James Dorson Green and Malissia Burke Green
James Dorson Green is my Great-great grandfather. Grandpa Jim was born in Hartford, Cocke Co. Son of Kisiah Green, daughter of David Green and Anny Hubbard, settlers from Haywood Co. North Carolina. Some say that Grandpa Jim's father was a Cherokee Indian. Looking at his photo, he does resembles a Native American. Kisiah, Jim's mother had three boys out of wedlock. Only two of the boys belong to the same father. Kisiah died young and the boys were bound over to David Green, Kisiah's father. There for the last name Green. Grandpa Jim ran the Cocke County's Home for Paupers from 1903 till 1911. He married Malissia Burke. Together they had 12 children, one of them Joseph Elbert Green, my great-grandfather. Malissia filed for a divorce in the grounds that Jim was a perpetual drunkard. Reading how Grandpa Jim describes the accusation it sounds a bit funny:
Affidavit of Soldier, wife claiming one half, Act, of Adt, March, 3rd 1899
State of Tennessee, County of Washington. In the matter of Pension of James D. Green, late of Troop, "G" of the 5, U.S. Cav. Cert. 882.535. Wife Molisa Green, claiming one half, under above, Act, Personally appeared before me the undersigned authority in and for the aforesaid County duly authorized to administer oaths, James D. Green, age 66. years and states as follows: " I will here make my statement in rebuttal of my wife's contention, and will endeavor, to corroborate same by good evidence, About 11 years ago my wife filed a bill in the court at New Port, Tenn., asking a divorce from me on the alleged ground that I was a perpetual drunkard. She soon as this bill was filed attached all of my property, which consisted at the time of a four acres of land near Edwina, Cocke Co, Tenn. with a first class Burr flouring, Corn and saw Mill on same. Said property worth $2,000. Her Lawyer, and mine and my self entered into a council and I made her a deed to this Mill Property, and I further gave her one years support. She is then to let me alone.Grandpa Joseph and his brother George signed for the military service during the Spanish American War. Their company was sent to the island of Puerto Rico. At the island both Joseph and George settled and married in the island. George had three daughters and Joseph had three sons. Eventually George and Joseph left the island with their children, leaving their wives behind. Joseph whom was known in the island by his nick name Ebb Green, had to leave his younger son with his mother because he was only five months old. Little James was to young to travel and most likely would've not survive the journey. James or Jaime in Spanish grew up to become a fine young man, married Georgina Perez whom died during labor of her forth child. A widow with four young children Jaime hired a nanny to take care of the children will he worked. Eventually Jaime hired the nanny Juana Feliciano whom raised Georgina's children and gave him eleven more. This is how the Green branch of Cocke Co. reach all the way to the island of Puerto Rico.