John Glenn-In 1875 when the NWMP arrived there were two settlers already
in the area. One was Sam Livingston and the other was John Glen. These
two had much in common. Both were Irish, both had immigrated to the US .
Had prospected for gold in the Caribou, and had done a lot of exploring
before settling down. Livingston was the first to introduce farm
machinery and Glenn devised the first irrigation system.
Born in Galway, Ireland Glenn spent some time in England and was on his
way home to Ireland when he changed his mind re-crossed the Irish Sea to
Liverpool, and booked passage to New York.
Glenn eventually settled in what is now Midnapore. With hard work and
through trial and error he proved up his land. In time he grew some of
the best grain crops on record. He grew oats, barley and wheat to feed
his cattle. He set up his own irrigation system to water twenty-one
acres of bottom land. The soil responded to the water and Glenn grew
roots and garden produce as well. He helped put an end to the Palliser
report that the land was good for only cattle.
Glenn's home became a show place. It was the kind of place where people
always gathered and he was more then happy to lend a hand to the new
homesteaders.
As a business man John Glenn was famous for being strict and honourable
in all his dealings. He was a good and charitable man. He helped change
Calgary from it's rough beginning to a place of peace. When "Old Glenn"
died at age fifty-two he was very much missed.