William J. Green Jr.
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Pennsylvania's 5th district
In office
January 3, 1949 – December 21, 1963
Preceded byGeorge W. Sarbacher Jr.
Succeeded byWilliam J. Green III
In office
January 3, 1945 – January 3, 1947
Preceded byC. Frederick Pracht
Succeeded byGeorge W. Sarbacher Jr.
Personal details
Born(1910-03-05)March 5, 1910
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedDecember 21, 1963(1963-12-21) (aged 53)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Resting placeHoly Sepulchre Cemetery, Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMary Kelly
Children6, including William III Anne Green Michals
RelativesBill Green IV (grandson)
Alma materSt. Joseph's College
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1944
RankPrivate

William Joseph Green Jr. (March 5, 1910 – December 21, 1963) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Biography

William J. Green was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Irish immigrants.[1] He graduated from St. Joseph's Preparatory School, and attended St. Joseph's College in Philadelphia. He was engaged in business as an insurance broker in Philadelphia in 1937. He served in the United States Army as a private in the Quartermaster Corps from March 22, 1944, to December 4, 1944.

He was elected to Congress in 1944, and after a defeat in the Republican landslide year of 1946, was reelected to Congress in 1948 and every two years thereafter until his death at age 53. He had been elected Democratic City Chairman in 1953, and, in that role, held until his death, he helped solidify Philadelphia as a Democratic stronghold.

Green died of peritonitis and gall bladder complications in Philadelphia on December 21, 1963[2] and was interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania.[3] He was succeeded in Congress by his son, William J. Green III, who was 25 years old at the time of his first election, and later became Mayor of Philadelphia.

The William J. Green Jr. Federal Building, at 6th and Arch streets in Philadelphia, is named for him.

See also

References

  1. ^ "United States Census, 1910", FamilySearch, retrieved March 25, 2018
  2. ^ "Rep. Green, 53, Philadelphia Leader, dies". Chicago Tribune. December 22, 1963.
  3. ^ "Green, William Joseph, Jr". www.bioguide.congress.gov. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
U.S. House of Representatives Preceded byFred Pracht Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district 1945–1947 Succeeded byGeorge Sarbacher Preceded byGeorge Sarbacher Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district 1949–1963 Succeeded byBill Green, III Party political offices Preceded byJames Finnegan Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic City Committee 1953–1963 Succeeded byFrank Smith
Categories