My Genealogy Hound

Oscar D. Green, who for many years was an active business man of Hardin county, Iowa, is now living retired in Lorimor. His business career was characterized by close application, by sound judgment and capable management and these qualities gained for him a position among the men of affluence in this part of the state. A native of New York, he was born in Jefferson county, November 1, 1833, and was reared to manhood in Adams Center, New York, where his father, Riley W. Green, carried on a cabinet shop. He, too, was a native of Jefferson county, where he was reared and married, and there he also reared his family. Subsequently he removed to Kansas, purchasing a farm in Reno county, near Hutchinson, where he spent the last years of his life.

Oscar D. Green lived in Jefferson county, New York, during the days of his boyhood and youth and enjoyed such educational advantages as were afforded by the common and the high schools of Adams Center. He came to the middle west in early manhood and was married in Bloomington, Illinois, December 4, 1856, to Miss Celestia A. Bliss, who was born and reared in Jefferson county, New York. She was educated in Deruyter Institute, Madison county, New York, and was a teacher prior to her marriage. Mr. Green carried on farming for a number of years in the county of his nativity and afterward removed to McLean county, Illinois, locating on a farm near Bloomington, where he carried on general agricultural pursuits for five or six years. He then sold his property and removed to the vicinity of Batavia, Illinois, where he followed farming for five years. He next became a resident of Dixon, Illinois, and after a short period there passed came to Iowa, settling in Hardin county. He carried on business at Steamboat Rock, purchasing a grocery store, and later also acted as express agent. He likewise had a contract for carrying the mail from Eldora to Waterloo and was in charge of the stage line as well. He continued in active business in Hardin county until 1894, when he disposed of his interests there and removed to Madison county, where he resumed agricultural pursuits, purchasing an improved farm of two hundred acres near Lorimor. For several years he there tilled the fields and carried on farm work with good success and in 1904, putting aside the active work of the farm and renting his land, he removed to Lorimor, where he has since lived retired, for the financial accumulation of his earlier years makes possible his present rest.

As the years passed three children were added to the family of Mr. and Mrs. Green: Elwin O., now a business man of Dodge City, Kansas; Wilbur B., who is living on the Green farm in Madison county; and Helen A., a young lady at home. They also lost two daughters: Emma died in Hardin county when about forty years of age. She was married and left two daughters. Mamie was the wife of Charlton Reed, of Lorimor.

Mr. Green is a republican,, having been a stalwart advocate of the party since casting his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont. He has been officially identified with the schools in different localities in which he has resided but has never been aspirant for office. He belongs to the Presbyterian church and his wife to the Baptist church and they are both earnest, consistent Christian people who for thirty-eight years have been residents of Iowa, watching the development of the country and giving their aid and influence to various measures which have been factors in its upbuilding and improvement.