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THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

June 13, 1991

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

The Glover name has appeared in the Weyauwega, Lind Center and Waupaca areas periodically since the days of the Civil War.

It all begins with Albert Glover, son of Solomon and Clara Glover, who was born in Oshkosh, August 1, 1856. When Albert was still a small boy, he moved with his parents to Weyauwega during the Civil War. A few years later his parents settled on a farm in the Town of Lind, which in later years became the property of William Wied.

Some of you may remember William and Caroline Georgina (Madsen) Wied, or possibly went to the Waupaca High School with one or another of their children: Edward, Walter, Bert, Grace, Ida, Elizabeth, John Clifford, who died early in life, or Milton “Bill,” who was killed in an airplane crash near Neenah in 1929.

When still on the farm as a lad of 14, Albert Glover was apprenticed to William Timme, who at that time operated the harness shop on North Main Street in Waupaca. Frederick E Lund was also employed by Mr. Timme at the same time; Lund went on to be the owner of the Old Reliable Harness Shop at 102 North Main Street.

After Albert Glover completed his apprenticeship he moved to Stevens Point to find employment.

Albert Glover and Sarah Feldman were married in 1884; she preceded him in death in 1916, but not before there were two daughters, the future Mrs. Ben Picus and Mrs. Alex Levin, and one son, Louis was born in Stevens Point on September 9, 1887.

Louis also became a harness maker, like his father, and during his youth he operated a harness business with his father in Wild Rose.

Louis Glover was united in marriage to Miss Mildred Stahl in Madison, February 23, 1912. Mildred Stahl was born in Lodi, September 5, 1880, a daughter of Samuel and Ellen (Keyes) Stahl. Her parents came to Wisconsin from Pennsylvania and settled in Barneveld. Louis and Mildred Glover were the parents of two sons, Kenneth and Keith.

After the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Glover in 1912, they started a hardware and harness business in Barneveld.

In 1920 they moved to Waupaca and bought out the harness shop owned by William Koening. This would be the same building which was under Chris Hansen’s photo studio. There have been many different businesses in this location. One you may remember well was the Taylor and Stange furniture store before they moved to the Central Wisconsin Seed Company building on West Union Street.

In 1922 Mr. Glover moved to the building on the corner of East Union and Jefferson Streets and opened a hardware store. At one time this location was Cohen’s second location for his Fair Store, before moving to Main Street.

In 1930 Louis Glover and associates bought out the old Pioneer Hardware Store from Chris Chirstensen. This was the former hardware store of E. C. Williams. Now, 1991, it is the Main Street Marketplace. In 1931 he sold out his interest to the balance of stockholders and moved to Blue Earth, MN, where Louis Glover and his eldest son, Kenneth, operated a hardware store until 1933, when they returned to Waupaca to open a grocery and hardware store. The hardware store was the same location on East Union and Jefferson Streets, where Mr. Glover started in 1922, and the grocery store was in the building adjacent to the west. This building has just been vacated by the Harbor Bicycle Shop. Mr. Glover took on a dry goods line in 1938, when they bought the other section of their building that was previously occupied by the Central Wisconsin Seed Company.

Keith, the Glover’s youngest son, joined the firm in 1940. In 1950 Keith was the manager of th Glover branch in Weyauwega.

In the Waupaca County Post of September 5, 1946, “Glover’s Making Many Alterations in Local Store.” At this time they expanded the various departments to make service to the customers more efficient. The most notable change was the transformation of the former hardware department into a meat and produce department. They removed the walls in the eastern section, the opening between the clothing and dry goods section was enlarged for the patrons’ convenience, which gave them more floor space.

Louis Glover passed away in December of 1954, and the partnership was dissolved. Kenneth Glover took over the dry goods department and Keith took over the grocery business. Keith closed out the grocery business in 1963 and Kenneth closed out in May 1964. Louis Glover and Sons enjoyed several years of prosperity, but the Glover family business would not have been the same, if it was not for Mrs. Glover and her smiling face, as she met the customers in the store. Mildred Glover at one time worked as a graduate nurse in Madison and Milwaukee. The Glovers were active members of the First Methodist Church and staunch supporters in the development of Waupaca.

When Kenneth Glover closed his store on May 29, 1964, he stated that a new store would be opening in the near future.

On July 9, 10, and 11, a new store had an opening sale. The new store was known as Ballard’s V Store, and was under the ownership of Clinton Ballard. Clint Ballard was not new to the people of Waupaca, as he had been employed by the Glovers for 28 years.

Six years later there was a notice in the Waupaca County Post for April 16, 1970. “Glover takes over the Ballard V Store at 110 East Union Street.” Kenneth Glover, who was employed in Glencoe, MN, stated that the store was presently closed, but would open sometime soon, when all merchandise in the store would be sold at a further reduced price. The reason for this action was that Clinton Ballard was moving from the city.

Louis Glover’s parents, Albert and Sarah Glover, are buried in the Hebrew Cemetery in Wausau. Mildred Glover lived until February 13, 1958, and Louis Glover passed away January 25, 1954. Their youngest son, Keith, passed away April 21, 1978. They all are laid to rest in the Waupaca Lakeside Cemetery.