Samuel Green was born in 1796 in Meredith, New Hampshire. From a young age, he exhibited troubling behavior. His parents believed he was possessed due to his frequent truancy and responded with severe physical punishment. As a teenager, he apprenticed with a blacksmith but was dismissed after being caught stealing. In retaliation for the punishments he received, Green committed acts of cruelty, including killing the family dog and pig.

After being sent to live with a family friend, Albert Dunne, Green's behavior did not improve. He continued to skip school and engaged in theft. A particularly violent incident involved Green setting a trap intended to harm Dunne, which led to further beatings. Eventually, Dunne released him from his care.

Between 1817 and 1821, Samuel Green embarked on a crime spree across New England and parts of Canada, including Quebec. His crimes included burglary, robbery, counterfeiting, and multiple murders. Green often targeted travelers and merchants, using blunt instruments like hammers or iron bars, and occasionally firearms, to kill his victims. He was known to travel with an accomplice, William Ash, and together they committed numerous crimes.

Green was arrested several times but managed to escape custody on multiple occasions, often with Ash's assistance. His criminal activities spanned several states, including New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Maine, and Massachusetts. One notable incident involved the murder of a fellow inmate, Billy Williams, in 1821, after Williams thwarted one of Green's escape attempts. Green attacked Williams with an iron bar, leading to Williams' death.

In 1822, Green was finally convicted of murder and sentenced to death. He was executed by hanging in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 25, 1822.