My Genealogy Hound

Oliver H. P. Green, postmaster of Orion, Orion township, Oakland County, can well be classed as one of the representative citizens of the county; he is held in high esteem as a political leader and organizer. He was born June 16, 1866, and is a son of Joshua C. and Martha (Shirt) Green, both natives of New Jersey.

Joshua C. Green was born in Belvidere, New Jersey, and came to Michigan when about 20 years of age in search of wealth and began what might have been a most successful career, had it not been ended by death at the age of 23 years. He was survived by his widow and two sons: Elmer L., who lives in Orion township, Oakland County; and Oliver H. P. After the death of our subject’s father, his widow married Isaac Lyons, who died in 1882, the result of their marriage being three children. Mrs. Lyons now resides in Orion township, Oakland County.

Oliver H. P. Green, who was 19 months old at the date of his father’s decease, received his education in the old block school house in the western part of Orion township. At the age of 17 he began life for himself, engaging in farming and lumbering with his brother in Orion township. They cut the last of the fine timber in Orion township which at one time was the scene of great lumbering activity, one of the first sawmills in the State being erected in that township. Our subject was thus engaged until 1889, when he devoted himself exclusively to operating the farm he had purchased while engaged in the lumbering business. In 1893 he sold his farm and purchased the Park Hotel in Orion, which he conducted for two years.

Politically, Mr. Green is a Republican. In 1896 he was appointed deputy sheriff and served four years under Sheriff John K. Judd and two years under Sheriff Richard Belt, at the same time serving four years as village marshal. In September,1897, he was appointed postmaster of Orion by President McKinley, a position he filled with creditable ability and on June 30, 1902, he was re-appointed by President Roosevelt. He was elected president of the village in 1903 but was unable to act as his other duties occupied his time. He has been a delegate to nearly all county and State conventions for many years past, having been a delegate to the convention at Grand Rapids when Russel A. Alger was nominated for Governor. He takes an active interest in his party’s organization and welfare.

Mr. Green was married March 16, 1886, to Josephine A. Hart, a native of Orion township and a daughter of Abraham Hart, a resident of Independence township, Oakland County, who was a son of William Hart. William Hart was one of the pioneers of Orion township, taking up a large tract of land from the government; he died March 17, 1891, at the age of 93, and his wife, in 1888, at the age of 78. To Mr. and Mrs. Green has been born one child, Grace, now aged 16 years. Our subject is a member of the Foresters, also of Lodge No. 109, F. & A. M., and of Lodge No. 1057, I. O. O. F., all of Orion, Michigan.