Person:Elizabeth Greene (32)

In his classic genealogy listed in the sources, Frank L. Greene said that Elizabeth Greene, daughter of Amos and Amy (Knowles) Greene married Nathan Kenyon. The Charlestown, Rhode Island, records show that Nathan Kenyon married Mary Greene. The only record we have of Elizabeth Greene is her recorded birth in Charlestown.

When Elizabeth's father, Amos Greene, made his will on 13 Apr 1776, he named his wife, and all 11 of his other children, but not Elizabeth. He also named one grandson, Brownell Green. All 11 of Amos Greene's other children and the grandchildren born to these 11 children have been traced without finding a Brownell Green. In my book listed in the sources, I discuss in depth the analysis on which I based the conclusion that Brownell Green was the son of Elizabeth Greene.

Since Brownell Green was named as a grandchild in Amos Greene's will, Brownell probably had been adopted by his grandparents. Since he was adopted, he took Green as his adopted family name, but significantly he appears to have kept the given name received at his birth.

At the time of this posting, DNA testing is in progress on a man who may share a recent common patrilineal ancestor with Brownell Green. A probable descendant of Joseph Tefft and Eleanor Brownell has been previously tested by smgf.org. This man's DNA matched 18 out of 20 markers with a patrilineal descendant of Brownell Green. This is close enough to suggest that the two men probably have a recent common patrilineal ancestor. A second man is being tested who descends a brother of the Joseph Tefft who married Eleanor Brownell. At this time the results are mixed, showing a match of 42 out of 47 markers with 20 more markers being tested. The match suggests that the two men possibly share a recent common ancestor. The two Tefft men tested match 10 our of 12 markers which indicates they are probably not related.

Even though these DNA results show a higher than normal expected rate of mutation, the documentary trail indicates the two Tefft men are probably related. The high mutation rate also seems to have occurred between them and the descendant of Brownell Green.

The Charlestown, RI, records shows that in 1741 Joseph Tefft's father, John, owned property adjacent to property owned by Amos Greene.

My hypothesis is that Elizabeth married one of the two younger sons of Joseph Tefft and Eleanor Brownell. She had a son, named Brownell. Elizabeth died in childbirth or shortly thereafter. Her son, Brownell, was then adopted by his maternal grandparents, but retained the given name derived from his paternal grandmother's maiden name.

1.   William E. Wright, in Wright, William E. Ancestors and descendants of William Browning Greene and Mary Hoxsie Lewis: with allied families. (Baltimore [Maryland]: Gateway Press, c1993)
   pp144-6, 1993.
2.   Frank L. Greene, in Greene, Frank Llewellyn. Descendants of Joseph Greene of Westerly, Rhode Island: also other branches of the Greenes of Quidnesset or Kingston, Rhode Island, and other lines of Greenes in America. (Albany, New York, United States: Joel Munsell's Sons, 1894)
   pp 351-7, 1893.
3. ↑ Charlestown Births and Deaths, in Arnold, James N. Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636–1850: First series, births, marriages and deaths. A family register for the people. (Narragansett Hist. Publ. Co., 1891)
   21.

   GREENE, Elizabeth, of Amos and Amie, [born] Aug. 17, 1748.