William Ellsworth Glasscock (December 13, 1862 – April 12, 1925) was an American politician who served as the 13th Governor of

West Virginia West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the Bur ...

as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

from 1909 to 1913. Glasscock worked for several years as a teacher, becoming the superintendent of schools in 1887 before leaving education to become the clerk of the county circuit court in 1890. He was admitted to the bar in 1903 and began practicing law. He worked as an attorney for Senator

Stephen B. Elkins Stephen Benton Elkins (September 26, 1841January 4, 1911) was an American industrialist and politician. He served as the Secretary of War between 1891 and 1893. He served in the United States Congress as a Delegate from the Territory of New Mexi ...

. At Elkins' recommendation, Glasscock was appointed as the internal revenue collection for the District of West Virginia in 1905 by President

Theodore Roosevelt Theodore Roosevelt Jr. ( ; October 27, 1858 – January 6, 1919), often referred to as Teddy or by his initials, T. R., was an American politician, statesman, soldier, conservationist, naturalist, historian, and writer who served as the 26t ...

. In 1908, Glasscock resigned from this position to run for governor. He ran as the Republican nominee for Governor of West Virginia in 1908, beating Louis Bennett Sr. by 12,133 votes. In his last year as governor, he declared

martial law Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory. Use Marti ...

three times, sending troops to quell violent

Coal Wars The Coal Wars were a series of armed labor conflicts in the United States, roughly between 1890 and 1930. Although they occurred mainly in the East, particularly in Appalachia, there was a significant amount of violence in Colorado after the tur ...

. Glasscock then returned to practicing law.

Biography

Glasscock was born on a farm near Arnettsville, Virginia, now part of

Monongalia County, West Virginia Monongalia County, known locally as Mon County, is located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 105,822, making it West Virginia's third-most populous county. Its county seat is at Morgantown. The coun ...

on December 13, 1862. He was educated in the local public school system and graduated from

West Virginia University West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State College ...

Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as th ...

. In 1888, he married Mary Miller."West Virginia's First Ladies," West Virginia Division of Culture and History, June 2007. He died in

and was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

References

External links

Biography of William E. Glasscock

* The *

West Virginia & Regional History Center The West Virginia & Regional History Center (WVRHC), is the largest archival collection housing documents and manuscripts involving West Virginia and the surrounding central Appalachian region. Because of name changes over the years, it is some ...

has two collections of William E. Glasscock's papers
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an
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1862 births 1925 deaths Republican Party governors of West Virginia Politicians from Morgantown, West Virginia West Virginia University alumni Methodists from West Virginia 20th-century West Virginia politicians Lawyers from Morgantown, West Virginia Burials at Oak Grove Cemetery (Morgantown, West Virginia) {{WestVirginia-politician-stub