Benjamin Green (merchant)

Benjamin Green (July 1, 1713 – October 14, 1772) was a merchant, judge and political figure in Nova Scotia. He served as administrator for Nova Scotia in 1766 and from 1771 to 1772. He was born in Salem Village (later Danvers, Massachusetts), the son of the Reverend Joseph Green and Elizabeth Gerrish, and entered business with his brothers in Boston. In 1737, he married Margaret Pierce. He was secretary to William Pepperrell, who led the attack against Louisbourg in 1745, and served as treasurer for the forces from New England and secretary for the council that administered Louisbourg after its capture. In 1749, he went to Halifax, where he was named to Edward Cornwallis's Nova Scotia Council and also served as naval officer. Green was also judge in the vice admiralty court; he resigned in 1753. In 1750, he became secretary to the Council and provincial treasurer. Green was named a justice of the peace in 1760. While in England to assist in auditing the accounts of Peregrine Thomas Hopson, he had to defend himself against charges of assigning contracts to Malachy Salter in exchange for a share in the profits. He was reprimanded but allowed to retain his posts. During his term as administrator in 1766, he was criticized by the provincial assembly for not following the correct procedures for dealing with the provincial finances. Green resigned his post as provincial treasurer in 1768, citing poor health. He died at Halifax at the age of 59. An audit of the provincial accounts following his death found them deficient.

References

• Chard, Donald F (1979). "Benjamin Green". Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Retrieved 2008-10-05. 

v t e Lieutenant Governors of Nova Scotia Post-Confederation (1867-present) Williams Doyle Howe Archibald Richey McLelan Daly Jones D. Fraser McGregor MacKeen M. Grant Douglas Tory Stanfield Covert Irwin Mathers Kendall McCurdy A. Fraser Plow MacKeen Oland Gosse Shaffner Abraham Crouse Kinley Freeman Francis J. Grant Lieutenant-Governors before Confederation (1786-1867) Parr Bulkeley Wentworth Prévost (Croke) Sherbrooke Smyth Dalhousie Kempt Jeffrey Maitland Jeffrey C. Campbell Falkland Dickson Harvey Bazalgette LeMarchant Phipps Doyle MacDonnell Williams Lieutenant-Governors of Cape Breton Island (1784-1820) Desbarres Macarmick Mathews Ogilvie Murray Despard Nepean Swayne Ainslie Governors before Confederation (1710-1786) Vetch Nicholson Caulfeild Vetch Caulfeild Philipps Doucett Armstrong Cosby Mascarene Cornwallis Hopson Lawrence Ellis Belcher Wilmot W. Campbell Green Francklin Legge Francklin Arbuthnot Hughes Hamond Parr Lieutenant-Governors who served in the absence of Governors are listed in parentheses. Acting administrators are listed in italics.