The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans: Volume IV G Greene, William Stedman GREENE, William Stedman, representative, was born in Tremont, Tazewell county, Ill., April 28, 1841; son of Chester Washington and Abby Stone (Stedman) Greene; grandson of William Fones and Abby (Sheldon) Greene and of Judge Bial and Mary Prescott (Miles) Steelman, great-grandson of Job, great, great-grandson of Job, great, great, great-grandson of James, great, great, great, great-grandson of James, and great, great, great, great, great-grandson of John Greene, who came from Southampton, England, with his wife and family, arrived at Boston, Mass., June 3, 1635, and from religious persecution was forced to leave the colony, settling in Warwick, R.I. William removed with his parents to Fall River, Mass., in 1844, and was educated in the public schools of that city. He was a clerk in an insurance office, 1858-65, and began business as auctioneer, real estate and insurance agent in 1866. He was married in 1866 to Mary E. White of Fall River. He was a member of the common council, 1876-79, and president of that body, 1877-79. He was mayor of Fall River in 1880; and was re elected in 1881, but resigned the same year having been appointed postmaster by President Garfield. He was again mayor in 1886; was defeated for that office in 1887 and 1888, and was general superintendent of prisons for the state of Massachusetts, 1888, when he was removed by the Democratic governor. He was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor of Fall River in 1894, but was elected in 1895, 1896, and 1897, and declined re-nomination in 1898. In his inaugural address as mayor in January, 1895, he recommended the erection of a public library building, and as chairman of the committee on public instruction and of the hoard of trustees of the public library he was largely instrumental in carrying through the project. He laid the cornerstone in September, 1896, and the building was completed in 1898. He was appointed postmaster of Fall River in 1898, but resigned the office upon being elected a Republican representative in the 55th congress, May 31, 1898, to fill the unexpired term of John Simpkins, and he was re-elected to the 56th, 57th, and 58th congresses, 1898-1905.