According to Otis’s obit, he was born in Metropolis, Illinois on July 26, 1881 to John and Alice Glass. He attended school at Pinckneyville and Carbondale before coming to Marion in 1900. Otis started working for the Coal Belt Electric Railway in 1902 working for three years as a powerhouse electrician. He then left them and became electrician and chief engineer for the Egyptian Powder Company, working for them from 1905 to 1911, the last two years of which he served as superintendent of their local plant. On June first, he became assistant superintendent of the Missouri Pacific Railway, which place he held at the time of his death. He was in charge of their electric line in this county (the electric railway).

Mr. Glass was appointed city commissioner under Mayor Elijah Lewis on July 8, 1921 to fill the vacancy made by the resignation of Cline Cunningham. He made an efficient city official and has served without complaints as to the management of his department (streets & public improvements).

Otis married Louise Ann Avery in 1905 at the age of 24 and they had three children, Marie, Leo & Frank. He was a member of the Elks, Masons, Odd Fellows, Moose and Rebekahs. Otis also served as President of the Marion Baseball Association and promoted the sport. Otis and his wife owned a home at 303 N. Van Buren St. in Marion.

When Otis registered for the WWI Draft they were living at 814 N. Market St. He listed his employer as Missouri Pacific Railroad at 507 N. Market St. (the RR depot) working as assistant superintendent. He was physically described as tall, medium build with blue eyes and dark hair.

Otis took ill with cholelithiasis (gallstones) and was removed to the Missouri Pacific Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri where he died due to complications from surgery on June 2, 1922. His body was removed back to Marion by rail. The train was met by a large number of friends and employees of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and the corpse was taken to his home on N. Van Buren Street. Conductors on the Coal Belt Interurban marched beside the hearse while the members of the city council and a long file of friends preceded it. Burial was in Odd Fellows Cemetery.

After Otis’s death in 1922, Louise continued living in their home at 303 N. Van Buren Street until she remarried on February 23, 1930 to William Kellery from Harrisburg.

Notes on Children:

Marie Glass, born in Marion July 7, 1906 and died February 19, 1994 in Riverside, California

Leo Glass, born in Marion October 11, 1906, married Christine Barth in 1928 and died January 25, 1969 in Whittier, California

Frank Glass, born in Marion September 23, 1912, wife’s name was Agnes Venita, died September 12 2001 in Whittier, California

(Sources: Federal Census Records, Marion Semi-Weekly Leader, WWI Draft record, Illinois Marriage records, Marion city directories, FindaGrave.com. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 6/01/2024)