The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-12-24
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOdgc WIN. n. Green Incidents ts
the Life OF n Prominent Citizen.


airy and Portrait Gallery Of Eminent and self
Made Men.l
William Henry Green, ex-state sena-
tor, ex-circuit judge, etc., was born in
Danville, Boyle county, Kentucky, De-
ccmber Sth. 1880, and is the son Of DR..
DUFF Green and Lucy Kenten. His father
was a thoroughly educated physician of
great skin and eminence. His grand
father, Willis Green, one of the ear
lest settlers Of Kentucky, was tie first
| delegate from the district of kentucky
to the Virginia legislature, and
was registrar of the Kentucky land
office while il was territory,
| and was clerk OF the first district court
that was organized in the territory. His
ancestors were among the first settlers of
Virginia, and were extensive land pro-
prietors in the Shenandoah valley. They
came originally from the province OF
Leinster, In ireland, about the year 1880.
His mother was a niece of Simon Ken.
ton, the celebrated Indian fighter, and
was OF Scotch descent. Our subject was
educated at the Centre college, Danville,
Kentucky, and was good classical
scholar. and well read in the sciences and
IL ancient and modern history.
In lS47 the family moved to Illinois,
and settled in Mount Vernon, Jefferson
| county, where his father practiced his
profession till his death in 1857. At the
age Of seventeen William II. launched in
support of himself. He taught school in
| Benton, Illinois, and in st. Louis county,
Missouri, for three years, and at the same
time read law under the direction OF the
/ Hon. Walter Il. Scotes. formerly chief
justice OF the supreme court of Illinois;
was admitted to the bar In 1852. and COM
menced practice in the same year at Mt.
Vernon, Illinois. The following year
he removed to Metropolis, in Massac
county, Illinois, where he remained, in
large and lucrative practice. for ten years,
and in 1868 removed to Cairo. which has
since been his home, though he still
owns an extensive farm near Metropolis,
which includes the ancient French earth
works knows as Fort Massac-one OF the
most beautiful sites on the Ohio.
He was elected to the popular branch
| of the Illinois legislature in 1853 as a
Democrat, and voted for Stephen. A.
Douglas for United States senator; was
reelected in 1860 to the same position,
and in 1862 was elected to the state sem
ate for four years. In 1865 he was cleo
ted judge of the third judicial circuit tor
three years. In 1861 he was appointed
attorney for the Illinois Central railroad
company, which position he has held ever
since, except the interval ofhis judgeship,
and has the wcll-earned confidence and
esteem of that company. In 1889 he was
chairman Of the judiciary committee Of
the house of representatives. TO which
position he was appointed by the speaker.
Hon. Vim. K. Morrison, now chairman
OF the congressional committee of ways
and means. The session that year was
very exciting, there being but few old
members in the body, and the supporters
of Douglas being mostly young and ar
dent men; but Mr.. Green was equal to
the emergency, and was soon the recog-
nized leader OF his party, conducting it
in that instance TO victory. In lS6l-the
political character Of the body having
changed in the mean time--he took the
lead in the opposition and was again on
the judiciary committee. In the senate
in 1863 aud 1865 he was the recognized
leader OF the Democracy, and served on
both the judiciary and finance commit
tees. In the latter session he made an
elaborate and powerful argument against
the ratification OF the Thirteenth
amendment, not in the defense
of slavery, but basing his opposition to
the measure upon the ground that the
constitution could not be properly SO al
tered as to destroy property rights with
out compensation, and that such a move
ment was revolutionary in character.
and would in time become most perni-
cious precedent. In all matters affecting
the interest or principles of his party, he
was found faithfully at his post, and al
ways bearing an honest and vigorous tes-
timony.
AS a ready debater in the senate he had
| few superiors. As a lawyer his practice
has been principally in the circuit and
supreme courts OF Illinois, where he has
been eminently successful. Asa speaker
he is clear, forclble, deliberate, and at
times quite ornate and eloquent; hence
| his style OF oratory is better adopted to
deliberatiye bodies than to the legal
forms, though as an advocate his style is
fluent, ever and always elegant. As a
Judge he was able, dignified and impair
tial. He is now the senior member of
the successful law firm OF Green Il Gil
bert.
He was member of the Democratic
national conventions OF 1850, 1864 and
1868, and for many years past has been a
member Of the Democratic state central
committee. He has always taken deep
interest In educational matters. and was
appointed q member OF the state board of
education in 1861, and has continued TO
be member of that body ever since, hav-
ing been appointed and re-appolnted
three times by Republican governors.
He was married IN 1854 to Miss Ann
l.. Hughes, daughter of James X.
Hughes, ESD, Of Morgantield, Kentucky.
whose father was native of the North OF
Ireland. She died in 1860, leaving two
/ childen-both boys-WhO bear the ances-