JUDGE JOHN H. GLASGOW, of Seymour, is a popular and exceedingly able legist in Baylor county, and his business also extends into a number of the surrounding counties. His residence in North Texas covers more than a quarter of a century, and throughout nearly all that period he has been active in the practice of law. Judge Jack Glasgow, which is his well known title over a large territory, is a born leader of men and a potent influence in affairs. At the outset of his career and while struggling to acquire admission to the bar, he taught school, in this state and elsewhere, and he has in every locality of his residence identified himself with public progress and activity.
Judge Glasgow was born near Jackson, Cape Girardeau county, Missouri, in 1851. He was a son of John W. and Mary (Mayes) Glasgow. His father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was one of the very early settlers of the Compromise state, taking up his residence in the northwest portion at the state was admitted to the Union. He lived at St. Joseph a number of years, and afterward moved into the southeast part of the state, in Cape Girardeau county. For about fifteen years of his later life he made his home in Colorado, where he died in 1888. He was a tanner by trade. His wife was born and reared in Missouri, and died there in 1864.
Judge Glasgow was reared in southeast Missouri, and while getting his education he taught school in Cape Girardeau county and vicinity. He began to wage the battle of life on his own account when he was seventeen. While yet in his teens he had formed the definite purpose to become a lawyer, and was reading law while teaching in his native state. When twenty-four years of age, in 1875, he moved to Texas, and since that year has been thoroughly identified with the growth and prosperity of the northern part of the state. His first location was in Young county, when the county seat of Graham was a mere settlement, of three or four houses. All the county was new, and mainly given over to cattle range. It is his credit that he taught the first school in the county, with about eighteen pupils, some of whom had to come four miles. At that time none of the counties west or northwest of Young had been organized. Mr. Glasgow taught for one term at Graham, and then entered seriously upon the study of law at Graham, where he was admitted to the bar in 1877. In the meantime a considerable influx of settlers, mainly cattlemen, had occupied the lands in the county, and from the very beginning of his legal career he had a good practice. In the fall of 1878 he was elected to the office of county judge, and served two terms in that position. In May, 1886, he moved somewhat farther to the northwest and made location at Seymour, which has proved her permanent home and center of activity to the present time. His large and lucrative practice extends over Baylor and also the western counties of Haskell, Knox, King, Dickens, Cottle and others. He is well known all over this region, and as he makes his legal trips through the counties with his team and buggy he is everywhere welcomed as a good, genial, whole-souled gentleman of the true western type. He is, moreover, a pleasing public speaker, has fine address, and as he is especially well versed in Democratic politics he is often called upon for public speeches. Fraternally he is associated with the Knights of Pythias order.
Judge Glasgow was married in Colorado county, Texas, to Miss Mantie Cummings, of that county. They have two children: Jim Jack Glasgow is eleven years old, and his sister Kittie Gail is six.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. II, p. 452.