This week in North Cook County history.
Born March 17, 1842, died March 10, 1926, Palatine
Isabel Colton Greene, known as Belle C. Green, was an American author born in 1842 in Pittsfield, Vermont. She began writing in 1881, contributing humorous sketches to magazines such as Godey’s Lady’s Book, The Youth’s Companion, and Harper’s Weekly. Her first book, A New England Idyl (1886), and her collection Adventures of an Old Maid (1886) gained attention for their storytelling and character work. She also wrote novels addressing moral and social issues, including A New England Conscience (1885). Greene traveled extensively, writing articles and sketches based on her experiences, including time spent in California. From 1910, she spent summers in Palatine, Illinois, with her sister, and she died there on March 10, 1926. She is buried at Hillside Cemetery. Her work influenced American humor writing, and her family continued her scholarly legacy, including her grandson John Colton Greene, a historian of science.
