John Cleve Green

John Cleve Green (April 14, 1800 – April 29, 1875) was a merchant and former partner of John Murray Forbes in the China trading house of Russell & Company. Green was a benefactor of Princeton University and the Lawrenceville School. One of his homes was a 10 acres (4.0 ha) estate in New Brighton, Staten Island, where Curtis High School now stands. In the late 19th century he gave 1.5 million dollars to Princeton^[1] and on his death made major bequests to New York University and New York area hospitals.

Early life and family

Born in the Lawrenceville section of Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey, Green's father, Caleb Smith Green, was a farmer in Lawrence Township in present day Mercer County, New Jersey.

Merchant career

As a young man, Green entered the house of N. L. & G. Griswold, merchants in the China trade on South Street in New York City, and displayed so much sagacity as a clerk that he was appointed supercargo of the ship Panama, a well-known tea clipper of the day, and of other vessels. He subsequently made many voyages to China and South America.

In 1833, he was admitted to the house of Russell & Co., in Canton (now Guangzhou), China, and there laid the foundation of his large fortune. In 1839, on his return to New York, he married Sarah Helen, daughter of George Griswold, and carried on the China trade for many years thereafter, acquiring a fortune of about $7,000,000.

Other activities

Green was prominent in the social, business and public enterprises of the city. For many years he was a director of The Bank of Commerce, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a manager of several leading charitable and public institutions. Always known as a man of clear views, strong convictions and great force of character, Green took an active interest in New York University, Princeton Theological Seminary and Princeton College. He owned a town house Washington Square, New York City a large country house with much land at New Brighton on Staten Island.

Personal life

The father of three children all of who died in childhood, Green's brother, Henry W. Green, was at one time Chancellor of New Jersey, and his brother in law, Frederick Frelinghuysen, Senator from the same State.

Green died in 1875, at his residence on Washington Square Park.

References

•  This article incorporates text from America's successful men of affairs: An encyclopedia of contemporaneous biography, by Henry Hall (ed.), a publication from 1895 now in the public domain in the United States.