Jesse Glass
Mr. Jesse Glass was a
very enterprising Pacolet merchant. He had a small store
on Fuller St., not far from the ball park. The
store had a variety of things - such as candy,
magazines, comic books and some food. The main thing
that I remember about his store is that it had several
guns of different kinds for display on the walls. I
don’t think that they were for sell but for decoration.
The thing that made Jesse Glass different was his
“mobile” store. About once a week, he would fill his car
with different things and drive slowly throughout
Pacolet Mills selling these items from his car. I don’t
remember exactly what kind of car he had, except it was
black and either an “A-Model” or “T-Model” Ford. Jesse
Glass coming was the high point of the week for most
kids and many adults. I remember that his car smelled
like bananas and apples. He sold many things including
soft drinks, candy and magazines.
I don’t know when he stopped making his rounds but I
think that he did not continue much after WWII.
Mr. Glass became the Postmaster for Pacolet Mills in the
1930's. Even today, 70 years later, envelopes to and
from Jesse Glass at Pacolet Mills show up for sell on
eBay.
Jesse was a member
of the large Glass family that lived in the Pacolet
area. His family had moved to Pacolet Mills from
Virginia, via Clifton, around 1917. The family story
is told at Glass
Family Story.
On Jesse's WWI draft registration from 1917-1918, he
is listed as living in Clifton, Spartanburg, South
Carolina. His nearest relative is given as his
father, Granville Duff Glass, also residing in the
same place.
Jesse must have briefly moved back to Virginia
as he is living with an uncle in Jonesville,
Virginia on the 1920 census. His draft record also
lists Jesse as working in #1 Clifton Manufacturing
Co. as doing "mill work". He also had a bad foot
that required him to be on crutches. On the draft
record it states "is on crutches caused from
Rheumatism". The family story was different. It had
that he had stepped on a rusty nail and had to
either have all or part of his foot removed. The
actual cause of why he had to use a crutch is no
longer known.
The 1930 census shows Jesse Glass living back in
Pacolet Mills on Granite St. At this time his
occupation is shown as a Post Master in the Post
office. The 1940 census shows Jesse living on Glass
St in Pacolet Mills Village. It's between Victor
Park and Maysville Rd on this census. At this time
his occupation is listed as Operator of Retail
store. (Glass Street is probably now Fuller St.
where his store was located.)
This web site has
been started as a public service to share the story of
Pacolet.