George G. Green, cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Little River, represents a pioneer family of Rice County, and had spent nearly all his life in this locality.
He was born near Lexington, Missouri, November 16, 1869. His paternal ancestors came out of England and were colonists in Virginia. His grandfather, George Green, became a pioneer farmer in Western Illinois and died at Quincy in that state before George G. was born.
The founder of the family in Kansas was William Green, father of the Little River banker. He was born at Quincy, Illinois, in 1831, grew up there, and in 1861 enlisted in the Second Illinois Cavalry for service in the Civil war. He gave practically four years of service as a soldier, substituting for another after his own term of enlistment had expired. Among other campaigns he was with Sherman on the famous march to the sea. He was twice wounded, bullets entering either side of the abdomen, and he carried those reminders of the war with him until he died. Immediately after the war he went to Lexington, Missouri, and engaged in farming and in 1873 arrived in Rice County, Kansas, where he homesteaded 160 acres 3½ miles east of Little River. He also took up and developed a timber claim, and thus had 320 acres. The old homestead is still part of his estate. He was a successful man, though he suffered much from the injuries received in war, and he finally sought skilled medical attention in Kansas City, Missouri, where he died in 1891, at the age of sixty. He was a republican and was affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the Grand Army of the Republic. William Green married Ona A. Jackson, who was born near Lexington, Missouri, in 1849 and is now living at Los Angeles, California. George G. was the oldest of their children. A brief record of the others is as follows: Kate, wife of A. Girard, a lumberman and bank president at Windom, Kansas; Charles, a farmer north of Conway, Kansas; Ada, unmarried and living with her mother in Los Angeles; Fred, a merchant at Little River; Nellie, who conducts a shoe business in Los Angeles and is living with her mother; Lester is an employe of the street railway company in Los Angeles; and Mary, who lives with her mother.
George G. Green grew up in Rice County when it was very much of a frontier district, and attended the rural schools. He finished his education in the Dunkard College at McPherson, and on leaving that school in 1891 returned to his father’s farm and helped in its management for four years.
In 1896 Mr. Green entered the Citizens State Bank of Little River as assistant cashier, and in 1904 was promoted to cashier. Mr. Green formerly had some interests in oil companies and building and loan associations, but had disposed of those. He owned his home on Sherman Street.
In church affairs he is treasurer and an active member of the Congregational denomination and fraternally is affiliated with Como Lodge No. 219, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at Little River.
In June, 1911, at Sterling, Kansas, he married Miss Anna Fisk. Mrs. Green is a native of Missouri.