Public Information

Name

Greenway, John

Class

2002

Biography

(1882-1926) A graduate of Yale University, served with Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War, earning a Silver Star for his courageous service at the Battle of San Juan Hill. Commissioned as a Brigadier General in the U.S. Army Reserve for his highly-decorated service on the front line in France during WWI. Beginning in 1899, held management positions in a number of mine, steel, and railroad companies throughout Arizona, introducing many innovative mining and ore processing techniques. Founded the town of Ajo. Served as the Adjutant General under Governor George Hunt. A founder of the American Legion, co-authored the Preamble to the American Legion Constitution. A major arterial street and high school bear his name. Upon his premature death at age 44, the New York Herald Tribune eulogized, “When Greenway came upon the field of athletics or war, confidence ran through team or regiment. To know why, to analyze the reasons, would be to analyze life itself, but some of the component elements all men know – courage, leadership, common sense, unselfishness, loyalty, mercy. All these Greenway had.”