Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1088 - 1089

BENJAMIN GREEN. Prominent among the settlers of Sedgwick County, who have witnessed the marvelous development of this section of the State during the past fifteen years, and who have, by honest toil and industry, succeeded in acquiring a competency, and are now able to spend the sunset of life in quiet and retirement, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch, and who is a resident of the pleasant village of Derby, in Rockford Township.

     Mr. Green was born in Grafton County, N. H., June 8, 1809, and is the son of Benjamin G. and Rachel (Rude) Green, both of whom were natives of the Nutmeg State. His father was a carpenter and joiner by trade, who in an early day, shortly after the birth of our subject, removed to New Hampshire, settling within ten miles of Dartmouth College. He made his residence in that place until he was about fifty-six years old, when, in the presence of his son Benjamin, he met his death by being crushed under a falling tree.

     The subject of this notice remained at home until he was about twenty-four years of age, when he removed to Lincoln County, Ohio, where he was employed for a number of years at any manner of work that he could find to do. While a resident of this place, Oct. 10, 1837, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary S. Bean, who was born Oct. 23, 1812, in Grafton County, N. H., and is the daughter of Joseph and Susan (Keith) Bean, who were also natives of the same State. She had received her education in the common schools of her native State, and removed to Ohio with her brother and his family in 1835. Sometime after this Mr. and Mrs. Green removed to Edgar County, Ill., and purchased a half-section of land, he having acquired some capital by that time. By the exercise of diligence, hard labor and excellent management, our subject soon brought this place to a high state of cultivation, and had it well improved, until it was known as the finest farm property in Edgar County. Through a misfortune, for which our subject is entirely blameless, he lost nearly all his earthly possessions, and removing to Cook County, rented a farm south of Chicago, upon which he carried on his agricultural calling for some years. Knowing that on the broad and fertile prairies of Kansas, land at that period could be bought quite cheaply, in March, 1873, he came to this State, and purchased a quarter-section of land in Rockford Township, and out of the raw and primitive prairie, which was a wild and grassy waste, he has made one of the finest farms in this county east of the Arkansas River. This was not accomplished without the expenditure of a large amount of mental and physical energy, but now, in his declining years, Mr. Green can look back on a life spent in usefulness and industry, and enjoy the fruits of his foresight and thrift.

     The subject of our sketch, following the traditional policy of his father, who was a Captain in the War of 1812, and a member of the Whig party, is a stanch Republican in his politics. He filled the position of Tax Collector while a resident of Ohio, for about a year and a half, with credit to himself and to all concerned. Although he is seventy-nine years of age, he is still hale and hearty, and his wife bears her seventy-six years so well that it is hard to believe that she has passed her fifth decade. Their family has consisted of the following children: Sarah, who was born in 1838, and is the wife of John K. Hoyt, the proprietor of a hotel in McPherson County, this State; Rude, who was born in 1841, died in infancy; Ellen M. married John W. Fry, a machinist, and is living in Preston, Iowa; Grant married Miss Etta Chamberlain, and is a real-estate agent in the city of Wichita; Carrie, who is the wife of Frank Blew, a real-estate dealer, is a resident of Wichita, and George M., who married Miss Alice Ransom, is also located in the latter city.

     Mr. and Mrs. Green, after a long life of toil, are now calmly resting from their labors, and are spending the evening of life pleasantly in their home at Derby, surrounded by the love, respect and esteem of a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Truly a good life has a happy ending.

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