Chapter I

The Greens of Green’s Mill

The ancestor of the Greens in the community that would later bear his name is somewhat mysterious.  His name was Cambridge Louis Green and he “came from Mississippi” (Ref. 1, p. 261).  Why he came to Tennessee and why he settled in Maury County on Rutherford Creek may be suggested by the following excerpt from the Maury County Deed Book “E” p. 154:

Anthony J. Turner of Maury Co., Tenn., conveys 202 acres on Rutherford Creek to Cambridge Green, Frankey Green, Savannah Green, Philip Washington Green, Polly Carline Green, heirs of William Green deceased, all of Maury, for $529.50, 202 acres Rutherford Creek, joins heirs of Benton and Hart.  Wit: John Mills, Jas. Holcombe. Dated: June 8, 1813, Reg: July 19, 1813

Although the preceding excerpt leaves many unanswered questions, the name “Cambridge Green” and the location of the 202 acres seem to identify the person and location beyond reasonable doubt.  Reference 11 indicates that William Green died in early 1812, and that at some time prior to his death, he had put up his 202 acres as bond for Anthony Turner.  At William Green’s death, the land reverted to his heirs in the form of a deed.  Little is known of William Green, except that he is listed on the tax roll of Maury County in 1810 (Ref. 11) and there is an inventory of his estate (Ref. 11, Maury County Wills and Settlements, Book B, April 1809 – Dec. 1821, pps. 191-192).  It is not clear whether he lived on the 202 acres mentioned above.  Reference 6 lists a William Green as a soldier of the War of 1812.  The statement from Ref. 6, page 76 is as follows: “William Green, No service record given.  He lived or had land on the road leading from Fountain Creek to the McCutcheon Trace.  (Settlement of estate for a man of this name on 24 Feb. 1814; his minor heirs were P. W. Green, Sary C. Green, and Franky Green, Cambridge)”.  It is unclear as to whether the William Green of the War of 1812 is the same William Green who left the 202 acres on Rutherford Creek to his heirs.

 Some obvious questions relative to Cambridge Green are: 

1.                           Does the phrase “came from Mississippi” mean that he was born in Mississippi? There is some conflicting information from the census records. The 1880 census indicates that Cambridge, the father of L. C. Green, was born in Tennessee, whereas the census records of 1900 and 1910 indicate that the father of L. C. Green was born in Mississippi.

2.                           Was he the son of William Green, or an “heir” through some other relationship?

                The Maury County tax rolls of 1814, 1817, and 1818 list the heirs of William Green with the 202 acres, giving William Holcomb as their agent (Ref. 11).  The 1823 tax list also lists the heirs of William Green with the 202 acres, but now with Cader Johnson as agent (Ref. 11).  The only other listing of any of the Green heirs in the tax lists which are available through 1850 (not all years are available) is in 1831, in which Phillip W. Green is listed with the 202 acres (Ref 11).                        The disposition of the 202 acres after 1831 is unknown and the fate of all the heirs of William Green, with the exception of Cambridge, is presently lost to history.                                                       

The date of Cambridge Green’s birth is unknown (before 1813) and the exact date of his death (1840 or after) is unknown.  The date he first came to Maury County (assuming he came from Mississippi as noted in Ref. 1, page 261) is unknown.  What is known is that on July 9, 1836, Cambridge Green married Amy Holcomb (Marriages of Maury County, TN 1808 – 1852, Marriage Register 1, 1808 – 1837, page 67).   Family oral tradition says that Cambridge Green was a “miller.”  It therefore seems likely that Cambridge Green may have worked for Solomon Bunch at his mill on Rutherford Creek, which began operation in the early 1800s (see Chapter 2). 

According to the Green family oral tradition, sometime in the latter half of 1840, when Amy Holcomb Green was expecting her first child, Cambridge Green left Maury County to travel to Mississippi to visit his family.  He never returned, and no credible evidence was ever found to explain his disappearance.  The family heard that there was some kind of epidemic in Mississippi about that time, as well as a shipwreck on the Mississippi River, and wondered if either of these events was connected with his disappearance.  It is also probable that part of his journey would have been on the Natchez Trace, which at the time was notorious for robbers and bandits, so he may have fallen victim to one of these roving bands which attacked travelers.  Whatever his fate, Amy Holcomb Green never heard from her husband again.

On January 29, 1841, Amy Holcomb Green gave birth to a son and named him Lucratus C. Green (I’m guessing that the “C” stood for Cambridge).  At the time of his birth, the most influential families in the community were the families of Solomon Bunch and James D. Sanders.  Lucratus was destined to live his entire life in the Lanton community (later known as Green’s Mill) and, along with his sons, play a prominent role in the affairs of the community.  He and/or his sons would at some point operate the mill and the store, establish a church, and teach at the school. 

On September 17, 1859, Lucratus Green married Frances Brown.  They would have 12 children, although two of them would die as infants, and one would die at the age of four.  The listing which follows gives the children of Lucratus Green and Frances Brown Green with some brief information about each.  During their lifetimes, the children of Lucratus and Frances Green would play a significant role in the community and own some of the better farms and homes. 

CHILDREN OF LUCRATUS GREEN

Information given to R. H. Jackson by Mrs. Aileen Green Lovell, with order adjusted to agree more closely with the 1880 & 1900 censuses.

    1.   Sarah Elizabeth Green Price (1860 – 1920).  Married Jim Price and reared eleven children.

    2.   William Lucratus Green (1861 – 1928).  Merchant at Green’s Mill, farmer, magistrate, school director, and postmaster at Spring Hill.

    3. Robert Mitchell Green (1864-1918).  Farmer & ran mill.

    4.   Ellen Green Derryberry (1866 – 1918).  Married Jeff Derryberry and reared three children.

    5.   Etta Green Cranford (about 1869 - ?).  Married Will Cranford and reared four children.

    6.   John Richard Green (1871 – 1948). Farmer, merchant.

    7.   Infant Green (died as infant, estimate 1873)

    8.   Alexander Campbell Green (1875 -1941). Farmer, ran mill.  Spent entire life in Green’s Mill community.

    9.   Lilly Green (1878 – 1882, estimate).  Died at 4 years old.

  10. W. B. Green (1880, estimate).  Died as infant.

  11.   Macon Adolphos Green (1883 – 1928).  Ran mill, taught school at Lanton around 1905-1906, died in Nashville.

  12. Frank Reese Green (1886-1943). Farmer, spent entire life in Green’s Mill community.

The picture on page 12 shows the residence purchased by R. M. Green, son of Lucratus Green, about 1902 (No record of this purchase has been found; however, it is known from the obituary of Mrs. R. M. Green that she lived in the house starting in 1902).  The 1910 census lists R. M. Green as owning the farm. The front portion of the residence with its large columns, originally known as Grange Mansion, was built about 1857 (Ref. 10, p. 127).  The rear portions of the house, constructed of cedar logs, were likely constructed at an earlier time period. James D. Sanders had acquired the property in 1826 after the death of his father-in-law, Harman Miller, who had previously owned the property.  James D. Sanders gave the house and associated property to his daughter, Mary A. E. Sanders Bunch (wife of John B. Bunch), by deed, dated July 30, 1859.  John B. Bunch was the son of Solomon Bunch.  (See page 36 for a listing of the children of Solomon Bunch, and page 37 for a listing of the children of James D. Sanders.  Although these listings are abbreviated, they give us some information on these families during the 1800s.)  After the Civil War, a Freedman’s School operated on the farm for a while.  The log building used as the Freedman’s school is now on display at Rippavilla near Spring Hill.  Mary A. E. Sanders Bunch died in 1878, and John B. Bunch died in 1882.  From the death of John B. Bunch until R. M. Green purchased the house, the history of the house is somewhat obscure, but it is known that the house and farm were rented by John Pleasant Fitzgerald from about 1892 until 1902 (Ref. 12).  John Pleasant Fitzgerald’s daughter, Hollie, married Macon Green, son of Lucratus C. Green (see picture of Macon Green and Hollie Fitzgerald on page 44).

 Although R. M. Green died in 1918, his widow, Lou Ella Scholes Green, lived in the house until her death in 1950.  In 1950, Edwin A. Green, son of R. M. Green and Lou Ella Scholes Green, moved into the house until his death in 1973.  Edwin’s widow, Louise Andrews Green, continued to live in the house until her death in 1980.  Edwin and Louise’s daughter, Judy Faye, lived in the house until 1981, when the house was sold at auction.  Sadly, this house was destroyed by fire early in the morning of March 14, 2006.

A descendant report on Cambridge Green begins on page 39.  The report provides information on the descendants of Cambridge Green through the fifth generation.  

The sketch above shows the location of the various landmarks in the Green’s Mill community as they would have appeared about 1940.  The mill and the school were no longer operational.  Also shown, are the locations of four of the farms of the sons of Lucratus C. Green.