Life History

Notes

• There are some strong indications that our Thomas Green, son of Jacob and Susan Green was among some Greens who moved to Fresno County, California.  The California Death Index records a Tom G Green, born in Oklahoma, whose mother's maiden name was Barnett, died in Fresno County on 23 April 1968.  This matches a California report for Thomas' brother Pink, also reported to have died in Fresno County, California.
  
  The G middle initial also matches a record with many facts tying Tom Green to our Green family line.  The World War I draft registration records record a Tom Gilbert Green, registered on 5 June 1917, born in Fort Gibson, Muskogee County, Oklahoma on 4 April 1891.  The California Death Index gives this same date of birth for Tom G Green.  The family of Jacob and Susan Green, including Tom, were registered in the 1910 census in Nash Township, Muskogee County.  He was listed there as Thomas Green.  The 1930 census lists him as Thomas G Green.
  
  The WWI registration birth date differs slightly from the 1900 census, as we often find.  The census gives the birth month as August 1891, rather than April.  Otherwise this Tom Gilbert Green matches Thomas.
  
  World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
  Tom Gilbert Green
  Residence Fort Gibson, Muskogee County, Oklahoma
  Born 4 April 1891 Marietta, Love County, Oklahoma
  Single, "mother partly dependent"
  Occupation Farming
  Tall, Medium Build, Brown Eyes, Brown Hair
  Tom was illiterate.  He makes his mark and the registrar signs his name for him.
  Registered 5 June 1917 in Fort Gibson, Muskogee County, Oklahoma
  
  The line reporting his "mother partly dependent" indicates his father has died at this time.  Jacob Green died in 1917.  His mother's name is not given.
  
  Thomas was reported in the Muskogee City/County Directory in 1921, along with his brother Pink and wife Lois and their mother Susan Barnett Green.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Muskogee and Muskogee County, Oklahoma, City Directory, 1921, p 547
  (Phoenix Directory Company)
  Pink (Lois) Green farmer
  Susan (wid Jacob) Green
  Thomas Green
  
  In 1930, Tom is in Fresno County, California, like his brother Pink.  He has been married one year, to a widow (assumed) previously named McKeen, with 2 children.
  
  1930 Federal Census, Fresno County, California, 14 April, Township 2, District 11, page 13A, Belmont Avenue, Hse/Fam #4
  Green, Thomas G  Head M W 39 First married at 38 OK GA MS Farmer
  Green, Delora A  Wife F W 31 First married at 20 TX OH TX
  McKeen, Mary Stepdaughter F W 10 CA OK TX
  McKeen, Florence Stepdaughter F W 9 CA OK TX
  
  Ancestry.com transcribes Tom's name as Thomas J, instead of G, but the initial matches very closely the G used for the entry General Farm, for the category of Thomas' occupation as Farmer.
  
  Tom is on the voter rolls for Kerman, California, along with his mother in the same household in 1938, still at the same mailing address.  Tom and Delora may have divorced some time before 1938, since Delora does not appear.  I do not have a directory for that year to compare the household configuration.
  
  California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968
  Kerman, Fresno County, California 1938
  Green, Tom G, Farmer, Route 1, Box 345, Kerman, Party Affiliation Town  (?)
  Green, Mrs Susan, housewife [sic, even though husband has died] , Route 1, Box 345, Kerman, Party Affiliation Town  (?)
  Fresno County, California, USA
  Residence Year 1938
  
  In the 1940 census, a record for a Tom Green appears to be for our Thomas Gilbert, with a new wife.  This is Katherine Belle Stricker, former wife of Howard Beeler, from Indiana.  Katherine is the the mother of the Beeler children mentioned in Tom's obit below as his stepchildren.
  
  1940 Federal Census, Fresno County, California, 10 April, Township 11, District 1-30, page 2A, White Bridge Rd, Hse #19, Owns $2500
  Green, Tom Head M W 47 Grade 2 b Okla Rural Fresno Co in 1935 Farmer
  Green, Katherine Wife F W 46 Grade 8 b Ohio Fresno in 1935
  
  Tom and Katherine married some time between 1935 and 1940.  A city directory reported Belle (Katherine) in 1935 as the head of her household, with her three children in the home, indicating that she and Howard Beeler divorced about 1934.  They were together in the 1933 city directory.
  
  U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  Fresno, California, City Directory, 1935, p  62
  Beeler Belle Mrs h 2339 White av
  Beeler Clarence r 2339 White av
  Beeler Dorothy r 2339 White av
  Beeler Margt clk r 2339 White av
  
  Tom registered for the WWII draft in 1942 and reports his residence address as the Corner of Whitesbridge and Golden, Kerman, California.  He reports his mailing address as a Rural P O Box, and reports he is working his own farm.
  
  U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
  Tom Gilbert Green
  Age 51
  Birth Date 4 Apr 1891
  Residence Corner of Whitesbridge and Golden, Kerman, California
  Mailig address Rt 1, Box 345, Kerman, California
  Contact Pink Green, Rt 1, Box 345, Kerman, California
  (back)
  5'7" 150 lbs, Hazel Eyes, Brown Hair, LIght Complxion
  Registered 27 April 1942 Fresno County, California
  Signed Tom Green
  
  The California Death Index reports that Tom died on 23 April 1968 in Fresno County, California.  The SSDI reports his last place of residence to be the same as his brother's, the city of Kerman.
  
  California Death Index, 1940-1997
  Tom G Green
  b 4 April 1891, Oklahoma
  d 23 April 1968, Fresno County, California
  Mother's maiden name Barnett
  
  Social Security Death Index
  Tom G Green
  Born 4 Apr 1891
  Died 15 Apr 1968
  Last Residence Kerman, Fresno, California 93630
  SSN 558-78-5313 issued California (1965)
  
  There is an oddity in the date of death reported here.  Other sources, as the California Death Index above, report the date of Tom's death as 23 April 1968, but here the SSDI says it was 15 Apr 1968.  I note that this is the same date of death the SSDI reports for Tom's brother Pink, having the same residence address and buried in the same cemetery.  Strange, however, is that this date does not match the California record for Pink, either.  the California Death Index reports that Pink died on 5 April, not 15 April 1968.
  
  Gravestone of Tom Green, Fresno Memorial Gardens, Fresno, Fresno, California
  "Pink Green 1891 - 1968"
  
  Thomas Gilbert's obituary was published Wednesday 24 April 1968, the day after his death, in The Kerman News of Kerman, Fresno, California.
  
  --------------------------
  Thomas G Green
  
  Kerman - Funeral Services will be held Friday [26 April 1968] in the Bragg & Sons Chapel in Kerman for Thomas G. Green, 77, of 14800 A. St., Kerman, who died yesterday [23 April 1968] in a Fresno hospital.  Burial will be in Fresno Memorial Gardens.
  
  He was a native of Oklahoma and lived in the Kerman area 30 years.
  
  Surviving are a stepson, Clarence Beeler, and a stepdaughter, Mrs Margaret Hahn, of Fresno.
  --  The Kerman News of Kerman, Fresno, California, 24 April 1968
  --------------------------
  
  The two stepchildren mentioned in the obituary are the children of Tom's second wife Katherine Belle Stricker and her first husband Howard Beeler, whom she married in indiana at age 18.  No marriage date has been found for Tom and Katherine, nor a divorce date for Katherine and Howard.
  
  The obituary reports that Tom had lived in Kerman for 30 years.  But he appears in the 1930 census with Delora and two of her children from her first marriage.
  
  Clarence Beeler is reported with his parents Howard and Katherine in the 1933 Fresno City Directory.
  
  Fresno, California, City Directory, 1933, p 61
  Beeler, Clarence O chauf r 2339 White Av
  Beeler, Howard (Kath B) lab h 2339 White Av
  
  Tom's memorial on Find a Grave includes biographical detail.
  
  ------------------
  Thomas Gilbert Green
  Birth Mar 4, 1891 Marietta, Love County, Oklahoma, USA
  Death Apr 23, 1968 Fresno, Fresno County, California, USA
  
  Son of Jacob GREEN, b. GA, and Susan Barnett GREEN, b. MS. Tom was one of five surviving childen: Nora; Pink; Jacob Walter; Thomas G; and Arthur I. GREEN. (John R. was on 1900 census, but not 1910, supposing he died between censuses).
  
  He married Delora Black McKeen, a widow with two daughters, Mary and Florence McKeen.
  
  *****
  1930 Federal Census, Fresno County, California, 14 April, Township 2, District 11, page 13A, Belmont Avenue, Hse/Fam #4
  Green, Thomas G Head M W 39 First married at 38 OK GA MS Farmer
  Green, Delora A Wife F W 31 First married at 20 TX OH TX
  McKeen, Mary Stepdaughter F W 10 CA OK TX
  McKeen, Florence Stepdaughter F W 9 CA OK TX
  ****
  His WW I Draft Registration from OK, states he was tall, med. build, brown hair and brown eyes.
  His bro. Pink, is also bur. in this cemetery. Possibly other relatives. Please contact or post on Findagrave.
  (photo of gravemarker is courtesy of Bev Bell).
  
  Parents Susan A Barnett Green (1855 - 1939)
  Siblings:
  Pink Green (1886 - 1968)
  Walter Jacob Green (1890 - 1925)
  
  Burial Fresno Memorial Gardens, Fresno, Fresno Countym California, USA
  
  Created by wvy Jul 23, 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #73819832, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73819832
  ------------------

Sources

• 1. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 2. Gravestone of Tom Green, Fresno Memorial Gardens, Fresno, Fresno, California
• 3. Obituary of Thomas Gilbert Green, The Kerman News of Kerman, Fresno, California. 24 April 1968
• 4. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 5. 1930 Federal Census, Fresno County, California
  • 14 April, Township 2, District 11, page 13A, Belmont Avenue, Hse/Fam #4
• 6. 1940 Federal Census, Fresno County, California
  • 10 April, Township 11, District 1-30, page 2A, White Bridge Rd, Hse #19, Owns $2500
• 7. California Death Index, 1940-1997
• 8. 1910 Federal Census, Muskogee County, Oklahoma
  • 30 April, Nash Township, District 107, Page 13B, Hse/Fam #104
• 9. 1900 Federal Census, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory
  • 13 June, Township 15, District 40, Page 6B, Hse/Fam #126
• 10. 1910 Federal Census, Muskogee County, Oklahoma
  • 30 April, Nash Township, District 107, Page 14A, Hse/Fam #107
• 11. Social Security Death Index
• 12. California Voter Registrations, 1900-1968
• 13. Obituaries from California
• 14. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Muskogee and Muskogee County, Oklahoma, City Directory, 1921, p 547
• 15. Ancestry Trees
• 16. California Death Certificate
• 17. U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995
  • Fresno, California, City Directory, 1933, p 61