Background
Greene was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and graduated from Kent Academy.
Greene was born in East Greenwich, Rhode Island and graduated from Kent Academy.
He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1812, and completed his legal training at the Litchfield Law School in Litchfield, Connecticut from 1812-1813.
He served as a United States Senator and Attorney General of Rhode Island. He commenced the practice of law in East Greenwich. He was brigadier general, and then major general, of the Fourth Brigade of State Militia from 1816-1823.
He served as attorney general of Rhode Island from 1825-1843.
In 1827, he received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Brown University. He retired from public life, and died in Providence.
Interment was in Grace Church Cemetery.
He was a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives from 1815-1825, serving as speaker of the State House from 1821-1825. Greene was a member of the Rhode Island Senate from 1843-1844, and was elected as a Whig candidate to the United States. Senate, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1851. He was not a candidate for reelection, and was elected to the Rhode Island Senate in 1851 and 1852.
In 1857, he was again a member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives.