William H. Glace, lawyer at Catasauqua for 40 years, and a public official here for a time, was born Feb. 12, 1839, on the farm of his grandfather, John Swartz, situated along the Lehigh River, one mile north of Catasauqua, at Dry Run. He received his education in the public schools of the vicinity, and in Wyoming Seminary, at Kingston, Penna.

One year prior to the Civil War, he went to Charleston, S. C., and secured employment as entry clerk in the wholesale house of Tha yer Dewing & Co. While engaged here, he saw the weekly sales of slaves in an enclosed yard adjoining Broad Street, the thoroughfare of ihe city, and he observed the secret preparations which were made there for the " Conflict. " A U. S. Arsenal was located in this prominent place, which was being filled with munitions of war by the then Secretary of War under President Buchanan. Great numbers of open boxes with rifles 'Were carried there and this performance at the national depository attracted much public attention.

Realizing that a conflict between the North and South was apparently imminent, Mr. Glace determined to return home while he could do so without embarrassment; and shortly afterward he enlisted as a sergeant in Co. F., 47th Penna. Volunteers. He continued in active service for three years, having participated with his Regiment in all the battles of the Red River Expedition, and also in the numerous engagements of a part of the Northern Army in defending the outposts of Washington against the exciting raids by Confederates under General Early.

Upon his discharge from the military service, he became the bookkeeper and paymaster of the C. & F. R. R. Co. at Catasauqua and he filled this position for two years. Then he studied law in the offices of John H. Oliver, Esq., at Allen
town, and was admitted to practice in the several courts of Lehigh County, April 13, 1868. Soon after his admission to the Bar, the Auditor General of Penna. (Gen. John F. Hartranft) selected him to be the Assessor of the National Banks in Lehigh, Northampton, and Monroe Counties, and he filled this position for two years from 1868 to 1S70. During this time he had begun a preliminary practice of the law at Allentown. While there, in the fall of 1868, he was nominated for the Legislature by the Republican Party, and his popularity was shown by receiving the highest vote of his party.

In the Fall of 1869, he was nominated for Justice of the Peace at Catasauqua,
and of the four candidates on the ticket he received the highest vote. He was commissioned for five years, and, at the end of his term, this time was extended to the spring of 1875 by the new State Constitution. of 1874, and he was commissioned accordingly. He was elected Chief Burgess of the Borough and officiated for the year 1876. He subsequently served as Auditor for six years, as Borough Solicitor for seven years, and as School Solicitor for three years; and he also acted as a Notary Public for 28 consecutive years.

In the practice of the law he directed his attention chiefly to the settlement of estates in Catasauqua and the surrounding townships, the examination and transmission of title to real estate in these districts, and the investment on reliable security, in all of which he became a safe adviser and recognized authority. During the past twenty-five years he prepared the last wills of nearly all the prominent men of the community. His practice in the respects mentioned became very extensive, which evidences the large volume of business transacted by him. After a continuous practice of forty years, he retired from the active duties of professional life.

While a student at law at Allentown, Mr. Glace became a member of the first post of the G. A. R. in Lehigh County, which was organized shortly after the close of the Civil War. He has been a member for many years of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia.

In 1870, Mr. Glace organized the Catasauqua Loan and Building Association, and notwithstanding the financial panic which extended from 1873 to 1877 and seriously affected this community, he directed its affairs in such a successful manner that it was dissolved in eleven years and all the shareholders received their money.

In 1906, Mr. Glace with other persons at Catasauqua, organized the "Lehigh National Bank," which embarked in the banking business and it has since been conducted in a successful manner. He was selected as its first president and officiated two years.

Mr. Glace, having been prominently identified with the history and development of the community, published, in February, 1914, a compilation entitled "Early History and Reminiscences of Catasauqua" as a historical contribution
towards the proper observance of " Old Home Week" which the citizens determined to celebrate.

In 1874, Mr. Glace was married to Mary Jennie Stark, a great granddaughter of Aaron Stark, who fell as a sacrifice in the awful "Massacre of Wyoming" in 1778, and whose remains repose under the historic Wyoming Monument.