John Cleve Green (April 14, 1800 – April 29, 1875) was a merchant and former partner of

John Murray Forbes John Murray Forbes (February 23, 1813 – October 12, 1898) was an American railroad magnate, merchant, History of opium in China#Growth of the opium trade, opium merchant, philanthropist and Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist. ...

in the China trading house of

Russell & Company Russell & Company () was the largest American trading house of the mid-19th century in China. The firm specialised in trading tea, silk and opium and was eventually involved in the shipping trade. Foundation In 1818, Samuel Russell was approach ...

. Green was a major benefactor of

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

and the

Lawrenceville School The Lawrenceville School is a Private school, private, coeducational College-preparatory school, preparatory school for boarding and day students located in the Local government in New Jersey, unincorporated community of Lawrenceville, New Jers ...

, giving upwards of 1.5 million dollars, perhaps 2 million, to Princeton. On his death he also made major bequests to

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private university, private research university in New York City, New York, United States. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded in 1832 by Albert Gallatin as a Nondenominational ...

and New York area hospitals.

Biography

Early life and family

Green was born on April 14, 1800, in

Lawrenceville, New Jersey Lawrenceville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.

, where his father, Caleb Smith Green, was a farmer.

Merchant career

As a young man, Green entered the house of N. L. & G. Griswold, merchants in the China trade on

South Street South Street may refer to: Streets by that name * South Street (Durham), England * South Street, Mayfair, England *South Street (Manhattan), United States *South Street (Perth, Western Australia) * South Street (Perth, Scotland) *South Street (Ph ...

in New York City, and displayed so much sagacity as a clerk that he was appointed

supercargo A supercargo (from Italian or from Spanish ) is a person employed on board a vessel by the owner of cargo carried on a ship. The duties of a supercargo are defined by admiralty law and include managing the cargo owner's trade, selling the mer ...

of the ship ''Panama'', a well-known

tea clipper A clipper was a type of mid-19th-century merchant sailing vessel, designed for speed. The term was also retrospectively applied to the Baltimore clipper, which originated in the late 18th century. Clippers were generally narrow for their lengt ...

of the day, and of other vessels. He subsequently made many voyages to China and South America. In 1833, he was admitted to the house of Russell & Co., in Canton (now

Guangzhou Guangzhou, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Canton or Kwangchow, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Guangdong Provinces of China, province in South China, southern China. Located on the Pearl River about nor ...

), China, and there laid the foundation of his large fortune. In 1839, on his return to New York, he married Sarah Helen, daughter of George Griswold, and carried on the China trade for many years thereafter, acquiring a fortune of about $7,000,000.

Other activities

Green was prominent in the social, business and public enterprises of the city. For many years he was a director of The Bank of Commerce, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and a manager of several leading charitable and public institutions. Always known as a man of clear views, strong convictions and great force of character, Green took an active interest in New York University,

Princeton Theological Seminary Princeton Theological Seminary (PTSem), officially The Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church, is a Private university, private seminary, school of theology in Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Establish ...

and Princeton College. He owned a town house on

Washington Square Park Washington Square Park is a public park in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, New York City. It is an icon as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. The park is operated by the New York City Department o ...

in New York City and a large country house with much land at New Brighton on

Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...

where

Curtis High School Curtis High School, operated by the New York City Department of Education, is one of seven public high schools located in Staten Island, New York City, New York. It was founded on February 9, 1904, the first high school on Staten Island. Hist ...

now stands.

Personal life

The father of three children all of whom died in childhood, Green's brother, Henry W. Green, was at one time Chancellor of New Jersey, and his brother in law, Frederick Frelinghuysen,

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or Legislative chamber, chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior ...

from the same State. Green died in 1875, at his residence on Washington Square.

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Green, John Cleve Princeton University people 1800 births 1875 deaths Businesspeople from Mercer County, New Jersey People from Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey 19th-century American businesspeople