My Genealogy Hound

Below is a family biography from the book, History of Kentucky, Edition 8a by J. H. Battle, W. H. Perrin and G. C. Kniffin and published by F. A. Battey Publishing Company in 1888.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JOHN E. GREEN, president of the Second National Bank of Louisville, Ky., is widely known throughout the South and West as one of the most eminently capable and thorough young business men south of the Ohio river. He is the son of Dr. Norvin Green, the distinguished president of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and was born July 8, 1849, on his father’s plantation in Henry County, Ky., near the town of Eminence. He came to Louisville at an early age to attend school; was a close student and advanced rapidly, although he was not one of the precocious kind, and got at the subject matter of his lessons only by hard thought and faithful application. His mind was all the time turned to affairs of commerce, however, and it is possible that he gave quite as much attention to the financial departments of the daily papers as he did to his algebra and Latin grammar. At all events he had not been in the high school a great while before it occurred to him that there was a place in the busy world of commerce for at least one more pushing young man and indicated as much to his father. Dr. Green expressed no desire to keep the youth at his books, which he had mastered long ago, and promised to make a place for him. Very soon after this a syndicate of well known business men incorporated the Louisville Car Wheel Manufactory and John E. Green was elected secretary. It is a fact worthy of observation that the projectors of this enterprise have all become men of eminent distinction. Among them were Dr. Norvin Green, president of the Western Union, Dr. E. D. Standiford, formerly president of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company and afterwards a millionaire (now deceased); Albert Fink, the trunk line pool commissioner; R. S. Veech who owns the famous Indian Hill stud farm near Louisville and who made a fortunate tilt in Louisville, New Albany & Chicago railroad stock several years ago; J. W. Henning, one of the wealthiest owners of real estate in Louisville, and last, but not least, the subject of this sketch. In his capacity as secretary of the concern, young Green became of immense value to the enterprise, and it was not a great while before the management was given entirely into his hands. He had grown rapidly into the estimation of the business community all this time, and in 1881, at the age of thirty-two, he attained, unsought on his part, the distinction of election to the presidency of the Louisville Board of Trade, an organization which was then in its infancy, although supported by all of the old and reliable business men of Louisville. The young president gave hard thought and faithful action to the interests of the institution, and soon worked a solid systematic and useful organization out of a willing but chaotic and unorganized mass of brains and money. As a proof of the high esteem in which the board held him it is merely necessary to state that he was thrice re-elected president without opposition, and was warmly urged to again accept the honor, but declined upon the well founded plea that private enterprises in which he was largely interested claimed so much of his time and attention that he could no longer perform, with satisfaction to himself, the functions of the office. When he retired from the presidency the board passed flattering resolutions of regret, and pronounced in mass meeting a high and official eulogy upon his prolonged and useful service in the president’s chair. In the meantime, in January, 1884, he had accepted a place in the directory of the Second National Bank, and was promptly elected president of that institution, which has since so flourished under his management that the deposits are almost twice as large now as they were three years ago, and the bank, from a comparatively small station, has grown until it now rates seventh, out of twenty-one, in the clearing house. Some of the best known men around the Falls are in the directory of the Second National, which makes Mr. Green’s election to the presidency a notable compliment. The directory is composed of W. C. DePauw, of New Albany, Ind.; James Bridgeford, W. R. Belknap, George H. Hull, E. H. Chase, St. John Boyle, F. D. Carley, and Colonel Thomas W. Bullitt, of Louisville. George S. Allison is the cashier. Mr. Green has been a director in the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, as well as in the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis Air Line, and the Pensacola & Atlantic. He was one of the board of managers of the National Exposition of Railway Appliances, which was held at Chicago in 1880, and was counted one of the thinking men of that famous body. It is not generally known, but it is quite true, nevertheless, that Mr. Green had more to do with the organization of the Southern Exposition Company of Louisville than any other man. He called the original meeting at his residence in Louisville, and although some of the gentlemen who were present protested that the enterprise was not practicable, Mr. Green urged that it was, and finally carried his point. The Southern Exposition has since accomplished wonders for Louisville, and is now just turning into its fourth year, with all Kentucky interested in it. Other examples might be cited of the good and useful things Mr. Green has done for Louisville, but enough has been told. Suffice it to say that no other young man has ever stood higher in the Falls City than Mr. Green stands at present. His fine qualities of heart and head have made him a great favorite in social circles, and his beautiful house on Fourth avenue is always open to his friends. Mr. Green was married before he had attained his majority, and is now the head of a charming little family, his wife being a lady of unusual personal beauty and great amiability. His friends are anxious to have him stand for the office of mayor of the city, but he has heretofore declined. When it comes to the silver question, he is a gold man. Aside from his duties as president of the bank Mr. Green is compelled to give a great deal of thought to several manufacturing companies in which he is largely interested, notably the Car Wheel Works, the Louisville Steam Forge Manufactory, and other similar concerns. He is a busy man throughout the year.

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This family biography is one of 195 biographies included in the Jefferson County, Kentucky section of the book, The History of Kentucky, Edition 8a published in 1888 by F. A. Battey Publishing Company.  For the complete description, click here: History of Kentucky, Edition 8a

View additional Jefferson County, Kentucky family biographies here: Jefferson County, Kentucky Biographies

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