JOHN S. GLENDENNING, an enterprising farmer living on section 22, Rice Township, was born in Rush County, Indiana, April 9, 1845. His parents, James and Elizabeth GLENDENNING, were natives of Ohio and Tennessee respectively. They were the parents of nine children - Mrs. Nancy J. GARRISON, died in 1862, taught in the first school in Middle Fork Township; Jeremiah J., died in the army [Civil War, December 17, 1861, Audrain County, Missouri]; James W., living in Middle Fork Township; Sarah BENNETT, living in California; John S., the subject of this sketch; Richard B., died in 1862, and David A., living in Middle Fork Township.

Our subject was but a few weeks old when his parents removed with their family to Calloway County, Missouri, and four years later removed to Audrain County, of the same State. They subsequently located in Gentry County, Missouri, and from there came to Ringgold County, Iowa, in 1859, being among the first settlers of Middle Fork Township. The father enlisted in the war of the Rebellion, in Company G, Fourth Iowa Infantry, and died in the service of his country, in 1862, at the age of forty-seven years. The mother survived till 1882, dying in Middle Fork Township, at the age of seventy-eight years.

John S. GLENDENNING, our subject, has been identified with Ringgold County since 1859, and always takes an active interest in all enterprises for the advancement of its interests. He has been twice married. His first marriage occurred April 22, 1869, with Miss Marietta E. MILLER, a daughter of James A. MILLER, of Clinton Township, Ringgold County. Mrs. GLENDENNING died October 16, 1873, aged twenty-two years. Her only child, James A., died soon afterward, aged twenty-nine days. November 6, 1873, Mr. GLENDENNING married for his second wife Miss Mary C. SHAFFER, daughter of Jeremiah SHAFFER, of Middle Fork Township, and to this union have been born six children - Wesley H., Marietta F., Martha V., Luella, Flora M., and Grace. Mr. GLENDENNING has made farming the principal vocation of his life, in which he has met with success, and besides his home farm, which contains 120 acres of choice land, he owns a tract of timber land in Worth County, Missouri. His farm in Rice Township was among the first improved farms in the township, and was the pioneer farm of Abraham McCULLY, who died in the army. In politics Mr. GLENDENNING casts his suffrage with the Republican party.

NOTE: Marietta E. (MILLER) GLENDENNING died on October 16, 1873, and her son James A. died on November 6, 1873. They were interred at Middle Fork Cemetery in Ringgold County, Iowa.

Wesley H. GLENDENNING was born February 25, 1877, Ringgold County, Iowa, and died in Iowa City Febuary 13, 1941. Wesley's wife, Nellia Sarah (HACKER), was born July 24, 1876, Ringgold County, Iowa, and died December 28, 1949, Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa. Wesley and Nellia were interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa.

Mary C. (SHAFER) GLENDENNING was born in 1852, and died in 1926, with interment at Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr, Iowa. John S. GLENDENNING died in 1925 and was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery.

SOURCES:
Biography & Historical Record of Ringgold County, Iowa, Pp. 229-30, 1887

WPA Grave Survey; IAGen Gravestone Photograph Project

Civil War Soldiers and Sailors Database

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2009

Biographical Sketches Pages Index: A - F,   G - L,   M - R,  S - Z