Peter Glenn (1808 - 1863)

Born 10 Nov 1808 in Harrisburg, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Catherine (Deatrick) Glenn — married after 31 Mar 1831 in Rockingham, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 9 Jul 1863 at age 54 in Harrison, Indiana, United States

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Biography

Peter was born in 1808. He was the son of John Glenn and Elizabeth Swanger. ^[1] Born in Pennsylvania, he moved with his father to Augusta County, Virginia. He was married in Virginia to Catherine Deatrick. ^[2] After the birth of their second son, the couple moved to Corydon, Harrison County, Indiana where there third son, William, was born. ^{[3] [4]} A Lutheran minister and a farmer, Peter was killed 1863, when attacked by Confederate Cavalry during the Battle of Corydon, the only Civil War action in Indiana. ^[5] According to a website, since taken down, Peter Glenn, a civilian on his own property, was allegedly targeted for preaching against slavery in Kentucky.^[6] A book published in 1878 does not suggest that motive but gives a horrifying--though likely mostly false--description of what happened. (The "daughters" referred to in this account, would have actually been Peter Glenn's daughters-in-law.)

Rev. Mr. Glenn was the pastor of a Lutheran church at Corydon, Indiana. He was a strong union man but too old for service in the army. He resided in the country, not far from Corydon. His family consisted of his wife and children, among which were two full grown daughters. One evening just as they had eaten their supper, a number of soldiers on horseback made their appearance at the parsonage. One of the soldiers, quite gentlemanly in his appearance, came into the house and inquired whether they could give them something to eat? The pastor said, "Yes certainly, if there are not too many of you." "Well there are only ten of us, and we are very hungry." The women commenced getting the supper. The ten men, who consisted of the the rebel, Col. Morgan and his staff, then came into the house, and each man had his liquor in his canteen--and they took pretty heavy drafts, so that by the time the supper was ready they were all pretty well intoxicated. Of course Mr. Glenn did not know who his obstreperous guests were. At the supper table the wife and daughters were most grossly insulted by those men. Mr. Glenn could bear it no longer and began to remonstrate with the men for the rudeness. But they only laughed at him, and said, "Old fellow, you evidently don't know who we are, or you would not talk so to us." "Well I supposed you were gentlemen, and would respect the rights of hospitality, and in the presence of ladies so as not to act so rudely." Morgan replied, "To hell with your preaching!" and drawing his revolver he said, "Now, old fellow, you had better shut up, or you will get yourself riddled." At that moment, Mr. Glenn arose, perhaps to leave the room, and one of the men cried out, "Shoot him!" Morgan fired, and the pastor fell with a bullet in his brains. As soon as the family saw this they fled and hid themselves in a thicket not far from the house, and thus escaped the brutality of those infamous rebels. ^[7]

There is a memorial to Peter Glenn at Jordan Cemetery, Corydon, Indiana. ^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ Francis Berkeley Glenn. The Descendants of John Glenn, Sr. 1776-1849. Waynesboro, VA: Self-published by the author, c. 1975. p. 1 (The birth dates of John Glenn's children and the dates pertaining to his first wife were recorded in John Glenn's own writing on a piece of paper that, in the 1970s, was in the possession of a Mrs. Helen Swortzel Earhart.)
2. ↑ "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR74-M8S : 5 December 2014), Peter Glenn and Catharine Detrick, 31 Mar 1831; citing Rockingham, Virginia, reference P. 152; FHL microfilm 33,497.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHJN-4YF : 9 November 2014), Peter Glen, Harrison county, Harrison, Indiana, United States; citing family 1430, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4NL-M87 : 30 December 2015), Peter Glenn, 1860.
5. ↑ Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.), 20 July 1863. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014306/1863-07-20/ed-1/seq-4/>
6. ↑ Velsie Tyler, "Reminiscence of Morgan's Raid in Harrison Co." (internet site), at [1] (accessed 24 Oct 2016).
7. ↑ Morris, John Gottlieb. Fifty Years in the Lutheran Ministry. Baltimore, MD: printed by the author, 1878 (available on-line here : accessed 27 December 2016). Page 404. (The account incorrectly states that Peter had two daughters in his home at the time of the attack. Peter never had daughters, but he had two daughters-in-law at the time of the attack).
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13818994/peter-glenn : accessed 27 May 2022), memorial page for Rev Peter Glenn (10 Nov 1808–9 Jul 1863), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13818994, citing Jordan Cemetery, Corydon, Harrison County, Indiana, USA ; Maintained by Charles Swanger (contributor 47143476) .