First Lieutenant Fred Warren Green, A Soldier's Story
First Lieutenant Fred Warren Green, A Soldier's Story
First Lieutenant Fred Warren Green was born on October 19, 1871, in Manistee, Michigan. He pursued higher education with unusual determination, graduating from Michigan State Normal School (now Eastern Michigan University) before earning his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1898.
Green was physically active and deeply engaged in athletics. He played collegiate football and would remain closely tied to the sport throughout his life as a coach, manager, and enthusiastic supporter. That combination of discipline, leadership, and teamwork would echo throughout his later public service.
In 1898, as the Spanish–American War began, Green enlisted and served as a First Lieutenant with the 31st Michigan Volunteers. He deployed to Cuba on May 8, 1898. Although his unit did not suffer combat casualties, the campaign was marked by harsh tropical conditions and widespread disease—challenges common to the war. He returned to Michigan in May 1899.
Following his military service, Green settled in Ypsilanti, where he practiced law, served as city attorney, and entered a business partnership with the Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Company. In 1904, he moved to Ionia, Michigan, where his involvement in Republican politics expanded steadily from delegate work into elected office.
Green served as mayor of Ionia, where he established the Ionia Free Fair in 1915, an institution that reflected his belief in civic life as both practical and communal. That same year, he became the Republican National Committee's Treasurer.
On November 2, 1926, Fred Warren Green was elected the 31st Governor of Michigan. Shortly after taking office, he confronted one of the darkest moments in the state’s history: the Bath School bombing of 1927, an act of domestic terrorism that killed 44 people, including 38 children. Governor Green personally assisted in relief efforts, offering visible leadership during public grief and shock.
During his governorship, Green oversaw the creation of seven state parks, expanded fish-planting programs, and pushed for the modernization of Michigan’s highway system, initiatives that reflected his belief in the stewardship of both land and infrastructure.
He retired from office in 1931, devoting his remaining years to hunting, fishing, and service through civic organizations, including the Freemasons, Elks, and Rotary Club. First Lieutenant Fred Warren Green died of a heart attack on November 30, 1936. He is buried at Highland Park Cemetery in Ionia, Michigan.
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About the Author
a.d. elliott is a wanderer, photographer, and storyteller traveling through life
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