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Green Family

Page Updated 20 Mar 2007

Two GREEN brothers, WILLIAM and JOHN MARION, born 1842 and 1851 in Arkansas, were the only surviving children of JAMES GREEN and SARAH KITCHELL, who met and married in Conway Co., Arkansas; were in Perry Co. when Conway was divided, and came to Texas in 1847 from Perry Co., Arkansas. JAMES and SARAH made the move in covered wagons, with his brother WILLIAM GREEN and wife HANNAH KING. They settled first in Milam Co., Texas (its court house, unfortunately, has burned), were listed in Milam's 1850 census, and then moved to Gonzales Co., Texas ~ where Green descendants lived to the present time.

 

 

 William Green (1842 Perry Co., AR-12 Nov 1912 Green Farm near Georgetown, Williamson Co., TX) & wife Eliza Amanda Alford (1851 Gonzales Co., TX-9 Feb 1930 Green Farm), dau. of Winfield Alford & wife Eliza Derrington. William C. served as a Pvt. in Co. E, 19th Regt., Texas Artillery, CSA, on Galveston Island, Confederate Army and drew a Pension. Both are buried in the Green Family Cemetery on the Green Farm. 

 

 

 John Marion Green (8 Apr 1851 Gonzales Co., TX-30 Oct 1901 Green Farm near Georgetown, Williamson Co., TX) & wife Mary Jane Alford (26 Nov 1852 Washington Co., TX-8 Oct 1921 Brownfield, Terry Co., TX), dau. of Hatch Alford & Martha Jane Longley. John is buried in the Green Cemetery; Mary Jane is buried at Brownfield, TX, where she had gone to live with their oldest son James Calvin Green. 

John Marion Green (1851-1901) & Mary Jane Alford (1852-1921) Tombstones
       

 Grave of John Marion Green (1851-1902) in Green Family Cemetery near Georgetown, TX

 Grave of Mary Jane Alford Green (1852-1921), wife of John M. Green in Brownfield City Cemetery, Brownfield, Terry Co., TX 

The other children of JAMES GREEN and SARAH KITCHELL were HANNAH J. "FANNIE" (ca 1845-1860) and JOHN CALVIN GREEN (1849-1870). Hannah died at age 15, and James Calvin at 21.

A neighboring Thompsonville, Gonzales Co. family was ALFORD. There WILLIAM GREEN married WINFIELD ALFORD's daughter ELIZA AMANDA ALFORD; while William's brother JOHN MARION GREEN married Winfield's brother HATCH ALFORD's daughter MARY JANE ALFORD.

Our GREEN family with four children and still unidentified parents were in Conway Co., AR as early as 1820, then in Perry Co., AR when it was created from part of Conway in 1840, and came to Milam and Gonzales Cos., TX beginning about 1846. By tradition and (conflicting) census records, their father was born in Arkansas or Mississippi. Their parents are said to be Indian or part Indian -- probably Cherokee, for Conway Co. was at one time a Cherokee reservation, before Indian Territory was created and the forced removal of tribes from the East (SEE Cherokee Connection). Their mother has been said to be some kin to the Wade family in Conway Co. and Texas.

On the 1900 Williamson Co., Texas, census, James Green said his father was born in Arkansas and his mother in Virginia; while Elizabeth Green Williams said her father was born in Arkansas and her mother in Mississippi. William Green said, in the 1900 Gonzales Co. census, that his father was born in Mississippi and his mother's place of birth was left blank.

In the 1830 Conway Co., AR, census, an ELIZABETH GREEN (probably a widow) head of household was enumerated with four children of the appropriate ages to be our ancestor and siblings. Green male heads of household in the 1830 census came and went. By the 1840 census, both parents must have died, for WILLIAM GREEN appeared to be the head of house caring for his younger siblings. No one can be identified as the was obvious the father of these four children:

WILLIAM GREEN, born 1818 in MS ~ md. HANNAH KING in AR
ELIZABETH JANE "BETSY" GREEN, born 1820 in AR ~ md. AARON WILLIAMS, Jr. in AR
JAMES GREEN, 1823 in AR ~ md. SARAH KITCHELL in AR
MARY ANN GREEN, born ca 1825 in AR ~ md. 1st BENJAMIN KING, 2nd DAVID PINSON, both in AR

The only one of these siblings we have a picture of is ELIZABETH JANE "BETSY" GREEN WILLIAMS, who DOES look Indian.

   

 Elizabeth Jane "Betsy" Green (14 May 1820 Conway Co., AR-29 Feb 1908 Williamson Co., TX), sister of James Green, married Aaron Williams, Jr., whose sister Celia Williams' daughter Sarah Kitchell married James Green. Aaron is buried in Berry's Creek Ceme. near Georgetown; Elizabeth is buried in Hall Ceme., McNeil, Caldwell Co., TX, N. of Luling where she had gone to live with a granddaughter.

Uncle and Aunt: William & John Marion Green's father's sister Elizabeth married their mother's uncle Aaron

WILLIAM and his sister MARY ANN GREEN married siblings, Hannah King and Benjamin King, children of Nathaniel King from NC. WILLIAM GREEN and wife HANNAH KING lived out their lives in Gonzales Co. and left a large family.

MARY ANN GREEN and her husband BENJAMIN KING stayed in Arkansas; he died within a few years, and Mary Ann married 2nd DAVID PINSON in Perry County in 1847 and stayed there next door to her father until after the 1860 census, then moved to Caldwell Co., TX. David Pinson died in Gonzales Co. ca 1872. His widow MARY lived next to her brother JAMES GREEN in Gonzales County in 1880, and in 1882 her daughter SARAH PINSON married GEORGE W. ALFORD, younger brother of MARY JANE ALFORD the wife of JOHN MARION GREEN. In 1895 Aunt Mary Ann and her children lived in Marquez, Leon Co., TX; where she died in 1897, and where Winfield and Hatch's father ISAAC ALFORD had received a land grant.

ELIZABETH "BETSY" GREEN and her brother JAMES married into the WILLIAMS family; Elizabeth's husband AARON Jr. or II was the uncle of JAMES GREEN's wife SARAH KITCHELL (daughter of CELIA WILLIAMS Kitchell Draper Borrer).

By tradition, the Wades of Conway and Perry Counties were some kin to the Greens, possibly half-brothers. According to a descendant, Richard Wade born 1770-80 in North Carolina was father of these Wades. He and his wife Elizabeth Beat married 1804 in Virginia. They had three daughters and five sons. The oldest two children were born 1805-06 in Virginia, two were born in Tennessee 1808-13, one was born in Illinois 1815, another was born in Tennessee 1819, and the youngest two were born in Missouri 1822-24. Richard Wade died in Missouri 1829, and in 1830 his widow and sons were in Conway County, Arkansas. His widow may have been the Elizabeth Green in 1830 Conway County census. The sons were taxpayers in the 1840s there and in Perry County, Arkansas. Some of the sons lived out their lives in Perry County. We don't know what happened to the Wade daughters.
1. Sarah Ann WADE b. 1805 Virginia
2. John William b. 1806 Virginia, d. aft. 1880 in Adona, Perry Co., AR; md. Clarissa Gardner.
3. Edmund McCabe WADE b. 1808 Tennessee, b. 11 Jan 1808 in TN, d. 1865, Perry Co.; md. 1st Martha McCabe, 2nd Sarah I. McCabe. Edmund Wade's wife Sarah (I think) moved to Williamson Co., TX, with some of her children. One grandchild was named William Green Wade.
4. Elizabeth WADE b. 1813 Tennessee.
5. Richard Calvin WADE b. 1815 Illinois, d. after 1900 Perry Co.; md. Ailsa Gardner.
6. Joseph WADE b. Jan 1819 Tennessee or Illinois, d. 1902 Louisiana, had two boys on 1840 Conway Co. census, both under age five.
7. Frances Jane WADE b. 1822 Missouri.
8. Thomas Hampton WADE b. 1823/1824 Missouri, d. aft 1905 in California.

SARAH KITCHELL's family consisting of her grandfather AARON WILLIAMS, Sr. (we aren't sure whether her grandmother CHARITY NATION WILLIAMS made it to Arkansas), her Williams uncles and aunts, her mother CELIA WILLIAMS KITCHELL DRAPER BORRER with step-father ELIJAH BORRER, and her half-siblings arrived in Conway County from Greene Co., Illinois, between 1831-34, judging by birthdates and birthplaces of children. Sarah and her uncle, Aaron Williams, Jr., married James Green and his sister Elizabeth. The GREEN, BORRER, and WILLIAMS grandparents and numerous cousins and children died in an epidemic which took place 1840-41, as evidenced by one of the few surviving documents of that period -- Celia's brother JOSEPH WILLIAM left two surviving children whose guardian sued for their rights to his property; and the lawsuit stated that other children and their attending physician also perished in the epidemic.

When Conway County was divided in 1840, the line went through Petit Jean Twp. where the GREENS lived and they were in Perry County, according to taxlists. James and Sarah's son William Green stated on his Pension application that he was born there in 1842.

No wonder AARON WILLIAMS JR. and ELIZABETH GREEN moved to Texas in 1846. They settled first in Bastrop Co., then Caldwell Co., followed by their BORRER kinfolk and, in the Fall of 1847, by her brothers JAMES and WILLIAM GREEN, whose families soon settled in the Thompsonville Community west of Waelder, Gonzales Co. (near Waelder).

When Texas seceded from the Union (opposed by many who fought for Texas Independence and Statehood, such as Sam Houston), James and Sarah's son WILLIAM GREEN enlisted in the Confederate Army; he was 20 years old. William's brother JOHN MARION GREEN was too young to serve. Their father JAMES GREEN was 39 years old and had a crippled arm, so was in Civil War, hauling supplies near Galveston to the troops, but was not in the regular army. WINFIELD ALFORD served in the Home Guard, and so did his brother HATCH ALFORD, whose unit was sent to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to fight Indians.

The Greens moved back and forth a few times, I understand, to Williamson Co., near Georgetown, TX, before settling permanently there abt 1884 (according to William Green's Confederate Pension application in 1909). They left a large and close-knit family in Georgetown, with all the double cousins. They are buried mostly in the Green Family Cemetery on the Green Farm near Georgetown, which stayed in the family until the death of Truman Green, son of William, son of John Marion Green, son of James and Sarah.

JAMES GREEN, our forbear, was born 20 Jan 1823, Conway Co., AR, and died 19 Feb 1899, at age 76, sitting in a rocking chair in his Green Farm home; and was found by his grandson John Marion Green, son of William. His widow SARAH KITCHELL GREEN was born 18 Aug 1823, Greene Co., Illinois, and outlived James by six years. She died Sep 1905 in her Green Farm home, and they are buried side by side in the Green Family Cemetery on the Farm.

Hatch Alford's other daughter, Callie, married Joe Foster, a school teacher in Georgetown, after her first husband Black Holly died, and raised a family while living there as well as in other school districts. At this time we don't know where Callie and Joe died or were buried, but their son Lowry Foster returned to Georgetown and was for many years in the newspaper business.

Elizabeth Jane "Betsy" Green Williams also left a large family in Williamson Co. Her husband Aaron died 10 Nov 1900 and was buried in Berrys Creek Cemetery N. of Georgetown. Elizabeth died 29 Feb 1908 and was buried in Hall Cemetery, McNeil, Caldwell Co., TX N.E. of Luling, where she was living with a granddaughter. Their story continues in WILLIAMS FAMILY.

Through the father of SARAH KITCHELL (believed to be Phineas Kitchell, the only Kitchell neighbor for miles around in IL), we descend from European nobility traceable back to abt the year 500. Through SARAH's mother CELIA's WILLIAMS family we descend from early Scottish and English Puritan colonists to America, and from a bond servant, JOHN NATION.

The ALFORD wives of these two GREEN brothers descended from distinguished lines of European Royalty. Through ISAAC ALFORD's wife and mother's WINGFIELD, WRIGHT, and POPE lineage, they were cousins of President GEORGE WASHINGTON, descendants of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR and CHARLEMAGNE (Emperor of the West), who descended from ancient kings.

 Obituary of Mary Jane Alford Green:

8 Oct 1921, a Brownfield newspaper read: "GRANDMOTHER GREEN DEAD. On Saturday morning at 3'oclock, the death angel called to the Father's house Mrs. Mary Green, the mother of our beloved townsman, J. C. Green.

Grandmother Green was born in Washington County, Texas, Nov. 26, 1852, and was married in 1869 to J. M. Green. To this union was born nine children; six of which are now living. Mr. J. C. Green of city is the oldest of the children.

Mrs. Green was converted in her young girlhood and joined the Methodist Church, from which time she lived a most beautiful and faithful Christian life. Thirteen months ago Grandmother Green came to live with her oldest son in Brownfield. Her sweet devoted Christian life has cheered the hearts of all of those who knew her. She always had a king word for everyone, as Mrs. Randal has often remarked: "She made everyone better who knew her. Her room where she stayed seemed to be the brightest spot anywhere, because of her cheerfulness." In all of her affliction she never complained, resigning completely to the will of God, expressing the words again of the great Apostle, when he said: "For our light affliction which is but for the moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

Mrs. Green had a most wonderful memory. Even up to the last hour she spoke, she knew the folks by name who came to her bedside. If she ever met a person, she knew them by name after that.

Mrs. Green's life has been a benediction to us all, and we want to live truer, brighter lives because of her example she set while she was here. Even though the body has been layed to rest until the resurrection morn, her spirit lives on to bless the world until Jesus comes again.

Rev. J. E. Anderson

Funeral services were conducted at the family residence Saturday afternoon by Rev. J. E. Anderson, many friends of the family being in attendance to pay their last respects to this beloved woman who was a friend to everyone. Burial took place in the Odd Fellows' Cemetery at 4 p.m."

Children of William Green & wife Eliza Amanda Alford

 
  

 Brothers: James Calvin "Little Jimmy" Green, William D. "Broth" Green, John Marion Green, and Wade Hampton Green

 Sisters: Audie Green Yarbrough, Jane Green Alford, Odie Green Yarbrough

   

Billy Don, Verla Mae, and Jake Green behind their parents, Ora Mae Brown & James Calvin "Little Jimmy" Green, Loraine, TX

GREEN-YARBROUGH (two daughters of William Green & Eliza Amanda Alford md. Yarbroughs)

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