Part 1 (Wis Mss DI, Micro 463, Micro 1125, PH call numbers): Original Collection, 1683-1956
Physical Description: 5.6 cubic feet (4 records center cartons and 4 archives boxes) and 2.0 megabytes 
Scope and Content Note

The Howard Greene Papers derive from three distinct aspects of his life and career. Most extensive in terms of volume are the correspondence, exhibits, reports, and financial records of his work as receiver of the Bankers Joint Stock Land Bank of Milwaukee. Greene's interest in his family history is documented by notes, transcripts, and original papers of Welcome Arnold Greene, Thomas A. Greene, and others. Also pertaining to Howard Greene's career are original order books and other records pertaining to the service of the 4th Wisconsin Infantry during the Spanish American War.

Although by no means fully documenting the donor's own career, the collection is quite diverse, containing much unique and useful information. It also supplements archival materials available at the Rhode Island Historical Society, the National Archives, and in other manuscript collections held by the Historical Society such as the John McMynn Papers, the Horace Tenney Papers, and the Thomas A. Greene Papers.

The collection is primarily organized into series pertaining to family members for whom there is primary material in the collection: Welcome Arnold Greene, Thomas A. Greene, Captain Howard Greene, and Colonel Howard Greene. The majority of the genealogical notes and secondary material was collected by Col. Greene, and as a result has been arranged as part of that series. Because of their extent, the files on the Bankers Joint Stock Land Bank have been arranged as a separate series. Researchers should be aware, however, that because some of the material was bound in volumes when received and because some of the material consists of transcripts and/or originals, that the series headings are not mutually exclusive. The researcher interested in pharmacy history, for example, will find relevant information scattered in several series in the collection.

The papers of Greene's grandfather, WELCOME ARNOLD GREENE, are of special value for they supplement a large collection concerning him and his merchant activities held by the Rhode Island Historical Society. These papers, which tend to be more concerned with personal and family matters than the Rhode Island material and which tend to date from the later years of his career, consist of bound correspondence to his son and family members in Milwaukee, original and transcribed journals and correspondence concerning journeys he took for business and for pleasure, personal financial records, account books and logs of various Nantucket merchant vessels, and collected genealogical material. In some cases the collection includes only transcribed items, and unfortunately Greene has not indicated the location of the originals. Welcome Arnold Greene's journals which Howard Green edited with Alice Smith are available in the SHSW Library. In addition, several of Welcome Arnold Greene's Bibles are available in the SHSW rare book collection.

Welcome Arnold Greene's financial records appear to relate primarily to personal accounts and to the management of inherited funds and estates rather than to his shipping concerns. Classified as shipping records are original and transcribed account books and logs pertaining to the voyages of various Nantucket sailing vessels and whalers. Unfortunately, the connection to Welcome Arnold Greene of these ships and to merchant Gilbert Coffin (for whom the collection includes a letterbook and an account book) is not clear. The shipping logs and account books are also available on microfilm.

The THOMAS A. GREENE PAPERS supplements a separately-catalogued WHS collection which pertains primarily to the elder Greene's interest in mineralogy. Here in the collection of his son's papers are miscellaneous correspondence, a typescript journal (also available on microfilm) pertaining to his settlement in Milwaukee and the launching of his pharmacy business, and miscellaneous business files. Except for the records pertaining to the Greene and Button pharmacy, these financial files are quite slim and relate primarily to investments outside his own business. The Greene and Button files include several histories of the firm prepared by Howard Greene, annual statements and ledger sheets concerning the operation of the firm during the 19th Century, and miscellaneous other financial records. Although the collection presents a good general picture of the operation of this firm and its financial status, the five folders of Greene and Button material (and numerous scattered references to business matters within the family correspondence) by no means fully document the history of the business.

Pertaining to CAPT. HOWARD GREENE is bound and transcribed correspondence, recollections, and other biographical miscellany. The correspondence covers the period 1853-1963 and contains numerous letters describing his experience with the 24th Wisconsin during the Civil War.

COL. HOWARD GREENE'S military records include clippings pertaining to the involvement of the National Guard in Milwaukee labor violence of 1896, and several files of original records of the 4th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, which Greene apparently retained in his capacity as adjutant and quartermaster for the regiment. Included are files of general, special, and field orders; indexes to the orders; rolls and ordnance reports; and summary court rulings. Although this regiment did not engage in combat, serving only at Camp Douglas and at Camp Shipp in Alabama, in the absence of other records at the Historical Society on its service, Greene's records are of considerable importance.

Greene's papers also amply document his longtime interest in family history. Included is a file of correspondence with family members primarily concerned with his genealogical research. The research material consists of transcribed documents and original manuscripts, papers, notes, and unpublished family histories. This material is arranged alphabetically by name. Of special note is the transcribed correspondence of Cornelius and Hannah Cadle, 1797-1832, and an autobiography of Greene's well educated aunt, Marie Louise Greene. Separately-boxed are seven large volumes of family manuscripts which Greene had bound. These volumes primarily consist of 18th century documents which mentioned Greene family members and which Greene apparently purchased from dealers. Among the signatures of autograph value contained on these documents are William Clark, William Ellery, Nathanael Greene, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. Although quite diverse in their contents, the first four volumes can be accessed by summaries which Green prepared. The other volumes which are not summarized also pertain to the Greene and the Arnold family; James and Norman Clark; and Greene's father-in-law, John G. McMynn. A separately-catalogued collection (Parkside Mss 34) also donated by Greene pertains to McMynn. The final manuscript volume is quite miscellaneous.

BANKERS JOINT STOCK LAND BANK RECEIVERSHIP records document Greene's actions as receiver during the litigious settlement of the bankruptcy case. Not included are actual records of the bank which were either sent to the Federal Farm Loan Board in Washington or sold to Bankers Farm Mortgage Company. Some records of the receivership were also forwarded to the FFLB when the receivership was settled where their ultimate disposition is unknown.

The records presented to the Historical Society include extensive correspondence with the Federal Farm Loan Board, lawyers representing the receiver and the stock and bondholders protective associations, and employees and field representatives of the receivership; monthly reports to the Federal Farm Loan Board, numerous other financial reports, exhibits, and statements of condition; and detailed data used in preparing these reports.

Because all outstanding loans were identified with a loan number (for example L35), this device can be used to pull together a great deal of detailed information on the history of individual farm loans and the land values and soil characteristics of particular farms. Greene himself also toured many of the properties writing detailed reports which he illustrated with photographs on the condition of the farms and the status of the mortgages.

The receivership files have been arranged alphabetically by keyword. The monthly reports to the Federal Farm Loan board, which are unquestionably the most informative part of the series, have been microfilmed (and are now available only in that format) so that the original documentary photographs contained in them could be housed in the Visual and Sound Archives.

Also in the Visual and Sound Archives are several additional lots of interior views of the Greene family home in Milwaukee, hunting trips, and portraits of many members of the Greene family. The Society's museum holds a large quantity of artifacts donated by Howard Greene.

Series: Welcome Arnold Greene

Biographical material compiled by Howard Greene, 1948, undated

Correspondence and journals

Bound letters, 1852-1868

First voyage of the Perseverance, 1817-1818

Journal and typescript

Typescript correspondence and summaries

Second voyage of the Perseverance, 1819-1920

Journal and typescript

Typescript correspondence and notes

Trip to Nantucket, New York, and Philadelphia

Typescript journal and notes

Trip to the South, and Connecticut, 1822

Journal, typescript, and notes

Trip to New York, New Orleans, and the Mississippi and Ohio rivers, 1823

Journal, typescript, and notes

Trips to New Orleans, Nashville, New York, New Bedford, Plymouth, and Philadelphia, 1824

Journal, partial transcript, and notes

Trip to Kennebec River, White Mountains, Connecticut River, and Springfield, 1837

Journal and notes

Notes on WAG journals compiled by Howard Greene, undated

Financial records

Cash book, 1852-1870

Estate papers, 1871-1883

Estate management ledger, 1826-1868

Ledger for personal accounts, 1857-1868
Scope and Content Note: Also includes cash record, 1857-1870.

Journal B for personal accounts, 1852-1868
Scope and Content Note: Also includes stock transactions, 1868-1969.

Journal C for personal accounts, 1869-1870

Shipping records

Typescript letterbook and account book of Gilbert Coffin, 1817-1832

Account book of the Catawba, 1835-1852

Account book of the Columbia, 1841-1854

Account book of the Zenias Coffin, 1836-1856

Log of the Foster, 1841-1844

Account book of the Edward Cary, 1845-1853

Log book of the Sea Ranger, 1856-1860

Log of the whaler Sunbeam, 1868-1871

Genealogical material

Arnold family notes

Greene family notes

Loose notes and charts

Series: Thomas A. Greene

Correspondence and biographical material, 1852-1893

Typescript journal, notebook, 1848, 1856

Student notebooks, 1841-1844

Business and financial records

Statement of assets, 1871-1893

Downer and St. John stock purchases, 1873-1875

Greene and Button

Histories prepared by Howard Greene, 1927-1952

Incorporation papers, 1891-1893, undated

Statements, ledger sheets, and balance sheets, 1859-1891, undated

Annual statements and invoices, 1857-1890

Miscellaneous financial records

McCotter Drug Brokers, 1888-1889

Milwaukee Iron Works, 1871-1876

Series: Captain Howard Greene

Recollections, biographical miscellany, and transcribed correspondence

Correspondence (bound), 1853-1863

Series: Colonel Howard Greene

Military records

Clippings regarding Milwaukee labor violence, 1886

24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 1898-1899

Index to orders

General and special orders

Field orders

Rolls and ordnance reports

Summary court rulings

Genealogical research material

Correspondence

1885-1900

1900-1956, undated

Research material

Selected typescript family letters, 1776-1874

Scrapbook of miscellaneous family letters

Cadle family

Typescript of Cornelius and Hannah Cadle, 1797-1832

Greene, Charles, French spoilation material, 1881-1898

Greene, John, of Kingstone, Rhode Island and John Greene, of Warwick, Rhode Island

Greene, Marie Louise, autobiography, 1948

Descendants of Thomas A. Greene

Descendants of Welcome Arnold Greene

American ancestors of Welcome Arnold Greene

“Spurious Greenes,” 1898, undated

Genealogical notes and index

Manuscript volumes

Summaries of Volumes 1-4

Volumes 1-2

Volumes 3-4

Volume 5, Abigail and Nathan Greene and the Arnolds

Volume 6, James and Norman Clark and John G. McMynn

Miscellany

Photographs of Greene's home and hunting trips

Photographs of the Greene family

Photographs of the Board of Directors of the Milwaukee Cement Co., including Howard Greene

"Photographs of New York City" album

Photographs of members of the Tenney and Ash families of Wisconsin, circa 1855-1925

Nelson C. Hawks account of early Delafield

W.A. Greene paper on John Clawson

Miscellaneous writings, autographs, and genealogical material

Series: Bankers Joint Stock Land Bank Receivership

Assets, schedules, and recapitulations of

1931 June 1

Summary

1932 February 29

General schedule and 1-12

Schedules 13-18

Summaries

circa 1932 August

Bonds, Collateral attributable to

Volumes 1-3

Volume 4

Recapitulation

Bonds, Holdings of Bondholders Committee and Bankers Farm Mortgage Company, 1934

Bonds list, 1936, undated

Clippings regarding receivership, 1927-1931

Cobb, Hoke, et al., 1929-1930

Collateral agreement with First Wisconsin, 1930-1934

Confidential correspondence, 1930-1931

Coupons, 1918-1925

Darling, F.E., 1928-1933

Dividend checks, 1928-1931

Eatough, L.D., 1927-1931

Examiners' reports, 1928-1933, 1937

Farm Sales Mortgage Company, 1928-1937

Federal Farm Loan Board

1919-1928 August

1928 September-1932

Telegrams, 1928-1932

Field representatives, 1927-1932

Foreclosure authority forms

Forms and form letters, 1927-1930

Forms scrapbook, undated

General administration “bible”

General administration and personnel matters, 1928-1938

Income tax forms for receivership, 1946-1937

Jacobs, Ralph, 1929-1931

Joint stock banks correspondence, 1927-1931

Land sale authorization forms

Land sale authorization forms (continued)

Land sale report forms

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Liquidation of dividends, 1928-1932

Markowitz, Werner, 1929

Miller, Mack & Fairchild, 1928-1935

Mortgage loan lists

Mortgages, reports on status of non-delinquent and delinquent loans, 1928 February 21

Mortgages, reports by county, 1929 March 25

Mortgages, detailed statements, 1929 March 25

Mortgages, reports, 1929 September 30, March 29

Detailed work sheets, estimates of value by county

Status of investments by counties

Computation of present values, loan ratios

Computation of values in liquidation

Olin Greene farm sales, 1929

Proof of claim, 1931-1933

Protective associations (stockholders and bondholders), 1927-1930

Real estate department, 1926-1928

Reappraisal department, 1928-1930

Reappraisal report, 1928

Minnesota

Wisconsin

A-Ra

Ri-Z

Receivership closing correspondence, 1932-1938

Reorganization, 1929

Reports, monthly, to FFLB

1927 August-1929

1930-1931 April

1931 May-1932 May

Original photographs from report

Balance sheets from reports (not filmed)

Supplemental material for 1930 report

Working papers for 1931 report

Correspondence, 1927-1932

Index cards

Sale of assets

Correspondence, notices and publications, 1932-1934

Indemnity agreements, 1932-1933

Working papers, 1932-1933

Statements of condition

Reports

1927 July 1

1927 December 31

1928 December 31

1929 December 31

1930 December 31

Working papers

1930

1931

1932

1933-1938

Thornton, Charles, 1928-1930

Upset price hearing, 1929 May 20

Wheeler vs. Greene, 1928

Ziegler Company proposal, 1931

Part 2 (M92-239): Additions, circa 1865-1870, 1895
Physical Description: 0.1 cubic feet (1 folder) 
Scope and Content Note: "A father's personal reminescence [sic] about his son, Captain Howard Greene, 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry," by Welcome A. Greene, written circa 1865-1870, transcribed by Col. Howard Greene (Capt. Greene's nephew), and with additional material by Clarke A. Greene. Also included is an autobiography (in the form of a letter to his children) written in 1895 by George W. Goetz of Milwaukee (the donor's maternal grandfather) describing his early years as a student and worker in Milwaukee, his later studies in Germany and travels in Europe, and his contributions to industry, particularly the field of steel-making.

Part 3 (M94-051): Additions, circa 1912-1913
Physical Description: 47 negatives (1 negative box) 
Scope and Content Note: Photographs of agricultural activities, circa 1912-1913. Included are images of farm equipment, farm buildings, farm hands, and animals. Reference prints for some of the negatvies are available.

Part 4 (M2010-096): Additions, 1861-1944
Physical Description: 0.4 cubic feet (1 archives box) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1861-1944, consisting of records of Greene and Button Wholesale Druggists, including incorporation and stock documents and other financial documents as well as family history notes written by Greene and extracts from letters of H.H. Button. Also included are photographs of H.H. Button and his wife, the Greene and Button store and employees, the Jerman, Pflueger and Kuehmsted Co. building, and other Milwaukee scenes.

Part 5 (M2017-098): Additions, undated
Physical Description: 0.4 cubic feet of photographs (2 negative boxes) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions consisting of photographs, negatives, and glass plate negatives depicting Greene, Pearson, and Gardner family members, construction sites, recreational outings, and other miscellaneous images.

Part 6 (M2022-006): Additions, 1848-1991
Physical Description: 3.9 cubic feet (2 records center cartons, 3 archives boxes, 1 flat box, and 1 oversize folder) 
Scope and Content Note: Additions, 1848-1991, consisting of Greene family genealogies, family correspondence, business records and ephemera, photographs, and maps and photo journals documenting canoe trips taken by Howard Greene and friends. The photo journals consist of photographs and narratives describing the canoe excursions taken by Greene and “the gang” throughout the Midwest between 1906 and 1916. The canoe journals have been assigned PH 7051.

Welcome Arnold Greene

Greene family genealogy

American Ancestry of the Children of W.A. Greene, Book I-III

Letters, 1852-1868

Arnold family genealogy

Biography and correspondence

Thomas Greene journal, "Providence to Chicago," 1848

Ave-Lallemant

Friedrich C. Benedict Ave-Lallemant dissertation, 1949

Family tree, 1963

Mary Greene Upham letters, 1884-1919

Else G. Greene memoriam, 1991

Greene family correspondence

Greene and Button

Henry Button documents

Financial, 1861-1871

Photographs

Inventory booklets, 1893 February-November

Stock certificates, 1879, 1894

Milwaukee Drug Company brochures, 1926

Chambers & Mckee Glass Company correspondence, 1893

Howard Greene

UW-Madison yearbook, 1885

Real estate study, 1932

Charles Brigham letters, 1943-1944

Correspondence, North Shore trip, 1922

Horace K. Tenney, "Vert & Venison," 1924

Maps

Chippewa River trip, 1907

Railway More Suc Map, 1910

Rainy Lake County trip, 1910

Pigeon Outfit trip, 1914

Tower to Rainer trip, 1915

Whitefish Bay, undated

Photographs

Miscellaneous

Portraits

Family portrait album

Home, interior

Home, exterior

Assorted family photographs

Loose trip photos (not included in Canoe Journals)

Canoe Journals

Wisconsin River Trip, 1906

St. Croix River Trip, 1907

Thunder Mt., 1908

Presque Isle River, 1909

Rainy Lake Region, 1910

Dawson Trail, 1911

Kilbourn Album

The Gang & the Pigeon Outfit, 1914

Pack & Paddle from Tower to Ranier, 1915

The Chippewa River Trip, 1916

The North Shore, 1925

Lake Superior, 1925