Hood County Texas Genealogical Society

WALTER BRALEY GLENN

Source: History of Texas Published in 1896

WALTER BRALEY GLENN, who was identified with the commercial and agricultural interests of Hood county for about 30 years, is now living retired at Acton. A man of great energy and more than ordinary business capacity, his success in life has been largely due to his own efforts and the sound judgment by which he has been enabled to make wise investments and take good advantage of his resources.

Mr. Glenn is a native of middle Tennessee, where he was born August 25, 1830, and is of Irish descent on the paternal side, while his mother's ancestors were English. His grandfather Glenn, who was probably the founder of the family in the New World, was a resident of South Carolina, and served as a soldier in the war of the Revolution.

The parents of our subject were James Edward and Sarah (Braley) Glenn, the former a native of South Carolina, and the latter of Wilson county, Tennessee. In the latter state they were married, and when Walter was about four years of age removed to Alabama, where the father engaged in farming and died in the year 1847. The mother's death occurred in Texas in 1868. Their family consisted of four sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to maturity, and are as follows:

Walter B., of this review

Mary, who wedded William W. Bolding and died in Arkansas, leaving a family

Sarah E.A., deceased

James Alfred, who was in the Confederate service and died at Columbus, Mississippi

Caroline Catherine, now Mrs. Massey, of Hood county

Angeline, deceased

Andrew Jackson, who was also a Confederate soldier and died in Mississippi during the civil war, and

Francis Marion, a resident of Johnson county, Texas.

After the death of his father nearly the entire management of the home farm devolved upon Walter B. Glenn, as he was the eldest of the family. His early educational advantages were very limited, but by reading, observation and in the school of experience he has become a well informed man. He grew to manhood on the old homestead, and in 1851 married Miss Frances Caroline Weatherby, a native of Alabama and a daughter of Moses and Sarah Weatherby, who were both born in South Carolina. Mr. and Mrs. Glenn have become the parents of nine children, but one died in infancy. The others are:

Columbus B., a merchant of Crescent [Cresson], Texas

Frances P., wife of Joseph M. McPherson, of Johnson county, this state

Andrew Jackson and James Moses, twins, the former of whom died leaving four children

Sarah C., wife of Edward Graham

Charles Marion, a farmer of Johnson county

Benjamin F., a merchant of Acton, and

Alice, wife of Charles Wohlford, of Hood county.

In 1853, Mr. Glenn with his wife and child came to Texas, making the journey with a team of horses and wagon, the trip taking about six weeks. On his arrival he located in what is now Parker county, but was then a part of Tarrant county. Here he settled among the Indians and acquired 300 acres of land by the right of pre-emption, upon which farm he lived for six years, when he sold out and moved to Erath county, with the intention of engaging in the stock business, taking with him a number of horses. Owing to the Indian depredations he remained there but one year, when he returned to Parker county and resumed farming and stock-raising, giving most of his attention to the latter business.

In 1862, Mr. Glenn enlisted in the Confederate army, as a member of Tom Green's old regiment, and followed the fortunes of that command until after Lee's surrender. Though in a number of engagements he escaped uninjured, and at the close of the war returned to Parker county, again taking up farming and stock-raising. In the winter of 1866-7, he was on the frontier with cattle in Shackelford county, and while there participated in a battle between the white settlers and Indians, and was wounded by an arrow. It was in 1867 that he first came to Hood county, locating at that time ten miles south of Granbury, on the Brazos river, where he purchased 320 acres of new land and developed a farm which he successfully cultivated until 1881, when he removed to Acton and opened a general store. He engaged in the mercantile business until the fall of 1895, also meeting with fair success in the undertaking.

For several years Mr. Glenn served as postmaster of Acton, and has also been a school trustee. All his life he has been a consistent and conservative Democrat, taking an interest in public affairs, but has never been an office-seeker. Socially he holds a membership with Acton Lodge, No. 285, F.&A.M., in which he has served as worshipful master for several years, and has taken the chapter degrees. Religiously, both he and his wife are consistent members of the Christian church. Mr. Glenn still owns a good farm of 250 acres in Johnson county, about 150 acres of which are under cultivation. He may well be called a self-made man, who by industry, perseverance and strict integrity has won success through the legitimate channels of trade, and is spending the evening of his life in comparative ease and the enjoyment of the confidence and respect of his many friends.

History of Texas, Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Co., 1896

1999 Hood County Texas Genealogical Society

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