to Austin, while Albert Glasscock gave his attention to general agricultural pursuits. On the 16th of December, 1872, Mr. Glasscock was married to Miss Rebecca Northington, who was born in Georgetown, this state, March 9, 1850. He took his bride to his farm, living on a little place about a mile and a half from Georgetown, where he lived until 1881. He then took up his abode in Taylor county, settling at Buffalo Gap, then the county seat, where he was engaged in the sheep business, at that time a profitable industry, conducted on the open ranch. In March, 1883, having disposed of his flocks, he removed to Abilene, since which time he has been engaged in stock-raising and farming. He owns a ranch about seven miles southeast of the city on Lytle creek, which originally constituted twenty-four hundred acres, but he has since sold a portion of this an now has eleven hundred and twenty acres, a part of which is under cultivation. He belongs to that class of successful agriculturists who have readily recognized the natural resources of the country, the fertility of the land and the excellent advantages here afforded and have so utilized these as to win prosperity. As the years have gone by five children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Glasscock, who are yet living, three sons and two daughters, namely: Elizabeth J., now the wife of A. R. Christopher, proprietor of the Abilene Drug Company; George W., John Albert, Mary A. and Earl Horton, all living in Abilene. Both Mr. and Mrs. Glasscock have been devoted members of the Baptist church for the past twenty-five years. The latter is a daughter of Marshall Washington Northington, who was a prominent citizen of Williamson county, Texas, for a quarter of a century. Fifteen years of that time he was assessor and collector of the county. A native of Georgia he came to Texas in 1838, during the time that it was an independent republic, and he built the first log cabin in Dangerfield, Titus county, in the eastern part of the state. B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, pp. 441-442. |
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