Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
HELP KEEP OUR GLASCOCK HISTORY ALIVE!
Your help is badly needed!
One of Northeastern Missouri’s more notable pioneers was a gentleman named Stephen Glascock. Before I tell you how you can help keep our family history alive, let me tell you a little about Stephen Glascock.
His lineage follows: Thomas(1), Gregory(2), Thomas(3), John(4), Hezekiah(5), STEPHEN(6).
This profile of Stephen was posted to our family web site:
Most of Hezekiah Glascock’s eleven children left Fauquier County, Virginia and came to Ralls County, Missouri. At this time (1821), Ralls County comprised nearly the entire Northeastern quarter of Missouri. Ralls County was soon divided up into numerous smaller counties including Marion County.
[Stephen’s land holding were in Ralls and Marion Counties. Mark Twain’s boyhood home of Hannibal (the setting for Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn) sits in Marion County on the border with Ralls County.]
Hezekiah’s fourth child, Stephen (b. 30 Oct 1779; d. 18 Sept. 1885) never married. He was described as a wealthy commissioner who settled in Ralls County at Hannibal in 1822. He owned most of Hannibal, including Glascock’s Island - which Mark Twain made famous as “Jackson’s Island” where Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn camped.
The act of 16 November 1820, which formed Ralls County, named five commissioners. They were: Dabney Jones, James Garnett, Richard Jones, Francis Grant and Stephen Glascock.
Stephen Glascock was chosen to select the county seat of Monroe County when it was cut off from Ralls County. Stephen was appointed county clerk at the first session of the Ralls County court held 2 April 1821 and held that position until 1828. He also served as a probate judge from 1824 to 1827 and as Ralls County treasurer from 1821 to 1826. In 1828, Stephen was elected to represent Ralls County in the Missouri General Assembly and was elected Missouri State Senator in 1834.
As you can see from the various local and state offices Stephen Glascock held, that he was very active in the formation and development of Ralls and Marion Counties. His significant contributions to Hannibal, Missouri’s early development are difficult to measure.
In one document, Stephen Glascock is described as “a prominent early settler” who built Glascock’s mill, a well-known saw and grist mill that stood near the mouth of Clear Creek. [See photo our site.]
Stephen Glascock gave away much of his land to the city of Hannibal for the sole purpose of bettering the young river town community. Hannibal’s entire river-front access (Hannibal sits along the Mississippi River between two large bluffs) to the Mississippi River was Glascock’s gift to the city. Its commercial value was huge insofar as all commercial traffic then was by steamboat paddle-wheelers like those piloted by Mark Twain. Railroads wouldn’t reach Hannibal for another 30 years.
The “town square” in Hannibal was a gift from Glascock as were several other lots whose use were to be for church sites and another that was to be a cemetery. Not one of these parcels today carries Glascock’s name. In fact, the city soon decided to use these lands for purposes other than that stipulated by his gifts. Only one small portion of the large river-front tract carries his name: GLASCOCK’S LANDING. And now, the City of Hannibal is considering rename this site.
Mark Twain was quoted as saying, “I’m all for progress, It’s change I don’t like!”
Well frankly, some change is for the better. But erasing our history and heritage is never a good idea. We should always do what we can to preserve our history. It lets future generations know from where they came. It helps create an important compass point in life’s journey.
The proposed renaming of Glascock’s Landing has created somewhat of a local controversy in Hannibal. Many historic minded residents in Hannibal are against it. A few letters have been published in their local newspaper – the Hannibal Courier-Post. But I fear that may not be enough as most people today do not appreciate our collective heritage.
BUT YOU CAN HELP! Please consider writing letters and/or e-mails to the parties below. Let them know that you are against renaming Glascock’s Landing.
Here’s the issue:
In a nice gesture, Fred Schwartz, (a Pike County, Illinois resident) donated a bronze statue of Mark Twain (the riverboat pilot), to the City of Hannibal to be placed at Glascock's Landing. Mr. Schwartz has also offered to plant a flower garden and install a watering system in Glascock's Landing around the statue he donated.
The "big catch" to all this is he wanted a significant part of the park renamed Schwartz Park to reflect his donation. Of course, this is on land that already has a name Glascock's Landing in honor of Stephen Glascock who donated the land to the City in the 1800's.
Many question this new policy of Hannibal's Park Board to rename historic land due to someone's donation of a statue and the admitted desire to rename a significant part of
this historic land to an outsider (nonresident) of Pike County, Illinois.
While the Schwartz family lays claim to their living cousin, former Mayor Richard Schwartz, having the power plant removed from the area of Glascock's Landing (again a good thing), the power plant was placed there in violation of the intent of Stephen Glascock and his will in many people's opinion in the first place. Also referred to in Rev. Lawrence Glassco's books.
Several of Stephen Glascock's property donations seem now to not be used as intended by Stephen in his will. The old police station was actually designated to be for a church or place of worship.
The City Cemetery at the corners of Paris Avenue and North 7th Street were used as illegal home dwellings on top of graves in the latter 1800's.
This chipping away of the Glascock name in Hannibal and the contributions of Stephen Glascock to the City of Hannibal and the city's history makes one question if Stephen Glascock's donations are appreciated and are still being used as intended.
While the Schwartz family donations are appreciated, as Herb Parham states in his letter to the editor of the Courier Post:
"Other Hannibal citizens have since been major city benefactors, including W. B. Pettibone, John Garth, George A. Mahan, and A. R. Levering, who contributed greatly to Hannibal's education, health, physical, cultural and life enjoyment. On some occasions, the city has chosen to name the gift for the donor. However, I question whether any of these gifts were contingent on having the donor being so named. This prevailing practice, in my opinion, should be both respected and continued.
Stephen Glascock was one of the original "generators of progress," for Hannibal and also for Ralls County...
Hannibal's Park and Recreation Tax can surely fund the creation and maintenance of whatever remains unfinished, following development of current plans using grant money, to upgrade and beautify the old power plant and grain elevator sites on the river bank. Many citizens and two big floods have made this land ready for this forthcoming improvement. Bleigh Construction Co. rescued the city's failed attempt to dismantle the old power plant facilities, completed the job and provided parking for 100 cars, another worthy contribution.
I further suggest that Hannibal's Riverfront has already been appropriately named 'Glascock Landing.' Lesser efforts to beautify this area can adequately be recognized on donor plaques.".
As Herb has noted in his letter to the editor, Glascock's Landing originally ran from Bear Creek to North Street (the Tom and Huck Statue) until the city chipped away at this by renaming parts of this Nipper Park and Kiwanis Park.
If you are a Glascock (or related) and interested in the preservation of the Glascock name in Hannibal's history and future then perhaps you should express your thoughts to Hannibal's City Council. Let them know that a "Yes" to preserving Glascock's Landing means a "NO!" to renaming sections "Schwartz Gardens".
The "yes" should be to installing a small donor plaque recognizing Schwartz's donation of the Mark Twain Riverboat Pilot statue and flower garden to Glascock's Landing.
Here is their contact info:
1.) First contact here the Park Board at:
- Phone: 573-221-0154
- Fax: 573-221-0155
-Email: parksec@hannibal.us
Park Board
City Hall
320 Broadway
Hannibal, MO 63401
2.) Secondly, contact the City Council who approves all park board decisions:
Hannibal City Hall
320 Broadway
Hannibal, MO 63401
- Phone: 573-221-0111
- Email: cityhall@hannibal.us
HELP KEEP GLASCOCK HISTORY ALIVE!
Access to the Gentry-GLASCOCK-Woodson Family site may be obtained by sending your FULL NAME to jjg1948@myfamily.com. Please put “Glascock Access” in the subject line of your e-mail. Thanks.
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:
|
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/glascock/messages/83.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|