The Winchester Journal, August 13, 1873.
On the 16th day of last June, a lady came to John W. Diggs, Township Trustee, and asked for an order to be admitted to the Randolph County Asylum. She was well dressed, handsome, intelligent and was so ladylike in her deportment, that Mr. Diggs thought strange of her request and refused to grant it until she gave him her history and why she desired to become a charge upon the charities of our county. She stated that her name was Mrs. Jennie Albur, that she was a native of Ohio and had been a teacher in the Bellefountaine schools; that she and her husband had started to the West and when they reached Union City it was thought best for her to remain there until he could locate a soldier's claim and put up a home for them. She had but a day or two previous heard that her husband had been killed in the terrible tornado that swept over Iowa and that she had no money and that she was not in a condition to help herself. The story was a plausible one but Mr. Diggs did not fully believe it. He inquired if she had any friends to which she replied that she had an uncle living in Bellfountaine. He then offered to pay her way to that place, but she refused to accept it, saying that she desired to go to the poor farm. He finally gave her an order, which she presented to Mr. Hall and was admitted to the Asylum. She remained in that institution, still adhering to the story that she told Mr. Diggs, until the 29 day of July, when she was confined to bed, giving birth to a dead child. She was taken with spasms and remained unconscious until the next day, when she died. During the time she was at the Asylum, Mr. Hall was satisfied that her story was not true, and that there was some mystery connected with the affair, but she baffled all his attempts to get a clue of her identity. It seems, however. that she anticipated her death, and just prior to her confinement, gave Mr. Hall an envelope bearing the address, "A.H. Green, West Liberty, Ohio," with the request that if she died, he would forward her effects to that address.
After her death, Mr. Hall wrote to Mr. Green, giving that gentleman a full history of the case. Upon receiving this letter, Mr. Green responded in person. He states that the deceased was Miss Mary Jane Blair; that she was his second cousin; and that they had been engaged to be married for over three years. He further states that he has frequently asked her to marry him, but she persistently refused to do so. He also says that he is the father of the child and knew of her condition, and that when she announced her determination to come here, that he urged her to marry him and allow him to come with her. This she refused to do, stating that she had friends here who would care for her. She had corresponded with him, but had stated that she was at a friend's house, near Winchester, and he had no idea that she was in the poor house until he received Mr. Hall's letter. Although a poor man, Mr. Green paid Mr. Hall for keeping her, and also paid the Doctor's and undertaker's bills. Mr. Green seemed to be much attached to the lady and was greatly affected. The gentlemen with whom he had dealings were favorably impressed with his course and fully believe that he gives a true statement of the sad affair. Miss Blair, had been, as she claimed, a teacher at Bellfountaine, was well educated and respectably connected.
Having thus given a history of the affair, as is our duty as a public journalist, we drop the mantle of charity over the living and the dead, hoping that the sad lesson may not be lost upon many who are treading the downward road to ruin, as well as upon those whose footsteps are yet in the paths of virtue.
More of the story... at least a story of an A. H. Green found to live in Ohio in the 1870s. Search information did not reveal any substantial clues for Mary Jane Blair or Jennie Albur of Ohio.
Alfred Holand Green was the first born of Isaac and (Sarah) Elizabeth Potts. At about the age of eight years he left home to live with his maternal grandfather and second wife, James and Nancy Potts. He claimed to have been mistreated by his father's children from the first marriage. He lived with his grandfather until he enlised in the Union Army, in 1861 under the alias of Alfred Potts. He worked as a farm laborer and a river man before the war and usually listed his occupation as laborer after the war. He was married (1) to a possible cousin, Rebecca Campbell during the war under the name of Alfred Potts and (2) to Mary E. Cowper after the war under the name of Alfred Green. See photocopy of disposition given by Alfred Green April 26, 1905 explaining the reasons for his alias ( Alfred Potts), family background, and two marriages. Alfred's service in the Civil War was originally in the 28th PA infantry until his company and others were incorporated as the 147th PA Infantry. See photocopy of Compendium of the War of the Rebellion. About June 22, 1864, Alfred was serving as a train guard on a train of sick and wounded en route from Kenesaw Mountain, GA to Chattanooga,
TN. Train was derailed by loose rails due to rebel sabotage. Alfred was thrown from atop a car and fractured the malleoi of the fibula, left ankle. He was sent to a field hospital in Alatoona, GA., then to Chattanooga, Nashville, Louisville, and finally Jeffersonville Hospital. He returned to duty on Nov 3, 1864. Alfred accompanied Sherman on his march to the sea and through the Carolinas. He caught malaria in swamps arount Atlanta. He suffered with Ague and fever and rheumatism in his legs all the way to New Bern, NC. Isaac Green (possibly his younger brother) and his mess mates carried his gurn and knapsack on the march. Alfred was sent to the hospital at Goldsborough, NC on April 9, 1865, then to Barrow's Island, NY, then to US Grant Hospital, Willis Point, NY in May 1865. He retuned to his unit in Alexandria, VA late June or early July and was mustered out. Alfred returned to the Georgetown, PA . area until about 1886, when he moved to East Liverpool, OH. He left his wife and family about 1894 and lived on the river near Wellsville, OH. He first filed for a pension on June 4, 1874, claiming a foot deformed by a fracture and continuing Rheumatism and malaria. He later showed signs of a hypertrophied heart. His (right) thumb was amputated due to necrosis, possibly as a result of being smashed in an accident in 1882. Alfred entered the National Military Home in Dayton, OH, on February 14, 1907, residing in Barracks #5. He died there of organic heart disease on February 11, 1913. Chester Greene, Alfred's grandson, related that Alfred would visit his house during the years of his residency at the National Military Home. Alfred would have a couple of drinks and then begin relating war stories about the terrible hardships and fears the foot soldier endured in the Civil War. Alfred related that they slept in pairs on the ground to stay warm and in the mornings, after a cold winter rain that froze in the night, they would have to use their pocket knived to cut each other's hair loose from the ground. Alfred said that they called the battle at Manassas "Bull Run because those that didn't run are still there".
Alfred's description on enlisting was 5 ft. 5 in., 140 pounds, fair complexion, blue eyes, light hair.
Alfred Green's military records are under the name of Alfred Potts. He died after getting a hair cut and shave at Johnson Barber Shop at 329 S Western Ave., Dayton, Ohio. Record # 31883.
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