My Genealogy Hound

COL. ALFRED GREENE, one of Cortland’s retired citizens, and not only one of the oldest but also one of the most honored and widely known men of the region, is living a life of peace and quietude, the logical result of an early period of extreme activity and youthful vigor well directed.

Col. Greene began his earthly existence in Otego, Otsego County, N. Y., on the 27th day of April, 1812. His father, Henry Greene, by name, was among the pioneers of Otsego County, and was a contemporary with many of the men made famous by James Fenimore Cooper, the novelist. Henry Greene was born in South Coventry, Rhode Island, and came into Otsego County about 1810. He settled near Otego, remained there four years, and then moved into Cortland County, locating near Cincinnatus. Here he took up a tract of land, built a log house, and as time passed on cleared up a fine estate. Prospering well, he was able to erect a set of frame buildings, a sure sign of opulence in those days. These buildings stand to this day, and are owned by William R. Place. Henry Greene was a busy and influential man. Politically, he was a Whig, and religiously a Baptist. His wife, Sally (Whitford) Greene, bore to him nine children, by name: William; Eliza; Nelson; Alfred, our subject; Gilbert; Alzine; Mary Ann; Thomas; and an infant, who died.

The father of Henry Greene, and the grandfather of Col. Greene, was William Greene. He was an early settler in the town of Willett, this county, and was a tiller of the soil. He cleared the place now owned by Burrill Greene. William was of the old colonial Greene family, and a cousin to the renowned General Nathaniel Greene of Revolutionary fame. The faithful wife of William Greene was Mary (Tibbetts) Greene, and their children were: Henry; Benjamin; John; Stephen; Elisha; Joseph; James; Thomas; and Isabelle.

Col. Greene, of whom this history is written, received in the log school houses of his boyhood days a better training than is often afforded in the pretentious structures of our time. At eighteen years of age he was given his time, and served an apprenticeship as a carpenter and joiner. He became a builder and erected churches and many houses at Cincinnatus and in the surrounding towns. In 1851 he located in McGrawville, and entered upon a business life, in which he staid seven years, being associated with the well known Marcus McGraw. About 1862, Mr. Greene came to Cortland and with Isaac Seeman embarked in the undertaking business. This line claimed his attention for four years. At the end of this period he practically retired from busy life, all the labor he has since been engaged in being solely to occupy his time. Besides his business cares, Col. Greene had many other affairs which took his time and attention. He was for a long time a member of the 124th Reg. State Militia, and by Gov. William H. Seward was commissioned colonel of the same. This commission he held four years.

Col. Greene was married to Miss Mary Hovey, daughter of Enoch Hovey of Upper Lisle, Broome County, N. Y. She died March 13, 1863, at the age of forty, leaving two children, Helen, who reached womanhood, but died at the age of twenty-nine, and Mary, who lives now with her father. Mary Greene has in her life been twice left a widow. Her first husband, John E. Peck, died, leaving one child, Helen. After a few years, she was joined in marriage to that distinguished and eminent jurist, Judge R. Holland Duell of Cortland. Judge Duell was born in Herkimer County, N. Y., at Warren, December 20, 1824. He was educated in the Syracuse schools, and at eighteen began the study of law in the office of Hon. Charles B. Sedgwick. He was admitted to the bar in July, 1845, and began the practice of law at Fabius, Onondaga County. In 1847 he removed to Cortland County, and formed a partnership with Judge Stephens. From 1850 to 1856 he served the county as district attorney, and in 1858 was elected to the county judgeship. He was sent to Congress in 1858, and two years later was given a re-election. He was assessor of Internal Revenue from 1869 to 1871, was re-elected to the 42nd and 43rd Congress and in 1875 was appointed Commissioner of Patents by President Grant. All through his public life Judge Duell was a man of more than the ordinary prominence, and his practice and reputation were national in their scope. He was twice married. By his first, wife four children were born: Louise, deceased; Chas. Holland, present Commissioner of Patents, D. C.; Kate, who is now Mrs. F. Daehler; and Richard C. Judge Duell departed this life February 11, 1891.

Col. Greene has in all of his undertakings and in all of his relations been a progressive, wide-awake man, and has given more of his time than the ordinary citizen to public affairs. He is a staunch Republican of tried principles. He never had any political ambitions for himself, but was a faithful ally in his support of others. He and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, of which he has been a ruling elder for thirty years.