BENJAMIN GREEN

BENJAMIN GREEN


GREEN, BENJAMIN, merchant and officeholder; b. 1 July 1713 at Salem Village (Danvers, Mass.), the son of Reverend Joseph Green and Elizabeth Gerrish; m. November 1737 Margaret Pierce, and they had at least three sons and two daughters; d. 14 Oct. 1772 at Halifax, Nova Scotia - For the complete biography, including go to Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online: http://www.biographi.ca/en/index.html

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nshalifa/Ch18.html

Halifax County, Nova Scotia, Hewitt Histories, Article No. 17[18]

Dartmouth Patriot, 31 August 1901 Edition History of Eastern Passage

Prominent Persons to Whom Land Was Granted Whose Names Are Familiar to All.

(Series of Articles by H.W. Hewitt)

No. 17[18]

Hon. Benjamin Green's grant ran along the beach for 115 rods, on Hon. Charles Morris' grant 297 rods, on rear base line 115 rods and 340 rods on Hon. Richard Bulkeley's grant. It consisted of 200 acres.

Hon Benjamin Green was born in the state of Massachusetts in 1713. His father was a minister. Mr. Green was a merchant for a time in Boston. In 1745 he accompanied Pepperel as Secretary on his expedition to Louisburg. He continued to hold the office of Secretary after the capture of Louisburg. That his services were appreciated is evident from the following letter written by Pepperel to Governor Shirley of Massachusetts.

"Mr. Green, whom you were pleased to appoint Secretary in this expedition, it would be a pleasure to me if you would be pleased to mention him at home to be continued Secretary, if his majesty should be pleased to make this place a Government."

After the restoration of Louisburg to the French Mr. Green and his family removed to Halifax. July 12, 1749, Col. Mascarene, the late President of the Council, arrived at Halifax, or Chebucto as it was then called, with five members of the Council. The next day Governor Cornwallis took the oaths of office and on the 14th he appointed a new Council of five, one of whom was Benjamin Green. A few months after he was appointed Treasurer. Governor Cornwallis at that time commended his method and propriety. He said Green was the only person he had for business.

On November 15, 1750, Benjamin Green was sworn into office as clerk or Secretary of H.M. Council.

On the death of Governor Wilmot in 1766 Mr. Green was elected for the time being to the high position of Governor and Commander-in-Chief. In 1771 he was again Governor for a short time. He held other important offices at various times being Judge of the Court of Vice Admiralty, etc. His death occurred in 1772. His son Benjamin succeeded him as Treasurer of the Province. His second son became Sheriff of Halifax. Benjamin Green, Jr. was one of the twenty original grantees of Lawrencetown. He died in 1793 leaving a family of 12 children. Four of these settled at Lawrencetown. Susan one of the four married Capt. Smith Parker of the 64th Regt. Capt. Parker settled at Lawrencetown after his marriage. Their son Capt. William Parker was killed at the siege of Sebastopol in 1855. The Parker-Welsford monument in Halifax will ever keep his memory alive. The other daughter Elizabeth, married Lieut. William Stawell. Wenman Stawell, well known to everyone at Eastern Passage died last year. His son Henry lives at Halifax. I should have mentioned that Green Bay or Cole Harbour Bay received its name from Benjamin Green, Jr.

The compiler gratefully acknowledges the following information from an article by Donald F. Chard, published in the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography", Volume 4 pp 312-313.

"Hon Benjamin Green was born and raised in Salem Village Massachusetts. He was a merchant in Boston for a time, in partnership with his brothers Joseph and John. During his time in Boston he was twice elected Constable. On 1 March 1745 he was appointed Secretary to William Pepperel, Commander of the expedition being launched against the French at Fortress Louisbourg (in what is now Cape Bretton Nova Scotia). After the surrender of the fortress, he assumed the additional role of Treasurer of New England Forces. In 1746 he assumed the title of Commisary. That his services were appreciated is evident from the following letter written by Pepperel to Governor Shirley of Massachusetts.

"Mr. Green, whom you were pleased to appoint Secretary in this expedition, it would be a pleasure to me if you would be pleased to mention him at home to be continued Secretary, if his majesty should be pleased to make this place a Government."

"After the restoration of Louisburg to the French, Green and his family removed to Halifax. July 12, 1749, Col. Mascarene, the late President of the Council, arrived at Halifax, or Chebucto as it was then called.. The next day Edward Cornwallis took the oath of the office of office as the first Governor of the Province of Nova Scotia and on the 14th he appointed a Governor's Council consisting of five men, one of whom was Benjamin Green. A few months after he was appointed Treasurer, and soon after that, Naval Officer for the Town of Halifax and Judge of the Vice Admiralty Court. Governor Cornwallis commended his method and propriety, and said Green was the only person he had for business. As we shall see, Green' talent for business would eventually contribute to his downfall.

"In 1752 he resigned his position as Secretary declaring that it was a full time position that required more time than he could spare with his other duties. The following year, he resigned his position as Judge for the Vice Admiralty Court because of an apparent conflict of interest with his position as Naval Officer. He chose to maintain the latter office because of his need for its "certain income" In 1758, as Senior Councillor, he unsuccessfully contested with Chief Justice Jonathan Belcher the right to administer the government of the province in the absence of the governor and lieutenant-governor. In 1760 he was appointed Justice of the Peace in Halifax.

"Late in 1760, Hon. Benjamin Green went to England to assist in the review of un-audited accounts of former governor Perregrine Thomas Hopson. The London Board of Trade asked him to explain charges of misconduct made by Robert Sanderson, first Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly, that Green had given contracts in return for a share of the profits. Green admitted to this, but denied ever having misused his office as Council member. The board found Green "Highly blamable" but only reprimanded him due to his outstanding career record. He continued in his offices when he returned to Halifax in 1763.

"In 1761 Green mortgaged much of his holdings in Nova Scotia, including four large warehouses, to two London merchants for six thousand pounds. In 1762 he experienced financial difficulties partly because the authorities in London refused to reimburse him his expenses until the Treasury had approved the auditor's report of Hopson's accounts. He satisfied the claims against him in November 1765, though the exact nature of the settlement is unclear. However, at least some of Green's land in Nova Scotia was surrendered as part of the settlement.

"In 1764, upon the reduction of his salary as Provincial Treasurer, Green expressed doubt that the income from his offices would be sufficient to support his family. Nevertheless, he remained on the Council and in 1766, on the death of Governor Montague Wilmot, he became the Administrator for Nova Scotia until the next Governor, Michael Francklin, received his Royal commission as Lieutenant Governor. During this three month period, the Assembly attacked Green for failing to follow proper procedures in handling the Province's finances.

"In December 1767 Benjamin Green wrote his will, admitting himself "something infirm". Two months later he resigned as provincial treasurer, but in October 1771 he again assumed administration of the province again on the departure of Governor Lord William Campbell. His illness made his duties difficult and in March 1772 he asked to resign his post as Naval Officer because his health was "very much impair'd". In June, Francklin reported that Green was too unwell to transact business and might never again attend Council meetings. He died four months later.

"In 1775, the Council initiated an audit of Green's accounts. Green's son Benjamin, who had succeeded him as Treasurer, placed many obstacles in the way of the auditors. After initially denying ever seeing any of his father's records, he eventually admitted that he had "worked hard for two days on his father's records with Francklin's assistance and direction". The auditors finally reconstructed the missing records and, though providing Green the benefit of the doubt wherever they could, still found his accounts deficient by some seven thousand Pounds."

Hon. Benjamin Green was one of the original trustees of St Paul's Church in Halifax, before its incorporation in 1759. He was a Church Warden in 1769.

http://www.jangaard.com/bengreen3.htm