HON. JOHN L. GREENE. This well-known and prominent citizen of Pike Creek Valley is a native of Roane County, Tennessee, where he was born in 1835, a son of Theodrick and Mary (Hassler) Greene, natives of Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and Tennessee, born in 1799 and 1805 respectively.
In 1811 Theodrick Greene was taken by his parents to Tennessee, grew to manhood there and was there married. In 1857 they removed to Marion County, Arkansas, by wagon and there the father spent the rest of his life, being killed during the war while at home. He was a Southern sympathizer and by occupation was a farmer. He was captain of a company of militia in an early day and led an active and busy life. His father, Thomas Greene, was a native of Virginia, but died in Roane County, Tennessee, a farmer. His wife, Amy (Kissee) Greene also died there. They reared a large family and two of their sons, William and John, were soldiers in the War of 1812.
Michael Hassler, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, came to Tennessee from New York in an early day, was of German descent, and followed farming and milling until his death. His wife, Agnes Scarboro, also died in Roane County. The wife of Theodrick Greene died in Sharpe County, Arkansas, in 1880, having become the mother of eight sons and five daughters: Michael was with Gen. Price during the war and is a resident of Boone County, Arkansas; Thomas J. died before the war in Roane County, Tennessee, leaving a family; Jonathan died in California in 1851 or 1852; James I. died in Van Buren, Arkansas, a Confederate soldier; John was with Price during the war and was killed at Boonville, Missouri; John L.; Almeda resides in Sharp County, Arkansas; Theodrick B. was killed in southern Missouri during the war while with Marmaduke; Letha A. is the wife of Henry Shirley of Sharp County, Arkansas; Amanda died in Arkansas, the wife of James A. Osburn; Avery died in 888, having been a Confederate soldier; Millie died in childhood, and Ginsy also died in childhood.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm, but received common-school educational advantages in his youth. He was married in Roane County, Tennessee, in 1855, to Evaline, daughter of Johnson and Rebecca Edgmon, who died in Roane County, Tennessee, where they had lived many years. Mr. Greene was born in that county and died in Carter County, Missouri in 1888, a worthy member of the Missionary Baptist Church. To them nine children were born: Almeda, wife of Joseph Ellis, of Carter County; Marion; Mary Ann, wife of M. F. Green, of Oregon; Jonathan; Mattie, wife of F.M. Burrows, of Oregon; Logan, deceased; Elmer; George W. and Rebecca. In 1889 Mr. Greene took for his second wife Mrs. Nancy J. Kinnard, a daughter of John W. Snider. She was born in Carter County, Missouri, and is a grand-daughter of Dr. James Snider. She is the mother of three children: F. Bosser and L. Bunker (twins), and William McK. In 1857
Mr. Greene located in Cater County and two years later in Reynolds County. From here he enlisted August 1, 1861, in Company F, Sixth Missouri United States Volunteer Cavalry; operated in southeast Missouri and was in many skirmishes. He was wounded near Fredericktown November 17 1861, was disabled for further duty and was honorably discharged June 30, 1862. In 1864 he removed to southern Illinois, where he lived until 1871, working in a wagon shop and farming, then returned to Carter County, Missouri, and has for many years past lived on his present farm of 440 acres, of which 125 are cleared and under cultivation. In 1872 he was elected justice of the peace, which office he held six or seven years and was then elected to the responsible position of probate judge, an office he filled with ability for four years. For many years he has been deputy county surveyor and is now discharging the duties of justice of the peace. Socially he is a Mason, having been made such in 1866 at Steeleville, Illinois, in Alma Lodge No. 497, A. F. & A. M., while said lodge was under dispensation. He was elected the first junior warden after the lodge was chartered. He served two years in the South, when he was elected senior warden, where he served two years, when he was elected worshipful master and was serving as master when he removed to Carter County, Missouri He is now a member of Van Buren Lodge No. 509, A. F. & A.M., in which lodge he has been twice elected worshipful master. In politics he was formerly a Whig casting his first vote for Fillmore in 1856. Since the war he has been Republican at all times, being a stanch supporter of a protective system of the revenues.