Reno County Biographies
"The History of Reno County, Vol. 2," Sheridan Ploughe, 1917
JAMES GREEN
James Green, president of the Farmers State Bank of Yoder, this
county, and a prominent dealer in live stock at that place, is a Hoosier,
a fact of which he never has ceased to be proud, having been born on a farm
in the Pekin neighborhood, ten miles south of the city of Salem, in
Washington county, Indiana, September 2, 1866, eldest child and only living
son of Lorenzo Dow and Sarah Ann (Evans) Green, both natives of that
same county, the former of whom was born on the same farm as was his
son, the subject of this biographical sketch.
Lorenzo D. Green was the son of John B. Green, who was born in
North Carolina, in 1801, son of William Green, a native of Germany, who
moved from North Carolina into Indiana Territory in 1809, seven years
before Indiana was admitted to the Union, and pre-empted a quarter of a
section of "Congress land" in what later became Washington county, part
of which homestead farm is still in the family, James Green continuing to
own an interest in the same. John B. Green, who was about eight years
old when his parents moved into Indiana Territory, was reared on the
homestead farm and became a prominent citizen of that section of the
state. He was a great exhorter in the United Brethren church and exerted
a wide influence upon the thought of his pioneer neighbors. He continued
a farmer on the old home place all his life, living to be ninety years of
age. His son, Lorenzo D. Green, grew up on the home farm and became
a strong and vigorous man, six feet and two inches in height, a family
characteristic. During hi young manhood he owned a saw-mill at Pekin,
in the neighborhood of his home, and cut out a great deal of the hardwood
timber in that section. During the progress of the Civil War Lorenzo D.
Green enlisted for service in the Union army and served for two years and
ten months, or until the close of the war in the Eighty-first Regiment,
Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battles of Nashville
and was with General Sherman's army for two years. Upon the
conclusion of his military service he returned to the home farm and there spent
the rest of his life, his death occurring in December, 1912, he then being
at the age of seventy-five years and one month.
Lorenzo D. Green married Sarah Ann Evans, who also was born in
Washington county, Indiana, daughter of Isaac Evans and wife, who later
moved to the state of Iowa, but presently returned to Indiana, where their
last days were spent. To this union five children were born: James, the
subject of this sketch; Alice E., widow of Samuel Wilson, still making
her home on the old Indiana homestead; Clara M., who married Robert
Wilson and lives at "Ridge Farm," in Illinois; John A. died at the age
of two years, and Nettie P. died when nine months old.
James Green was reared on the old Green homestead farm in
Washington county, Indiana, and in boyhood learned the value of hard work.
Being the only son who grew up he was a valuable assistant to his father
in the work on the farm. When he was eighteen years old he decided to
come to Kansas, but spent another winter in high school and then, in
February, 1885, came West, locating at Hutchinson, in. this county. For
five years after his arrival in this county he worked "by the month" on the
farm of Dr. James Myers, in Lincoln township, and then rented the White
farm in that neighborhood, continuing, however, to make his home with
Doctor Myers for thirteen years, and two years later he rented the Myers
farm, which he operated until 1897, in which year he bought the
southeast quarter of section 28, then in Lincoln township, now a part of Yoder
township. He made many improvements to that place and continued to
live there until in March, 1915, at which time he moved to the town of
Yoder, bought a house there and has continued to make that pleasant village
his home since.
In 1905 James Green began buying live stock, in connection with his
general farming, and has since then been extensively engaged in the
live-stock business, his chief shipping point being at Yoder. In 1907 he bought
an "eighty" adjoining his quarter section and later bought a tract of eighty
acres in Castleton township, both of which tracts he still owns, though
he sold his original farm in 1914, and in 1916 he bought a well-improved
half section in Ford county, nine miles southwest of Dodgeville. When
the Farmers State Bank of Yoder Was organized in 1910 Mr. Green
was one of the chief movers in the organization of the same
and was elected president of the bank, a position which he still holds.
He was one of the chief factors in the movement which resulted in the
creation of the township of Yoder in 1914 and for years has been regarded
as one of the most substantial and progressive residents of that part of
the county. He formerly was secretary of the Farmers Alliance of Lincoln
township; served two terms as township trustee, two terms as township
clerk and was on the school board for eighteen years, having been elected
to his official positions on the Republican ticket. One of his early acts after
coming to this county was that of assisting in laying out the town of Elmer,
he having carried the surveyor's chain while that town was being platted.
On December 20, 1892, James Green was united in marriage to Sarah
E. Farthing, who was born in Union county, Kentucky, January 26, 1868,
daughter of Sylvester and Cassie (Hobbs) Farthing, pioneers of Lincoln
township, this county, both of whom are still living on their old home
there and a history of which interesting family is set out in a biographical
sketch relating to their son, P. Rice Farthing, a prominent farmer of Salt
Creek township, presented elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Green
are members of the Baptist church and Mr. Green is a member of the
board of trustees of the church and treasurer of the same.
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