BIO: Samuel B. GREENE, Huntingdon County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Lana Clark Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************** __________________________________________________________ Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers. Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. Runk & Co., 1897, pages 257-259 __________________________________________________________ SAMUEL B. GREENE, postmaster, Hares Valley, Huntingdon county, Pa., was born in Cass township, March 17, 1842, son of Thomas C. and Frances (Baker) Greene. The ancestors of the family were English. George Greene, a farmer, and a great- great-grandfather of Samuel B., came to this country and settled near Baltimore, Md., early in the seventeenth century. Among his children were: Thomas; George; Elisha; Charles; Isaac; Clement; and Millie; all these came later to Pennsylvania and settled at Donation, Huntingdon county. They brought their negro slaves with them, and controlled them until the abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania. One or two children remained in Maryland. The great-grandfather, Thomas (1), was born in Baltimore county, Md., in 1740, and became a farmer in Maryland. In 1784 he removed to Springfield township, Bedford, now Huntingdon county, and settled on a tract of 351 acres, on part of which Saltillo now stands. After clearing the land he erected a house and barn, a saw-mill, and sometime between the years 1785 and 1797 a grist-mill. In addition an extensive orchard was planted, and he engaged in distilling various liquors. At his death he owned 1,800 acres of land, which were divided among his children. He was married in 1703 to Helen Wright, a native of Maryland, but of Irish descent. Their children were: George; Susan; Thomas; Isaac; Nancy; Mary; Abraham; Elizabeth; Elisha; John; Rebecca; and Caleb, who was born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Greene was a Whig. He served as tax collector in 1790. He was in fellowship with the Methodist Episcopal church. He died in 1816, and was buried, as was also his wife and children, on the farm in the apple orchard, burial places being as yet private; this place is reserved forever as a cemetery. John, Abraham and William Wright, brothers of Helen Wright, wife of Thomas Greene, settled in Clay township, Huntingdon county. John was a squatter on the Three Springs tract of land, warranted by James Ralph, of Philadelphia, in 1762. Wishing to purchase part of the land, Mr. Wright set out on horseback for Philadelphia, but in the meantime Col. George Ashman, who had settled on the same tract of land, was apprised of Wright's intention, and by hard riding on one of his best horses reached Philadelphia in advance of Wright, and bought the whole tract of fifteen or eighteen hundred acres of Mr. Ralph. Mr. Wright then bought a large tract of land in Trough Creek valley, where many of his descendants, still live. Thomas (2), grandfather of S. B. Greene, was born in Baltimore county, Md., in 1775, and moving to Huntingdon county, engaged in farming on a tract of 170 acres in Cass township. He erected a log house and barn, and made other improvements. He was very fond of hunting and killed many deer and bears. Mr. Greene was also extensively engaged in raising fruit. His marriage with Margaret, daughter of John Campbell, occurred in Cass township in 1801. Their children were: Robert; Jane; Rebecca; Harriet; Nancy; Thomas C.; Margaret; Andrew; and Isabella. The father-in-law, Mr. Campbell, was born near Belfast, Ireland, in 1738, and settled in Northumberland county, Pa., in 1770, where he farmed his land until driven away by the Indians. He then settled in Huntingdon county, and subsequently died on his farm in Licking county, Ohio. Mr. Greene was a Whig. He was a believer in the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church. His death occurred on the farm in 1850, and that of his wife in 1835. Joseph Campbell was a powerful man, 6 ft. 4 in. tall, and weighed 240 pounds. He could lift a forge hammer, which weighed 700 lbs. He was expert with the shillalah, and upon one occasion, while living in Hares valley, he rushed out and killed a large bear which was in the act of killing one of their bogs. John Campbell, father-in-lawn to Thomas Greene (2) with his sons, Joseph, James and John, emigrated in 1810 to Licking county, Ohio, where he bought a farm of 700 acres, now owned by his grandson, William Campbell. Thomas (3), the father of Samuel B., was born in Hares valley, Pa., in 1816. He received his education in the subscription schools, and began life on the farm with his father. He spent his entire life on the homestead, being aided in the work of cultivation by his brother Andrew, who owned part of the place. He built a dwelling house and barn, and made other improvements. At the time of his death he owned 170 acres of land. He was married in 1841 to Frances, daughter of John and Hannah (Charlton) Baker, the former of German, the latter of Irish descent. She was born in 1818. Their children were Samuel B.; Martin, who served in the Second Pennsylvania Reserves, and died in the Confederate prison at Salisbury, N.C.; Hannah M.; Walter; Arnold, a stone mason and contractor in Huntingdon; Frances; and Rhoda. Mr. Greene was a Democrat. His death occurred April 13, 1886, on the homestead. His wife still resides on the old farm. Samuel B. Greene received his education in the public schools of Cass township, the select school at Three Springs, the seminary at Rainsburg, Bedford county, and the Alexandria Normal School. He mastered well the art of farming, and then learned carpentry, at which trade he worked for twenty-five summers, his winters being spent in teaching school and surveying in Blair, Bedford and Huntingdon counties. At the death of his father, he, with his brother Walter, took charge of the homestead, and has conducted it ever since. He built a fine barn at a cost of about $1,500, and has made other improvements. Mr. Greene is a Democrat. He has served for several terms as school director. He was appointed postmaster at Hares valley in 1892, and is competent and obliging. In 1874 Mr. Greene married, in Snyder township, Blair county, Miss Rachael Keller, of Sinking valley, a daughter of Emanuel Keller, who was a blacksmith. They had one child, Edwin, deceased. Mrs. Greene died in February 1875. Mr. Greene's church fellowship is with the Methodist Episcopal denomination.