Jesse Green
born December 21, 1817, in Licking county, Ohio
died October 5, 1907 in Ottawa, Illinois

Obituaries:

OLD PIONEER GONE
Resided in County for Seventy-Eight Years
Jesse Green Gone to his Reward
The End Came Peacefully at Ryburn Hospital Saturday Night
Had Been for Years Actively Identified With Life of County

 Jesse Green died at six o’clock Saturday night at Ryburn hospital. To the younger generation, and to the newcomers among us, that may not mean much. But to the old residents of the county it will come as the notice of the close of a long, eventful and useful life. As man and boy he had lived in La Salle county for almost eighty years. The notice of his death will be read with regret by a wide circle of friends.

Jesse Green was born in Newark, Ohio, in 1817. With his father, John Green, he came to Dayton in 1829. Father and son were long identified with the growth of the county in many ways. The elder Green built the first mill at Dayton, the first flour being ground there on July 4th, 1830. A sawmill was also run in connection, and it furnished the lumber to build the first frame house in Ottawa in 1831.

In 1840 they built the first woolen mill with power looms in the state. This ran very successfully until the end of the war. In the early 70’s they met with a series of reverses, but Jesse Green bought in the property and ran it until 1882, when it was sold to Williams and Hess. They organized a stock company for the manufacture of pressed brick.

In 1849 Jesse Green was one of an adventurous party of about fifty others who made the overland trip to California. After remaining in the west two years he returned to La Salle county to make it his home until his death.

He was married June 22, 1843, to Isabella Trumbo, daughter of Mathias and Rebecca Trumbo. His first wife died December 1, 1854, leaving five children – John B., Rollin T., Newton M., Clara J. and an infant who died shortly after her mother. Mr. Green subsequently married Hannah Rhoads, a native of Brownsville, Pa. From this second marriage nine children were born – Thomas H., Joseph, James A., Cora R., Sarah (deceased), Frank, Jesse A. (deceased), John K. and Mabel (deceased). In politics Mr. Green was a Democrat. He was a Universalist in religious faith. He has served three years as supervisor, two terms as justice of the peace, and about six years as postmaster at Dayton.

The children now surviving are: Newton M., of Serena; Mrs. C. B. Hess, of this city; Thomas H., Frank and J. Kent, of Chicago; Joseph, of Coffeyville, Kansas; James A., of Grand Junction, Col.           The funeral will be held from the C. B. Hess residence Monday afternoon at 2 o’clock. Interment in the Dayton cemetery.¹

Oldest Resident in County

Jesse Green, the oldest resident of La Salle county, died at the Ryburn hospital on Saturday evening, October 5, after an illness of several months, and had he lived until Dec. 21 he would have been ninety years of age. Mr. Green was born in Newark, Ohio, Dec. 21, 1817. In 1849 in company with forty-eight others he started for California, leaving here April 2 and reaching his destination September 2. He remained in California two years and then returned to La Salle county and has resided here ever since, the greater portion of the time being spent at Dyton [sic].

From 1878 to 1882 Mr. Green operated the woolen mill at Dayton which was founded by his father, John Green. In 1882 this property was sold to Williams & Hess, and the mill changed to a pressed brick plant. He moved to Ottawa in 1890.

He was united in marriage to Isabella Trumbo, June 22, 1848. She died Dec. 1, 1854, leaving five children, of which two survive the father, Newton M. Green of Serena and Mrs. C. B. Hess, of Ottawa. Afterward Mr. Green married Hannah Rhoads of Brownsville, Pa., and of this union nine children were born, five of whom survive, Thomas H., Frank and J. Kent of Chicago, James A., Grand Junction, Colo., and Joseph, of Coffeyville, Kan.

In politics Mr. Green was a democrat and in religion a Universalist. He served three years as a supervisor, two terms as justice of the peace and for six years was postmaster at Dayton. He was a man highly respected and honored by all who knew him.

The funeral was held on Monday afternoon from the residence of Mr. and Mrs. C. B. Hess in East Ottawa. Interment was made at Dayton.²

Additional information about Jesse Green may be found here.

1. The Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, October 11, 1907, p. 5, col. 3
2. [Ottawa, Illinois] The Fair Dealer, October 11, 1907