Charles W. Green

CHARLES W. GREEN. - Enterprising, energetic and progressive, Charles W. Green holds a place of prominence and influence among the leading citizens of Wyandotte county, having filled many public offices of importance, and was one of the city commissioners of Kansas City, Kansas, until April 7, 1911. A son of Charles Green, he was born July 1, 1868, in Greene county, New York, in the very house in which his great-grandfather, August Mygatt, first drew the breath of life. He comes from honored English ancestry on both sides of the house, on the maternal side tracing his lineage back to John Mygatt, the founder of the city of Hartford, Conn.

Born in Greene county, New York, in 1842, Charles Green there grew to manhood. At Kingston, New York, in 1862, he enlisted in the One Hundred and Fifty-sixth New York Volunteer Infantry, and served with his regiment until the close of the war, being discharged in 1865. He was at the front in various hotly-contested battles, including the engagements at Port Hudson, Mississippi; was with Nathaniel P. Banks on the Red River expedition; and took part in the famous Sheridan campaign. For many years he was actively and prosperously engaged in agricultural pursuits, but is now living retired in New York state, near Catskill. His wife, whose maiden name was Avesta Wright, was born in Greene county, New York, in 1849, and died in 1904. Three children were born to them, namely: Charles W., Elnora and Herbert.

After leaving the public schools of his native county, Charles W. Green attended the Greenville Academy, completing his early education at Eastman's Business College in Poughkeepsie, New York. He subsequently worked a while in a grocery, later becoming a clerk in a real estate and insurance office. In 1891, following the advice given years before by a man of note, he went west, locating at Durango, Colorado, where he was employed for nearly two years with a smelting company. Coming to Argentine, Wyandotte county, Kansas, in the spring of 1893, Mr. Green secured a position with the Consolidated Kansas Smelting and Refining Company, and until June, 1895, had charge of its copper department. He afterward engaged in mercantile pursuits, having a grocery and meat market for a time. In 1907 he was made vice president of the First State Bank of Argentine, and on January 1, 1911, was elected its president, a position which he is ably filling.

Mr. Green is likewise associated with many of the foremost enterprises of Argentine. He is interested in the Kansas Structural Steel Company; was one of the organizers of the Argentine Building and Loan Association, of which he was secretary and treasurer until 1910, when he resigned to accept the office of city commissioner; he was also one of the organizers of the Argentine Land Company, of which he is now a director, and was its secretary until September, 1910.

Mr. Green has held many public offices of note, and has invariably filled them with credit to himself and to the honor of his constituents. In 1897 he was elected alderman from the Second ward of Argentine; in 1899 he was chosen as mayor of Argentine; and was re-elected to the mayor's chair in 1901, 1907 and 1909. Subsequently, after Argentine became a part of Kansas City, Kansas, Mr. Green was appointed to the City Council from ward seven by Mayor U. S. Guyer, and served until April, 1901, when he was elected city commissioner and put in charge of the financial department.

Politically Mr. Green is a sound Democrat and a zealous supporter of his party. Fraternally he is a member of Wyandotte Lodge, No. 440 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, past noble grand of Veritas Lodge. No. 247, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is connected with other beneficial organizations.

Mr. Green married, January 19, 1895, Clara Long, who was born in Springfield, Greene county, Missouri, being the oldest child and the only one now living of Jacob and Sarah Long. Her father a native of Germany, was for many years a merchant tailor in Springfield, Missouri, where he spent his last years. Her mother, however, was born and reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Green have one child, Grace Green, a pupil in the Argentine High School.