Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1883-03-16
A TYPICAL AMERICAN LIFE.

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I SKETCH OF A. NATIVE OF AUGUSTACCO.
The Oakland, California, Times gives an
Interesting biography of DR.. H. j. Glenn,
who was born near Mt. Sidney, in Angus.
ia county, and was murdered few weeks
SINCE On his great farm near Colusa, Cali
ffornia. 1t is one of those typical Ameri
can lives that read almost like romance:
DR.. Hugh James Glenn was born about
ten miles from Staunton, Augusta county.
Virginia. 1924. His father was country
merchant, and when the deceased was a boy
about seven or eight years old the family
moved to Paris. Monroe county, Missou-
ri. where the father went into business
aaaain. Being the only child, Hugh was
esaently treated, and given at private
ichoois every available. opportunity for &C
curing such education as the locality and
time permitted. HIS studies, however,
did not extend beyond the English branch.
es. In. 1914 he listened to a course Of lee
lures at MeDowell's Medical College, at
st. Louis. iae g saf
| Upon the Mexican war breaking out.
shortly after, he was seized with q spirit
OF patriotism and enlisted in 1S45, in d.
vision OF the army commanded by Gener-
al Price. He participated in the battles
of Taos and Moro. In the spring Of I847
be received an honorable discharge, after
which he found his way back to St. Louis.
where he continued his medical studies
graduating No. in class of two hun.
dred. Remaining in St. Louis for two
years. he. on March 18th, 1S4o. married
Miss V. II. Abernethy, and upon the 18th
of April, following, leaving his bride in
Missouri, started across the plains to SEEK
his fortune. The party was composed Of
three companiessand an OK team owned
jointly. After an adventurous journey,
the party arrived safely in Sacramento
about the middle of August. The OK team
was sold there for the benefit Of the trio,
and 0ne-fourth Of the amount thus realiz-
I'd was the extent Of DR.. Glenn's capital.
In September of that year he went into the
mines and staked out a claim at Murder
er's Bar, on the middle fork of the Amer.
| lean river, near Coloma. near which point
| was made the original gold discovery in
i California. Remaining there little over
two months, he with others returned to
Sacramento. as they were strangers in that
part of che country. and feared the lnclem-
ency of the approaching winter season. At
Sacramento, DIR. Glenn. with the modest
stake made in the mines, bought an OK
team, and carried freight from that city to
COloma and other points in the mountains,
After teaming about two months he bought
livery stable on J street, IN Sacramento.
which in the spring he sold for SIS 900.
| In the spring Of 1910 he returned to st.
Louis, and after remaining there two years
came back across the plains. In 1853 he
/ again returned to Missouri and brought
his family to this coast. settling on Stony
Creek, just at the north end of the present
Glenn ranch In Colusa. He lived there
about three years, experimenting sheep
ranch and buying and selling cattle. From
1852 to 1856 DR.. Glenn associated himself
with S. E. Wilson in the cattle trade. the
markets being found at Weavervil'e. Shas-
ia county, and other mining centres. MAJ.
Biggs, OF Yolo. subsequently came into
the firm. DR.. Glenn. 10 1856, sold out his
interest. and with his family returned to
Missouri. intending to remain in that
State permanently, but, in 1859, his rest
less spirit prompted him to return to Cali
fOrnia again. With him he brought q
large drove of horses and cattle. In the
northern part of Utah the horses and cat
tie were stampeded by Indians, and DR.
Glenn, unattended, started out on the
back track after his property. He had
gone but few miles when he sighted his
horses. and at the same moment seven or
eight Indians made their appearance, and
Immediately charged upon the Doctor
The latter had no weapon but revolver,
while the Indians were fully armed with
guns, SO he began slow retreat, keeping
himself as much protected as possible by
rocks and trees. Shots were frequently
| exchanged. hut Without effect, and it was
not long before DR.. Glenn had expended all
of his ammunition. The Indians, ascer-
tanning this, made arrangements for a
grand rush. and the Doctor thought his
last moment was at hand, when suddenly
a dozen shots rapidly announced rescu-
ing party. consisting of his companions
who had heard the firing and come UP as
quickly rs possible. After getting the ami
mails together again, the journey was con-
tinued and the company arrived safely in
Sacramento in good time. For the several
wears following 1859 DIR. Glenn Travelled
back and forth over the plains with droves
of cattle, horses and mules, varying the
trip occasionally by going to New Orleans
to sell. In 1864 prices were very high in
California, owing to the scarcity of horses
and mules, upon learning which Dr.
Glenn started from Missouri with large
drove Of horses. On the way over. q Sc
we're snow storm was experienced, in which
men and animals came near perishing. A
delay of three weeks was only followed by
other unfortunate forced stoppages, and
upon arriving in California prices had
gone away down again. and buyer could
| not be found at any reasonable figure,
owing to the dryness Of the season. The
animals were put out to pasture, and this
move put DR.. Glenn in the mood to try
| farming. vocation neither he nor his fa-
Their had ever followed. In 1865 Major
Biggs became partner in the farm, and
the "big ranch" in Yolo was noted
throughout the country. It was finally
rented for ordinary farm operations, and
ho 80. 81 =,
and freighting between there and Idaho.
In the spring of 1867 DR.. Glenn concluded
to mako his permanent home in Californ-
/ la, aud with that object in view he pur
| chased land in Colusa county. and in the