William E. Glasscock

William Ellsworth Glasscock (born December 13, 1862 in Monongalia County , West Virginia , † April 12, 1925 in Morgantown , West Virginia) was an American politician and from 1909 to 1913 the 13th governor of the state of West Virginia.

Early years and political advancement

William Glasscock attended West Virginia University . He was then head of the Monongalia County School Board. He held this office from 1887 to 1890. After that he was employed at the district court and acted as a tax collector in his district. After studying law at the Law School of West Virginia University and his admission to the bar in 1903, he practiced as a lawyer in Morgantown. One of his most important clients was the US Senator Stephen Benton Elkins . Glasscock was a leading member of the Republican Party in West Virginia and at times even head of the State Party. In 1908 he won the gubernatorial election against the Democrat Louis Bennett with 50.7 percent of the vote .

West Virginia Governor

Glasscock's four-year term began on March 4, 1909. In his time, the emerging automobile traffic was taken into account with the establishment of a Ministry of Transport. In addition, an independent Ministry of Agriculture and a service commission were set up. His tenure was overshadowed by a dispute over the appointment of two US senators. This led to opposition to the governor, which blocked his further plans. The other big problem at the end of his tenure was coal-mining workers' unrest. In Kanawha County , miners went on strike over poor working conditions, which escalated to violence. In his last year in office, the governor imposed martial law on the region three times and deployed the National Guard against the strikers.

At the end of his tenure, Glasscock retired to Morgantown, where he worked as a lawyer again. He died there in 1925. He was married to Mary Alice Miller.

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personal data
SURNAME	Glasscock, William E.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Glasscock, William Ellsworth (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	American politician
DATE OF BIRTH	December 13, 1862
PLACE OF BIRTH	Monongalia County , West Virginia
DATE OF DEATH	April 12, 1925
Place of death	Morgantown , West Virginia