Biographical Sketch of Francis H. GREEN (1893); Chester County, PA

Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris <jMcDmorris@comcast.net>.

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Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl-
vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley
and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila-
delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 834-5.

"PROF. FRANCIS H. GREEN, who has held the chair of English in West Chester
State Normal school since 1890, and is recognized as the pioneer of social
reform in Pennsylvania, is a son of Sharpless and Mary (Booth) Green, and
was born at Booth's Corners, Delaware county, Pennsylvania, May 19, 1861.

"His paternal grandfather, Abram Green, was born and reared in England,
and during the early part of the present century came to Delaware county,
this State, where he resided until his death.  He married, and his son,
Sharpless Green, the father of Professor Green, was born in 1830, in his
Delaware county home, where he died in 1887, aged fifty-seven years.

"Sharpless Green was engaged in the mercantile business for over a quarter
of a century.  He was a republican in politics, a Methodist in religious
belief and church membership, and married Mary Booth, who was a daughter
of James Booth and who is still living.  Mr. and Mrs. Green had a family
of seven children, four sons and three daughters: Nelson C., who served
for several years as postmaster, and now resides on the home farm; Charles,
of West Chester; Lydia, wife of Curtis C. Hanby, of Delaware county;
Phoebe; Mattie, wife of George L. Stanbridge, of West Chester; Prof.
Francis H., and a son that died in infancy.

"Francis H. Green was reared in Delaware county, and after attending the
public schools he entered the West Chester State Normal school, from which
he was graduated in the class of 1882.  After graduation he engaged in
teaching in the public schools and in 1884 became principal of the public
schools of Marshallton, this county, from which he went one year later to
take charge of the department of English in the Normal college of Hunting-
don, this State.  Four years later, in 1888, he accepted the position of
first assistant in the department of English in West Chester State Normal
school, in which capacity he served until 1890, when he assumed full
charge of the department as professor of English.  While acting as first
assistant he took a special course in English at Amherst college, and came
well qualified to the chair which he has so successfully held for the last
two years.

"Professor Green has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for
several years.  He has done considerable work in the line of social reform,
has lectured in New York and Brooklyn, and really is the pioneer of the
movement in Pennsylvania.  Articles from his pen, on the many social re-
forms that are so imperatively demanded in the interests of social progress
and national prosperity, have appeared from time to time in leading maga-
zines and newspapers, and have received praise and commendation from the
intelligent and right-thinking people of the country.  As a part of his
reform work he labors in the temperance field, and is the founder and
superintendent of the Order of the Knights of Temperance in Chester county.
He studies closely everything bearing on social and educational topics, and
has acted for some time as secretary of the West Chester Philosophical
society.

"In connection with teaching he does considerable institute work, during
the winter seasons, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.  Professor
Green has labored hard and with good success in making his department what
it should be in this enlightened and progressive age.  He is well informed
on the history and growth of the English language, has mastery of the best
and most progressive methods of teaching it, and is thoroughly conversant
with the best thoughts of the masters of English literature.  The West
Chester State Normal school for the first district of Pennsylvania is
admirably equipped for the high grade of work which it is doing.  It is
recognized as one of the leading and foremost normal schools of the coun-
try, and Prof. Francis H. Green has well done his part in maintaining the
high standing which the school has attained as a superior institution of
learning."