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- 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.
source unk; copied from Ancestry.com
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/17591008/person/530808131/story/03081c02-0000-42b8-86f6-9edfd0cc8628?src=search
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