Talbot H. Green (born Paul Geddes; August 11, 1810 – July 2, 1889) was an American merchant and politician during the mid-19th century, who was exposed as Paul Geddes, an absconder and embezzler of funds from a Philadelphia bank. Born in Pennsylvania to an influential family of Scottish descent, Geddes initially worked in merchandising and engineering. His early career in Philadelphia ended abruptly after financial mismanagement and embezzlement led him to leave his wife and four children, flee westward, and adopt the alias Talbot H. Green.
In 1841, Green joined the Bartleson–Bidwell Party, a pioneering group of emigrants heading to California. Known for his friendly demeanor and leadership skills, he quickly established himself in the Californian business community. Green worked closely with Thomas O. Larkin, a prominent merchant in Monterey, and became a key figure in Larkin's mercantile operations.
Green's influence extended beyond business; he played an active role in California's early political and social life. He was a founding member of the Society of California Pioneers, served on San Francisco's first city council, and participated in significant land transactions. His contributions during the U.S. military conquest of California included supplying goods to American forces.
In 1851, rumors of Green's true identity as Paul Geddes surfaced, leading to his departure from California. He relocated to Texas and later worked as a clerk for the secretary of the United States Senate. Green spent his final years in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he lived quietly until his death in 1889, respected by his community but marked by his earlier misdeeds.
Early life and career Paul Geddes was born on August 11, 1810. The Geddes family, of Scottish origin, traces its descent from Paul Geddes, born in Scotland between 1660 and 1670. The earlier Paul Geddes resided for a time in Ireland, near Randallstown, County Antrim, where his son James was born in 1704. James Geddes, his wife Margaret Muir, and their three sons, Paul, William, and Samuel, emigrated to America in August 1752, settling in what is now Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. James's sons became prominent locally, with at least one active in the American Revolution. Samuel Geddes, the youngest son, died in 1788, leaving four children. His second child, James Geddes (1781–1867), was the father of Paul Geddes, later known as Talbot H. Green. James Geddes married his cousin, Mary Geddes (1781–1874), on February 12, 1807, and lived in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, where he was known for his character and integrity, serving as treasurer of a corporation for over forty years. He and his wife were Presbyterians and raised their three children, Paul, Margaret, and James, in this faith.
Paul left school early to work in a store for four years and later worked as an assistant engineer on the canal for two years. His father then provided him with $3,000 to start a merchandising business. They eventually bought another store in a neighboring town. On February 21, 1832, Paul Geddes was married to Henrietta Fredrick. After their marriage, Paul Geddes and his wife moved to a neighboring town where they established a new branch store. In this town, Geddes took on another business partner and was known as a respected and trusted businessman.
Embezzlement In the spring of 1840, Paul Geddes traveled to Philadelphia to buy goods and had a large quantity of wheat consigned to a trading house there. He withdrew $3,000 on account of the wheat but lost the money after a night of drinking. That afternoon, the cashier of the Farmers & Merchants Bank of Philadelphia asked him to carry $105,000 to the Northumberland bank. Green committed a fraud and stole the money. There is no official record of the exact amount of money Green stole. The incident was described by Green in his letter to Thomas O. Larkin:
Paul Geddes left Pennsylvania, abandoning his wife and four children. He traveled to New Orleans by ship from New York City. From New Orleans, he continued his journey by steamboat up the Mississippi River.
Escape to the West On board the boat Geddes met an Englishman, Talbot H. Green, who fell ill and died. In gratitude for Geddes's care, the Englishman left him his name and some papers, which he believed might be valuable in the future. Geddes took the name Talbot H. Green and kept the papers. Green continued from St. Louis up the Missouri River until he reached Westport, Missouri, which served as a departure point for the western plains.
In 1841, Green joined the Bartleson–Bidwell Party, a group of emigrants heading to California. The group gathered near the Kansas River in the spring, with Green, who was in his early thirties at the time. Known for his friendly and cultured demeanor, Green, "of evident culture and very pleasant address," quickly became well-liked by his fellow travelers. On May 18, during a meeting to organize the party, he was chosen to lead the gathering, highlighting his early leadership within the group.
Although Green initially held a prominent role, his influence did not continue during the rest of the journey. As the group moved westward, Green traveled as a regular member of the party. He joined the mess of John Bartleson, the party's captain, along with Charles Hopper, a well-known bear hunter; Gwynn Patton; Nicholas Dawson; and Grove C. Cook, a young man known for his likable but unruly nature, with whom Green developed a close friendship.
Green carried a case of medicines and earned the title of "doctor" by attending to the sick. He did not stand out from his companions during the journey, and mentions of him by chroniclers are due to his later notoriety rather than his actions on the trek. His fellow travelers later emphasized his presence, influenced by his future reputation.
Nicholas Dawson noted that Green's most valued possession was a quantity of lead. On the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range, the load became too heavy for the pack animal, so Green and Grove Cook hid the lead in a gulch. After reaching John Marsh's ranch near Mount Diablo, Green hired an Indian guide and, with Cook, retrieved the hidden pack. A year later in Monterey, Dawson met Green again, now wealthy with plenty of cash. Dawson was surprised by Green's sudden wealth, suggesting that the "lead" was actually a more precious metal.
In California Business establishment in Monterey Green quickly established himself in California's business and social circles. Using John Marsh's bond, dated November 13, 1841, as security for his good behavior, Green moved to Monterey and began working for Thomas O. Larkin, the town's largest merchant, as a clerk and agent. Green soon earned the confidence of his new employer, and by the summer of 1842, he was sent out into the countryside to sell merchandise and conduct general trading. In July of that year, he wrote back to Larkin from Gilroy's rancho, reporting on his business activities. He mentioned, "I find some difficulty in getting along, on account of not speaking the language." A few days later, he wrote again, urging Larkin to come in person as many of the rancheros "would trade with you that won't with me."
Continued trading helped Green become familiar with Californian customs, and his genial personality and open-hearted manners made him very successful in business. Larkin had so much confidence in him that, in May of the next year, he put Green in charge of all the goods in his Monterey store and warehouse, worth a total of $4,292. Green was to manage Larkin's Monterey business for a year, collecting debts, conducting trade, and overseeing his interests. For these services, he was to receive $400 and five percent of the profits. Later that month, Larkin gave Green $2,500 in cash to take to Los Angeles, where he was to collect a debt of $500 and offer the total amount to the Governor of the province as a loan. In November 1843, Larkin showed even more trust in Green's honesty and ability by putting him in charge of all his "outdoor business" when he left for a voyage to Mazatlan. This included overseeing his corral, house, garden, sheds, and warehouses.
On January 1, 1844, Green was tasked with taking an "exact inventory" of all of Larkin's property except his private house. During Larkin's absence, Green was also responsible for ensuring that Mrs. Larkin had sufficient funds and that the servants behaved properly. Over the next few years, Green continued working for Larkin, steadily increasing his prestige and standing in the community. In January 1846, he made a contract to manage Larkin's mercantile business, handling goods valued at $10,000 for a period of three years, for one-third of the profits.
Government role When the United States took over California in July 1846, Green benefited from this event. Acting as Larkin's agent, he supplied a significant portion of the goods purchased by the United States military and naval forces at Monterey in 1846 and 1847. He provided clothing, ordnance, and foodstuffs to figures like Fremont, Fauntleroy, and Maddox.
In the late summer of 1846, Green was appointed to a government office. Captain William Mervine of the United States Navy temporarily assigned him as the collector of the port of Monterey. On September 17, Larkin wrote to Commodore Robert F. Stockton, recommending that Green be given the office permanently. Likely due to this recommendation, Stockton appointed Green to the position, which he held at a salary of $1,000 a year until October 1847, when President Polk ordered that customs in captured ports be collected by Army and Navy officers. During Green's appointment, Walter Colton described him as a native of Pennsylvania who "enjoys a wide reputation for business habits and sterling integrity of character."
Green was chosen to sit on the first jury ever summoned in California. Meeting on September 4, 1846, this jury, in the case of Isaac Graham vs. Charles Roussillon, delivered the well-known "enlightened and impartial verdict" to which "both parties bowed without a dissenting word."
There are indications that Green's conduct during the military occupation of California was questionable. In 1848, Lieutenant William A. T. Maddox accused Green in a letter to Larkin of making false statements about payments for supplies furnished to the naval forces. Green was evidently able to explain the charges satisfactorily, as Larkin's respect for him did not diminish. In later years, Green admitted to dishonorable conduct and bribery related to the condemnation and sale of the merchant ship Admittance by the Admiralty Court at Monterey and Mazatlan. However, this transaction was not widely known until Green disclosed it.
Moving to San Francisco In 1847 and 1848, Green was involved in various business ventures. He traveled to Mazatlan, was in San Francisco in January 1848 selling goods, went to Benicia in March to address construction matters for Larkin, and visited the gold mines in the fall. During these two years, his focus shifted from Monterey to San Francisco, especially after the discovery of gold, when he anticipated that San Francisco would soon expand significantly.
Green had owned property in San Francisco for some time, but his significant involvement in the town's business life began on January 1, 1849, when he joined the prominent trading firm of Mellus & Howard. With William D. M. Howard, Henry Mellus, and Francis Mellus as partners, Green started a career that made him a well-known figure in northern California. Over the course of two years, the firm's name and membership changed several times, but it remained one of the largest in the city. Samuel Brannan was also involved in several business ventures with the firm. By early 1851, the Mellus brothers had sold their interests in the firm, which continued as a partnership between Green and W. D. M. Howard, under the name Howard & Green.
Green's popularity