Belle C. Greene

Isabel Colton Greene, known as Belle C. Green (March 17, 1842 – March 10, 1926), was an American author of humorous novels.

Early life Isabel (nickname, "Belle") Colton was born in Pittsfield, Vermont, on March 17, 1842. Her ancestors were a mix of American, English and Native American. One of her ancestors on her father's side married a Native American princess belonging to a Massachusetts tribe, and settled in that state. Her mother, Lucy Baker, came from Puritan stock; she died at the age of 47, leaving her husband and a family of six girls. Isabel, who was next to the youngest, was four years old at the time. She was taken into the family of a distant relative living in Nashua, New Hampshire, where she was reared and educated in strictest orthodox ways. Her religious novel, A New England Conscience (1885), attracted wide comment. Though severely denounced by some of the critics, it was regarded by others as a masterpiece of condensed thought and realistic character drawing. Edward was his mother's constant companion on several trips across the continent to California, as well to Europe.

Her grandson, John Colton Greene, a former president of the History of Science Society and winner of its 2002 George Sarton Medal for outstanding scholarly achievement, was a professor of history at the University of Connecticut.