Monterey-San Francisco County CA Archives Biographies.....Greene, Harry Ashland 1852 - 
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Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

HARRY A. GREENE, of Monterey, is one of the foremost citizens of the county and
a capitalist. He is a native son of California, and was born in San Francisco
January 12, 1852, and was a son of the late Hon. William Greene and Annie
Elizabeth Cotton Fisk, of Rhode Island. William Greene was a pioneer of 1849. He
brought his bride to San Francisco that year on a wedding tour. The then infant
seaport gave promise of so bright a future that they remained. He was one of
eight children of William and Jane (Meredith) Greene, and was a grandson of
General William Greene, conspicuous in English history of his day as a brave
English officer.

  William Greene, the California pioneer, came to America when a mere youth. He
was a shrewd, business man of affairs and upon locating in California he became
closely identified with the growth of his city and went hand in hand with such
men as Lick, Geary and others of his day and from year to year aided in shaping
her civil and political policy, and he was made President of the first board of
Alderman of the city of San Francisco, and became the owner of large blocks of
real estate in the city. He subdivided various tracts of land into additions to
the city. The names, Van Ness avenue, Geary and Greene streets were named after
those leading officers of the first government of San Francisco. He died August
1, 1870, leaving an honorable name and a valuable estate to his wife and heirs.
Mrs. Greene still survives and lives in San Francisco. She is a native of Rhode
Island, and a member of a family that has been very conspicuous in the financial
world. Her father, Francis Melbourne Fisk, was at one time one of the wealthiest
men in New Orleans, and was an uncle of the famous Colonel "Jim" Fisk, whose
name is familiar to the world as a bold and successful capitalist and railroad
magnate.

  Of the five children of Mr. and Mrs. Greene, Clay Meredith is the oldest,
being born March 12, 1850, and was the first white male child born in San
Francisco. He is now a successful dramatic author of wide repute. Francis
Melbourne is the youngest child, and is also a talented and a successful
literary man. Harry Ashland, the second son, is the subject of this sketch.
Clement Herbert died at the age of eight years, and the only daughter.
Elizabeth, died at the age of five years.

  Harry Ashland Greene spent his boyhood and youth in his native city. He
received the rudiments of his education from private tutors. Later he attended
the public school, mission near Sixteenth street, and still later the city
college on the corner of Geary and Stockton streets. Afterward he went to Santa
Clara College. In 1866 he took a course of study at the military institute at
Poughkeepsie, New York, and in 1870 he went to Paris to resume his studies, but
the Franco-Prussian war broke out, throwing Paris in a state of siege, and he
returned home. He then completed a commercial course of study at Pacific
Business College and took up mining. He spent several years in the mining
districts of Placer county, gaining a thorough knowledge of mining methods, and
while yet a youth in years dealt in mining properties and operated in mines.

  Returning to San Francisco he took a clerical position with George Babcock &
Co. large dealers in produce and grain. He remained with them for a few months,
and then became a stockbroker. He remained with an active and influential member
of the Stock Board until 1889, serving two terms as vice-president. In 1874 he,
with his brother, Clay, organized the stock-brokerage firm of Greene & Co., but
in a few months Clay drew out to follow his profession and owing to a serious
illness our subject closed up the affairs of Greene & Co. in 1890, with an
honorable record on the "Board" as the oldest commission stock-broker that had
not succumbed to financial disaster. In 1886 Mr. Greene built his present
residence at Monterey as a summer home. Broken down in health he retired from
active business and came hither to permanently reside. He is one of the owners
of the New Monterey tract, which is fast developing into one of the most
attractive and healthful resident points on the central California coast.

  The marriage of Mr. Greene took place July 31, 1873, to Miss Belle, daughter
of the late Milton Little, of Monterey, a respected pioneer of whom extended
mention is made in another part of this work. Mrs. Greene, Jr., is a native
daughter of Monterey, a lady of rare social accomplishments and domestic tastes.
They have one son, William, born in San Francisco, May 2, 1874, and a daughter,
Belle Ursula, born June 27, 1876, likewise in San Francisco.

  During their residence in San Francisco, Mr. and Mr. Greene were active in
social circles. He was a leading member of the Olympic club, S. F. Bycycle club,
and a veteran of the National guards. He was one of the fathers of roller
skating on the Pacific coast, and the game of Polo found recognition there en
account of his individual efforts; and he originated a code of rules and
regulations to govern Polo playing, which has been published, widely circulated,
and has become standard authority. Mr. Greene is one of the oldest and most
active members of the San Francisco Bicycle Club, a conservative organization,
and served for a time as its chief.

  Since locating in Monterey Mr. Greene lived in comparative retirement devoting
the most of his time to the management of his personal business affairs until
lately, when he originated the Monterey & Fresno railroad, and by his hard work
for the people's interests he has become immensely popular. He has invested
liberally in the Bank of Monterey, and is a stockholder and officer in the
Monterey Electric Light and Improvement Company and takes an interest in all
matters tending to the prosperity of his chosen home. He is a man of broad
culture and finds much pleasure in books and study. He is a student of nature
and delights in the grandeur of his surroundings. His beautiful home is an
evidence of his taste-and-judgment.

  Mr. Greene is a proud son of the Golden State, enthusiastic in the
preservation of her history and the early landmarks, and it is safe to say that
but for his vigorous protest old Cotton Hall, the place of California's birth,
would have been obliterated to give place to Monterey's public school buildings,
which through Mr. Greene's efforts were built on a more desirable location, and
on more spacious grounds, thus saving the grand monument to early California's
industry, the place of the making of the first constitution of the Golden State.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


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