Kentucky: A History of the State, Perrin, Battle, Kniffin, 8th ed., 1888,
Jefferson Co.

WILLIAM E. GLOVER.  A well balanced and well stored mind, a life full of
useful purpose, whatever position it may occupy, is of far greater
importance than the average respectability of the world; and when the
possessor of these qualities has achieved success in the business world by
means of them, he is doubly worthy of our appreciative regard.  These
remarks fitly apply to the gentleman whose name heads this article.  For
more than half a century he was identified with the progress and prosperity
of this city, and we are largely indebted to him for the reputation we
still enjoy for the manufacture of superior boat machinery.  These
considerations, aside from the virtue of his life, his intelligence, public
spirit, and philanthropy, fully entitle him to an honorable mention in the
industrial history of his adopted city.  William E. Glover was born in
Mason County, Ky., November 28, 1801.  At the age of sixteen he came to
Louisville, a poor lad as far as money or education was concerned, but
rich in respect to health, mental vigor, and a determination to work out
for himself a position in life that would command respect.  He apprenticed
himself to learn the trade of a blacksmith, and served until he obtained
his majority, and having during his term of service devoted his spare time
to the acquisition of mechanical and scientific knowledge, he now had the
satisfaction of passing muster as a competent engineer.  Having obtained
a situation on one of the boats engaged in the lower river trade, he
followed that vocation for several years; and as may be expected from the
studious habits that characterized him during his apprenticeship, he
diligently applied himself to his calling till [sic] he was thoroughly
acquainted with combination of excellencies required to make a perfect
marine engine; and there is no doubt but the practical experience thus
gained made him a successful competitor with the best engine-builders of
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.  About 1833 or 1834, Mr. Glover left the river
and engaged in blacksmithing on Market street, and soon acquired a
reputation for those difficult pieces of forging, etc., which are never
offered to inferior workmen; and having successfully conducted this branch
till [sic] 1836 or thereabouts, he formed a partnership with Messrs.
Lachlan McDougall and William Inman, for the purpose of establishing a
foundry.  Purchasing the foundry premises of Shreve Brothers, on Main, near
Ninth street, they commenced on a moderate scale and in a general way,
occasionally building an engine.  It was not long, however, before the
excellency of their work brought them all of this class of business they
could attend to.  In 1838 they built the engines for the steamboats
"Diana" and "Edward Shippin" and although done at a pecuniary loss, these
two contracts established the fact that machinery for steamboats could be
built at Louisville as well as Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.  This may be
fairly claimed as the inception of what afterward became a large branch of
our industry--the building of large and fast steamboats--and was the means
of attracting much trade to the city that hitherto had gone elsewhere.
During his connection with the foundry business, which extended through a
period of thirty years, he was universally successful, and although many
changes took place in the firm he continued to hold his interest till [sic]
its dissolution.  Prominent among those who were associated with him during
this protracted period were Messrs. Gault, Ainslie, and Cochran.  Up to
1861 he remained at his old stand where he had done an extensive and
lucrative business as a manufacturer in iron.  As a historic fact we may
mention that the first gas-works for Louisville were built by him in 1840.
At the time referred to, however, he saw that the long threatened storm of
civil war had at last burst upon us, and concluding that trade, commerce
and manufacturing would be fearfully depressed before the close of the
conflict, he closed up his business and converted his work-shops into a
tobacco warehouse, known then as the "Boone Warehouse" named after the
great Kentucky pioneer and adventurer.  As in his previous business, he was
successful to a degree little anticipated; and although all his operations
were on commission, their extent was such that it brought him a handsome
income, and he not previously laid the foundation of and built up a
fortune, he could certainly have done it then.  Aside from the benefits
accruing to the city from his energy and enterprise, we may truthfully say
that he was ever ready to lend his aid for the furtherance of every good
work. The soundness of his judgment, the excellency of his management, and
the integrity of his conduct pointed him out as a suitable person to be in
the direction of almost every corporate body with which he was ever
connected.  He was for many years a bank director, a member of the city
council, a representative in the State legislature, a trustee of the
University of Louisville, besides holding other offices of a similar
nature.  In the summer of 1872 he was attacked with that intractable form
of skin disease known as lichen tropicus, and for more than a year he not
only suffered an indescribable torture, but was in a great measure deprived
of appetite and sleep.  This was sufficient to break down a young and
vigorous person, and of course at his advanced age it told with rapid and
fatal effect.  He resorted to the hot springs of Arkansas in search of
relief, but although the skin affection was greatly relieved, he had a
return of the asthma in consequence of it.  This was precisely what he had
predicted several months previously.  Rapid inroads were now made upon his
otherwise vigorous constitution, and on the first of October, 1873, he died
at the residence of his son-in-law, John L. Hikes, Esq., in his
seventy-second year.  He was twice married, and left five sons and two
daughters to mourn the loss of a kind and indulgent parents.  In all the
relations of his life Mr. Glover conducted himself in a manner that
commanded the respect of his fellow-citizens, and it gives us pleasure to
record his name among the list of worthies who laid the foundation of our
prosperity and now sleep with their fathers.

Glover McDougall Inman Hikes
=
Mason-KY AR

http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/jefferson/glover.we.txt