George Greene (law)

2nd Associate Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
In office November 1, 1847 – January 9, 1855
Preceded by	Thomas Stokeley Wilson
Succeeded by	William G. Woodward
Personal details
Born	(1817-04-15)April 15, 1817 Alton, Staffordshire, England
Died	June 23, 1880 Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Political party	Democrat until 1872; he then switched to Republican
Signature

George Greene (April 15, 1817 – June 23, 1880) was a lawyer, justice of the Iowa Supreme Court, railroad entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist, and one of the founders of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Greene was born in Alton, Staffordshire, England on April 15, 1817 to Robert Greene and Sefer Woodward. His parents were natives of Staffordshire, as were his two younger brothers William and Joseph. The family moved to the United States when he was two years old. They settled in Buffalo, New York. His father died in 1825, and his mother returned to England by herself, in hope of obtaining some property that she believed owned to her. She died in England in 1827 and George, at the age of 10, became an orphan with his brothers. During the next four years he had to provide for himself and his younger brothers. Then he attempted to return to England to recover the property his mother failed to secure. He had to work for his passage to England, and find employment once he got there. He did not reclaim the property and had to work for his passage back to the United States. When he returned, he decided that he would focus on his education, hoping that it would help him gain what he could not through inheritance. He studied one year at Carysville Collegiate Seminary, a year at Aurora Seminary, and two years at French's Collegiate Institute in Geneva, New York. During these four years he taught school as well, and did any other work he could find. He then took up the study of law, with the intention of making it his life profession. He studied with the Hon. George P. Baker in Buffalo, New York. He assisted in Baker's office and was bookkeeper for Dr. Chapin—whom he lived with—to meet his expenses during that time.

In the spring of 1838, Greene moved to the Territory of Iowa. In Davenport, Iowa he was employed by David J. Owen, who was making a geological survey of the territory. He spent six months surveying, which helped him gain a better knowledge of the lands. After this, he moved to Ivanhoe, Iowa and taught school while continuing his law studies. In 1840, he was admitted to the bar in Iowa City, Iowa. He moved to Marion, Iowa, and began practicing law. That year, he was chosen to represent Cedar, Jones, and Linn counties in the Council of the Third Legislative Assembly as a Democrat. He was re-elected to the following year to the Fourth Legislative Assembly. In 1845, he moved to Dubuque, Iowa, and became the editor of the Miners' Express. In Dubuque he began practicing law again, this time in partnership with J. J. Dyer.

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