Jonathan Harrington Green (c. 1813–1887) was an American gambler, inventor, writer and later reformer in New York City during the early-to mid 19th century. In his youth, he was known as one of the most skilled card players in the United States. Following his retirement from gambling in 1842, he became an active crusader against illegal gambling and was responsible for enacting anti-gambling laws in several states.
Reformed gambler and later agent for the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling.
As an agent for the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling, he conducted an exhaustive report detailing illegal gambling operations active in the city in 1850-51. He later toured the country as a lecturer and eventually published his memoirs entitled Twelve Days in the Tombs (1851), The Gambler's Life (1857) and The Reformed Gambler (1858).
Jonathan Green was born in Ohio in 1813, although the Library of Congress catalog gives 1812 as the year of his birth.[citation needed] He became an accomplished professional gambler as a young man, popularly known from Texas to Boston as "Captain Green", and was a regular riverboat gambler on the Mississippi River. Among his most noted accomplishments was winning $23,000 in one night at the old Chestnut Street Arcade during the 1830s. After living in Texas for several years, he joined a Methodist Episcopal church and suddenly abandoned gambling in 1842.[1] Making restitution to those who had lost money to him, he traveled the country as a lecturer exposing common gambling tricks and spoke out against illegal gambling for the next nine years. His popularity as "the Reformed Gambler" gained a significant following and helped pass anti-gambling laws in several states. He also wrote several books on the subject including "Green on Gambling", An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (1843),[2]Gambling Unmasked (1844), The Secret Band of Brothers (1848), Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress (1849) and An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards (1850).[3]
Green became a general executive agent of the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling and, between 1850–51, he conducted an exhaustive investigation on illegal gambling operations in New York City. On February 20, 1851, he presented his findings at the Brooklyn Tabernacle reporting the existence of an estimated 6,000 gambling houses, 200 of these being high-class establishments "catering to men of standing and sound financial substance", as well as several thousand raffling, lottery and policy houses. Green was one of several prominent speakers, most notably Horace Greeley, who addressed the large crowd.[4] He continued writing and published his memoirs Twelve Days in the Tombs (1851), The Gambler's Life (1857) and The Reformed Gambler (1858). Green returned to Indiana at the start of the American Civil War and became a captain in the Union Army and was later employed by the US Secret Service. An amateur inventor, he took out 20 to 30 patents although his inventions proved far more profitable to others than to himself.[3]
He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1876 and lived a private retired life. He eventually became destitute in his old age and, following his wife's death in 1884, a public appeal was made when he was unable to pay for his wife's funeral.[3] Donations from "kindly minded friends" were sufficient enough to allow Green to bury his wife.[5] Green himself died three years later.
Bibliographyedit
An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (1843)
Gambling Unmasked: Or The Personal Experience of the Reformed Gambler, J. H. Green (1844)
The Secret Band of Brothers: Or, The American Outlaws. Compiled from Original Papers. by J.H. Greene, the Reformed Gambler (1848)
Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress, Or, A Dissuasive to the Young Against Games of Chance (1849)
An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards (1850)
Constitution and Bye-laws of the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling (1850)
A Report on Gambling in New York (1851)
Twelve Days in the Tombs; Or, A Sketch of the Last Eight Years of the Reformed Gamblers' Life (1851)
The Gambler's Life: Or, The Life, Adventures, and Personal Experience of Jonathan H. Green, (the "Reformed Gambler") (1857)
The Reformed Gambler: Or, the History of the Later Years of the Life of Jonathan H. Green the "Reformed Gambler" (1858)
Gamblers' Tricks with Cards, Exposed and Explained (1868)
Referencesedit
^Green, Jonathan Harrington (1858). "The Reformed Gambler: Or, the History of the Later Years of the Life of Jonathan H. Green, (The "reformed Gambler"), to which is Added a Complete and Full Exposition of the Game of Thimbles, Diamond Cut Diamond, or the Gentleman's Game, Dead Open and Shut, Church Gambling, Five Aces Beaten, Lotteries, Post Office Game, Pound Cake, or Ring Game, the Preacher and the Gambler, Grab Loo, Etc., Etc".
^ abc"Dropping Out Of Public Sight. The Sad Trouble Of Capt. Jonathan A. Green, The Reformed Gambler". New York Times. 30 May 1884
^Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of the New York Underworld. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1928. (pg. 79-80) ISBN1-56025-275-8
^"Help For Capt. Green". New York Times. 1 Jun 1884
Further readingedit
Asbury, Herbert. The French Quarter: An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1936. ISBN1-56025-494-7
Asbury, Herbert. Sucker's Progress: An Informal History of Gambling in America from the Colonies to Canfield. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1938.
Bergmann, Hans. God in the Street: New York Writing from the Penny Press to Melville. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1995. ISBN1-56639-357-4
Britland, David and Gary Osborne. Phantoms of the Card Table: Confessions of a Card Sharp. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2004. ISBN1-56858-299-4
Chafetz, Henry. Play the Devil: A History of Gambling in the United States from 1492 to 1955. New York: Potters Publishers, 1960.
Fabian, Ann. Card Sharps and Bucket Shops: Gambling in Nineteenth-century America. New York: Routledge, 1999. ISBN0-415-92357-3
Hyde, Stephen and Geno Zanetti, ed. Players: Con Men, Hustlers, Gamblers and Scam Artists. New York: Thunder's Mouth Press, 2002. ISBN1-56025-380-0
Jerome, Fiona and Seth Dickson. Poker Wit and Wisdom: Everything You'll Never Need to Know about Poker. London: Think Publishing, 2005. ISBN1-84525-004-4
jonathan, green, jonathan, harrington, green, 1813, 1887, american, gambler, inventor, writer, later, reformer, york, city, during, early, 19th, century, youth, known, most, skilled, card, players, united, states, following, retirement, from, gambling, 1842, b. Jonathan Harrington Green c 1813 1887 was an American gambler inventor writer and later reformer in New York City during the early to mid 19th century In his youth he was known as one of the most skilled card players in the United States Following his retirement from gambling in 1842 he became an active crusader against illegal gambling and was responsible for enacting anti gambling laws in several states Jonathan H GreenBornc 1813Ohio United StatesDied1887 aged 73 74 NationalityAmericanOther namesJonathan A GreenOccupation s Professional gambler reformer and writerKnown forReformed gambler and later agent for the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling As an agent for the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling he conducted an exhaustive report detailing illegal gambling operations active in the city in 1850 51 He later toured the country as a lecturer and eventually published his memoirs entitled Twelve Days in the Tombs 1851 The Gambler s Life 1857 and The Reformed Gambler 1858 Contents 1 Biography 2 Bibliography 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksBiography editJonathan Green was born in Ohio in 1813 although the Library of Congress catalog gives 1812 as the year of his birth citation needed He became an accomplished professional gambler as a young man popularly known from Texas to Boston as Captain Green and was a regular riverboat gambler on the Mississippi River Among his most noted accomplishments was winning 23 000 in one night at the old Chestnut Street Arcade during the 1830s After living in Texas for several years he joined a Methodist Episcopal church and suddenly abandoned gambling in 1842 1 Making restitution to those who had lost money to him he traveled the country as a lecturer exposing common gambling tricks and spoke out against illegal gambling for the next nine years His popularity as the Reformed Gambler gained a significant following and helped pass anti gambling laws in several states He also wrote several books on the subject including Green on Gambling An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling 1843 2 Gambling Unmasked 1844 The Secret Band of Brothers 1848 Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress 1849 and An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards 1850 3 Green became a general executive agent of the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling and between 1850 51 he conducted an exhaustive investigation on illegal gambling operations in New York City On February 20 1851 he presented his findings at the Brooklyn Tabernacle reporting the existence of an estimated 6 000 gambling houses 200 of these being high class establishments catering to men of standing and sound financial substance as well as several thousand raffling lottery and policy houses Green was one of several prominent speakers most notably Horace Greeley who addressed the large crowd 4 He continued writing and published his memoirs Twelve Days in the Tombs 1851 The Gambler s Life 1857 and The Reformed Gambler 1858 Green returned to Indiana at the start of the American Civil War and became a captain in the Union Army and was later employed by the US Secret Service An amateur inventor he took out 20 to 30 patents although his inventions proved far more profitable to others than to himself 3 He moved to Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1876 and lived a private retired life He eventually became destitute in his old age and following his wife s death in 1884 a public appeal was made when he was unable to pay for his wife s funeral 3 Donations from kindly minded friends were sufficient enough to allow Green to bury his wife 5 Green himself died three years later Bibliography editAn Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling 1843 Gambling Unmasked Or The Personal Experience of the Reformed Gambler J H Green 1844 The Secret Band of Brothers Or The American Outlaws Compiled from Original Papers by J H Greene the Reformed Gambler 1848 Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress Or A Dissuasive to the Young Against Games of Chance 1849 An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards 1850 Constitution and Bye laws of the New York Association for the Suppression of Gambling 1850 A Report on Gambling in New York 1851 Twelve Days in the Tombs Or A Sketch of the Last Eight Years of the Reformed Gamblers Life 1851 The Gambler s Life Or The Life Adventures and Personal Experience of Jonathan H Green the Reformed Gambler 1857 The Reformed Gambler Or the History of the Later Years of the Life of Jonathan H Green the Reformed Gambler 1858 Gamblers Tricks with Cards Exposed and Explained 1868 References edit Green Jonathan Harrington 1858 The Reformed Gambler Or the History of the Later Years of the Life of Jonathan H Green The reformed Gambler to which is Added a Complete and Full Exposition of the Game of Thimbles Diamond Cut Diamond or the Gentleman s Game Dead Open and Shut Church Gambling Five Aces Beaten Lotteries Post Office Game Pound Cake or Ring Game the Preacher and the Gambler Grab Loo Etc Etc books google com books id rCsPAQAAMAAJ a b c Dropping Out Of Public Sight The Sad Trouble Of Capt Jonathan A Green The Reformed Gambler New York Times 30 May 1884 Asbury Herbert The Gangs of New York An Informal History of the New York Underworld New York Alfred A Knopf 1928 pg 79 80 ISBN 1 56025 275 8 Help For Capt Green New York Times 1 Jun 1884Further reading editAsbury Herbert The French Quarter An Informal History of the New Orleans Underworld New York Alfred A Knopf 1936 ISBN 1 56025 494 7 Asbury Herbert Sucker s Progress An Informal History of Gambling in America from the Colonies to Canfield New York Dodd Mead amp Company 1938 Bergmann Hans God in the Street New York Writing from the Penny Press to Melville Philadelphia Temple University Press 1995 ISBN 1 56639 357 4 Britland David and Gary Osborne Phantoms of the Card Table Confessions of a Card Sharp New York Thunder s Mouth Press 2004 ISBN 1 56858 299 4 Chafetz Henry Play the Devil A History of Gambling in the United States from 1492 to 1955 New York Potters Publishers 1960 Fabian Ann Card Sharps and Bucket Shops Gambling in Nineteenth century America New York Routledge 1999 ISBN 0 415 92357 3 Hyde Stephen and Geno Zanetti ed Players Con Men Hustlers Gamblers and Scam Artists New York Thunder s Mouth Press 2002 ISBN 1 56025 380 0 Jerome Fiona and Seth Dickson Poker Wit and Wisdom Everything You ll Never Need to Know about Poker London Think Publishing 2005 ISBN 1 84525 004 4External links editWorks by Jonathan H Green at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Jonathan H Green at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jonathan H Green amp oldid 1218080936, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
