John Plimpton Green (1819-1892) graduated from Jefferson Medical College in 1841. He practiced medicine in Whampoa, China and then Copaipo, Chile where he lived for most of his life. He died on January 6, 1892 at his childhood home in Worcester, Massachusetts. John Plimpton Green’s family includes several prominent brothers, including Andrew Haswell Green, also known as the “Father of Greater New York” for his contributions as commissioner of Central Park and his work toward the annexation of Morrisania, West Farms and Kingsbridge in New York City; Samuel Fisk Green, who was a famous doctor and missionary in Ceylon (in what is now Sri Lanka); and Oliver Bourne Green, who was a renowned engineer for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, as well as a contractor for the parks system of Chicago.

The letters in this collection include correspondence between John Plimpton Green and his family, as well as the correspondence of his father, William E. Green. Content includes letters written while John Plimpton Green was a student at Jefferson Medical College, as well as correspondence during his time in Chile and earlier letters concerning his father William E. Green.

The letters in this collection are uploaded as scanned original letters next to transcriptions written by members of our library staff in PDF format. Please feel free to contact us with suggested transcription edits at Archivist@jefferson.edu.