Thomas Green #3, 1815-1904

GREEN, STEVENS, REGAN, CRANE

Posted By: Constance Diamond, IAGenWeb Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/12/2018 at 11:48:26

The Argo
West Union, Fayette Co., Iowa
03 Feb 1904
Page 1 column five

Death of Thomas Green.

Thomas Green, Sr., was born in Ireland May 26, 1815. He served an apprenticeship of seven years as blacksmith, then went to Scotland where he worked in Glasgow, Greenock and up in the Highlands where he learned the dialect or Gaelic. He came to America in 1842 and worked in Hamilton, Ont., where he was married in 1845 to Ann Stevens. In 1848 he removed to Genesee county, N.Y., where he lived until 1852 when, with his brother, Patrick, he came west, stopping one year in Kane county, Ill. In 1853 they came to Iowa and took up land on the Little Turkey above Waucoma, where the neighbors helped build a log shop and a board shanty to live in. Here he did the work of the community; shod the oxen, made the tools—hoes, rakes, hinges, and nails, tongs and andirons; in fact, all the iron work they had.

He came to West Union in the fall or winter of 1858 and worked at his trade for some few years, finally building a shop on the lot where the Baptist church now stands working there until he enlisted in February, 1863 in Co. F, 7th Iowa Cav., where he served three years, seeing severe service. On his return from the war he resumed his work, forming a partnership with his oldest son, Thos. L. Green. They bought the blacksmith and wagon shop just north of the stone block, where they did an extensive business, employing ten or a dozen men until about 1876, when he turned over the business to his younger sons, James and C.W. He then retired to his farm adjoining town, where he has since resided, enjoying life with books, being a constant reader He was a member of the Public Library and visited it once a week in summer. He was a member of the G.A.R. and before the war belonged to the Good Templars. He was a member of the Catholic church.

He seemed in his usual health up to Monday, Jan. 21, when he either had a stroke of paralysis or fell coming down stairs, injuring him so that he died Jan. 30. He was in his 89th year. He leaves a wife, five sons and two daughters, one daughter, Etta, having died in 1888. These are, Thos. L., James and H.R., of this city; John, Chas. W. and Mrs.
Annie Regan, all of Denver; and Mrs. Allie Crane, of Ottawa, Kan. All of the children were present at the funeral.

The funeral took place from the Catholic church Monday morning, under direction of the G.A.R., Rev. Father Regan officiating, and the remains were interred in the 1 city cemetery of West Union.

Uncle Tommy as a genial, generous soul, blessed with an abundance of native Irish wit. A hard worker, an honest man, may the memory of his good deeds abide with us always.