William Henry Green III was born on Christmas day 1947 to parents William Henry Green, Jr and Elizabeth Moore Green. The lineage of Greens in Shackelford County, Texas dates back to the early 1870’s when his great grandfather Thomas Henry Green, a confederate veteran from Hill County, Texas decided to send his son William Henry to gather his horse herd from the open range country in western Stephens County on Hubbard Creek. William Henry the first had been sent with instructions to gather and sell the horses and return with the proceeds. He followed half of the instructions. After being so impressed with the lush country around Hubbard Creek, he decided to lease and later purchase that country. That act of disobedience lead to the foundations of the Green Ranches that have existed for well over one hundred and thirty years. It also made a way for all four of his children to maintain their ranching heritage. Henry as he was called did not marry until he turned 50 and was 58 when Billy’s Uncle Bob, who was the youngest, was born. Two other children, Tom and Mary Anna all had children that pursued their ranching interests in Stephens, Shackelford, Oldham, Hartley, and Motley counties controlling more than 150,000 acres at one time.
When William Henry first acquired a herd of cows that were branded with a “J” on the left hip he adopted the brand as his own. Our honoree today, Billy, operates the south Green Ranch and the Pickard Ranch in Shackelford County.
Billy has maintained a cow-calf operation of crossbred Hereford – Angus cattle. The sub-surface water of that part of state is fairly salty, so he has to rely on surface tanks to water his cattle. Extended drouth affects us all, but those who depend on surface catchments are really exposed to a whole set of different problems. Billy said “we never know what we’re going to get. That’s kind of the tough thing about this business,” Green concludes. “Mother nature doesn’t ‘entitle’ you, and you must live with what she gives you.”
Billy Green is a good steward of his land and community. He is past chairman of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service’s county committee, a past director of the Fort Griffin Fandangle Association, a former member of the Albany School Board, and has served as a district director of the Lower Clear Fork of the Brazos Soil and Water Conservation district for 19 years. He now serves as a director of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Texas Livestock Marketing Association.
Being associated with good horses has been a mainstay for Billy in his life. In 2002, he won the AQHA-Bayer Best Remuda Award from the American Quarter Horse Assoc. He has competed in NCHA and ranch horse cutting events, winning the CNHA Classix/Challenge amateur division in 1992 on Genuine Jan and reserve in the same cutting in 1998 on his stallion, Hickory’s Lowenbrau. His mare, Haida’s Jan, shown by Greg Welch, won the NCHA Bonanza Classic in 1999 and War Reserve Champion at the Bonanza and the NCHA Super Stakes in 2000.
Billy grew up in Albany and attended Texas Tech in Lubbock. He married Liz Blanton, who grew up in Odessa. They have two children William Henry Green IV, and Laura Green, who live in Fort Worth.
He and Liz attend Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church where he is an elder and adult Sunday School teacher.
