George Green, 1844

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Sat, 10 Feb 2001

Surname: GREEN, ANDREWS, TAYLOR, RANDALES, DIEKOW, GARVIN

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

GEORGE GREEN, an esteemed resident of the village of Loyal, who has passed fifty years of his life in this locality, was born in Hampshire, England, Jan. 20, 1844. His parents, James and Martha (Andrews) Green, were dairy farmers who died in their native land, and who had four children: Ellen, George, Anna and Elizabeth. George was the only member of the family to come to the United States. In 1862 he landed in Canada, where he worked on a farm and remained until 1865, when he came to Wisconsin, locating at Iron Ridge, Dodge County. There he found employment in a saw-mill, but came in the following spring to Clark County and settled in Loyal, which, however, at that time contained only one log house, owned by A. A. Graves. Mr. Green went to work at once chopping timber and clearing land and that fall got a tract of 160 acres of his own, all wild land, located in section 34, two and a half miles south of Loyal. On this he built a log house, 14 by 20 feet, containing one room, in which he lived a bachelor's existence. He had practically nothing but his hands with which to begin the work of improving his farm, and was obliged to walk to Neillsville and back for supplies, carrying flour home on his back, an experience common to many of the pioneer farmers in this region. It was not until 1870 that he got his first team, previous to that exchanging work with his neighbors, another early custom.

On Mar. 19, 1871, his bachelor life came to an end, as on that date he was united in marriage with Mary E. Taylor, and they began housekeeping in the log dwelling. By that time he-possessed a cow, which was another stepping-stone on the road to success. After clearing up part of his farm Mr. Green sold it and went farther west, remaining away for several summers. He then resumed his residence in Loyal, finding employment in Grave's sawmill and also clerking for awhile. He served as postmaster of the village during President Harrison's administration and in 1901 was appointed postmaster under President McKinley, retaining the office until December, 1913, after President Wilson’s election. He then became assistant postmaster, which position he still holds.

Mr. Green is in comfortable circumstances, the result of his former industry and thrift. In early days he served the township as assessor and was township clerk or village clerk for eighteen years. In politics he has always-been identified with the Republican party.

He and his wife have had four children: Daisy, now the wife of S. H. Garvin, residing at Spokane, Wash., and who is the mother of four children: Mattie, wife of L. J. Randales of Marshfield, and who has four children: Lottie, now Mrs. Richard C. Diekow, of Beloit, Wis., who has one child, and James, who is deceased.