William
william
William Green (1)
William Green(1) is the earliest known Green in this line and was born about 1715 in Acaster Malbis, Nr York, he married Margaret Woodworth on the 4th May 1736 at Holy Trinity, Micklegate, York. Reference is made to William Green on the Forbes Adam Estate Papers in Hull University Library (Wenlock Papers and Ercrick Park Estate) in the form of a 1763 map. This detail is also found in a book published by the Acaster Malbis Millennium Book Club called ‘Of Malet, Malbis and Fairfax’ covering that village life from the Neolithic to current.
Acaster Malbis Map
William’s wife’s parents were William (born 1699) and Jane Woodworth (born 1716) lie in Holy Trinity, Acaster Malbis churchyard with the tombstone inscriptions :- Here lieth the body of Jane Woodworth wife of William Woodworth of York who departed this life on the ? day of August 1750 aged 36 years. She was a lilley in her bloom and in her youth was soune cut down. Here also lieth the body of W Woodworth husband to the above who departed this life the 27th February 1752 aged 53.
John Green (2)
Farmer John Green(2) was born in Church Fenton in 1749 and died there on 27th January 1829. His first wife Jane Ambler died of child-bed fever some days after the birth of her 4th child. Jane’s Grandparents were linen weavers from Church Fenton. (Linen is produced from flax which was grown extensively in the area.) With his second wife Mary Tate they had 6 children. Mary’s parents and grandparents were both farmers in the area of Brayton and Thorpe Willoughby. Of the 10 children of John Green (2) I have currently restricted detail to William Green(3) and his 2 half brothers John(3) and Benjamin(3). (both of who emigrated to Illinois in 1829). There is a separate section in this website under Benjamin Green extensively researched by my American Cousin.
John Green(2) was born in Church Fenton in 1749 and died there on 27th January 1829. His first wife Jane Ambler died of child-bed fever some days after the birth of her 4th child. Jane’s Grandparents were linen weavers from Church Fenton. (Linen is produced from flax which was grown extensively in the area.) With his second wife Mary Tate they had 6 children and Mary’s parents and grandparents were both farmers in the area, in Brayton and Thorpe Willoughby.
William Green (3)
William Green(3) had an interesting life. With his father, John(2), he farmed in 2 parishes in Church Fenton and at 17 he was selected by lot in one parish to be Press Ganged to join the Navy. He was able to pay a substitute to take his place. However, he was then selected in the second parish and had no further funds so he was taken away under guard towards York. His guards got drunk, William escaped and made his way south of the Humber towards Hull, down-stream of which he ‘borrowed’ a boat with which to cross to Paull on the north bank. The boat was cast adrift to remove traces of his landing. He went to Swine some 5 miles north and there went to ground for about 7 years, until 1808, when we discovered him marrying Hannah Heelis in Hollym.
Press Ganging of young men was prevalent at the time, just before and during the Napoleonic Wars so this anecdotal hand down family story has some historical basis.
Hannah Heelis was born in Church Fenton, John’s birth village, so was Hannah known to William before he was Pressed Ganged? Their marriage in 1808, many miles from her home in Church Fenton might suggest he didn’t want to return for this public event in her home village. I have a certified copy, itself dated the 7th April 1862, of William and Hannah’s marriage certificate witnessed by Ann Heelis and undated copies of their baptism records of a similar date. These were obtained and retained for over 5 generations of Green’s. Is it too far to believe that William’s son James (4) obtained these copies to verify his father’s detail? The marriage entry in the Register has ‘Hannah of Hollym’ a local village and not Church Fenton.Son
Owen Gibbon (Henry Green‘s in Law) documented an interview with Henry Green(5) (William’s(3) Grandson) in 1920 in which he recalled a further anecdote about William’s strength and character – ‘ Working in a field, he was ordered by a ‘gentleman’ on a horse to open a nearby gate. William went on working. The rider became irate and finally said that if William did not open the gate he would throw him into an adjacent pond. William still took no notice, the rider dismounted lifted William and carried him to the pond’s edge. Here William released himself and threw the ‘gentleman’ into the water’. Owen records that William was a veritable Samson amongst men.’ William Green (3) died on 21st September 1831 aged 58 and Hannah on 21st December 1857 aged 79. Both are buried in Holmpton churchyard.
It has been suggested that as William and Hannah are buried in the west end an area reserved for those who were not members of the Church of England. I have my doubts on this as I have records that showed his son James as a contributor to the rebuilding of the Church of England building around that time.
