William Elijah Green was born on January 31, 1777, in Worcester, Massachusetts, to John and Mary Green. He graduated from Brown University, and he earned a living as a lawyer. He married Abigail Nelson on February 21, 1803, and their son William was born on February 23, 1804. She died soon afterward, and he married Lucy Meriam on September 18, 1806. She died on September 8, 1811, and he married Julia Plimpton on May 30, 1813. He eventually gave up practicing law and became a farmer. Julia died on February 12, 1833, and he eventually married a woman named Elizabeth. He died of organic heart disease in Worcester on July 27, 1865.