My Genealogy Hound

HON. HENRY GREEN is one of the very prominent and most highly respected citizens of Easton. In the fall of 1879 he was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court by Governor Hoyt, to fill a vacancy caused by the death of the Hon. Warren J. Woodward. At the general election in November, 1880, Mr. Green was elected as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court for a term of twenty-one years. His public service has been noted for the ability he has displayed and the faithfulness with which he has discharged the duties devolving upon him, in whatever capacity.

A native of Warren County, N. J., our subject was born about two miles only from Easton, August 29, 1828. His education was largely obtained in the noted school of which Rev. John Vanderveer of this city was in charge. After obtaining a preliminary college education in that institution, Mr. Green was enrolled as a student at LaFayette in July, 1842, and was graduated therefrom in September, 1846. On beginning his law studies, he had for his tutor Hon. Washington McCartney, of Easton, who was subsequently Judge of the Northampton County Courts. On being admitted to the Bar in the fall of 1849, Mr. Green opened an office and began practice in this city.

In 1851 our subject entered the office of ex-Gov. Andrew H. Reeder, who was one of the Territorial Governors of Kansas, to which position he was appointed in 1854. Mr. Green continued practice in the same office, and in July, 1857, entered into partnership with Governor Reeder, upon the latter’s return from the West, and their relationship continued until the Governor’s death, which occurred in July, 1864. After that event Mr. Green continued to practice independently in Northampton and adjacent counties for some fifteen years, when he was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court, as previously mentioned. In this capacity he served faithfully until, on the regular election in 1880, he became Associate Justice, a post for which he is well fitted. In 1873 he was chosen a member of the State Constitutional Convention, to fill a vacancy occasioned by the resignation of Hon. Samuel M. Dimick, Delegate-at-Large, upon his appointment as Attorney-General of Pennsylvania.

In his private practice, Mr. Green has succeeded in building up a fine reputation as a civil lawyer, and his income as such has been very large. In many important cases he has been called upon to act as a champion, and has written some very important opinions since becoming Justice of the Supreme Court. Among notable eases which have come under his supervision are the following: the will case of Yardley and Cuthbertson (108th Pa., 395), originally in Philadelphia; the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania versus the Gloucester Steam Ferry Company (98th Pa., 105), a dissenting opinion on a question of taxation of capital stock, the case being appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States, and Judge Green’s views by them sustained; Lane’s Appeal (105th Pa., 49), involving the question of the liability of stockholders’ incorporations for the debts of the same to the extent of their paid-in capital stock; the case of Hoover versus the Pennsylvania Railroad Company (156th Pa., 220), concerning the liability of the latter for alleged discrimination in freight acts; Miskey’s Appeal (107 Pa., 611), a question of setting aside an executed voluntary deed, and many others of equal importance.

Judge Green is married and has four children, all grown up and married, having children of their own. In politics our subject is a Republican, and though he is interested in the success of his party, is certainly not what would be termed a politician. For many years he has been considered one of the ablest jurists in Pennsylvania, and his decisions are clear cut, just and highly intelligent exponents of himself.