GREEN-Samuel John - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

Samuel John GREEN, M.D., the oldest physician in Wayne township, was born in Washington County, New York, January 4, 1817, and is the son of Thomas and Sarah Green, both natives of New York. Thomas Green was a member of the Presbyterian Church, in politics a whig, and was in the war of 1812. Dr. Green lived on the farm till he was eighteen years old, and then began the study of medicine in Cambridge, New York. He studied medicine three years, taking his first course at Castleton, Vermont, and the other two at the Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, where he graduated in the spring of 1838. In the fall of 1839 the doctor came to Crawfordsville. After coming to this County he was sick most of the time for two or three years, part of which time he spent in the east. In 1842 he began the practice of medicine in Waynetown, and for over thirty years he had an extensive practice, he being the only physician in a large district of country. Almost continual driving and the loss of much sleep for so many years at least began to impair the health of a constitution which had seemed almost impregnable. Since about 1870 the doctor has not practiced any except among old friends and patients, who still regard him as their hope of health in time of sickness. In 1839 the doctor was married to Mary ABBOTT. She died in June, 1859, and was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. By this marriage there were five children, who are now all living. Sarah M., who attended school at Ft. Wayne, is now the wife of John HAYDEN ; Thomas C., who was in the army three years, in the 72d reg., fought in the battle of Chickamauga, the battles under Rosecrans, and is now a physician in Fountain County. George M. and Charles A., both attended college; William attended school in Ft. Wayne, and in the spring of 1880 graduated from Rush Medical College, Chicago, and is now settled at Brimfield, where he has a good practice. In September, 1862, the doctor was married to Miss Emma NEWTON, who was born May 1830. By this union there are two children living and one dead: John (deceased), Louan, and Nellie. The doctor is a member of the Methodist Church, being the only member now living who assisted in its organization. Mrs. Green is a member of the Congregational Church. The doctor had not much capital with which to begin life except his education, but by hard work and good management has amassed considerable property, now owning 280 acres of land where he lives, some town property and 500 acres of land near Loda, Iroquois County, Illinois. In politics he as formerly a whig, casting his first vote for Gen. Harrison in 1840, and since the organization of the republication party has been a firm supporter of its principles. Dr. Green is now enjoying the peace and quiet of retired life, and can look back over a long period of usefulness and labor in a country which he has seen changed from a woody wilderness to a garden of beauty and civilization.