F.Marion Green and his son Martin V. Green
My husband's grandmother was Ethelinda Martha Jane Green, born 22 Oct 1887
Dexter, Stoddard, MO. She married Grover Cleveland Bagby 2 Aug 1904
Bloomfield, Stoddard, MO. They had a large family: Clyde Cleveland, Ernest
William, Loren Lee, Nola Augusta, Virginia Ruth, Verda Alice Piccola, Hazel
Marie, Joseph Woodrow, Dolly Elberta, Grover Carl, Graydon Edward, Berniece
Louise, Robert Floyd. Martha died 13 Oct 1929 Parma, New Madrid, MO. She was
a pretty woman, inside and out, much loved and respected by family and
friends. She was a hard worker and made every effort to help her husband
provide for their family.
Martha's father was Martin V. Green, born about 1859 in Illinois according
to census reports, but we don't know which county in Illinois. Martha's
husband Grover, told some of his children he thought Martin Green was born
in Hamilton or White County, Illinois. He died about 1917 Dexter, Stoddard
Co, Mo and is buried in Hagey Cemetery, Dexter, MO.
Martin married first Lizzie Culbertson 2 Dec 1880, Stoddard County, MO, but
that didn't work out and apparently they never had any children.
He then married second, Martha's mother, Zelthia Angeline Swift. She was
born 1857 in Missouri according to what her mother reported to the census.
Zelthia died 25 Oct 1887, Dexter, Stoddard, MO. Martha was just three days
old when her mother died. There was another child to this marriage; Ethel
Marie Green, born 17 June 1886, Dexter, Stoddard, MO. She married 15 March
1905 Bloomfield, Stoddard, MO to James Lewis Haney, they had several
children, too. Ethel died 4 March 1938.
Martin Green married third to Lilly Fettinger about 1888, probably in
southeast Missouri. Lilly died, but I don't know when. They had two
children; Marion Henry Green born ca 1891, MO, d 9 June 1935, married Ethel
Mae Hill; Effie Green born 10 May 1890, married 1941 Cliner Wingate.
Martin Green married fourth Mary Essie Higdon about 1900 probably Missouri.
She died, but I don't know when or where. They had several children: Earl
Teen born about 1900, probably Indiana, died Nov 1918; Annabel born about
1904 probably Indiana, died 24 Jan 1936; Dora Mae born about 1905 probably
Indiana, died Nov 1918; Basil Thomas born 11 Feb 1907 probably Indiana, died
23 July 1967, married 18 Nov 1936 to Mary Margaret Lecocq; Albert born about
1909 probably Indiana, died about 1917; and George Washington Green born 11
Jan 1912 Grayson, Salem, Illinois, md 24 March 1943 to Ruby Martha Phelps,
they had a son Gilbert Leon Green born 5 Dec 1944 Princeton, Indiana,
married 24 June 1964 Princeton, Indiana.
For whatever reason, most likely because he didn't know how to take care of
two babies, Martin Green left the two girls he had by Zelthia with Zelthia's
parents, William Franklin Swift and Ethelinda Owen Swift to take care of
after Zelthia died. For another reason, I'm not sure what the story is, the
girls stayed with their grandparents and they raised them as though they
were their own.
Martin V. Green's parents were F. (we think Francis) Marion Green and his
wife Nancy M. (last name unknown). According to the Stoddard Co, Mo 1880
census Marion was born in 1835 in Missouri, but his father was born in
Tennessee and his mother was born in Kentucky. According to the census Nancy
was born 1845 in Missouri, both her parents were born in Missouri. We found
a deed in an old land record book in Bloomfield, MO where F. Marion and
Nancy M. signed. Marion died 30 March 1887 near Dexter, Stoddard, MO and is
buried in Hagey Cemetery, Dexter, Stoddard, MO. Nancy died after 1904 near
Dexter. The story passed on to me by my husband's mother was that Marion
died at Uncle Henry Swift's place in Stoddard Co, MO, it was beside a school
possible Lone Oak, no longer there, along the old Dexter sand road between
Dexter and Bernie. Not sure who Uncle Henry Swift is, or how much credence
to put into this story since Marion Green was not a relative of the Swifts.
On the 1900 Census, Liberty Twp, Stoddard Co, MO is listed Nancy Green as
hoh, a widow, b Sep 1846 (not far off what was reported previously) in Mo,
parents b in MO. Listed with Nancy is Carrie Carson, niece, b Oct 1888,
single, b Mo. Now, question is, was Nancy a Carson, or was Carrie's mother
Nancy's sister, who may have married a Carson.
To muddy the waters further: Another family story goes that Martin Green
came to Missouri and brought his parents and lived near Joe Wheeler, the
brother of Marion Green. Joe Wheeler, supposedly, moved to Missouri and
chaged his name from Green because he had killed a man. Wheeler was supposed
to be the name of his stepmother's first husband. Joe and Marion are buried
close together at Hagey Cemetery at Dexter.
I got the 1850 Census film of Stoddard Co, MO, but I could not find any
Greens on that census. I have the 1860 Stoddard Co film ordered, but it
hasn't come in yet, same with 1870. The only Martin Green I could find on
the 1880 Census was living in a boarding house in St. Louis and listed his
his occupation as news agent, maybe he was working for a newspaper, I don't
know.
As far as I can remember, that's all of my Green story I know to tell you.
Hopefully, somebody will be able to contribute something to help with this
perplexing family puzzle.