Surnames: Beach, Herkimer, Schuyler, Steinert
Source: History of the Mohawk Valley - Gateway to the
West - 1614-1925
Covering The Six Counties of Schenectady, Schoharie,
Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer and Oneida.
Volume IV Illustrated; Page 390
Chicago, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1925
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Nelson Greene is a son of the Mohawk Valley, born in Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York. His parents were Horace L. Greene and Anna Beach Greene and he comes of a family long identified with the history of Herkimer County and of the Mohawk Valley. His father's family lived for a time in Herkimer, Herkimer County, and then removed to Fort Plain, Montgomery County, where Horace L. Greene, became the owner of the Mohawk Valley Register, the oldest newspaper property in the middle valley. A sketch of Horace L. Greene appears elsewhere in this work.
Nelson Greene attended school in Fort Plain and in his father's library found many standard works on Mohawk Valley and New York state history. Even as a boy he contributed articles on local history to his father's newspaper. He has since that time had many papers on state and valley historical subjects published in newspaper from Schenectady to Rome, which have made his work and name generally familiar to the reading public of the Mohawk Valley.
Nelson Greene studied art in New York city and has always since practiced the dual professions of artist and writer on New York state and Mohawk Valley historical subjects. During the World war Mr. Greene designed and collaborated with the eminent sculptor, Mr. Philip Martiny, in producing the heroic size group of statutory called "Allies United for Liberty" which stood at the corner of Fifth avenue and Twenty-third street in New York city from 1918 to 1920. In 1922 Mr. Greene was one of the seven charter members of the Utica Society of Artists and was largely responsible for its organization.
In 1915 Mr. Greene published "Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley", a four-hundred page volume with five maps, drawn by the author. This comprehensive study of one of the valley's most interesting sections has since sold out its edition and is now out of print. In 1917 Colonel John W. Vrooman, the founder and honorary life president of the Mohawk Valley Historic Association, had printed for private distribution, Mr. Greene's "Home and Name of General Herkimer", which had previously been published in the 1915 Year Book. of the New York State Historical Association.
Following the publication of his "Old Fort Plain and the Middle Mohawk Valley", Mr. Greene began an intensive study of the great historical highway and national transportation route extending across New York state, following generally the line of the New York Central railroad. He published the result of this research in newspaper serial form under the title of "The New York to Buffalo Book", with the intention of a later publication in book form.
From 1921 to 1924 Mr. Greene was engaged in elaborating the Mohawk Valley section of "The New York to Buffalo Book" into a work called "The Old Mohawk Turnpike Book", published in 1924. This work is a helpful handbook for use in connection with the History of the Mohawk Valley, Gateway to the West.
Nelson Greene's home is in Fort Plain, where he is a member of the firm of O'Connor Brothers, Incorporated, printers and publishers of the Fort Plain Standard. This is the office where Mr. Greene conducts his publishing business. He has charge of the editorial and news work on the Fort Plain Standard, the leading weekly newspaper of the Mohawk Valley.
Nelson Greene is descended on his paternal side from Johan Jost Herkimer, the pioneer of the Upper Mohawk Valley and from Captain George Herkimer, who married Alida Schuyler and, in 1777 inherited the home of his brother, General Nicholas Herkimer, following his death from a wound received in the battle of Oriskany. Through Alida (Schuyler) Herkimer, wife of Captain George Herkimer, Nelson Greene claims descent from Philip Pietersen Schuyler, who settled in Fort Orange (Albany) shortly after 1650.
In 1906, Nelson Greene was married to Lillian Currier Steinert. They have one daughter, Sally Currier Greene. Mr. Greene is a member of the American Historical Association, New York State Historical Association, Mohawk Valley Historic Association, New York State Museum Association, American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society, American Federation of Arts, honorary member of the Utica Society of Fine Arts, honorary member of the Herkimer County Historical Society, member of the Montgomery County Historical Society, Schenectady County Historical Society, Klock's Battlefield Memorial Association, Mohawk Valley (Herkimer) Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Fort Rensselaer Club of Canajoharie, Fort Plain Club, Fort Plain Exchange Club, Society of Descendants of Early Dutch Settlers of Albany, and the Veterans Association, Ninth Regiment, State of New York National Guard.
(Note: Biographies and photos from both books, History of the Mohawk Valley and Old Mohawk Turnpike Photos were used as sources for other biography sections at Darci's Place of Origins Genealogy Site)
See Also Chapter 22, People Who Make a Difference to view photo/books of Nelson Greene.
Links: Horace Greene
