Jonathan H. Green
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Harrington Green (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.
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).
in 1813. 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 suddenly abandoned gambling in 1842. 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", Gambling Unmasked (1844), An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (1845), The Secret Band of Brothers (1848), Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress (1849) and An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards (1850).
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. 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.
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. Donations from "kindly minded friends" were sufficient enough to allow Green to bury his wife. Green himself died three years later.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
during the early-to mid 19th century. In his youth, he was known as one of the most skilled card players
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. 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.
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
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
and eventually published his memoirs entitled Twelve Days in the Tombs (1851), The Gambler's Life (1857) and The Reformed Gambler (1858).
Biography
Jonathan Green was born in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in 1813. He became an accomplished professional gambler as a young man, popularly known from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
as "Captain Green", and was a regular riverboat gambler on the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. 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 suddenly abandoned gambling in 1842. Making restitution to those who had lost money to him, he traveled the country as a lecturer exposing common gambling tricks
Cheating in poker
Cheating in poker is any behavior outside the rules that is intended to give an unfair advantage to one or more players.-Types of cheating:Cheating can be done many ways, including collusion, sleight-of-hand , or the use of physical objects such as marked cards or holdout devices.Cheating occurs in...
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", Gambling Unmasked (1844), An Exposure of the Arts and Miseries of Gambling (1845), The Secret Band of Brothers (1848), Gambling in Its Infancy and Progress (1849) and An Exposition of Games and Tricks with Cards (1850).
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
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, who addressed the large crowd. 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
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and became a captain in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National 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.
He moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
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. Donations from "kindly minded friends" were sufficient enough to allow Green to bury his wife. Green himself died three years later.
Further reading
- Asbury, 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 & 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 1-84525-004-4