The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1886-10-27
For the Central Presbyterian.
Historical Sketches of Some of
the Churches and Ministers of
Montgomery Presbytery.

the Churches and Ministers of
Montgomery Presbytery.
No. 5.
Sketch of the Rev Robert Glenn.
Mr.. John Glenn the father of Rev.
Robert Glenn, was native of the north
OF Ireland and came to this country, pro-
badly with his parents, in his youth.
Following the tide of Scotch-Irish emf
grafton he lived first in western Penn.
sylvania. There in early manhood he
married Sarah Abernethy. Her father
gave the young couple an estate some
where on the head waters of James river
to which they removed soon after their
marriage. This land Mr.. Glenn soon
sold and bought another tract on Cataw
ba Greek, now in the bounds of Roanoke
county, where he remained a good many
years. Robert, the sixth child, was born
at this place, April 18th, 1898. When
Robert was about eight years old his
father bought lands on Crabb Greek in
Montgomery county, and moved to the
residence on them which was about a
mile from Christlansburg. Although he
bought several other tracts of land at
other points in this county, he continued
to reside near Christiansburg until his
death. His son Robert was the only one
of his children who received liberal
education. In his boyhood and youth
he.is said to have been leader among
the frolicsome boys of his neighborhood.
One OF his early companions. and init
mate friends was Robert Craig, who
afterwards became deacon in the Chris
tiansburg church, and also in Salem
church. Young Glenn, despite his rather
wild habits, showed an early inclination
to improve his mind by study. He first
attended the common English schools in
his neighborhood, but when his father,
discovering his bent, offered to give him
a classical education, he had to seek a
school away from home as there was no
classical school in the county at that
early day. To what school be went is
not known, nor is it known to any one
now living, where or under what cir
cumstances he made profe sion OF faith
in Christ.
The next thing we hear of him, after
his departure from home, is his gradua-
ton at Pennsylvania University IN Ken
lucky in the year 1916. He seems to
have gone Immediately from college to
the theological seminary at Princeton,
where he received his training under DR..
A. Alexander, and was associated as a
classmate with such men as Dr. Charles
Hodge, Dr.. VIM. B Sprague, of New
York, and Bishop Johns, of Virginia.
Mr.. Glenn was licensed to preach the
gospel by Union Presbytery, October
18th, 1918, at Washington, Rhea county,
Tenn. He was ordained by the same
Presbytery April 10Th, 1919, at Green
vile, Tenn, and took charge of the
Jonesboro and Kingsport churches. His
residence seems to have been at Kings
port. and he continued there until about
1929. About 1922 he paid a visit to
his friends at Christiansburg, and preach
ed several times. In 1929 he removed
from Kingsport to Jonesville, Lee coun-
! ty, Va, where he took charge of Mt.
Carmel church, eighteen miles west of
JonesVille. He taught school at Jones'
vile and preached regularly there and
became necessary for him to return to
Christiansburg to care for and assist his
father who was suffering from the infrm-
tiles of old age. His only brother, Will
liam Glenn, had died some time before
this, and his father becoming greatly en-
feehled was unable to attend to his az
fairs. His mother was already dead.
His father died in 1887.
Mr.. Glenn continued to reside on the
estate given him by his father until
about the year 1910. He taught school,
attended to his farm, and preached regu-
larly during all the time of his stay here.
His regular preaching points were, for a
short time, Blacksburg, and for longer
time Dublin in Pulaski county. He
preached also on Walkers Greek in Giles
county, and irregularly at other points,
among them Christiansburg. As already
stated, be was called to the Christians
burg church in February, 1887 He was
teaching school at the time, and it is I'M
derstood that it was his purpose, at the
expiration of the session, which was a
few months off, to accept the call and
take charge of the chui CHI. But in the
meantime occurred the controversy in
the church which resulted in the great
division into Old and New School. Mr..
Glenn took sides with what was known
as the New School party, while the lead
ing men, followed by the people, in the
Christiansburg church adhered TO the
Old School. This prevented his accept
ance of the call. At the time, the grounds
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