William G. Greene

William G. Greene (1812-1894)

William G. Greene was born in 1812. He was a father, a Grandfather and quite a local figure.

William G. Greene founded Tallula, Illinois in 1857.

Greene named this town “trickling water” for the abundant springs in the area. Today the railroad is gone, but Tallula retains its place in the county history.

[http://www.visitmenardcounty.com/history.asp]

Today William G. Greene peacefully rests in in Tallula, Illinois at the Greenwood Cemetery with much of the Greene and Spears family.

His life perhaps may only be recorded in history due to a friend he met at a young age. This friend was Abraham Lincoln. They met in New Salem and were considered close friends from then on. William Greene, went on to venture into not only future business but later politics as well.

"One day in 1833, William Greene was offered the contents of Reuben Radford's store in New Salem. He bought it for just $400 because owner Radford was at the end of his merchant's rope. A disagreement over the sale of liquor had resulted in the Clary's Grove Boys trashing his store. Later the day of the sale, Billy Greene himself sold the store's stock for $650 to Berry and Lincoln. Greene told how his father greeted him when he returned home: "When young Greene stepped into the fireplace room where his parents slept, Greene, Sr., said: 'Son, Billy, you are a merchant are ye? You git along to bed and in the morning I will thrash the merchant out of you mighty quick.' Young Bill held his peace until he had stirred up the coals and lighted the room with fresh kindling. Then, reaching into his pockets, he began stacking up his silver on the floor where it could be plainly seen from his father's bed, and remarked: 'Pap, I've sold out and cleared this.' His father raised up for a better view, reached under the pillow for his twist of tobacco, and remarked: 'I'll just take a chaw! Liz, (Billy's mother) git up and git Billy a fust rate supper. He's had a hard's day work." 1

Greene later recalled that Mr. Lincoln "paid me principal and interest in full."2 Greene clearly won that business bet but he had a weakness for more common forms of gambling, which Mr. Lincoln sought to cure on one occasion by helping Greene win back his lost wagers - in exchange for a promise to abstain from this vice in the future."

[http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/content_inside.asp?pageID=34&subjectID=2]

This was one of the many events that built upon the image of Abraham Lincoln as a strong man. Depictions of the event vary, however Lincoln did succeed in winning a bet to lift a barrel and drink from it. The result ended in clearing William G. Greene's debt.

It seemed however that they did indeed become close friends and develop a strong friendship. William Greene served as a private in Lincoln's Militia. Both seemed to benefit from their friendship over many years. As Greene certainly changed his image later in life and went from business and banking to a political appointment under President Lincoln.

"President Lincoln appointed Greene as Treasury Department Collector for the 8th District in Illinois - with the backing of local Congressman William Kellogg but over the opposition of Senator Orville H. Browning and the Chicago Tribune's Charles Ray, who supported another candidate. Earlier in 1862 Richard Yates wrote President Lincoln: "Strong letters will be sent you by Mssrs Butler & Dubois, urging appointment of W. G. Greene1 of Menard Co. as agent to go through Tennessee & some other States to promote growth of union sentiments. I think the appointment would be most judicious. I regard Bill Green as the shrewdest man in Illinois?? You know him well but undoubtedly underrate him because you have not seen him as I have in emergencies in our Railroad business."16

Mr. Lincoln "grasped the Peoples affections through simplicity of his good nature - his honesty - his integrity - his virtue - his high moral & noble qualities and he once had a man's or a woman's love he never willingly let go its hold," wrote Greene a few months after his death.17 "

[http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/content_inside.asp?pageID=34&subjectID=2]

There is much written on Lincoln's time during his stay in New Salem, Illinois whether on recollections of Greene, Lincolns or friends of both commenting on the stories and adventures they embarked upon. At one point William G. Greene was credited by Lincoln himself for teaching him grammar and English. William G. Greene humbly rejected the concept his friend offered.

Greene himself had a role in Mr. Lincoln's education, according to Harvey Lee Ross, whose brother went to Jacksonville College with Green and Richard Yates. While the college boys were helping with the harvest when Mr. Lincoln came by. Greene "said Lincoln could pitch more hay than any man his father had. When Lincoln found out that young Green (sic) had been to college he asked him if he had brought his books home with him. He said he had never had the advantage of an education, and said he would like to study grammar and arithmetic and asked if Green would assist him, and he told him that he would." The two young men worked together on mathematics and grammar. Greene "said he never saw another person who could learn as fast as Lincoln did."13

Ross said Greene told him about a Civil War visit to President Lincoln in Washington. "He said Lincoln was glad to see him, throwing his arms about his neck and showing him many marks of kindness while he remained in the city. Before he came away Mr. Lincoln introduced him to some of his cabinet officers, telling them that he was the young man who taught him grammar and arithmetic in his father's barn."14 Thomas V. Reep wrote that William Greene told him: "During Lincoln's presidency, while Green was internal revenue collector for the Peoria district, he was called to Washington by Lincoln. Being admitted to Lincoln's office, he found William Henry Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, present. Lincoln, after saluting and shaking hands with Greene, turned to Seward and said, 'Seward, shake hands with Bill Greene of Illinois, the man who taught me grammar.' The statement embarrassed Greene, who himself knew little about grammar and in whose conversation grammatical rules were not always adhered to. Consequently, he did not engage in the conversation for fear Seward would notice his deficiencies and wonder at Lincoln's statement." Greene related the conversation after Mr. Seward left the room:

Greene: 'Abe, what did you mean by telling Seward that I taught you grammar? Lord knows I don't know any grammar myself, much less could I teach you.'

Mr. Lincoln: 'Bill, don't you recollect that when we stayed in the Offut store in New Salem, you would hold the book and see if I could give the correct definitions and accurate answers to the questions?'

Greene: 'Yes, Abe, I remember that, but that was not teaching you grammar.'

Mr. Lincoln: "Bill that was all the teaching of grammar I ever hand.15

[http://www.mrlincolnandfriends.org/content_inside.asp?pageID=34&subjectID=2]

William G. Greene was a banker, a farmer and known for being a shrewd business man and nicknamed "Slicky Bill", his family was one of the first families to move to Menard, Illinois; where the Greene family established itself and has been noted as pioneers to the area.

The purpose of this article is for those doing research on Tallula, Menard County, Abraham Lincoln and his years in New Salem and/or as a small part of the foundation and history of Illinois.