JOHN GLANDON was born in Harrison county, Ohio, February, 1834. His father, William, was born in 1780 and moved to Harrison county, Ohio, where he bought a small farm. His wife was Mary Magdalene Peacock, of German descent, probably born in Maryland. Her father was Robert Peacock, a soldier of the Revolution and he laid his land warrant for 160 acres on the historical Mt. Vernon home. She was one of five children, and her parents were stirring farmers of that time and died in Ohio, at an advanced age. Mr. Glandon is one of eleven children, all of whom came to an adult age and became heads of families, but all have passed away except five. The father was an honest, hard working man, but did not accumulate much wealth and died at the age of seventy. His wife was much younger than he and survived him many years. She spent her last years at the home of this son, but while on a visit to McDonough county, in 1866, she died there, aged seventy-two.

Mr. Glandon had but very limited schooling, as he had to work hard in early boyhood. At the age of twelve he carried the mail for one year for his uncle from Cadiz, Ohio, to Cambridge, a distance of forty-two miles. This he continued daily, except Sunday, and this year's experience will never be forgotten. He worked on the home farm from the age of thirteen to sixteen, when he engaged as salesman, on the road in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, in the fanning-mill business. He was a success at this for two years. He then returned to the home farm, where he remained until the death of his father. He then took the contract to build two miles of railroad in Harrison county on the Pan Handle road. He next went to Kentucky at the mouth of the Big Sandy river, where he built two miles of road on the Lexington & Big Sandy. This, however, was not very profitable. He had married in Harrison county and with his wife and one child he came to Illinois. His wife was Delilah, daughter of Joseph and Catherine (Wood) Banister, both of whom were from Maryland. They first bought 125 acres, at $13 dollars an acre in 1855. Upon this place there were a small log house and a rude stable. Since then from time to time they have added ten to twenty acres at a time, until he now owns 985 acres, all fenced in and 700 acres under culture. Nearly all of this is good, arable land. Much of it is very fertile and is very desirable as it is all in one body. When he built his first large barn, 40 x 70, with basement, it cost him $25,000. It is one of the best barns of the section, with solid stone basement. About six years later he built his second barn in which he can stall 100 head of cattle and ten head of horses. He built his present large farm house in 1885. These buildings are on an eminence, nearly 100 feet above the bottom lands and commands a view of over 500 acres. He grows from 400 to 500 acres of corn, yielding sixty bushels to the acre. He rents much of this land to small farmers, for twenty bushels to the acre. He believes in a rotation of crops and has for twenty-five years fed from fifty to 150 head of cattle. Of late years he feeds less and sells his corn. During the war he kept sheep, as high as 1,700 of the Merinos, and sold his clippings one year for $1 per pound. In 1882 he bought the Brooklyn Water Gristmill of which he had to rebuild the lower portion and put in the roller system. This cost a great deal of money, but proved a great success for three years. Custom came from far and near, and they had more than they could attend to, as there was no other mill like it nearer than Quincy; but other mills of this kind sprang up and Mr. Glandon moved his machinery to Walker, Ellis county, Kansas, in 1888, but within two years he exchanged it for property in Denver, Colorado. The result of this investment is yet to be seen. Mr. Glandon has all he can do to look after his tenants and business, but he has often followed the plow and swung the ax. He has served as Commissioner and has filled all the minor offices. He always votes the Republican ticket.

In 1865, he, in company with William Hornley, went to Graystone, Texas, by teams for an aged couple who had been stranded there. This journey of about 2,000 miles took from October 4 to December 1. It was an arduous, dangerous journey at this time of civil strife, and strong and resolute as they both were they were glad to land here safely with those dear old people, and the two sons of Mr. Hornley who had been left in the South.

Mr. and Mrs. Glandon have four children: Belinda Jane McKelvie, of Clay county, Nebraska; James William, residing in Denver, Colorado; Mary Alice Fowler, on a farm close by; and Edgar Denis, now taking a course at the Eureka College, Illinois. He took one term at Knox College, where his brother John was educated. Mrs. Glandon has always been frail in health, but still superintends and does much of her housework. There are but few finely located homes as this one.