Green, William Family

GREEN, SWITZER, WOODARD, BROWN, MCKEE, OBRIEN, BRAMMER, KIRKPATRICK, CLAY, FROST, ALEXANDER, MCGAUHEY, SMITH, MORGAN, HEWLETT

Posted By: Mary H. Cochrane, Volunteer
Date: 6/30/2019 at 12:07:36

Biography ~ The William Green Family

"Reflections of Grand River Iowa 1881-1981"
Page 222, Clarke Pub. Co. Osceola IA. 1981.

The Green family came to Ia. from Ill. sometime before the Civil War, as we know that Noah Sr., went to war; and we, in this generation, assume that he never returned, as his widow, Permilia, is buried beside her son, William and his wife, Elizabeth. Their children were William H., John W., Perry C., Wmma, Louis A. and George M.

William was born in Hamilton Co., Ill., Nov. 15, 1843, died in Grand River, Mar. 3, 1917. Sometime later they came to Ia. for according to his service record, he enlisted as a private in Co. B. 18th Regiment (volunteer), Ia., Inf., Mar. 10, 1864 from Funk's Mill, Center Twp., Decatur Co., Ia. (This was at the bottom of the hill where the Oak Hill Cemetery is now.) Wm. was discharged at Ft. Smith, Ark., July 20, 1865.

On July 28, 1866, he married Elizabeth Switzer, a daughter of Steven and Eveline, in Leon, Ia. Elizabeth was born near Columbus, Ohio, Jan. 1, 1845. Their children were Elle Mae (Mrs. Lincoln Woodard), Nora (Mrs. Isaac Brown), Eveline (Mrs. James McKee), Noah (married Mamie O'Brien), John (married Mariah Brammer) and Henry (married Carrie Brown).

William and Elizabeth lived on a farm about 3 miles east of Grand River (that was the home of Floyd Binning). In 1904, they bought land from Joshua (Bub) Greenland on the east side of the raod running morth and south at the east edge of Grand River and they lived there until they died. All their children lived in the Grand River area and reared their famililes nearby, except Noah, who went to Nebraska sometime before the turn of the century, where he and his family remained the rest of their lives.

William Henry Greene (June 4, 1879-May 23, 1949) married Carrie Mae Brown (b. Apr. 27, 1885-d. Oct. 6, 1974) on Oct. 18, 1902, and are both buried in the Young Cemetery. Henry and Carrie raised seven children, all of whom remained in or near Grand River.

Henry farmed some in this area and some in Ringgold Co., as did Granville, Cyril, Lowell and Orville. Granville (1903-1955) married Lois Kirkpatrick; and they had Albert, Theola and Ernest. Orville (b. Dec. 14, 1904) married Opal Clay; and their children are William, Margery, Mildred, Jack and Dale. Cyril (1906-1979) married Marguerite Frost; and their children are Cyril Dean and Maxine.

(Almost all of these families live in Ringgold Co.). Winona was born Mar. 13, 1908; and she married bill Alexander. Their only child died in infancy. Bill and Nona lived in the Hopeville and Thayer area most of their lives and farmed. Mae, the fifth child, was born Aug. 25, 1909. She married Ansel McGauhey. Their girls were Pauline and Fae. Mae and Ansel did reupholstering in Leon for years; after his death, she married Fred Smith, and they continued in this line.

Lowelll (b. Aug. 9, 1911) married Winnie Morgan, and their two children are Carolou and Gary. Lowell farmed, sold insurance and operated a skating rink in Mt. Ayr. Earl (b. Aug. 25, 1915) married Alma Brammer in 1933. They have one daughter, Mary Joyce, who marred Robert Hewlett and lives in Grand River. Earl and Alma have always had a home in Grand River. He served in the Navy aboard the USS Audrain during WW II and worked as an operator of heavy equipment for over 20 years before retiring in 1977.

Copied from "Reflections of Grand River, Iowa 1881-1981" by Stacey McDowell Dietiker, May 30, 2001