Ancestors of Elizabeth Divers

Generation No. 1

1. Elizabeth Divers, born 25 Mar 1777 in Baltimore Co., MD or Franklin Co., VA?; died 23 May 1852 in Franklin Co., VA. She was the daughter of 2. Lt. John Divers and 3. Mary Greer. She married (1) Benjamin Booth 16 Dec 1795 in Franklin Co., VA. He was born 28 Oct 1762 in Amelia Co., VA, and died 25 Jul 1838 in Franklin Co., VA. He was the son of John Booth and Mary Smith.

More About Elizabeth Divers:
Burial: Booth-Joplin plot on Route 666 1.5 miles east of Route 122, Franklin Co., VA

Notes for Benjamin Booth:
The following is quoted from pages 15-16 of "Booth(e) Family History: One Lineage from Thomas, Sr. (1705-1767) of Amelia County, Virginia to Present" (1994) by Timothy Douglas Booth (1948-2002) of Centreville, VA, with the kind permission of his widow:

Benjamin was born in Amelia County on October 28, 1768. He died in Franklin County on July 25, 1838, at age 69. We know these birth and death dates because his tombstone still exists. Thus, he was born two years after his grandfather Thomas died, and was four years old when his family moved from Amelia County to Franklin County (then Bedford County).

Benjamin grew up then on his father John's plantation or farm. He was a younger son, perhaps the youngest of six sons. His older brothers had land of their own. Benjamin inherited his father's land of 446 acres near the Staunton (later Roanoke) River and his homeplace at age 39 when John died in 1807. His occupation then was planter or farmer.

Benjamin married Elizabeth Divers on December 16, 1795. He was 27 and she was 18. Elizabeth was the daughter of John Divers and Mary Greer. The Divers lived nearby. John Divers is also a registered patriot ancestor with the D.A.R.

Elizabeth was born March 25, 1777 and died May 23, 1852 age age 75. Her tombstone is next to Benjamin's.

A Booth researcher writes, "In those days of horseback travel, when there were only a few wagon roads, each little neighborhood was a unit of its own. Social life centered around the little churches in the clearings, and when schoolhouses began to be built there were at times gatherings and dances in those. Neighbors and kinfolk intermarried constantly. Not many of these early settlers could even sign their names, but had wisdom and many other attributes that would put some of their educated descendants to shame."

For example, Benjamin's older brother Peter married in 1783 his cousin Elizabeth Booth, daughter of George who was brother to John. It is likely Elizabeth was one of George's children that moved to Bedford County as discussed in Chapter 4. Peter had his own farm nearby, and remarried later in life.

Benjamin and Elizabeth had eight children: three sons and five daughters. Their names were John Dewitt (our ancestor), Moses Greer, Steven, Katherine, Emily, Mahala, Sally, and Elizabeth [ancestor of me, Bryan Scott Godfrey].

Census information was obtained on Benjamin for the years 1810, 1820, and 1830: In 1810, when Benjamin was 41, in his household were six males and six females. There were 13 slaves. In 1820, when Benjamin was 51, in his household were four males and nine females. There were by then 21 slaves. In 1830, when Benjamin was 61, in his household were five males and seven females. The slaves numbered 18.

Therefore, Benjamin during this thirty year span always had about a dozen family members or relatives living in his household. His plantation operations were extensive, judging by the number of slave laborers.

Were there more children born to Benjamin and Elizabeth than the eight we know about, and seven listed as surviving in Benjamin's Will? This could be, judging from the numbers of household members in the above census records. A history book on Franklin County states, "Nineteenth-century parents, as those before them, often lost at least one child in infancy or childhood, usually to illness. During the colonial period children typically lost one, or perhaps both parents, before they themselves reached adulthood. After the turn of the nineteenth century families increasingly were able to count one parent--and perhaps both--surviving until the children were grown. Women were far less likely to survive than men, of course, given the rigors of frequent pregnancies and childbirth, ..."

We have seen that the wives of the previous two generations were not mentioned in their husband's Wills, and were presumed to have passed away before their husbands. Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin, is the first of four successive generations [of the author, Timothy Booth's, lineage] to outlive their husbands.

In the 1840 census, Elizabeth Booth, by then Benjamin's widow, is listed as head of household, her age being 63. In her household were one male between 20-30, and three females. The slaves numbered 10.

In the 1850 census, Elizabeth Booth is again listed as head of household, at age 73, occupation farmer. This was the first year that the census showed all the names living in the household. Only two others are listed; James Walker, age 14 (probably a grandson), and James A. Williamson, age 28, laborer. The number of slaves are not shown.

Bedford and Franklin County land records show several transactions involving Benjamin. It appears he sold the Booth lands on the north side of the river and bought additional acreage to add to his land on the south side.

There were other enterprises besides farming introduced. A book states "Members of the Booth family were the first makers of felt hats in Franklin County." Family legend has it that they were taught how by their northern relatives.

Also, Benjamin's Will mentions selling his interest in a store under the firm of J.D. and M. Booth, his sons. He probably helped finance the store, and did not actually manage or work it.

More About Benjamin Booth:
Burial: Booth-Joplin plot on Route 666 1.5 miles east of Route 122, Franklin Co., VA
Census 1: 1810, Listed with 6 males, 6 females, and 13 slaves in his household.
Census 2: 1820, 4 males, 9 females, 21 slaves in household
Census 3: 1830, 5 males, 7 females, 18 slaves in his household
Occupation: Planter; store merchant

Generation No. 2

2. Lt. John Divers, born 17 Jan 1739 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died 1800 in Franklin Co., VA. He was the son of 4. Christopher Divers and 5. Sarah Arnell. He married 3. Mary Greer 10 Jun 1766 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD.
3. Mary Greer, born Abt. 1745 in Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Abt. 1818 in Franklin Co., VA. She was the daughter of 6. Moses Greer and 7. Mary Bailey.

Notes for Lt. John Divers:
The following is quoted from an article contributed by Marcella Divers Patterson of Bellevue, WA and her son Robert Patterson of Thousand Oaks, CA, for the book "Franklin County, Va.--Heritage 2000":

The John Divers Family

John Divers and wife Mary Greer came to what is now Franklin County in the 1770s. By his death in 1800 John had acquired 700 acres along Gills Creek. He was appointed a Virginia militia 2nd Lieutenant in 1780 and 1st Lt. in 1781. He furnished provisions and drove cattle in support of the Revolution. He was promoted to Captain in 1789, at which time he took the oath to support the Constitution.

The Divers family was part of a gradual Greer Family migration from Baltimore County, Maryland. Beginning in the 1750s Mary's uncles--John, Aquilla, Joseph, and Benjamin--purchased properties on the Staunton River, Blackwater River, Maggoty Creek, Gills Creek and at Grassy Hill near Rocky Mount.

Mary's parents--William and Ann (Fitch) Greer--and brothers--William, Jr., James, and Moses--migrated in the 1770s. Moses was later a Franklin County representative to the Virginia Legislature and served as presiding judge. Moses Jr. was a Justice of the Peace. Mary's uncle Moses, with son James, and aunt Ann (Greer) Starkey, with husband John, also arrived in the 1770s.

John, son of Christopher and Sarah (Arnell) Divers, was born in Saint John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland in 1739. His brother Ananias and half brother Francis stayed in Maryland.

Divers Children--Christopher (1767-1844) married Lucy Smith, daughter of John. They lived on Gills Creek until moving to Johnson County, Missouri, in 1836.

Aquilla (1769-1858) married Nancy Bradley, daughter of William. He remained in Franklin County on land along Gills Creek--nine acres of which is now part of the Booker T. Washington National Monument.

Sarah (1776-1858) married Joseph Meador, son of Joel. After Joseph died in 1832, Sarah and children moved to Sumner and Smith counties, Tennessee.

Elizabeth (1777-1852) married Benjamin Booth, son of John. Their son John was a county merchant.

Mary (1780-1870) married James Meador, son of Joel. Their sons--Joseph, John, Joel, and James--all farmed in Franklin County.

Ellender (1775-1830) married Anthony Epperson, son of Anthony and Susannah (Holland) Eppperson. They moved to Smith County, Tennessee, after marrying in 1809.

Ananias (1781-1846) married Mary Holland, daughter of Thomas and Sarah (Gilbert) Holland. He stayed on the Divers home place on Gills Creek, which he inherited from his mother after 1810 and traded to brother Francis in 1814. He moved to Johnson County, Missouri, in 1838. His grandson, Peyton Dewitt Divers, later became the Franklin County Treasurer.

Francis (1782-1839) married Elizabeth Harris, daughter of John and Sarah (Martin) Harris. He inherited land on Round Hill along Big Branch which he traded to brother Ananias. Most of his children moved to Pettis or Johnson Counties, Missouri.

William Robertson Divers (1785-1885) married Mary Weaver. He served in the War of 1812 and lived many years on Gills Creek.

More About Lt. John Divers:
Military: Aft. 1780, Revolutionary War--2nd Lieutenant and 1st Lieutenant in the Virginia Militia. Became Captain in 1789 after the war. Furnished provisions and drove cattle in support of the patriotic cause during the Revolution.
Property: Bef. 1800, Acquired 700 acres along Gills Creek in Franklin Co., VA.
Residence: Harford Co., MD; Franklin Co., VA

Notes for Mary Greer:
THE ANCESTRY OF MARY GREER, WIFE OF JOHN DIVERS
Bryan S. Godfrey, great6-grandson

The parents of Mary Greer have not been determined by the many Greer family researchers over the years. However, it seems a safe assumption that she was a granddaughter of John Greer and his wife Sarah Day of Harford County, Maryland through a son of theirs who did not leave a will or any other definite indication of all his children. The possibilities seem to narrow down to either William Greer or Moses Greer as the father of Mary Greer Divers, and I am convinced Moses is a better candidate than William. The records concerning the brothers William and Moses Greer are scanty after they left Maryland and settled in the area of Franklin County and/or Pittsylvania County, Virginia, and neither of them left wills which would be the best records of their children. Unfortunately, due to the repetition of names like Moses, William, Aquilla, and John through several generations of the John and Sarah Day Greer family, and even in the same generation, many Greer researchers have presented conflicting information. For example, their son Moses, who married Mary Bayley, has often been confused with Moses' brother William's son Moses Greer (ca. 1744-1834), both of whom lived in Franklin County, and the latter married a Nancy Bailey. One Greer tradition regarding the first William Greer is that he married Ann Fitch and had several sons and a daughter Rebecca who married a Divers and settled in Franklin County. Because several aspects of that family's tradition are definitely inaccurate, it is highly likely the tradition of Mary AKA Rebecca Divers being William's daughter is also. John and Mary Greer Divers did not name a son William. It is Moses and Mary Bayley Greer whom I believe to be the parents of Mary Greer Divers. Mary did not name a son Moses either, but I am still convinced Moses was her father. The circumstantial evidence is as follows:

1. The names Moses and Greer, sometimes together, occur among several immediate descendants of John and Mary Greer Divers. Their daughter Elizabeth Divers, who married Benjamin Booth (my ancestors), had a son named Moses Greer Booth. John and Mary Greer Divers' son Aquilla had a son named Moses Divers. The occurrence of the uncommon name Aquilla as a son of Mary Greer Divers is also strong circumstanial evidence of a connection as John and Sarah Day Greer had a son and many other descendants named Aquilla. However, Mary Greer Divers was apparently not a daughter of the first Aquilla Greer as he left a will in Greene County, Georgia, naming his children. Biographies of Moses Greer Booth say he was named for an early political leader of Franklin County, but the authors were apparently unaware that the first Moses Greer in that county was probably Booth's great-grandfather. His grandmother Mary Greer Divers was still living when Moses was born in 1803, so she could very well have requested he be named for her father.

2. The first Moses Greer married Mary Bayley/Bailey in 1737 in Baltimore/Harford County, Maryland, and Mary Greer Divers was probably born between 1739 (the year her husband John Divers was born) and 1745. So far Greer researchers have assigned only four sons to Moses and Mary, but suggest there were probably more children. Their names were James, Moses, Lowranter, and Aquilla. They were probably younger children, and Mary may have been one of the older children for whom no records of birth or baptism were recorded in St. John's Parish, Joppa, Maryland. This James Greer was probably the same one of the name who was a witness to John Divers' will in Franklin County. John and Mary Greer Divers' son Christopher gave the name Bailey Divers to one of his children.

For now I am listing Moses Greer and Mary Bayley as the parents of Mary Greer Divers. The worst-case scenario is that this is incorrect, but even if it is, it seems fairly obvious Moses was her uncle instead and that Mary was, in either case, a granddaughter of John and Sarah Day Greer.


Children of John Divers and Mary Greer are:
i. Christopher Divers II, born 1767 in Baltimore Co., MD; died Oct 1846 in Johnson Co., MO; married Lucy Smith.

Notes for Christopher Divers II:
"Christopher Divers, after his wife, Lucy, died, moved with his children to Missouri in 1832 and settled on a farm about 18 miles southeast of Warrensburg, Missouri. He is buried on this farm." (Sandra F. Eskew, 3642 Circle Drive Place, Grove, Oklahoma 74344; 918-786-9638 as recorded in the GREER-DIVERS PAPERS.)

ii. Aquilla Divers, born Abt. 1769 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 1858 in Franklin Co., VA; married Nancy Bradley 22 Apr 1794 in Franklin Co., VA; born Abt. 1774; died Aft. 1860.
iii. Sarah Divers, born Abt. 1776 in Baltimore Co., MD or Franklin/Bedford Co., VA; died Feb 1839 in Sumner Co., TN; married Joseph Meador 23 Apr 1794 in Franklin Co., VA; born Abt. 1772 in Bedford/Franklin Co., VA; died Bef. Oct 1832 in Franklin Co., VA.

Notes for Joseph Meador:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~janet/Meador.html

Joseph MEADOR (Joel MEADOR, Jonas MEADOR, John Meadows , Sr., Thomas "Orphan", Thomas Meades, Father) was born in 1772 in Franklin Co., VA. He died in Oct 1832 in Franklin Co., VA. Joseph married Sarah DIVERS, daughter of John H. DIVERS and Mary Rebecca GREER, on 23 Apr 1794 in Franklin Co., VA. Sarah was born in 1760 in Franklin Co., VA. She died in 1834 in TN.

They had the following children:

1. John MEADOR was born in 1795/1796 in Franklin Co., VA. He died in TN.

2. Fleming MEADOR was born in 1796 in Franklin Co., VA.

3. Susannah MEADOR was born in 1797 in Franklin Co., VA. She died in 1850 in Bedford Co., VA. Susannah married Thomas ELLIS on 13 Jan 1820 in Franklin Co., VA.

4. Christopher MEADOR was born on 8 Apr 1800 and died on 26 Jul 1843.

5. Joel MEADOR was born on 13 Dec 1801 and died on 5 Dec 1844.

6. Joseph Divers MEADOR was born in 1803 in Franklin Co., VA. He died on 17 Oct 1860 in Morgan Co., MO.

7. Jonas MEADOR was born in 1804/1805 in Franklin Co., VA. He died in 1855/1860 in Morgan Co., MO. Jonas married Polly LANSDOWN?, daughter of William LANSDOWN?, on 27 Feb 1826 in Bedford Co., VA.

8. Ananias MEADOR was born about 1806 and died in 1835.

9. Mary Polly MEADOR was born about 1808 in Franklin Co., VA. She died in 1834/1835 in Smith Co., TN.

10. Sarah MEADOR was born in 1812 in Franklin Co., VA. Sarah married Johnson LANSDOWN? on 7 Feb 1825.

11. Moses Greer MEADOR was born in 1814 and died in 1862.

The Meador families who came to Morgan County, Missouri. Five of Jospeh and Sally Divers Meadors move to Missouri. Starting with Joel a recorded flat map ahs Joel living in Missoiri on 3 Dec, 1836. He was followed by Joseph and Fleming. By 1840 Moses G Meador was here also. They settled generally about 4 miles from Versilles, MO.

1 iv. Elizabeth Divers, born 25 Mar 1777 in Baltimore Co., MD or Franklin Co., VA?; died 23 May 1852 in Franklin Co., VA; married Benjamin Booth 16 Dec 1795 in Franklin Co., VA.
v. Mary Divers, born 1780 in Bedford Co., VA; died Aft. 1854 in Franklin Co., VA; married James Meador 13 Sep 1797 in Franklin Co., VA.

Notes for Mary Divers:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~janet/Meador.html

James MEADOR (Joel MEADOR, Jonas MEADOR, John Meadows , Sr., Thomas "Orphan", Thomas Meades, Father)was born in 1774 in Franklin Co., VA. He died on 11 Sep 1854 in Franklin Co., VA and was buried in Sep 1854 in Franklin Co., VA. James married 1st Mary DIVERS, daughter of John H. DIVERS and Mary Rebecca GREER, on 13 Sep 1797 in Franklin Co., VA. Mary was born in 1765/1775 in Franklin Co., VA. She died after 1850 in Franklin Co., VA. James also married 2nd Sarah DIVERS, daughter of John H. DIVERS and Mary Rebecca GREER, on 13 Sep 1797 in Franklin Co., VA. Sarah was born in 1760 in Franklin Co., VA. She died in 1834 in TN.

They had the following children:

1. Margaret MEADOR was born in 1798 and died after 1872.

2. Elizabeth MEADOR was born on 18 Jun 1802 and died on 11 Jun 1865.

3. Joseph D. MEADOR was born in 1803 in Franklin Co., VA. Joseph married Jane ARRINGTON on 17 Jan 1830.

4. John G. MEADOR was born in 1805 in Franklin Co., VA. John married Serepta SIMMONS on 29 Jan 1824.

5. Susan MEADOR was born in 1806 in Franklin Co., VA. Susan married þ John ADKINS on 6 Oct 1830. John was born about 1802 in Franklin Co., VA.

6. Joel MEADOR was born in 1810 in Franklin Co., VA. He died after 1880 in Franklin Co., VA. Joel married Irena ARRINGTON on 6 Jul 1833 in Franklin Co., VA. Irena was born about 1813 in VA. She died on 11 Apr 1859.

7. Jesse MEADOR was born in 1815 in Franklin Co., VA.

8.James P. MEADOR was born in 1814 in Franklin Co., VA. James married Sarah BOOTH on 14 Jan 1836.

vi. Eleanor/Ellender Divers, born Abt. 1781 in Bedford Co., VA; died Abt. 1839 in Smith Co., TN; married Anthony Epperson 17 Jan 1800 in Franklin Co., VA; born 1771 in Bedford Co. or present-day Franklin Co., VA?; died 04 Mar 1839 in Smith Co., TN.
vii. Francis Divers, born Abt. 1782 in Bedford Co., VA?; died 05 Aug 1839 in Franklin Co., VA; married Elizabeth Harris 18 Oct 1810 in Franklin Co., VA; born Abt. 1788 in Franklin Co., VA; died Abt. 1846 in Pettis Co., MO.
viii. Annanias Divers, born 1784 in Bedford Co., VA; died Abt. 1846 in Johnson Co., MO; married Mary Holland 24 Nov 1807; born 27 Jan 1793.

Generation No. 3

4. Christopher Divers, died 08 Nov 1766 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD. He married 5. Sarah Arnell Aug 1736 in Baltimore Co., MD.
5. Sarah Arnell, died 25 Jul 1760 in Baltimore Co., MD.

More About Christopher Divers:
Comment 1: There is an undocumented statement that the Divers family resided in Maine prior to settling in Maryland. The surname appears to be of Scots-Irish or Irish origin.
Comment 2: Some researchers have determined that a Christopher Divers was christened in 1710 in St. David's, Exeter, Sussex, England, and that he immigrated to Maryland in 1728, but need proof the records pertain to this Christopher.

Children of Christopher Divers and Sarah Arnell are:
i. Mary Divers, born Oct 1737 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.
2 ii. Lt. John Divers, born 17 Jan 1739 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died 1800 in Franklin Co., VA; married Mary Greer 10 Jun 1766 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD.
iii. Tamzin Divers, born 03 Mar 1740 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.
iv. Elizabeth Divers, born 17 May 1743 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.
v. Sarah Divers, born 07 May 1746 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.
vi. Ananias Divers, born 07 May 1746 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.

6. Moses Greer, born Abt. 1712 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Bef. 1777 in present-day Henry Co., VA?. He was the son of 12. John Greer and 13. Sarah Day. He married 7. Mary Bailey Jan 1737 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD.
7. Mary Bailey, born in present-day Harford Co., MD?; died 09 Feb 1760 in Pittsylvania Co. or present-day Henry Co., VA?.

Notes for Moses Greer:
The following is quoted from the research of Ralph Terry:

Moses Greer was born between 1712 and 1716 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died before 1777 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. "Moses (Greer). Married Baltimore in January 1737 Mary Bayley. He remained in Baltimore County after his brothers left, but did not own lands, and his youngest son, another Aquilla, was born there 9 September 1760. Older sons likely included John, Joseph and James, of Baltimore County in the later 1760's. Moses and sons apparently moved to Franklin County, Virginia in the 1770's joining their relatives. James was probably the James Greer who married Eleanor Hughes and lived on the Pigg River (present Franklin County, Virginia near Carroll County line) near William Greer (c 1727 - 1802). Moses died in 1777 and is buried in Pittsylvania County, Virginia." (OUR GREER FAMILY HERITAGE, 1983, by Thomas H. Greer, 335 Minamontes Avenue, Half Moon Bay, California 94019, page 67.)

"Moses Greer was born in 1716, and undoubtedly, since his parents lived there, in Baltimore County, Maryland. Evidence that he was a son of John Greer of Baltimore County is made in a deposition that he, Moses Greer, when living in Virginia in his later life, which was recorded in Baltimore County, Maryland, that he, in his early life, was a resident of Baltimore County; that his father resided there; and that his brother, Aquila Greer was there. It will be shown that, in Virginia, where, in the same localities, lived, contemporaneously, this Moses Greer, together with John, Aquila, Joseph and Benjamin Greer, the said John, Aquila, and Joseph very frequently were associated in various land transactions. This hardly could have been the case, unless they were brothers, which relationship also seems established beyond question, by the fact that the said Aquila, as already mentioned, in the said deposition of his proved brother Moses Greer, lived as did Moses in Baltimore County, Maryland, before they settled in Virginia. At the known periods of the births of Moses, Aquila, and Joseph Greer, no other person of this surname is found residing in Baltimore County of age to have been their father, except the John Greer, already described in the present study, and which John was the son of James and Ann (Taylor), and husband of Sarah. Therefore, it is impossible to question that Moses, John, Aquila and Joseph Greer (all formerly residents of Baltimore County, Maryland, and later all of Virginia) all were the sons of John Greer and the aforesaid Sarah.

"The date of his birth is proven to have been 1716 by statements which he made in a deposition, when he was sixty-one years old, and then living in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. In the deposition, which is recorded in land records of Baltimore County, Maryland, because it concerns boundaries of land in that county, but which lands, it is thought, had not belonged to Moses Greer's family, he stated the following items, in the course of his description of the said land, as he then recalled them and the circumstances of his connection with the survey of the land: That Moses Greer, the deponet, was then sixty-one years of age, that he then was of Pittsylvania County, Virginia (the date of the deposition being September 13, 1777) but that, formerly he was a resident of Baltimore County, Maryland; that about forty five years prior to the date of deposition (which would indicate the year 1732, at which time Moses Greer, -- as born in 1716, being aged sixty-one in 1777, -- would have been sixteen years of age), his father (unnamed in the deposition), said to him the said Moses Greer, "to go to a large oak tree and stay until Mr. Snowden the surveyor came," that he Moses Greer and his brother "Aquila carried the chain," and that the said Snowden, the surveyor gave him, Moses Greer and his said brother Aquilla Greer "10s for carrying the chain."

"The date when Moses left Baltimore County, Maryland and settled in Virginia, is not known at present. He was living in Baltimore County in 1760, when one of his children was baptized in the Parish of Saint John, Joppa, Baltimore County. As shown by the deposition, noted above, which he made in 1777, by that time he was a resident of Pittsylvania County, Virginia. This above deposition was recorded in Deed Book WGA, page 277, Baltimore County, Maryland. Pittsylvania County was erected in 1767 from a part of Halifax County, Virginia. As will be shown subsequently herein, John, Aquila and Joseph Greer, brothers of Moses Greer, obtained patents for land in Halifax County, in 1757, and it seems very probable that Moses Greer followed to Virginia not many years afterwards.

"Moses Greer married in Saint John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland, in January 1737 (which in modern dating, would have been in January 1738). His wife was Mary Bayley. It is probable that Moses and Mary (Bayley) Greer had children born earlier than those mentioned, but this may not be the case, since the records erroneously mentioned as their births evidently should have been given as their baptism. So far as is know the children of Moses and Mary (Bayley) Greer were: Moses, Lowander (Leander), and Aquila." (GREER ANCESTRY, 1943, compiled and rearranged by Mable Thachery Rosemary Washburn, from material furnished by Mrs. W. B. Dooley, 3214 Jackson Street, Houston, Texas; Mr. Sylvester Greer, Dixiana, Alabama; Dr. C. A. Breast, Dixia Hotel, Shelbyville, Tennessee; and G. Moore Greer, Sr., 205 N. Ranney Avenue, Sikeston, Missouri.)

"Moses Greer's marriage to Mary Bailey (which has also been found spelled as "Bayley," was recorded in January 1737." (St. John's Parrish Records, Joppa, Baltimore County, Maryland, page 180 (or 208).) The Bailey family of Gunpowder River were neighbors of the Greers.

"Moses Greer moved to the part of Pittsylvania County, Virginia which became Henry County and bordered Franklin County. A number of Greers, thought to have been his children, are found in Pittsylvania County records even though there is no proof just when Moses moved there. He is often confused with his nephew, Moses Greer of Franklin County, who fought in the Revolutionary War and who became prominent in that area under the name of Moses Sr." (ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE, by Billie Redding Lewis, 1984, page 207

In ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS, Carolyn Beal shows Moses death year as 1788.

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Older Greer research shows only two children for Moses, Lewrander (various spellings) and Aquilla, as they two are the only children who have baptisms recorded at St. John's Parrish, Joppa, Maryland. More recent work, however has added James and Moses. James is shown in one deed as "James, son of Moses, and he was even married at St. John's.)

He was married to Mary Bailey in Jan 1737 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Mary Bailey died on 9 Feb 1760 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.

Children of Moses Greer and Mary Bailey are:
i. James Greer, born Abt. 1740 in Gunpowder River area of Baltimore Co., MD; died Bef. 06 Oct 1806 in Franklin Co., VA.
3 ii. Mary Greer, born Abt. 1745 in Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Abt. 1818 in Franklin Co., VA; married Lt. John Divers 10 Jun 1766 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore Co., MD.
iii. Moses Greer, Jr., born Abt. 09 Sep 1755 in Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD.
iv. Lowranter Greer, born Abt. 07 Jun 1757 in Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD; died 1759.
v. Aquilla Greer, born Abt. 1760 in Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD.

Generation No. 4

12. John Greer, born Abt. 1682 in Gunpowder River area of Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died 1752 in Onslow Co., NC. He was the son of 24. James Greer and 25. Ann Taylor. He married 13. Sarah Day 04 Mar 1704 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Baltimore Co., MD.
13. Sarah Day, born Abt. 1686 in Anne Arundel Co., MD?; died Abt. 1747 in Baltimore Co., MD. She was the daughter of 26. Nicholas Day and 27. Sarah Lowe?.

Notes for John Greer:
The following information on John Greer, and all information on his children herein, has been copied and pasted from the Greer Family Website of Ralph Terry with his kind permission:

12. John Greer was born between 1682 and 1688 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died on 15 Sep 1750 in Baltimore County, Maryland. "John Greer, as his name is spelled in all of his records, was born in Baltimore County in 1688, as will be proven, and was a planter at the same time speculated in lands to a considerable extent. His first land consisted of the 75 acres which he inherited from his parents; his purchases were from 1718 to 1720 and his sales were from 1714 to 1748. After 1748, his name is not found in Maryland records. In order to verify the above statements, that John Greer was the son of James Grear and his wife, Ann Taylor, and that John Greer was born in 1688, copies of Court Records will follow:

"BOOK T. R. #A, fOLIO 333, TRANSCRIBED FROM LIBER 15, FOLIO 296-71: "John Greer to Walter Bosley: This Indenture, 4 March 1714, John Greer, of Baltimore County, Maryland, planter, has received rent from and sells to Walter Bosley 75 acres, being part of Arthur's Choice in Baltimore County, on the South side of Gunpowder River, called Bird's Run, beginning at a red oak... (The entire description will not be copied, because it is exactly as shown in the original grant from Arthur Taylor to James and Ann Greer.) "Be it remembered that on 4 March 1714, came Ann Harriott, mother of said Greer and Sarah, his wife, both of whom being privately examined by Luke Raven, Gent., one of the Justices of the City Court of Baltimore County, acknowledged all their rights of Dower to the within mentioned, bargained and sold land and improvements on the premises of the said John Grear, likewise acknowledged in open Court, according to the Act of Assembly. Signed John Stokes."

"BALTIMORE COURT PRECEEDINGS - LAND COMMISSION, LIBER H.W.S. NO. 2, FOLIO 144, 1732 DEPOSITIONS: "John Greer testified of having been informed, some fourteen or fifteen years before, by his uncle, John Taylor, then Deputy Surveyor, that the beginning tree of Heathcoat's cottage was a bounded poplar tree which stood at the head of the first draft above Nicholas Day's plantation, near to an Indian cabin and that at some small distance from the place where the deponent now stands, being a bounded poplar tree standing near the head of a great drain on the third branch on the North side of the main falls of the Gunpowder River, there appeared to have been formerly made an Indian cabin." (This again confirms that John Grear's mother was Ann Taylor, since her brother, John Taylor was his uncle.)

"MARYLAND HISTORY MAGAZINE, Volume 18, page 21: "In 1738, John Greer deposed that he had been bitten by a rattlesnake in the woods about 30 perches above the mouth of the Long Green River and futher, that he was 50 years old at that time." This places his birth as in 1688.

"BALTIMORE COURT PRECEEDINGS - LAND COMMISSION, LIBER W.B.M. VOLUME 16, FOLIO 147: "July 25, 1743, before the Land Commission held to determine the bounds of a tract called, Thompson's Tott, laid out for George Thompson. That thirty years ago, or there about, Mr. John Taylor, who then lived on the South side of Gunpowder River near the ferry and afterward went to Carolina, and if now living is seventy-eight, the said John Taylor shewed this deponent a bounded black and red oak which this deponent now sheweth unto us, fairly bounded by three trees... the aforesaid oak stands on the East side of a swampy stream descending into Momigold Run, now called Honeygo Run." (This is given to establish the birth date of John Taylor, as 1665.)

"ANN ARUNDEL & BALTIMORE COUNTIES - RENT ROLLS NO 1, FOLIO 230: "Greers park, 100 acres, rent 4 shillings, surveyed to John Greer, 3 February 1718, lying on the Great Falls of Gunpowder River in Baltimore County, patented to said Greer, 6 March 1732, Certificate A.M., #1, folio 213, Patent P.L. #8, folio 802. These same 100 acres were transferred to Mark Guishard, 5 April 1748, by John Greer and his wife, Sarah, did not join in the Deed. (T.B. #E., folio 715.)"

"ANN ARUNDEL & BALTIMORE COUNTIES - RENT ROLL NO. 1, FOLIO 259: "Greers Improvement, 58 acres, rent 2 shillings, 6 pence, surveyed for John Greer, 24 January 1720, lying on North side of Main Falls of Gunpowder River. Certificate E.I. #3, folio 289. Patented E.I., #4, folio 167. John Greer sold these to Mark Guishard 5 April 1748. T.B. #E., folio 715. Wife did not join in Deed."

"ANN ARUNDEL & BALTIMORE COUNTIES - CERTIFICATE E.I. #3, FOLIO 443: Greer's Discovery, 92 acres, rent 0-3-8 1/2, surveyed to John Greer 24 January 1720, lying on North side of Main Falls of Gunpowder River. Patented to Thomas Greer, Liber E.L. #4, folio 410. John Greer transferred these 92 acres to Mark Guishard 2 March 1747, wife did not join in Deed. It is here assumed that Sarah Greer died following the birth of her twin sons, Benjamin and Joseph Greer, born 6 January 1727.

"Consulted Maryland records fail to disclose Wills for either John Greer or his wife, Sarah, so the names of their children have had to (be) established through records to be quoted in each case. Before listing their names, because this is a controversial question, the following references are given:

"SCOTCH - IRISH SETTLEMENT IN VIRGINIA, (AUGUSTA COUNTY RECORDS, page 275) VOLUME 3, page 18, by Lyman C. Chalkley.: "15 September 1750 - John Greer's Noncupative Will: Debts to be paid to William Long, William Neil, John Kennedy and Nathaniel Patterson; son, Alexander, to be bound to a trade; one child to be bound to John Mitchell; one child to be bound to S. D. (sic, evidently Samuel Doak); oldest girl to go to some decent woman to learn housewifery." Executors: John Mitchell and Samuel Doak. Teste: James Corwin, John Mitchell, Samuel Doak, Francis Beatey." IBID. VOLUME 3, PAGE 446: "22 September 1750, John Greer's Vendue: Sold to John Lockhart, John Roseman, Sarah Lynn, John Teat, John Mitchell, Chilpa Kelley, George Buckingham, Thomas Scott, Jane Lynn, Thomas Teat and Francis Beatey. John New." IBID. PAGE 26 (AUGUSTA COUNTY RECORD, page 447): "24 August 1752, John Mitchell and Samuel Doage (sic.) gave bond as guardians apointed for Rebecca, Alexander, Martha and Mary Greer, orphan children of John Greer, deceased, with Surety, Francis Beatey." IBID. VOLUME 1, PAGE 66 (AUGUSTA COUNTY ORDER BOOK, NO. 4, PAGE 331.): "Samuel Doak and John Mitchell, guardians for the orphan children of John Greer, made final settlement, 22 November 1754."

"It is not known upon what date John Greer went to Virginia, presumably to be nearer his older children. While proof is lacking, it is thought the documents, above quoted, apply to the John Greer, born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1688, who must have married again, some time after the death of his first wife, Sarah, assumed to have died after January 1727, and by his second marriage became the father of four additional children: Rebecca, Alexander, Martha and Mary Greer. His second wife must have predeceased him, since her name was not mentioned in his Will and his children were spoken of as orphans. The fact that his estate was settled 22 November 1754, it is obvious that his youngest child, Mary, had reached maturity, 18 for a daughter, or at marriage, at or before that date. Accordingly, her birth date would be about 1736; Martha in 1734; Alexander in 1732 and Rebecca in 1730, close to three years after the death of Sarah, his first wife. It must be remembered that in Augusta County, Virginia, at that time, there many others by name of Greer, such as those from Andrew Greer to Tennessee and others from The Carolinas. It is very difficult to seggregate them, John Greer, born in 1688, would have been but sixty-two years old at his death, in 1750. This sketch is based on the above conclusion and will credit John Greer with children, thirteen: Their names will follow:" [children and descendants listed.] (GREGOR, MacGREGOR, MacGHEE, MAGRUDER, GRIERSON, GRIER, GREER --- A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE ABOVE FAMILIES AND MANY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1954, compiled by Robert M. Torrence, A.B., F.G.S.P., F.I.A.G., 110 Edgevale Road Baltimore 10, Maryland, pages 144 - 148 .)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: The following sources are mentioned by Bell (others?) Rent Roll #1 folio 259; Book E.L. #4 folio 410; General information about John Greer as per J. B. Bell in GREER KINSMEN from Mrs. Vivian G. White, expert on this family, 1970; Marge Hankins, 1986, who lists Gayle Holmes, Ann Hughes Farnsworth, Margretta Schrader, Dr. Benjamin Cartwright and research in Kentucky and Missouri as her sources. Carolyn Beal lists her sources as T. N. Greer; Sylvester Greer; Mary Weaver Garcia; Darlene Leese (T Bar Ranch, Eldorado, Oklahoma 73537); and the Mormon Records submitted by Ellen Greer Rees.)

"Many compilations on the Greer family show Sarah (Day) Greer's death date from 1742 to 1747. This date seems to have been based on Sarah not signing any deed releases during 1747 and 1748. However, a logical scenerio could be as follows: According to the vestry books, in Baltimore County, "John Greer was admonished for co-habitating unlawfully with one Chloe Jones (not dated)."" (ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS by Carolina Beal, 1985, page 33.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Sarah, John's wife, apparently, separated from him and went to live with her son, Aquilla at the Chilimara Plantation (as seen by a land lease record found under Aquilla Greer). John was still in Baltimore County, Maryland where he had four additional children, possibly by Chloe Jones. John later moved to Augusta County, Virginia. His last four children were possibly born out of wedlock, as they were not accepted by John's older children and were bound out to pay John's debts after his death. As some sources show Obadiah Pritchett to be Sarah's second husband, rather than her first husband, she could have married him after separating from John.)

He was married to Sarah Day (daughter of Nicholas Day and Sarah Lowe) on 4 Mar 1704 in St John's Parish, Joppa, Baltimore County, Maryland. Sarah Day was born about 1686 in Baltimore County, Maryland. She died about 1758 in Baltimore County, Maryland. John Greer and Sarah Day had the following children:

+30 i. James Greer.
+31 ii. William Greer Sr..
+32 iii. Moses Greer.
+33 iv. John Greer Jr..
+34 v. Aquilla Greer.
35 vi. Sarah Greer was born about 1720/21 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She was christened on 15 Feb 1721 in St John's Parish, Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She died after 15 Feb 1721 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. "Sarah Greer was a twin of Ann and died as an infant." (GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell). "Sarah died at seven years of age." (GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA by Julian Greer). The birth (or christening ?) date of Sarah and Ann Greer is recorded in St. John's Parish Records, page 99.

"But who is the Sarah Greer who witnessed the will (of John Greer, Jr.)? Is She Sarah Day Greer, wife of John Greer Sr or I and mother of John Greer, Jr or III? If so, it is strange that we have not come across her and John Greer Sr or I in any records since the late 1740's in Baltimore County, Maryland. Then, too, she would have been in her 90's by the time of this will, 1782. Also, Moses Greer's testimony in 1769, as I have pointed out, makes it sufficiently clear that John Greer Sr or I and his wife Sarah Day Greer were both dead by 1749 or close thereafter. Very probably this Sarah Greer who witnesses the will was none other than John Greer Jr or II's sister Sarah who never married." (MY GREER AND RELATED FAMILIES, by Clayton Alvis Greer, page 70.)
+36 vii. Ann Greer.
+37 viii. Thomas Greer.
+38 ix. Joseph Greer.
+39 x. Benjamin Greer.

He was married to Chloe Jones?. John Greer and Chloe Jones? had the following children:

40 i. Rebecca Greer was born about 1730 in Baltimore County, Maryland.
41 ii. Alexander Greer was born about 1732 in Baltimore County, Marylan
42 iii. Martha Greer was born about 1734 in Baltimore County, Maryland.
43 iv. Mary Greer was born about 1736 in Baltimore County, Maryland.

Return to Table of Contents

Discovering the information on the website http://www.rootsweb.com/~mdbaltim/wills/will237.htm , pasted below, forces me to reconsider whether the above references to John Greer of Augusta County, Virginia, was the same one who married Sarah Day and previously lived in Baltimore/Harford County, Maryland. This seems to be a recent discovery that John Greer settled in Onslow County, North Carolina, and he is no doubt our John due to the references to him being late of Maryland and the names of his children. Perhaps he and Sarah Day were divorced, a rarity in that time, and he really did remarry a Chloe.

LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF JOHN GREER of Onslow Province
late of Maryland, dated 17 April 1752, proved 1 July.

North Carolina. In the name of God Amen I John Greer late of Maryland now residing in the County of Onslow and Province aforesaid being sick and weak of Body tho of Sound Mind and memory thanks be to Almighty God do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament hereby wishing and making void all wills by me before made. Imprimis I Bequeath my Soul unto the hands of Almighty God who Gave it and my Body I commit to the Earth to be decently Buried at the Descretion of my Executrix hereafter Named Item This my Will that all my Lawful Debts be immediately Paid Item I Give and Bequeath to my Six Sons John Greer Moses Greer Aquilly Greer William Greer Benjamin Joseph Greer Each of them twelve Pence Sterling to the Paid by my Executrix Item and Likewise my three Daughters Sarah Armstrong, Anne Starkey Elizabeth Davis each of them twelve Pence to the Paid by Executrix as aforesaid. Item I Give and Bequeath to my Son John Greer Jun. Son of Cloe Greer One Negro Man called Jack to him and his Heirs forever to be possesseth of at the age of Eighteen Years Item I give and Bequeath Likewise to my Son John my two Hunting Guns to him and his heirs forever Item I Give and Bequeath unto my Dearly beloved Wife Cloe Greer all my Personal Estate and Gun Stock Tools and all my tools that I am now Possesseth of Lastly I nominate and appoint my Dearly Beloved Wife Cloe Greer to be my Executrix of This my Last Will and Testament In Witness Whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this twenty seventh Day of April in the year of Our Lord God 1752

Signed Sealed and Published
Dlivered in the Presence of John Greer Sen
Henry Bishop Sen his X mark
his H mark
Sarah Bishop
her X mark
John Greer Sen (Stamp)

North Carolina
Craven County
This Court Begun & held at Johnston on New River in & For the County of Onslow On the First Tuesday of July Anno Dom Before John Starkey, Esq & the rest of the Worshipful Justices & The Within Will of John Greer Proved by the Oath of Henry Bishop & Sarah Bishop & Cloe Greer the Executrix therein Named Qualified ny taken the Oath appointed by Law Ordered that she have Letters of Testamentary.

/s/ Thos Black Sen C.C.

This will was obtained by Bea O'Quin of New Orleans , La. transcribed by her and submitted by Mary Lee Barnes. Also, Mrs. Sarah Morgan Brown was the first to discover it.


Children of John Greer and Sarah Day are:
i. Thomas Greer?

Notes for Thomas Greer?:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=capenoch&id=I217
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

Thomas Greer was born on 3 Jan 1723 in probably Maryland. He died about 1793 in Greene County, Georgia. He was buried in Columbia County, Georgia. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Please note that this connection that I have made of Thomas Greer to John Greer is purely guesswork, but is a possibly. It appears to me from information about the migration path of the Dunlap family and Thomas Greer, that Thomas Greer had to be related to the Greers that also went to Georgia. If this is correct, one primary place Thomas would fit, due to his birth date, would be as a son of John Greer, who was the son of the immigrant James. As James had no other children, this would be the only line possible. Keep in mind that the list of John's children was made up by Robert M. Torrence, and other researchers, using guesswork. Also, in John's children there is a gap between 1721 and 1729, exactly the time when Thomas was born.

Another possible place that Thomas might fit in the Greer genealogy would be as a descendant of Henry Greer, uncle of John Greer. We no little or nothing about the descendants of John Greer, the older brother of Henry and James, he might be from that line.

Also note that in some presentations of the children of Thomas Greer and Jane Dunlap, the oldest child shown is Mary (1744 - 1775), who married Thomas Johnson. This Mary was actually Mary Dunlap, sister of Jane Dunlap, the wife of Thomas Greer. Mary was apparently mixed in with the children of Thomas and Jane at some point in time.)

"Thomas Greer, born 1723 and died 1793 Columbia, Georgia, married Jane Dunlap. He served in the Revolutionary War from Wake County, North Carolina; land grant on Ushes Creek, Columbia, Co, (sic) Georgia." (Information on the descendants of Thomas Greer from GREER chart by Leonard Greer of Lancaster, Pennsylvania as per GREER FAMILY, 1980 by William Greer Peck, pages 111 - 117.)

"Thomas served with his son in the American Revolution. Some say he might have been born in Columbia County, Georgia formed [1777] out of Richmond County. Greene County formed out of Washington County (formed February 1784). PECK from Ellen Greer Rees : Military duty from Wake Co, NC, thence got land grant on Ushes Creek, Columbia, Georgia. JULIAN GREER: birth = 3 JAN 1723 ... wed 10 December 1758. He emigrated to America thus becoming the patriarch of the American line." (William Greer, Illinois, 1995.)

He was married to Jane Dunlap (daughter of Gilbert Dunlap and Agnes) about 1750. Jane Dunlap was born about 1735 in Pennsylvania. She died before 1793 in Richmond County (now Columbia County), Georgia. Thomas Greer and Jane Dunlap had the following children:

+137 i. William Greer Sr..
+138 ii. Robert Greer.
139 iii. Greer was born about 1756.
+140 iv. Agnes Greer.
+141 v. Gilbert Dunlap Greer.
+142 vi. John David Greer.
+143 vii. Thomas Greer.
144 viii. James Greer was born in 1766. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: James Greer is shown on a family group sheet from Leonard Greer in GREER FAMILY by William Peck. David Trimble does not list him in AMERICAN BEGINNINGS.)

"Thad Greer has birth date for James Greer as 1763." (William Greer, Illinois, 1995.)
145 ix. Greer was born about 1770.

ii. James Greer II, born Abt. 1710 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Abt. Jul 1742 in Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD; married Elizabeth Barton 28 May 1741 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD.

Notes for James Greer II:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=capenoch&id=I769
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas
Permission granted by Mr. Terry to quote in 2001

James Greer was born about 1709 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died about Jul 1742 in Baltimore County, Maryland. "James Greer. His name is placed here, because it is mentioned in ST. JOHN'S PARISH REGISTER, page 119, Episcopal Church, Joppa, Baltimore County, Maryland, together with the other children of John and Sarah Greer. He was born circa 1709; died 1742; married Elizabeth Wright, a widow with two sons, Abraham and Jacob Wright; as shown in his will, dated 12 July 1742; proven 5 August 1742; recorded in Baltimore, Maryland, COURT HOUSE, WILL BOOK 1, FOLIO 340: "James Greer of Baltimore County, being weak... first to my good friend, Henry Adams, my best gun for ten years, then to my son-in-law, Abraham Wright (meaning his step-son). All the rest and residue to my wife, Elizabeth Greer and her child supposed to be with her, if not, then to her youngest son, Jacob Wright, to them and theirs forever." His wife was appointed executrix. Witnesses: Richard Caswell, William Bond and Catherine Adams. If a son, James Greer, Jr. were born, he could account for one by that name, born 1742/1743, who went to Franklin County, Virginia; appeared in 1762, in Bedford County, with Aquilla and William Greer in a land purchase; married Rhoda Divers and had a daughter, Sarah Greer, who married Henry Childers, and removed to Barren County, Kentucky. This Divers family came from Devonshire, England, to Berwick, Maine, from whence members went to Pennsylvania and Virginia. ST. JOHN'S PARISH RECORD, page 193 shows that an Elizabeth Greer, could be James' widow, married on 6 February 1754, Jacob Divers (Dives)." (GREGOR, MacGREGOR, MacGHEE, MAGRUDER, GRIERSON, GRIER, GREER --- A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE ABOVE FAMILIES AND MANY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1954, compiled by Robert M. Torrence, A.B., F.G.S.P., F.I.A.G., 110 Edgevale Road Baltimore 10, Maryland, page 149.)

He was married to Elizabeth Barton on 28 May 1741 in Maryland. Elizabeth Barton was born in Baltimore County, Maryland. She died in Baltimore County, Maryland. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Elizabeth is shown as a child of John Greer on a list of Myrtle Johnson, 705 Old Orchard Road, Bel Air, Maryland 21014 and in GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA by Julian Greer, 1989, probably based on the marriage of "Elizabeth Greer to Jacob Davice on 8 October 1750." Carolyn Beal in ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS, page 125 says, "James' widow, Elizabeth Wright Greer may be the individual mentioned in St. John's Parish Records, page 193 ... "Elizabeth Greer married February 6, 1754 to Jacob Davies." " Other researchers do not show Elizabeth to have been a child of John Greer. In BALTIMORE COUNTY FAMILIES 1659 - 1759, by Robert W. Barnes, page 160, "Jacob Davis (Davice or Davies) married Elizabeth (?) and had issue: Sarah, born 6 October 1746; Elizabeth, born 31 March 1750; Mary, born 10 July 1755 (131:154/r)." This would indicate they married before 1746, therefore both the 1750 or 1754 dates would have been too late for them to have had a child in wedlock in 1746. It is possible this Elizabeth Greer was the widow of James Greer, whose married name would have been "Elizabeth Greer." However, the wife of James Greer for this genealogy will be as shown in BALTIMORE COUNTY FAMILIES, 1659 - 1759 by Robert W. Barnes, pages 505 - 506.)

6 iii. Moses Greer, born Abt. 1712 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Bef. 1777 in present-day Henry Co., VA?; married Mary Bailey Jan 1737 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD.
iv. William Greer, born Abt. 1712 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Aft. 1785 in Franklin Co., VA; married (1) Sarah Freeland; married (2) Mary Ann Fitch Abt. 1730; died 1786 in Washington Co., VA?.

Notes for William Greer:
The following information has been cut and pasted from Ralph Terry's Greer Family Website with his kind permission:

William Greer Sr. was born about 1710 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died after 1785 in Franklin County, Virginia. "William Greer was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, circa 1710; removed to Franklin County, Virginia; joined the American Army; served as Captain of Militia under Colonel Calloway; was Justice of the Peace; member of the Legislature; Presiding Judge of Franklin County; became a large land owner and had many slaves. He married about 1730, Ann Fitch, a daughter of William and Sarah Fitch, as will be shown by her father's Will, dated April 9, 1787, recorded in Baltimore, Maryland, Will Book 4, page 284, where he bequeathed 120 acres of land to his son, Robert Fitch, specifying that his son, Robert Fitch, shall first pay to " my daughter, Ann Grier," 18 pounds in gold or silver. Traditions in this family say that William Greer married his wife in England where their first four sons were born; that some were Tories, the others loyal. No records have been found to substantiate this. Mr. Sylvester Greer, of Dixiana, Alabama, a descendant, wrote the compiler, April 7, 1940: "I have never believed that William Greer came from England, but was born in Baltimore County and married Ann Fitch there." The above facts, found later, prove that he was right. The Fitch family came originally from England and may have given the tradition a basis. The names of the children have been handed down from one generation to the next and will be so used." ("Greer Family, Originating in Maryland," by Robert M. Torrence; this is the original writing, not the revision appearing in his work GREGOR, MacGREGOR, MacGHEE, MABRUDER, GRIERSON, GRIER, GREER; this original write-up came from the Maryland Historical Society, where it is on file.)

"Supplemental Account ... William Greear (Greer) --- Reference is made to page 153, wherein this William Greer is shown as being the son of John Greer of Baltimore County, Maryland. It will be seen that William Greer's children are the same, but one, in both accounts. The accounts to follow contain a great deal of new information of value and interest to members of this family, so it appears to be intelligently fair and unbiased to quote them in full. The lack of accurate dates in these early accounts is a great handicap and detriment in drawing conclusions.

"There are two available traditions concerning the ancestry of this William Greer that closely agree, thus differing from the facts shown on page 153 and those following in that account.

"The first was written by Penelope Johnson Allen, State Genealogist of Tennessee, and published May 3, 1934 by THE CHATTANOOGA TIMES: "About the year 1730, there came from England one William Greer who settled in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He was of Scotch-Irish descent and during his sojourn in England, he married Mary Finch (some say Fitch). Before coming to America, this couple had born to them four sons, William, James, Shadrack and John Greer. After their arrival in America, four more sons and one daughter were born, Mary (sic, should probably be Moses), Walter, Aquilla and a son whose name is unknown and Rebecca Greer. The four sons born England took no part in the Revolutionary War, except Shadrack, who joined the British Army. The four sons born in America enlisted in the Continental Army and were American patriots. The son, Moses Greer, was in Washington's Army as it moved on Yorktown. He is said to have served as Aide to General Washington. Having married Nancy Bailey, moved with his family to Franklin County, Virginia, where he settled and accumualted much property in land and slaves. He served as a member of the Virginia Legislature many time and was for fifteen years the Presiding Judge of Franklin County, Virginia."

"The second account, to follow, is furnished through the kindness of Dr. James N. Hillman, a Greear descendant, who now (1954) resides in Richmond, Virginia. The facts are his and the only changes made are in format. "William Greear was born in England or Scotland and came from England to America in the early 17th Century. He married Mary Fitch or Finch in England, where four sons were born. After coming to America, while in Maryland, four more sons were born also one daughter." "William Greear Married in Scotland. This emmigrant family was accompanied by other brothers and kinsmen, some of whom settled in Franklin County, Virginia, and another went further South, perhaps to Mecklenburg, North Carolina." This was signed, "W. C. Greer".

(It will be seen that their fifth son, Aquilla, who was born in Maryland, in 1735, indicates his parents must have arrived in Maryland in that year or 1734. The name Aquilla, has never been found in any Grier or Greer records in Scotland or Ireland. The first Greer in Maryland, to be named Aquilla, was born in 1716. NOTE from Robert M. Torrence)" (MacGREGOR, MacGHEE, MAGRUDER, GRIERSON, GRIER, GREER --- A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE ABOVE FAMILIES AND MANY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, compiled by Robert M. Torrence, A.B., F.G.S.P., F.I.A.G., 110 Edgevale Road Baltimore 10, Maryland, pages 153 and 199.)

"William Greer moved to Bedford County, Virginia between 1746 and 1750, and might have followed his son there. (Bedford County was cut off from Old Lunenburg in 1754 and Franklin County was formed from part of Bedford County in 1785.) William joined the American Army and served as a captain of Militia under Colonel Calloway. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the legislature, and presiding judge of Franklin County (which indicates that he must have been living after 1785, as that was the year Franklin County was formed). He became a large landowner and had many slaves." (GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell)

In ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS, Carolyn Beal shows alternate death dates for William as 1785, 1786 and 1802 and that he died in Washington County, Virginia.

Julian Greer in GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA, states that "Capt. William Greer married Mary Fitch, was from Downs County, Ireland, was born in 1710, fought for the British, his will was dated 2 Mar 1802, and he died 19 Sep 1802. He further shows that this William was not the same William Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer, that married Anne E. Fitch in 1752; as William Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer was born in 1727." (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: It appears that Julian Greer is using information form GREER GENEALOGY (1937) by Sylvester Greer, Dixianna, Alabama, which indicates information from PIONEER FAMILIES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA. Both of the birthdates indicated above, are assumptions. Sylvester Greer later said (see first paragraph above) that he felt William Greer was born in America, as were all his children. The Greer information in PIONEER FAMILIES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA was taken primarily from the records of Joseph Hampton Greer, not Sylvester Greer, even though Sylvester Greer could have used information from Joseph Hampton Greer in his research. I believe Mary and Ann Fitch were the same person, as given in this genealogy

"Tradition has been in the family that William married Ann Fitch in England where the first four sons were born and some were Tories and some loyal to the American cause. Torrance quotes Sylvester Greer, that nothing has been found to substantiate this. Sylvester Greer was a descendant of this line. Many of the descendants of this line removed to Davidson County, Tennessee and other places in Tennessee. They have been treated in several sources, including LEAVES FROM THE FAMILY TREE by Penelope Johnson Allen." (MY GREER LINEAGE by Mary Lee Barnes, 1992, page 13.)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: There are at least two controversies concerning William Greer. This first is if this William Greer is the son of John Greer. I, personally feel, as did Sylvester Greer and Robert M. Torrence, that he was the son of John Greer, and was born in America, so were all his children; and that the family traditions of William being born and married in England were in error. I base my feelings on two basic facts: First, William Greer lived in the same area as John Greer and his children. Second, he named one of his children, Aquilla, a name not used in Scotland or Ireland, as pointed out by Robert M. Torrence. I feel William Greer named his son, Aquilla (born in 1738), after his brother, Aquilla Greer (born 1716/1719), who was the son of John Greer. There are too many coincidences, in my opinion, for William not to have been a son of John Greer. The information that William Greer was born and married in England has been handed down and reused in so many Greer histories, even though it is only a "family tradition," that the information has been accepted as fact, with little additional research.

The information about the family tradition that William Greer (supposed son of John Greer, the immigrant) immigrating from England about 1730, rather than being born in America, was first (judging from the records we have available) written down by Joseph Hampton Greer and preserved by his son, John Franklin Greer, and was worked up about 1914. This writing was used as basic material for "The Greer Family" article in PIONEER FAMILIES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA by Marshall Wingfield in 1935. Another source, which gave identical, but more detailed information, of this tradition is "Leaves From the Family Tree," which appeared in "The Chattanooga Sunday Times" newspaper on May 3, 1934, and was compiled by Penelope Johnson Allen, who was State Chairman of Genealogical Records, Tennessee Society, D. A. R. This information could have also been based on the records of Joseph Hampton Greer. A second article, primarily about the descendants of Weatherston Shelton Greer, was also published under the "Leaves From the Family Tree" heading by the same author on October 11, 1936. This tradition of William Greer's birthplace being England, rather than America, has been proven incorrect to the justification of most Greer researchers, due to the will of William Greer's father-in-law and the service of William Greer, Sr. to the American army during the Revolutionary War.)

The second question is whether William Greer, whom I believe to have been the son of John and Sarah, was the same William who married Sarah Freeland, or if William had a son, William, who married Sarah Freeland. Most researchers think there were two William Greers, and father and son, but neither theory has been proven to an unquestionable extent. I believe there were two William Greers; therefore, this genealogy of the Greer family will show two William Greers. This complication was partly brought about by the writing of Julian Greer (see above) who gives a death date of 1802, but this was the will and death date of William Greer, Jr.)

He was married to Mary Ann Fitch (daughter of William Fitch and Sarah) about 1732 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Mary Ann Fitch was born about 1716. She died after 1785. William Greer Sr. and Mary Ann Fitch had the following children

More About William Greer:
Burial: David Pugh Cemetery, Grant, Grayson Co., VA?
Comment 1: According to one website, this William Greer died 19 Sep 1802 at Grant, Grayson Co., VA, and left a will naming children Shadrach, Aquillas, Rachel, Sarah, Hannah; wife Sarah.
Comment 2: If he is indeed the William Greer who died in 1802 in Grayson Co., VA, it weakens earlier traditions that he was the father of Mary or Rebecca Greer who married John Divers, and strengthens the conclusion that William's brother Moses was her father instead

v. John Greer, Jr., born Abt. 1714 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Abt. 1782 in Wilkes Co., NC; married (1) Sarah Ann Elliott 1736 in St. John's Parish, Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD; died Abt. 1764; married (2) Nancy Ann Greer Aft. 1736.

Notes for John Greer, Jr.:
The following has been quoted from http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=capenoch&id=I772
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

John Greer Jr. was born between 1714 and 1718 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died in May 1782 in Wilkes County, North Carolina. "John (Greer), born 1714 in Maryland; married Nancy Walker by 1737. Died Wilkes County, North Carolina 1782." (OUR GREER FAMILY HERITAGE, 1983, by Thomas H. Greer, 335 Minamontes Avenue, Half Moon Bay, California 94019, page 67.)

"John Greer married Sarah Ann Elliott. Their marriage is recorded in St. John's Parish record, page 105." (Genealogical Chart of Richard L. Greer, Marion, Virginia, 1985.)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: In GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA (1987), by Julian Greer and ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS (1982), by Carolyn Beal, shows Sarah Elliot to be the first wife of John Greer, Jr., but other researchers show only Nancy Walker to have been his wife. Carolyn Beal also shows the second wife of John as Nancy Anne (or Ann) Greer, rather than Nancy Walker. Does this mean her married name or maiden name? Were any of the children of John by his second wife, Nancy? According to Carolyn Beal, Sarah Greer died in 1764, therefore from the birthdates of the children, all were hers and none Nancy's. Also note that a Nancy Walker was a witness in the will of John Greer, and possibly the source of some giving John's wife as Nancy Walker, but this Nancy Walker could have been John wife's relative. Dr. Clayton Greer has pointed out, in his manuscript about the Greer family, that the name of Sarah is not shown in the birth record of Aquilla in St. John's record on page 105. It also appears that Richard L. Greer was wrong about their marriage record appearing on page 105 of this record.)

"John Greer was probably born in Baltimore County, Maryland a few years before 1720. It appears likely that he lived first in Maryland, then moved southwest along the Shenandoah Valley Trail to the area which is presently Franklin County, Virginia. (see county map attached [in book]. This was a part of Lunenburg County, Virginia until 1753, then became part of Bedford County from 1753 to 1785. Taxable lists of Lunenburg County have been published by Landon C. Bell, SUNLIGHT ON THE SOUTHSIDE, LISTS AND TITHES, LUNENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1748 - 1783. John Greer was not taxed there in 1748 but appears in 1750 on the list of Nicholas Haile (page 136; no lists for 1749) together with Benjamine Greer, probably his brother. In 1752 he appears on the list of John Phelps, one of two John Greers taxed in Lunenburg.

"He does not however seem to have obtained lands immediately, and does not appear in Lunenburg County deeds. (There is a John Greer indexed as receiving a grant of 250 acres in Goochland County, Virginia on 28 August 1746, which later fell into Albemarle County. The deed of sale for this land (3:363) however shows that the owner was actually Jno. Geer, who later moved to Johnston County, North Carolina.) John Greer and his sons probably lived on vacant land for a time before obtaining any formal title.

"We first find him in the Virginia land grants on 15 December 1757 when John Griere, Aquila Griere and Joseph Griere jointly obtained a grant of 50 acres on the Grassy Hill in Halifax County (Virginia), adjoining David Griffith. This land later fell into Pittsylvania County, Virginia and was sold by the following deed: "(2:72): This Indenture made the 28 Day of March ... 1771 Between John Greer, Aquilla Greer, and Joseph Greer, all of the County of Bedford, planters and Richard Randolph, Thos. Whyling, David Jameson, Jeremiah Baker, George Booth, Thomas Livesay and John Holdays. Witnesseth that the sd. Jno. Greer, Aquilla Greer and Joseph Greer ... for ... Three hundred pounds ... do ... sell ... all that Tract or parcel of Land ... on the Grassy Hill ... in the County of Pittsylvania Containing Fifty Acres by patent bearing date the Fifteenth day of December ... 1757 ... (signed) John Greer. Aquilla + GREER his mark. Joseph + Greer, his mark."

"In the meantime John acquired a series of patents in Bedford County, listed as follows: "(33:486): Greer, John, 20 August 1760, 325 acres on both sides of Blackwater River. (34:1010): Greer, John and Acquilla Greer, 25 December 1762, 580 acres on north side Stanton River. (Note: this Acquilla is probably Acquilla Sr., John's brother.) (35:213): Greer, John, 7 July 1763, 331 acres on north side of Stanton River."

"A check of the Bedford County probate records, compiled by J. Whitten, show that John Greer, Acquila Greer and Stephen English returned the appraisal of the estate of John Anthony on 23 March 1761 (Deed Book 1:392). John also witnessed the will of his brother Joseph Greer on 12 October 1766 (Will Book 1:390).

"In 1765 John deeded lands to his elder sons, Benjamin receiving the following: "(Bedford County Deeds 2:613): This Indenture made This 23rd day of July one Thousand seven hundred and sixty five Between John Greer of the one part and Benjamin Greer, son of the said John Greer, of the other Part Witnesseth that the said John Greer for ... five shillings ... hath Granted ... unto the said Benjamin Greer ... one Certain Tract or parcel of Land Containing one Hundred and sixty two acres ... on the North side of Black Water River ... Beginning on the North side of the said River at a White Oake thence Continues the Lines of the said Patent (of three Hundred and Twenty five Acres by Patent Granted unto the said John Greer the Twentieth day of August 1760) and to keep the lines of the said Patent to Aquiller Greers Line ... being Half the said Patent ... (signed) John Greer. Acknowledged 23 July 1765."

"On the same day "John Greer and anne his Wife" sold for 5 s. to "Aquiller Greer son of the said John and anne Greer of Bedford County" the remaining part of the same patent (2:618). This implies that Aquilla Greer. Aquilla made a deed for his part of this land for 40 pds. to James Greer on 27 June 1769 (3:301, witnessed by William Greer and Aquilla Greer (residence not stated) made a joint deed for this same tract to James Greer (4:385). They also on 30 July 1772 sold the other 300 acres of this patent to Joseph Frith of Chesterfield County, Virginia (4:386).

"John seems to have moved to the Wilkes County (then Surry County) North Carolina about 1771/72 as he appears on the Surry County tax of 1772 but not that of 1771, which fits exactly with the 1772 sale of 300 acres listed above. His sons Benjamine and Aquilla had preceeded him there, being taxed in Surry County in 1771. Benjamin was probably the first to move, for on 10 February 1767 Benjamin Greer Junr. of Bedford County (so called to distinguish him from an older man of the same name, probably his uncle) sold the 163 acres that his father had given him to Mathew Talbot for 50 pds. (3:136), witnessed by Peter Holland, Josias Payne, Benjamin Holland, Mary Sinkler). Aquilla soon followed him and on 27 Aug 1770 "Aquilla Greer Junr. late of the County of Bedford" sold his half of the patent to Eusebius Stone for 80 pds. (3:477, witnessed by John Greer, John J. Mitchell, William W. Lowe).

"Like his son, Benjamine, John was not able to make a formal entry for the lands he cleared in Wilkes until 1778. Then the Wilkes County Land Entry Book records two entries on 20 April 1778 (page 61): "John Greyor Sr. enters 350 acres ... on both sides the main Road and Joining Quiller grayer on the South Side ...," and (page 62): "John Greyor Senr. enters 200 acres ... on both sides of Cub Creek, joining Jacob Hamptons at the upper End and Capt Francis Hartgraves at the lower end." The second of these tracts was granted on 3 March 1779 (Wilkes #6, photostat attached [in book]). Jacob Hampton and Joel Hampton were the chain bearers for the survey. The other was granted 23 October 1782 (Wilkes #432, photostat attached [in book] with Jesse Greer and Jacob Hampton as chain bearers.

"John Greer was evidently a man of some importance in Wilkes County, as he was appointed a Justice of the Peace at the first Court in March 1778 when the county was organized. The Justices constituted the county court and as such had charge of most all the administrative functions of the County in this time period.

"John Greer died in 1782. He made his will on 2 April 1782, proven in June 1782, a copy of which is attached [in book]. This names his wife Nanney and friend John Brown as executors and was witnessed by Archelaus Walker, Nancy Walker and Sarah Greer. A copy of the inventory of his estate is also attached [in book]. His widow is listed in the State Census of 1787 as Ann Greer. John Greer had issue: [Lists nine children and suggests two others, with information about each. This information is given with each child.] (OUR GREER FAMILY HERITAGE, 1983, by Thomas H. Greer, 335 Minamontes Avenue, Half Moon Bay, California 94019, pages 48 and 62.)

"John Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer, moved to Lunenburg County, Vriginia, paid poll taxes there 1750 - 52. He was granted land in Halifax County, Virginia in 1757. He married Ann ______ and they lived in Pittsylvania County, Virginia until 1771. We found him in Surry County, North Carolina where he paid Poll Tax in 1772. Wilkes County, North Carolina was formed from Surry County in 1778 and John lived there until he died in 1782. His will named these children: Aquilla, Ann Mitchell, Hannah DeMoss, John, Benjamin, Joshua and Jesse." (GREER FAMILY HISTORY, by Mrs. Ellen A. Fawcett, North Little Rock Arkansas. This was received by Frances Gosney Hoover, 5815 Gladstone Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64123-1517 in 1981, who in turn sent it to Ralph Terry in 1995. It appears to be a part of a collection of families, as it appears on pages 78 to 82.)

"The will of John Greer, Jr. (later known as John Greer, Sr.) was probated July 5, 1782 in Wilkes County North Carolina. In the abstract of that recorded will John is listed as John "Grier" as are the devisees whose names are listed, all but Hannah. Late in life John and Nancy had moved to Wilkes County. There seems to be some confusion in the listing of abstractions of the will. One gives Nancy as a child, but Olds lists her as his wife. My information is through the genealogical society of the original Wilkes County, North Carolina." (Will Book 1, page 78, 1782 - Information from a write-up to Lois Temple by Mrs. Earl McFadden, 439 North 30 Street, Quincy, Illinois 62301.)

"1782 - Grierson, John, Nancy (wife); Ann Mitchell and Sarah Demess (daughters); Aquilla, John, Benjamin, John (should be Joshua) and Jesse Grier; Rachel Mitchell and Sarah Hargrave." (ABSTRACT OF NORTH CAROLINA WILLS, 1760 - 1800, page 323.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: I have a copy of John Greer's will and it is plainly stated, " ... equally divided between Aquilla Greer, John Greer, Benjamin Greer, Joshua Greer, Jesse Greer, Rachel Mitchel, Sarah Hartgrave and Hannah Demoss." In another part of the will, however, he says, "my daughter Ann Mitchel." But he appears to be referring to the same person. Her name was probably Rachel Ann.)

Additional information about the family of John Greer from the Greer research notes of L. L. McNees (deceased), Ebenezer, Mississippi; and Ann Farnsworth, Rt. 2, Box 66, Buffalo, Texas 75831, as per GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell.

He was married to Sarah Ann Elliot in 1736 in St John's Parish, Joppa, Baltimore County, Maryland. Sarah Ann Elliot died in 1764. "Sarah Greer died in 1764." (ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS by Carolyn Beal, 1985, page 33.) John Greer Jr. and Sarah Ann Elliot had the following children:

+111 i. Aquilla Greer.
+112 ii. John Greer.
+113 iii. Rachel Ann Greer.
+114 iv. Benjamin Greer.
+115 v. Joshua Greer.
+116 vi. Sarah Greer.
+117 vii. Hannah Greer.
+118 viii. Capt. Jesse B. Greer.
+119 ix. Smith Greer.

He was married to Nancy "Nannie" Walker in 1756. Nancy "Nannie" Walker was born about 1716. She died about 1804 in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

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vi. Aquilla Greer, born Abt. 1716 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 1790 in Greene Co., GA; married (probably) Elizabeth Haynes Abt. 1740.

Notes for Aquilla Greer:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=capenoch&id=I108
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

Aquilla Greer was born between 1716 and 1719 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died after 8 Apr 1790 in Greene County, Georgia. "Aquilla Greer, born about 1716 on Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland, removed to Pittsylvania, Virginia (as will be shown by the following records): (Baltimore County, Maryland, Liber I. S. No. A, Folio 297) "Charles Carroll of Annapolis, Maryland, to Aquilla Greer, of the same, 16 November 1743, lease of land called "Chilmalira," lying in Baltimore County, beginning at an oak, two bunches of cat's tails ... 100 acres for use of three following persons; Aquilla Greer, Elizabeth Greer and Sarah Greer, yielding and paying to Charles Carroll to December 10th the quality of ... good clear merchantable tobacco of fresh and ground leaves to be delivered to a convenient landing on Gunpowder River in convenient casques .. and two capons, should they be asked; not to sell or dispose of timber. The said Aquilla Greer also covenants for himself, his heirs and assigns, the mother, his (her?) heirs or assigns, shall not suffer more hands to work or till the demised premises than himself, his wife and children and one servant and in case his children are incapable of work, then he take in two servants." The lease included house and plantation. At this location, his children were born.

"Aquilla Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer, moved to Lunenburg County, Virginia, where his brothers (Joseph, Benjamin and John) had preceded him and paid poll taxes there in 1752. As the counties (lines) of Lunenburg County changed we found him with a land grant in Halifax County, Virginia in 1757. Later he paid taxes in Bedford and Henry Counties, Virginia. He was listed among the Revolutionary War Patriots of Virginia. He moved to Greene County, Georgia where he died in 1790." (GREER FAMILY HISTORY, by Mrs. Ellen A. Fawcett, North Little Rock Arkansas. This was received by Frances Gosney Hoover, 5815 Gladstone Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64123-1517 in 1981, who in turn sent it to Ralph Terry in 1995. It appears to be a part of a collection of families, as it appears on pages 78 to 82.)

"He (Aquilla Greer) removed to Pittsylvania County, Virginia, where he appears as owning 400 acres of land on Bull Run Creek, adjoining John Gilman, surveyed April 16, 1754, granted July 5, 1780. (Book A, Folio 572). Later, he had 580 acres in Bedford County (Virginia) on Stanton River, in 1762. (P. B. #34, folio 1010) In this location, he was later joined by William and James Greer. On September 24, 1789, he was granted 336 acres in Henry County, Virginia, on Bull Run, which had been surveyed for him May 26, 1785. (L.O.T. WT. #18272, Book 21, Folio 376). Aquilla Greer, with John and Joseph Greer, held jointly, 50 acres in Halifax County, granted by King George III, on Grassy Hill, next to David Griffith, December 15, 1757. They sold this tract in 1771. Under Deeds, W. G. A., folio 277, "Aquilla Greer deposed in Henry County, Virginia, that his age was 61, on September 13, 1777." (HISTORY OF HENRY COUNTY, VIRGINIA by J. P. A. Hill and MARYLAND HISTORICAL MAGAZINE, Vol. 9, pages 138 - 140.)

"Aquilla took the Oath of Allegiance in Henry County, Virginia on 13 September 1777, and with him was Henry Haynes who gave his own age as 76. Aquilla Greer, after the Revolutionary War, removed with members of his family and some members of the Haynes family, to Greene County, Georgia, where he left a will dated April 8, 1790; probated October 30, 1790, Appointing his sons, James and William Greer, as his executors. "I lend to my wife, Elizabeth Greer, all of my negroes, stock of horses, hogs and cattle together with all my household goods and furniture during her lifetime, and after her decease, to be sold to the highest bidder ... I give to my grandchildren, heirs of my son, Aquilla, deceased, five pounds apiece when they become of age. The rest of the money to be divided amongst all my children here named." (GREAR - GREER - GREERE - GRIER by Robert M. Torrence, A.B., F.G.S.P., F.I.A.G; 110 Edgevale Road, Baltimore 10, Maryland, pages 19 - 20.)

"Aquilla Greer was born ca. 1719 on the Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He is first recorded in Baltimore County when he and his brother, Moses Greer, helped to survey some land on Broad Creek at the direction of their father, John Greer. Mr. Snowden, the surveyor paid them 10 shillings for the work.

"On November 16, 1743, Charles Carroll of Annapolis, Maryland leased Aquilla Greer 100 acres of land in Baltimore County for which he paid 100 pounds of tobacco per year. This lease was to run during the life of Aquilla, his wife, Elizabeth, and his daughter, Sarah. This is from Liber I. S. No. A, folio, page 297, Baltimore County, Maryland and reads as follows: "Charles Carroll of Annapolis, Maryland to Aquilla Greer of the same, 16 November 1743, lease of land called, Chilmalira, (Robert Barnes in BALTIMORE COUNTY FAMILIES, 1659 - 1759, spells this Clynmalia and states Charles Carroll, Esq. in 1750 owned 2500 acres named Clynmalia.) lying in Baltimore County, beginning at an oak, two bunches of Cat's tails ... 100 acres for use of three following persons: Aquilla Greer, Elizabeth Greer and Sarah Greer, yielding and paying to Charles Carroll to December 10th the quality ... of good clear merchantable tobacco of fresh and ground leaves to be delivered to a convenient land on Gunpowder River in convenient casues ... and two capons, should they be asked; not to sell or dispose of timber. The said Aquilla Greer also convenants for himself, his heirs and assigns, the mother, his heirs of assigns, shall not suffer more hand to work or till the demised premises than himself, his wife and children and one servant and in case his children are incapable of work, then take in two servants." The lease included house and plantation.

"One source states that this is the place that probably all his children were born except Sarah. About 1753 he removed to Virginia along with some of his brothers and families. In Halifax County, Virginia, it is recorded that Aquilla, John and Company were granted a survey which was recorded in 1757. Another source says that the land was 50 acres granted by King George III on Grassy Hill, next to David Griffith and was first in Lunenberg County and later fell into Halifax County, then Pittsylvania County and then Franklin County. According to Sylvester Greer, it was located near the town of Rocky Mount in that County. He is also quoted as owning 400 acres of land on Bull Run Creek, adjoining John Gilman surveyed April 16, 1754, granted July 5, 1780. Brother John also was granted 100 acres on branches of Maggoty Creek in 1751, and John and Joseph were granted 400 acres on Lick Branch in 1753 while brother Benjamin was granted land on 10 May 1760. In Lunenburg County deeds, it show that Aquilla Grier was granted 110 acres on the south side of Staunton River on August 20, 1760. On March 12, 1761, in Bedford County, Virginia, Aquilla, John Greer and Stephen English took inventory of the estate of John Anthony.

"In 1771, John, Aquilla and Joseph sold land in Halifax County, and on the 13 September 1777, Aquilla and son, William, took oath of allegiance in Henry County, Virginia. In Vol. 9 of the Virgiia Historical Magazine, page 140, his age is given as 58 and Wm. Greer as 29. It is recorded in the Virginia Magazine of History that his age was 62 years; public claims made by him are that he furnished food, and beef for soldiers on the 2 of August 1781. Henry Haynes, who also took the oath with his sons, age is given as 78, William Haynes as 50 while George Haynes is 40.

"On November 23, 1782 the following Greers were named in petition of Bedford County Freeholders and others residing on the south side of Staunton to divide Bedford and Henry Counties further in Franklin County: Moses Greer, Sr., Moses Greer, Jr., William Greer, Thomas Greer, Aquilla Greer, James Greer, Greenberry Greer and Vinson Greer. Also listed were John Haynes, Samuel Smith, Thomas Smith and William Smith mentioned because the wife of Henry Haynes was Mary Smith, the daughter of Guy Smith. Four of the children of Aquilla Greer married children of Henry Haynes and Mary Smith Haynes.

"On November 20, 1783, Aquilla Greer and wife, Elizabeth with John Haynes and wife Sarah sold 660 acres on the E. side of the Staunton River. Sometime after this, they left Virginia and are found in Wilkes County, Georgia where James and Vinson, sons of Aquilla bought land from George Lumpkin in 1786 on Buffalo Creek. Aquilla Greer is on the 1789 Tax Digest of Greene County, Georgia where he made his will dated 8 April 1790 and proved 30 October 1790. In his will, he named wife, Elizabeth and the following children: Sarah, James, Aquilla, William, Elizabeth, Vinson, Delia and Azel." (MY GREER LINEAGE, 1992, by Mary Lee Barnes, pages 16 - 19, as per Robert Torrence, "The Grear - Greer Greere Grier Families," Unpublished manuscript from Maryland Historical Society; Sylvester Greer, Unpublished paper from Duke Wright Greer, Potts Camp, Mississippi; T. L. C. Genealogy, Miami Beach, Florida, LUNENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAND PATENTS 1746 - 1916; Roger C. Dodson, FOOTPRINTS FROM THE OLD SURVEY BOOKS OF HALIFAX AND PITTSYLVANIA COUNTIES IN VIRGINIA, Pittsylvania County, Virginia Historical Society, 1989; Mrs. Dorothy C. Watts, THE VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, "Petitions of Residents of Bedford and Henry Counties, Virginia In Favor of and Opposed to a New County (Franklin), page 83 - 87; The will of Aquilla Greer 4/8/1790, recorded 10/30/1790, Green County, Georgia; Ann Chilton, BEDFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOK A-1, 1754 - 1762, Mountain Press, P. O. Box 400, Signal Mountain, Tennessee; The records of Addie McCoy Alton, descendant of Aquilla I, Lt. James Greer's daughter who married Neely McCoy, DAR No. 490761; VIRGINIA MAGAZINE OF HISTORY, Vol. 9, pages 138 - 140.)

"Will of Aquilla Greer. In the name of God Amen. I Aquila Greer of Green County being of sound sense and memory thanks to be God, for the same, but calling to mind the uncertinty of this sublenary world and that all flesh must yield when it pleaseth God of his mercy to call do therefore make and constitute this my last will and testament, and desire it may be received as such. First, I resign my soul to God from whence it came and my body to the earth to be buried at the discretion of wife and others executors hereafter named: and as touching my worldly estate, I dispose of it as followeth. First my will and desire is that all my just debts be paid.

"Item: I lend to my wife Elizabeth Greer all my negroes and all my stock of horses, hogs and cattle together with all my household goods and furniture, during her life, and after her decease to be sold at the highest bidder.

"Item: I give to my grandchildren, heirs of my son Aquila Greer, deceased, five pounds apiece and the rest of my money divided equally amongst all my children here named: Sary Haynes, James Greer, William Greer, Elizabeth Starkey, Vinson Greer, Delia Haynes, Asel Greer; and my will and desire is that my two sons James and William Greer by my executors of this my last will and testament. In witness hereof I hereunto do set my hand and seal this eighth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ninety. Aquila Greer. Signed, sealed in presence of us. John Aikens, Thomas Cave, Will. Greer.

"The above is a true copy of the original which was proven and approved the 30th day Octr. 1790 in the presence of the legatees who acknowledged the same leter and a warrant of appraisment directed unto Messrs. P. Hunter, Jas. Thomson, Jas. Jackson. Recorded the 6th Novemr. 1790 by Will. Phillips R. Pro._____." (Green County, Georgia Will records.)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Some researchers have read into the lease of 1743, "Aquilla, his wife and his daughter, Sarah." I, and other researchers, feel this lease is speaking of Aquilla, his wife, and his mother, Sarah, not his daughter, Sarah. In fact, there is no question in my mind that the Sarah mentioned is Aquilla's mother, as it states, "the mother." It appears the phrase following her name "his heirs..." has been mis-transcribed and should read "her heirs..." If this is not what it says, then the writer has written an incorrect statement. There is no reason why Aquilla's wife would be mentioned in a lease of this type during this time period. Also, as the mother is set out as an individual, it appears the convenant was also with her, therefore she probably put some money into the lease herself. The mention of Sarah as a principle in this lease also further proves a separation or divorce between Sarah and her husband, John Greer.)

(Mary Lee Barnes of Athens, Texas feels that the Aquilla who was granted land in Henry County, Virginia in 1789, was not this Aquilla, as he was probably in Georgia by this time as he is shown on the 1789 Tax Digest of 1789 in Greene County. However, I feel that it could be this Aquilla, as the land was surveyed in 1785, but not granted until 1789. It is difficult to know, as this Aquilla Greer had a nephew, Aquilla, who lived in the same area of Virginia at this time.)

Data about Aquilla Greer has been recorded in GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell, page 38, who gives his sources as: 1) The papers of Rev. James W. Dupree, 100 East Park Avenue, Valdosta, Georgia 31602; the Research Notes of Mr. L. L. McNees (deceased), Ebenezer, Mississippi; and Mrs. James H. White, 6724 Azle Avenue, Ft. Worth, Texas 76135.

According to Julian Greer in GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA, Aquilla Greer died in Wilkes County, Georgia, but this appears to be incorrect.

"Aquilla Greer, Sr., born 1716 in Baltimore County, Maryland, took the Oath of Allegiance in Henry County, Virginia on September 17, 1777. He was granted 336 acres in Henry County, Georgia for his military service. He removed to Greene County, Georgia where he left a will dated April 8, 1790. He married in 1743, Elizabeth Smith, a daughter of John Smith." (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: There appears to be some controversy and probable mix-up amoung the wives of this Aquilla Greer, his son, Aquilla and his grandson, Aquilla. Some say this Aquilla married Elizabeth Smith, other say Elizabeth Bandy Haynes Lowe. I have often wondered if last two name could have been married names. The son, Aquilla, is said to have married Elizabeth Bandy. Could this wive have been mixed up with his mother's name? The grandson, Aquilla, is said to have married Elizabeth Smith. However, if Elizabeth Smith did marry an Aquilla Greer, on this line, in 1743, she would have had to marry this Aquilla, as the others would have been too young. Futher indications that there could have been a mix-up in wives names is shown by this Aquilla Greer's son, James Greer. His wife was Nancy Ann Haynes, who first married a Lowe. These names could have been added to James Greer's mother's name. In ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS, Carolyn Beal states that Aquilla married a second time to Betsy Massey in 1764 in South Carolina. Aquilla's nephew, Aquilla, son of William, married Betsy Massey in 1804 in South Carolina, but I see no evidence that this Aquilla married a second time. I feel this is just another mix-up of Elizabeth's real maiden name.)

He was married to Elizabeth Lowe (daughter of William Lowe Jr. and Temperance Pickett) about 1739 in Maryland. Elizabeth Lowe was born on 3 Jun 1721 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She died after 1790 in Greene County, Georgia. (NOTE FROM RALH TERRY: Some researchers feel that Elizabeth's maiden name was MASSEY rather that LOWE. However, Bandy could have been her maiden name and she could have been married to a Haynes and then a Lowe, as these families intermarried with the Greers a great deal. Julian Greer in GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA, says that Elizabeth was born in 1719 and she was from Henry County, Virginia. He further states that she and Aquilla were married in Baltimore County, Maryland. A listing in the LDS Ancestral File shows Elizabeth to be the daughter of Henry Haynes, Sr, as is shown in the papers of Rev. James W. Dupree. However, if Elizabeth was born in 1719, I don't think Henry would have been old enough for her to have been his daughter. Some researchers have said that Elizabeth's maiden name was SMITH, and SMITH was Henry Haynes' wife's maiden name, so there may be some connection to Henry Haynes.) Aquilla Greer and Elizabeth Lowe had the following children:

+120 i. Mary Sarah Greer.
+121 ii. Lt. James Greer.
+122 iii. Aquilla Greer Jr..
+123 iv. Elizabeth Greer.
+124 v. William Greer.
+125 vi. Vinson Greer Sr..
+126 vii. Delia (or Delila) Greer.
+127 viii. Asa "Asabel" "Asel" "Yel" Greer.

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vii. Sarah Greer, born Feb 1721 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD.

Notes for Sarah Greer:
Sarah Greer was born about 1720/21 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She was christened on 15 Feb 1721 in St John's Parish, Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She died after 15 Feb 1721 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. "Sarah Greer was a twin of Ann and died as an infant." (GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell). "Sarah died at seven years of age." (GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA by Julian Greer). The birth (or christening ?) date of Sarah and Ann Greer is recorded in St. John's Parish Records, page 99.

"But who is the Sarah Greer who witnessed the will (of John Greer, Jr.)? Is She Sarah Day Greer, wife of John Greer Sr or I and mother of John Greer, Jr or III? If so, it is strange that we have not come across her and John Greer Sr or I in any records since the late 1740's in Baltimore County, Maryland. Then, too, she would have been in her 90's by the time of this will, 1782. Also, Moses Greer's testimony in 1769, as I have pointed out, makes it sufficiently clear that John Greer Sr or I and his wife Sarah Day Greer were both dead by 1749 or close thereafter. Very probably this Sarah Greer who witnesses the will was none other than John Greer Jr or II's sister Sarah who never married." (MY GREER AND RELATED FAMILIES, by Clayton Alvis Greer, page 70.)

viii. Ann Greer, born Feb 1721 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died in Franklin Co., VA?; married John Starke (Starkey).

Notes for Ann Greer:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=capenoch&id=I774
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

Ann Greer was born about 1720/21 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She was christened on 15 Feb 1721 in St John's Parish, Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. She died in Virginia. Ann and Sarah were twins. The birth (or christening ?) date of Sarah and Ann Greer is recorded in St. John's Parish Records, page 99.

She was married to John Starkey (son of John Starkey and Elizabeth Boyle) on 10 Jul 1738 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. John Starkey was born about 1709 in Baltimore County, Maryland. He died in 1791 in Baltimore County, Maryland. He died in Franklin County, Virginia. Information on the descendants of John Starkey and Ann Greer from Jack D. Boswell, 1411 Sherwood Drive, Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101; Myrtle Greer Johnson, 705 Old Orchard Road, Bel Air, Maryland 21014; L. R. Starkey, 8910 Louis Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35802. Additional information on the descendants of John and Ann (Greer) Starkey from LDS Family Search from: Naoma A. Greer, 1209 Lyman #102, Covina, California 91724 and Mrs. Patricia Scott Garmon, 2811 Mountain Meadow Road, Escondido, California 92026. Ann Greer and John Starkey had the following children:

128 i. Mary Starkey was born on 10 Sep 1738 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Birth information for Mary Starkey from St. John's Parish Records (1696 - 1798), Baltimore County, Maryland.
+129 ii. John "William" Starkey Jr..
130 iii. Elizabeth Starkey was born in 1744 in Baltimore County, Maryland.
+131 iv. Joshua Starkey.
+132 v. Jonathan Starkey.
133 vi. Jesse Starkey was born in 1761 in Baltimore County, Maryland.
+134 vii. Joel Starkey.
+135 viii. William Starkey.
+136 ix. Joseph Starkey.

ix. Benjamin Greer, born 06 Jan 1727 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died Abt. 1788 in Franklin Co., VA; married (1) Rachel Lowe 02 Jan 1745 in Baltimore Co., MD; married (2) Mary Haynes 1770 in Bedford Co., VA; born Abt. 1739 in Caroline Co., VA?.

Notes for Benjamin Greer:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=REG&db=capenoch&id=I217
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

Benjamin Greer was born between 1725 and 1727 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He was christened on 6 Jan 1727/28 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died on 2 Jun 1788 in Franklin County, Virginia. "Benjamin Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer, moved to Lunenburg County, Virginia and paid poll taxes there in 1750 - 52. Lunenburg County was divided into several counties later. He apparently stayed in Virginia." (GREER FAMILY HISTORY, by Mrs. Ellen A. Fawcett, North Little Rock Arkansas. This was recieved by Frances Gosney Hoover, 5815 Gladstone Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64123-1517 in 1981, who in turn sent it to Ralph Terry in 1995. It appears to be a part of a collection of families, as it appears on pages 78 to 82.)

"Benjamin Greer moved from Baltimore County, Maryland into Bedford County, Virginia, where he purchased 90 acres of land on Gill's Creek. He sold the 90 acre tract of land in 1770 to Richard Ballard, Sr. for 105 pounds. John Starkey, Sr., Thomas Preston and Micajah Ballard witnessed this instrument." (This information on the family of Benjamin Greer from Bedford County B. P. # 34, folio 884; Edward Pleasant Valentine Papers, pages 113 -116; research notes of L. L. McNees (deceased) of Ebenezer, Mississippi as per GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: This is the same instrument as seen under Benjamin Greer, son of this Benjamin Greer's brother, William Greer. It appears to belong to the other Benjamin Greer, as this one left his will in Franklin County, Virginia and the other in Bedford County, Virginia. The list of the children of Benjamin Greer appears to be, more or less, the same children as listed by J. B. Bell in GREER KINSMEN for Benjamin's nephew, Benjamin Greer, son of William Greer. However, it appears that these children belong with this Benjamin, rather than his nephew.)

Benjamin Greer left a will in Franklin County, Virginia. He was married twice and the will mentioned his second wife, Mary; children: James (eldest son), Mary Greer Griffith, Tiny Greer, George and Martin Greer, Rachel Greer Lumsden, Dinah and Sarah Greer and two youngest sons, Henry and Benjamin Greer. The will is dated 28 Dec 1787, probated June 1788 and was filed at Rocky Mount, Franklin County, Virginia. (Franklin County, Virginia Will Book, page 17.)

"IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN" ----- I, Benjamin Greer, Sr. of Franklin County, Virginia being in good health and sound memory do make and order this to be my last will and testament, in manner and following, viz: Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my oldest son,James Greer, five pounds specie and no more to him forever. Item: --- I give and bequeath to my eldest daughter, Mary Griffith, one negro girl, Jean her lifetime and then to her heirs forever with her increase. Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my son, George Greer, one negro boy named Cezar and no more. Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Tiny Greer, one negro boy named Toney and no more. Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my daughter, Rachel Lumsden, one negro boy named Lewis and no more. Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my son, Martin Greer, the first living child of negro wrench, Jude and no more. Item: --- I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Mary Greer, four negroes named, C., Jude, Duff and Frank with all my stock, household furniture and land her lifetime, and their increase. And at my wife's decease my desire is that the land excepted for my two youngest sons only and that to be divided equally between them, namely Henry and Benjamin. Also my desire is that the four negroes named, C., Jude, Duff and Frank with all my stock, household furniture with all their increase, to be equally divided between my four youngest children, namely; Henry, Benjamin, Dinah and Sarah Greer. Lastly --- I constitute and appoint my well beloved wife, Mary Greer, Executrix and my son, ____Greer, Executor of this my last will and testament, revoking and dis-annulling all other will or wills heretofore made by me. IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 28th day of December Anno domino 1787". Benjamin Greer (his mark)." (Recorded in the County Court Clerk's office Franklin County, Virginia.)

Many records show Benjamin and Joseph Greer to be twins, however, some researchers do not believe that Benjamin and Joseph were twins, but that the dates given in St. John's Parish records are christening dates, not birth dates.

The marriage date of Benjamin Greer and Rachel Low was recorded in St. John's Parish Records, page 193. Some information about the Benjamin Greer family from Carolyn Beal, 916 5th Street #2, Nevada, IA 50201. GREER FAMILY (1979) by William Greer Peck (as per GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA by Julian Greer) shows that Benjamin Greer lived in Davidson County, Tennessee, later moving to Morgan County, Georgia, then to Troupe County, Georgia. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: The Benjamin Greer shown by Julian Greer must be another Benjamin Greer as this Benjamin did not go to Tennessee or Georgia.)

He was married to Rachel Lowe (daughter of William Lowe Jr. and Temperance Pickett) on 2 Jan 1745 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. Rachel Lowe died about 1769. She was born in Baltimore County, Maryland. Benjamin Greer and Rachel Lowe had the following children:

+155 i. James Greer.
+156 ii. Mary "Martha" Greer.
157 iii. Tiny Greer.
+158 iv. George Greer.
+159 v. Martin Greer.
+160 vi. Rachel Greer.

He was married to Mary Haynes (daughter of Henry Haynes Sr. and Mary Smith) about 1770. Mary Haynes was born in 1739 in Caroline County, Virginia. She died about 1822 in Williamson County, Tennessee. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: Mrs. James White (deceased) of Fort Worth, Texas gives the name of Mary (Haynes) as Mary Jones. Was she married to a Jones before her marriage to Benjamin Greer, Sr.?) Benjamin Greer and Mary Haynes had the following children:

+161 i. Henry Greer.
+162 ii. Benjamin Greer Jr..
+163 iii. Dinah Greer.
+164 iv. Sarah Davis Greer.

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x. Joseph Greer, born 06 Jan 1727 in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died 28 May 1781 in Bedford/Franklin Co., VA; married Ann Lowe 1750; born 05 Feb 1735 in Baltimore Co., MD?; died Bef. 1798.

Notes for Joseph Greer:
From http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=capenoch&id=I776
Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

Joseph Greer was born between 1723 and 1725 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. He was christened on 6 Jan 1727/28 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. He died on 28 May 1781 in Bedford County, Virginia. "Joseph (Greer). Married St. John's Parish in Baltimore 18 August 1750 to Ann Low(e) (Robert Barnes MARYLAND MARRIAGES 1634 - 1777); his will in Bedford County, Virginia dated 12 October 1766 names son Thomas and "other children." (Will Book I:390). He died in 1781 in Bedford County." (OUR GREER FAMILY HERITAGE, 1983, by Thomas H. Greer, 335 Minamontes Avenue, Half Moon Bay, California 94019, page 67.)

"Joseph Greer, son of John and Sarah Greer, moved to Lunenburg County, Virginia and paid poll taxes there in 1750 - 52. Lunenburg County was divided into several counties later. Joseph obtained a land grant in Halifax County, Virginia in 1757." (GREER FAMILY HISTORY, by Mrs. Ellen A. Fawcett, North Little Rock Arkansas. This was recieved by Frances Gosney Hoover, 5815 Gladstone Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64123-1517 in 1981, who in turn sent it to Ralph Terry in 1995. It appears to be a part of a collection of families, as it appears on pages 78 to 82.)

"Joseph Greer, Sr. was the son of John Greer and Sarah Day. He was born January 6, 1727 in Baltimore County, Maryland, died 1781 in Bedford County, Virginia (now Franklin County, Virginia). He married August 18, 1750 Ann Low, born circa 1732, died 1770, daughter of William Low and Sarah Temperance Pickett. She married second Thomas DeMoss. No issue by DeMoss. (children with some dates and spouses listed)" (Family record from Mrs. James H. Mero of Hampton, Virginia, a descendant as per GREER FAMILY, 1980 by William Greer Peck, page 53.)

Many records show Benjamin and Joseph Greer to be twins, however, some researchers believe that Benjamin and Joseph were not twins, but that the dates given in St. John's Parish records are christening dates, not birth dates. Joseph Greer's will was filed in Bedford County, Virginia.

Carolyn Beal shows the marriage date of Joseph Greer and Anne Low as July 18, 1750. Mrs. Beal also states in ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS, "A Joseph and Ann Greer were residents of North Carolina in 1764 when a male child, Greenbury was born - not sure if this is them."

"The following from the records of Sylvester Greer: 1754 November 1, Joseph Greer had land in Lunenburg County, Virginia, 870 acres (PS32, Page 412). 1757 December 15, Joseph Greer held land in Halifax County, Virginia with John and Aquilla (PB 39). 1771 March 6, Joseph Greer had 145 acres in Bedford County, Virginia on Stanton River adjoining Aquilla Greer (PB, page 376). 1770, Thomas Greer, Assignee of Joseph Greer, Sr., and in Bedford County, Virginia had 291 acres surveyed April 11; granted December 21, 1790 (Book 22). 1781, A will in Beford County, Virginia, Joseph Greer's wife was Ann and was made executrix (Virginia Wills and Administrations by Clayton Torrence)." (ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREER, 1982 by Carolyn Beal, page 211.)

He was married to Ann "Anna" Lowe (daughter of William Lowe Jr. and Sarah Groves) on 18 Aug 1750 in St. John's Parish, Baltimore County, Maryland. Ann "Anna" Lowe was born on 5 Feb 1735 in Baltimore County, Maryland. She died after 4 Aug 1791. "Ann Lowe Greer, widow of Joseph Greer, married (2) Thomas De Moss February 13, 1783, Bedford County, Virginia." (My Lowe Family" from MY GREER AND RELATED FAMILIES, Vol. II, page 162, by Clayton Alvis Greer, about 1975.)

"Ann and Thomas DeMoss had no children." (GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA, 1987 by Julian Greer.) Joseph Greer and Ann "Anna" Lowe had the following children:

+146 i. Thomas Greer.
+147 ii. Nathaniel "Nathan" Greer.
+148 iii. Priscilla Greer.
+149 iv. Joseph Greer Jr..
+150 v. Greenberry "Green B." Greer.
+151 vi. Jemima Greer.
+152 vii. Temperance Greer.
+153 viii. Dicey Greer.
+154 ix. Lize "Tege" Greer.

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Generation No. 5

24. James Greer, born Abt. 1650 in Scotland or Ireland?; died Abt. 1699 in Baltimore Co., MD. He married 25. Ann Taylor Abt. 1680 in Baltimore Co., MD.
25. Ann Taylor, born Abt. 1665 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 13 May 1716 in Baltimore Co., MD. She was the daughter of 50. Arthur Taylor and 51. Margaret Hill.

Notes for James Greer:
The following information on James Greer and his descendants has been cut and pasted from Ralph Terry's Greer Family Website, with Mr. Terry's kind permission:

James Greer was born about 1627 in Capenoch, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. He died about 1688 in Gunpowder River, Baltimore County, Maryland. "GREAR, James. Arrived Maryland Nov., 1674, on Batchelor, ex Bristol. Indentured. (Early Settlers Book 18, folio 152) - 2112 ... (A second listing is also shown:) GREER, James. Born probably Dumfriesshire. Son of James Greer and Mary Browne. Settled Joppa, Baltimore County, Maryland, 1675. Married Ann, daughter of Arthur Taylor and Wife Margaret, with issue: (1) John, born 1688; (2) James. (D. C., 22 Apr., 1961) - 2117." (These two entries are from A DICTIONARY OF SCOTTISH EMIGRANTS TO THE USA by Donald Whyte, 1972.)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: It is from the D. C. listing that some have put the claim of James Greer being the son of Sir James Greer; but who put the information in the D. C. Also note this source shows a second son, James. Other sources list another possible son, Joseph. John is, however, the only son of record to have been found up to this time, 1997. Some accounts believe James Greer died about 1699. Records for James Greer in the LDS Ancestral File, show him born about 1650 in Dumfrieshire, Scotland, married Anna Taylor on 2 November 1675 and that his name could have been "John" rather than James. In ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS (1985) by Carolyn Beal she states that her father and Sylvester Greer believed that James Greer was born in England in 1650, but she is inclined to believe the 1627 date. If this James Greer was the son of Sir James Grierson, then he would have been born about 1627, to fit into the birth pattern of Sir James' other children. Sir James Grierson did have a son named James, according to the PRINTED PEDIGREE of 1888 and other Scottish sources. This son, James, is shown as a "M. D. ("surgeon" or "barber/ surgeon," in earlier sources) of Edinburgh and died unmarried." Personally, I feel the compiler of the pedigrees did not know what happened to this James and several listing on this pedigree bear the inscription, "became a surgeon and died unmarried." With no real proof other than family tradition, I am going to assume, at this time, that this James was the James that was transported to America in 1674. This would put James at around the age of 50 when he arrived in America.)

"In the Maryland Patent Series, Liber 18, page 152, the following passage is found. "A List of Servants Transported by Samuell Gibbons of Bristoll in the Ship Batchellor of Bristoll 1674." This document contains three columns of names; the last name in the lefthand column is "James Grear." The document is dated 2 November 1674 and reads. "Then came the within named Samuel Gibbons and proved Rights unto four Thousand five hundred acres of Land it being due to him for Transporting the ninety persons herein mentioned - into this province to Inhabit before me (torn) Charles Calvert." The situation was that the various Lords Baltimore offered land in the new colony of Maryland, 50 acres per person, to persons willing to make the journey and to help colonize the province. Also, individuals who paid the transportation costs for another person or persons were, then, entitled to claim that person's acreage as reimbursement. Interestly, Samuel Gibbons sold his rights to the land to Robert Ridgely of St. Mary's County who then sold it back to Charles Calvert!" (This information and a copy of page 152 of Liber 18 is from OUR GREER FAMILY HISTORY by Thomas H. Greer, 1983, pages 80 - 81.)

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: I have found no proof that this James Greer was the same James Greer who married Ann Taylor. There is no marriage record of which I am aware, but it has been placed in some records that they married June 6, 1687. This was the date of the first proven connection of our immigrant ancestor, as Arthur Taylor mentions "James Grear, and Ann, his wife" in his will and gave him land that was later passed on down to John Greer, the only recorded son of James Greer and Ann Taylor. This will does not show that Ann, wife of James Grear, to be his daughter. But, from a deposition made by the son, John Greer in 1738, that he (John) was born about 1688 and that his mother, Ann Grear was a daughter of Arthur Taylor. This would place the marriage of James Greer and Ann Taylor in 1687 or before, as also proved by Arthur Taylor's will. If the James who married Ann Taylor, is the same James who was transported in 1674, and as John seemed to have been their only child, then they probably would not have married many years before he was born. Therefore, James Greer would have been about 55 to 60 years old when he married. It was been said that James was killed, but I see no proof of this. If this James was over 60 years old in 1688, then there is a good chance that he died of old age. Other researchers feel the James Greer who arrived in America in 1674 was born about 1656, but this appears to be based on the thinking that all men who came over were young men, so he would have been about 18 years of age.)

"June 6, 1687. To all Christian people, to whom these presents shall come ... I, Arthur Taylor, of Gunpowder River, in Baltimore County, Maryland, Planter, for and in consideration of natural love and affection which I have and do bear unto James Grear and Ann, his wife, as also for divers and other good reasons and considerations and hereunto especially moving and do by these presents, give, grant, alein, enfoff their heirs and assigns, unto James Grear and Ann, his wife, their heirs and assigns forever, 75 acres of land, being part of a greater tract of 300 acres belonging to the said Arthur, and called, "Arthur's Choice", lying and being situated in Baltimore County, and on the south side of a branch of the Gunpowder River, called Bird Run, beginning at a red oak standing on the said river and running from said oak bounding with the ... run ... east-north-east 53 perches by a line into the woods for length 300 ... thence by a line down west-south-west from the end south-south-east ... east to line 53 perches ... Witness: Samuel Sickelman, Amos Thompson - Signed Arthur Taylor (his X mark)." (Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland, R. M. # H. S., Vol. 1, page 261.) This same land was held in trust for the "orphan of James Greer named John" until he reached age. Neither James Greer or his wife Ann left a will that has been located.

........................... "James Greer. His name is mentioned in Playfair (BRITISH ANTIQUITY, by Sir William Playfair, Volume 7, pages 506-513, published in London, England, 1811) and is included in the Family Chart, nothing more. It may be assumed, as in many similar cases, that he left the country. He was born circa 1627 and it is asked if he may be the James Greer who was transported into Maryland in 1675, by Samuel Gibbon, who was granted 4500 acres of land for transporting 90 person into Maryland (see above)."

"The key name in connection with this "Greer Family, Originating in Maryland," is James Grear whose earliest record in Maryland is in the Hall of Records, Annapolis, "Early Settlers Book 18, Folio 152": "James ....FINISH..... ...................TORRENCE, began page 141............ (GREGOR, MacGREGOR, MacGHEE, MAGRUDER, GRIERSON, GRIER, GREER --- A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THE ABOVE FAMILIES AND MANY OF THEIR DESCENDANTS, 1954, compiled by Robert M. Torrence, A.B., F.G.S.P., F.I.A.G., 110 Edgevale Road Baltimore 10, Maryland, pages 41, .)

He was married to Ann "Anna" Taylor (daughter of Arthur Taylor and Margaret Hill) about 1680 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Ann "Anna" Taylor was born about 1662 in Baltimore County, Maryland. She died on 13 May 1716 in Baltimore County, Maryland. "Ann (Taylor) Greer was living June 6, 1687 when she and James Greer received the 75 acres from his father. She was the wife of Lawrence Richardson at the time he held trust in the 75 acres of land for "John, ye orphan son of James Greer." She was the wife of Oliver Harriott at the time he was custodian for these same acres for John Grear, March 14, 1714, when Ann released her dower rights in this land when John and Sarah sold it to Mark Guisard.

**************************************************************************
This Greer family matches Group 1 in the below YDNA testing project, and the results seem to suggest Scottish or Scots-Irish origin for this and most of the other unrelated Greer families represented here.

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/greer/default.aspx?section=news

Surnames

Geer, Greer, Grier, Grierson

Background
In the middle to late 1600's Scots-Irish families named Greer and Grier began immigrating to the North American colonies through the ports of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia from Northern Ireland and Scotland. A considerable number went to Canada.

As new land was opened, Greers/Griers began moving south and west into Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Texas. Some migrated further north and west from Pennsylvania and into the midwest.

In later years, families with these names also went to South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Greer and Grier are long thought to have been septs of the Scottish name McGregor. Beginning in 1603 the McGregor name was proscribed by the King and many were forced to change their names or face certain death. Many used Grierson, Greg, Greig, Greer and Grier, etc. as aliases, thus there may be two spellings for the same name.

The Greer or Grier surname has not been proven through DNA to be in a direct line to the branch of the present Chief, the McGregors of Glencarnoch or to the MacGregors of Glengyle. There are, however, vague connections to the Irish McGregor lines in one or two cases.

In this project we are looking at the Greer/Grier(son) surnames. Since leaving Scotland and Northern Ireland, Griers and Greers have risen to positions of worldwide importance including the military, the courts and business. The Greer/Grier(son) lines deserve individual examination.

Some Greer and Grier ancestors fought with General George Washington in the French and Indian War and in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the War Between the States. In more modern times, in WWI and WWII, Vietnam, Desert Storm and Iraq.

The supposed connection with the McGregor line will continue to be an ongoing project. After joining the Greer/Grier Project, you may also join the McGregor Project at no additional charge and belong to both projects simultaneously.

My FamilyTreeDNA Project Website GREER/GRIER, contact Group Adminstrator at [email protected] - News

CORRELATION OF DNA RESULTS AND REPORTED ANCESTRY

Purpose

I intend to use this section to relate DNA results to reported ancestral connections, obtained by members, it is assumed, from either conventional genealogical process, or from oral (or written) family histories. I will take editorial licence here where I suspect that information provided is simply a repeat of internet sources, because such sources have little value from a research perspective. As an example, I'll mention the often quoted presumed descent from ancient Alpin Kings of Scotland, and/or the Clan MacGregor.

I will, where possible, identify the reported connection with one or other of the groups shown in the YDNA Results Classic, and discussed under the Results tab of this page.

This process is time-consuming in that I will need to review as many submissions from members as I can find. I will try to organise what we have on the page into relevant Groups in the first instance, and then add new (or more recent) information. You will need to check in periodically to see whether there have been changes. I will, of course, welcome any and all input from members.

Group One

Most of the members of Groups 01B-01D appear to be located in the USA, and on the DNA evidence are descended from a very small number of immigrants, possibly only two or three individuals. A tradition seems to have developed among a number of these families that they are descended from a James Grier of the family of Capenoch, son of Sir James Grier and Mary Browne, probably born in the early 1630s. He is mentioned on the "Carrickfergus" tree as "James Grier M.D. of Edinburgh, died unmar." Whilst this tree is known to have many errors, this would appear to not be one of them. Recent research by Richard Miller has uncovered that James Grierson of Capenoch was buried on 23 January 1662 in Greyfriars Church, Edinburgh. Contact with the Scottish Genealogical Society in Edinburgh confirmed that the burial was of James Grier(son) of Capenoch who was an MD (Apothecary) and died unmarried in Edinburgh. We will have to look elsewhere for the immigrant James Grier or Grear. There are, however, persistent rumours that members of the Capenoch family emigrated to Ireland at various times. It may be from those migrations that the American Greers spring.


Group 01A

Kit Numbers 7874 & 94757 descend from John Grierson, born 1778 Parton, Kirkudbrightshire, Scotland, and from John Grier probably born 1714 at Parton, son of William. This Grierson migrated to Australia early on and the family lives in Australia.

Number 27441 has noted his earliest known ancestor as John Greer, Jr. 1813-1895, Meade Co., Kentucky.

B2342 has a paper trail to Meath, Ireland. According to Robert Grierson in his Short Account of the Grierson Family, there were at least two Grierson families in Meath, the earliest record being 1703. At least one of those families claims a descent through the Griersons of Capenoch.

33323 descends from Robert Kinnay (Kinney) GRIERSON, b. 26 Nov 1854 Dalbeattie, Scotland. His father was James Stewart Grierson, b. 11 Apr 1830 Castle Douglas, Scotland. The family history has it as three brothers immigrated to Maine in 1880, but it was more than likely the father (James), two sons ( Robert and William Kinnay GRIERSON), and a son-in-law (Joseph Baum) with wife and daughter (wife: Mary GRIERSON and daughter: Margaret Isabella BAUM). A third son (George Cartney GRIERSON) was supposed to come with them, but he injured his hand working at Craignair Quarry and couldn't come. The next son in line was too young to travel with them. They came over with a friend whose last name was Craven or Caven who owned his own boat. They worked at quarry at Clark's Island, Maine which is part of St. George, Maine and earned passage for the rest of the family for the following year. In July 1881, the rest of the family arrived in Portland, Maine. The mother, Margaret GRIERSON nee KINNA (KINNAY, KINNEY, MCKINNEY, MCKINNA) wife of James Stewart Grierson was introduced to a banana for the first time. Not seeing one before, she ate the whole banana, peeling and all. Of course not liking it, she never ate another again. James' father William GRIERSON, bc. 21 Feb 1795 Buittle, Scotland born at Corbieton Farm. He married Mary DOUGLAS b. bet. 1800 - 1802 Kirkpatrick Parish, Kelton, Scotland. His father was also named William who married Isabel PAPLE. [from MacGregor project]

Group 01B
Member 97279 reports that the two men here are grandsons of brothers, that is, they have the same great grandfather. Note the mutation at CDY, reflecting its volatility. I suspect that 37-40 is the ancestral count. He further reports that he has established a paper trail to James Greer who arrived in the American Colonies on the ship Batchelor, November 2nd, 1674. He was an indentured servant, and by June 6th 1674 he was married to Ann Taylor.

*****************************************************************************************

http://thegriersonfamily.com/2013/02/dna-stalking/

DNA stalking in the Nith Valley

Submitted by John David Grierson on February 2, 2013 – 3:17 pm

The M222 SNP in the Grierson family

In my previous article I explained a number of terms associated with DNA genealogy. These included YDNA, SNP, Haplogroup, STR, Haplotype, cluster, NPE, marker and locus. I mentioned that each individual haplotype, which is a list of STRs in a predetermined order, can be compared with another haplotype, provided that both are members of the same haplogroup, which is determined by the appropriate SNP.

If we were to take a number of haplotypes that we believe are linked in some way, such as by carrying the same surname, that is, we take a cluster of haplotypes of the, say, Grierson (including Greer) clan, and look at the variations between them, we can estimate the modal haplotype (or modal) value for that cluster. In theory, this resolved modal will represent the haplotype of the Most Recent Common Ancestor (MRCA) for that cluster. If we identify in this cluster modal a series of off-modal markers with respect to the modal for the whole haplogroup, and these off-modal markers are consistent across the cluster haplotypes, we have a very sound basis for identifying a close-knit relationship between a number of men who must descend from the same historic man.

When we then combine this information with data derived from conventional (or traditional) genealogy, we can develop a reasonable hypothesis about the time that man lived. Because we have some idea about the rate of mutation that occurs at different markers, we can also estimate the various times at which each family, represented by the man whose test results we have, split from one another. Further, if we compare modals for various clusters within a haplogroup, we can begin to get some idea about the actual age of the haplogroup, that is, when that particular SNP mutation might have occurred.

So, what do we know about Grierson/Greer YDNA? In earlier family papers I have outlined the general results from my study. I pointed out that the Grierson/Greers that have been tested fall into four haplogroups, two of which are unproven by SNP testing, and of the 68 tested, 19 are apparently in the L21 haplogroup, 22 are I1 or Viking (according to the testing agency), one is seemingly G2a (possibly Roman), and 26 are M222 which is a descendant of L21. It is this latter group that we will deal with now, and I intend to discuss all of the others in a future article.

It is significant that all of the Griersons tested, representing four distinct family lines, are in the M222 haplogroup. The remainder in M222 are Greers. Of these, two have had insufficient markers tested for me to draw firm conclusions about them, and there is one Greer who does not fit the pattern of the rest. He is what I would characterise as an Irish M222 as distinct from a Scots M222. These test results may be found at: www.shade.id.au/Grierson/GriersonDNA.htm Grier Chart 1c if you are interested in the detail. So there are 23 sets of results, and of these, all bar one (which has three) have four or five of the off-modal markers which define the Grierson M222 family. In particular, of those tested to 67 markers, all carry a particular mutation which is quite rare in all of the other M222 results listed in the study of this particular SNP. Now, some of these markers appear to be significant in other families with close association with the Nith Valley, such as the McRath, Dunbars, and MacAdam families. As such, I have chosen to call the joint cluster the M222 Nith Cluster. There are also two people with different or unknown surnames who are almost certainly related, but I have not included these in my discussion.

Of the four Grierson families, the two Dumfriesshire lines appear closer to each other, as do the two Galloway lines. Using standard methods, the two most distant families may be as far as 600 years apart, and the two nearest families 300 years apart. There appear to be several distinct Greer families, one with one member, one with two, and the balance of 15 sets of Greer results seem to be quite close, some within 150 years. I think there are probably four Greer families in all represented here, two of whom are closely connected. But the important thing is that all undoubtedly descend from one man who was born about 650 years ago.

So what can we deduce from all this? The four Grierson families all have documented connections to SW Scotland, with a span of 150 – 350 years according to the various records. One representative is located in the USA, two are in England, one is in Australia. None have a direct family legend of descent from the Lag family, although one has a connecting historical claim. The Greers, as far as I can tell, are all in the USA. Whilst there is no apparent documentary connection amongst these leading back to Ireland or Scotland, many if not most seem to have a family legend that tells of an immigrant ancestor who was the son of a Grierson, who in turn was related to the family of Lag. Most commonly, these legends relate to the Griersons of Capenoch. In some legends, that son went to Ireland, and some of his progeny went to the USA. In others, the movement was directly to the USA. The period is that of the late 17th Century, as I understand it. But there is no doubt that the close connection of the American Greers fits quite well with the idea that one or a number of Grierson offspring emigrated from Scotland sometime after 1600.

How can we be certain about the time of the "founder" of this cluster? Well, as it happens, in DNA terms this group of Grierson/Greers is quite close to a number of Millican/Milligan etc results. We know that Gilbert First of Lag purchased Lag from John McRath, a member of the Amuligane clan from whom these Millicans descend. In the Charter transferring the ownership of Lag from John to Gilbert, the Latin term "consanguineo" is used. This term means "related by blood" and is used instead of the more common "cousin". But none of the Millicans carry the particular Grierson mutation I mentioned in the fourth paragraph. Therefore that mutation most likely occurred with the birth of Gilbert 1st, or possibly with his father, Duncan, or another close ancestor, that is, after the Grereson and Amuligane clans went their separate ways in terms of surnames. We therefore have a fairly good idea of what Gilbert 1st Grierson's DNA looked like, although our relatively small number of testees increases the uncertainty to some extent..

I believe that the only alternative to my deductions, which is that none of the tested Griersons and Greers is genetically connected with the family of Lag, is not tenable on the basis of probability, given the close-knit structure of those with Scots connections who have been tested. If one accepts the evidence so far presented, then any male genetic connection between the Lag family and MacGregors is impossible. The MacGregors, whether of the present chiefly line, or of any possible pretender to being head of the clan, are in the L21 haplogroup, from which the M222 clade sprang probably in excess of 2000 years ago. Among the 19 Greers who I assess as L21, none are within sufficiently close genetic distance (that is, they have too many mutations) to be related to Scottish MacGregors any time since the Dalriadic migration – if indeed that even occurred in connection with Clan Gregor. In any case, there is no known connection with Scotland in this group. The rumoured MacGregor connection was begun, according to the Grierson Family historian Robert Grierson, writing at about the beginning of the twentieth century, in what he called the Gracie tree (which I haven't seen), from which I assume the much-circulated but erroneous MacGregor/Grierson/Greer tree of about 1875 took its lead. My information is that the Court of Lord Lyon has no use for that tree.

I think we should instead be concentrating on finding the Grereson connection to the early rulers of Galloway, as proposed by the Dumfriesshire historian Alfred Truckell, which he based on heraldic rather than genealogical association. Given the paucity of acceptable documentary evidence, YDNA science has a place in this research.

John David Grierson in Melbourne, 2010

If you are a Grierson, Grier or Greer and would like to take a DNA test, visit theFamily Tree DNA Greer/Grier website


Children of James Greer and Ann Taylor are:
i. James Greer, born in St. John's Parish near Gunpowder River, Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died in probably Prince George's Co., MD.
12 ii. John Greer, born Abt. 1682 in Gunpowder River area of Baltimore/Harford Co., MD; died 1752 in Onslow Co., NC; married Sarah Day 04 Mar 1704 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Baltimore Co., MD.

26. Nicholas Day, born Abt. 1620 in probably Wales; died Abt. 1705 in near Bush River, Baltimore County, Maryland USA. He married 27. Sarah Lowe?.
27. Sarah Lowe?, died Abt. 1737 in Baltimore Co., MD.

Notes for Nicholas Day:
The following information on Nicholas and Sarah Day has been copied and pasted from the family tree website of J. Ralph Terry of Coleman, Texas, with Mr. Terry's kind permission:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

434. Nicholas Day was born about 1635 in England or Wales. He died about 1704/5 in Baltimore County, Maryland. Nicholas Day came to Maryland about 1655 from England. He first settled in Ann Arundel County, Maryland and became a prosperous tobacco grower. He moved to Baltimore County about 1693. On June 6, 1693 bought 200 acres at Gunpowder Falls on Gunpowder River known as "William the Conqueror." On Nov 5, 1693 bought 150 acres named "Lesser Chance." He was taxed for land on the north side of Gunpowder River from 1699 to 1706.

Nicholas Day's will dated 1 December 1704 and proved 2 February 1705; lists sons: Nicholas Day and Edward Day, daughters: Sarah Day, Elizabeth Day and Dinah Day, wife: Sarah.

SOURCE:
Found this on the Maryland Genealogy Web Page

Will of Nicholas Day of Baltimore Co. 1 Dec 1704

Will dated Dec. 1, 1704, proved Feb. 2, 1705, BALTIMORE CO. WILLS, Lib.3 Fol.437-8.

Baltimore County. In the name of God Amen. this first Day of December one thousand Seven hundred and four I Nicholas Day of
Baltimore County being Sick and weak in body but perfect Strength and Memory thanks to all mighty God for and Calling to minde the
uncertaine Estate of the Transitory life Doe Constitute and ordaine and Declare this my last will and testament in manner and forme
following-- Revoaking and by those presents testamt or wills heretofore by me made and Declared Either by word or wrighting and this to
be Taken only for my last will and testament and none other

viz I give my Soul to all mighty God my Saviour and Redeemer in hume and by the merrits of Jesus Christ I trust and believe assurdly to
be Saved and to have full remission and forgiveness for all my ______ [not transcribed] that my Soul with my body at the genrall Day of
Resurrection Rise againe in Joy and through the merritts of heaqven prepared for his Elect and body to be buried in such manner as it
Shall please my Executr. hereafter I shall appoint

And now for the Settling of my Temporall Estate

First I Desire that all my Just Debts that I owe in right to any man Shall well and truly be paid or ordered to be paid in Due time after this
my Decease by my Executr. however named

Item I give unto my Sonn Nicholas Day all that tract of Land at Gunpowder Called or Knowne by the Name William the Concour to
the said Nicholas Day and his heirs for Ever and for want of such heirs after his Decease to be Deemed the proper right and Interest of
my Second Sonn Knowne by the name Edward Day to him and his heirs for Ever

Item I give unto my Sonn Nicholas Day all that parte of my Stock of hoggs that is of his proper Marke and alsoe I give to my daughter
Sarah Day all that parte of my Stock of hoggs that is of her proper markes. Item I give unto Obediah Pritchett Six young Sows with pig
or pigges by them Due alsoe I give unto Walter Pardue four young Sow Shoats

Item I give unto my Two youngest Daughters Elizabeth Day and Dinah Day all that part of land whereon I now live to be Equally
Divided between them after the Death of my Loveing wife Sarah Day to them and their heirs for Ever.

As for my personal Estate I do ordaine it to be Equally Devided between my wife and my five children

And lastly I Doe hereby Constitute and ordaine and apoint my above Said true and loveing wife Sarah Day to be my Sole and only
Executrix of this my last will and testamt as witness my hand and Seale the day and year above written

Signed Sealed and Delivered Nicholas ND Day (seal) in the presense of
John (his mark Whittaker
Cath. (her mark) Whittaker
Jno Deaver
Hannah Deaver

Feb 2nd 1704/05
Then came John Whittaker and Catherine his wife, John Deaver and Hannah his wife, the wittnesses to the above written will and proved
the Same in common forms before me Henry Wriothesley Depty Com of Baltemore County
Contributed by Wally Garchow

A listing in the LDS Ancestral File show Nicholas Day born in Wales.

Information about the Day Family was taken from BALTIMORE COUNTY FAMILIES, 1659-1759 by Robert W. Barnes, 1989, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Maryland.

Additional information about the Day family is from ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS by Carolyn Beal, page 34x; her early Day family records came from Jane Sherwood, 106 E. 37th Street, Boise, Idaho; and Jeane M. Parker, Parker Architects, Suite 206, 500 Spring Street, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 (1985).) He was married to Sarah Lowe.

435. Sarah Lowe was born about 1663. She died before 28 Dec 1736 in Baltimore County, Maryland. "Will of Sarah Day. Baltemore County. In the Name of God Amen. I Sarah Day of the County Afosd. being very Sick & Weak but of perfect and Sound Memory thanks be to God for it. First, I desire that all my lawfull debts be Justly paid. Item: I Give & bequeath unto my Daughter Dinah Merica the bed which I always lay on, my trunk, a warming pan & porrage pott & Palett. And Idesire that the Rest of my Goods & Chattels be Eaqually Divided between My Son Nicholas Day, My Son Edward Day, & My Daughter Sarah Greer the wife of John Greer, & my daughter Dinah Merica. as Witness whereof I have Sett my hand this 20th day of October 1730. Sarah SD Day [her mark]. Testis: James Jones and John Savory." (Sarah Day's will dated 20 October 1730 and proved 28 December 1736.)

Accounts of Julian Greer, in GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA, show the wife of Nicholas Day to be Eliza Cox, however, it was Nicholas and Sarah Day's son, Nicholas, who married Elizabeth Cox.

"Nicholas Day's wife was Sarah Lowe." (ROYAL HERITAGE OF THE GREERS by Carolyn Beal, pages 29 and 34x; her early Day family records came from Jane Sherwood, 106 E. 37th Street, Boise, Idaho.)

Children of Nicholas Day and Sarah Lowe? are:
i. Edward Day, died Abt. 1746 in Baltimore Co., MD; married Avarilla Taylor 22 May 1722 in Baltimore Co., MD.
ii. Diana Day, born in probably Anne Arundel Co., MD; died in probably Baltimore Co., MD; married (1) Joshua Merriken 24 Jun 1718 in Baltimore Co., MD; born Abt. 1688 in Broad Neck Hundred, Baltimore Co., MD; died 08 Nov 1723 in Baltimore Co., MD; married (2) Benjamin Jones 05 Jan 1737 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 22 May 1739 in Baltimore Co., MD.
iii. Elizabeth Day, died Bef. 1728; married Alexander McComas 19 Nov 1713 in Baltimore Co., MD; born Abt. 1697; died Bef. Feb 1761.
13 iv. Sarah Day, born Abt. 1686 in Anne Arundel Co., MD?; died Abt. 1747 in Baltimore Co., MD; married John Greer 04 Mar 1704 in St. John's Episcopal Church, Baltimore Co., MD.
v. Nicholas Day, Jr., born Abt. 1688 in probably Anne Arundel Co., MD; died Abt. 1739 in Joppa, Baltimore Co., MD; married Elizabeth Cox 14 Jul 1707 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 22 Feb 1770 in Baltimore Co., MD.

Generation No. 6

50. Arthur Taylor, born Abt. 1648 in probably England; died Abt. 1692 in Baltimore Co., MD. He was the son of 100. John Taylor and 101. Margaret ?. He married 51. Margaret Hill.
51. Margaret Hill, born Abt. 1650 in Baltimore Co., MD; died Bef. Jan 1678 in Baltimore Co., MD. She was the daughter of 102. Roger Hill.

Notes for Arthur Taylor:

866. Arthur Taylor was born about 1648 in England. He died in Nov 1728. Land tranactions of Arthur Taylor are as follows:

1667 - "100 acres, rent 020, called 'Fall Hill,' surveyed August 22, 1667, for Arthur Taylor on ye south side of ye north-east branch of the Gunpowder River 50 acres belong to ye orphans of Thomas Litton and ye remainder to Walter Morrow." (Ann Arundel and Baltimore Counties, Maryland; Rent Rolls, Vol. 2, Folio 443.)

1669 - "Certificate issued to Arthur Taylor for 100 and for 315 acres called 'Spring Neck,' also now in Harford County, acres being called 'Fall Hill,' now lying in Harford County, Certificate for same being recorded in Liber 19, Folio 402; pagented Liber 15, Folio 476." (Liber 12, Folio 287.)

1676 -

"Arthur Taylor was the eldest son of John Taylor, evidently maried twice. His first wife, Margaret joined him in signing a deed in 1678." (Maryland Historical Magazine Vol. 26, page 250.)

Some sources give the date of death of Arthur Taylor as "November 1728 or 1692". He was married to Margaret Hill

Children of Arthur Taylor and Margaret Hill are:
25 i. Ann Taylor, born Abt. 1665 in Baltimore Co., MD; died 13 May 1716 in Baltimore Co., MD; married (1) Lawrence Richardson; married (2) Oliver Harriott; married (3) James Greer Abt. 1680 in Baltimore Co., MD.
ii. John Taylor, born Abt. 1671 in Baltimore Co., MD; died Abt. 1734 in Baltimore Co., MD; married Jane.

Generation No. 7

100. John Taylor, born in probably England; died Abt. 1676 in Baltimore Co., MD. He married 101. Margaret ?.
101. Margaret ?, born in probably England.

Notes for John Taylor:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=geer%5Ffamily%5Ftree&id=I002286

GEER ANCESTRY

Entries: 965911 Updated: 2016-04-14 14:30:40 UTC (Thu) Contact: Samuel Taylor Geer Home Page: THE GEER DNA PROJECT

•ID: I002286
•Name: John TAYLOR
•Sex: M
•Birth: BEF 24 JAN 1628/29 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
•Death: 5 APR 1676 in Gunpowder, Baltimore Co., MD
•Christening: 24 JAN 1628/29 St. Mary's, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
•Burial: Taylor's Choice, Gunpowder Farms, Harford Co., MD 1
•Note:
John Taylor, Sr.
by carole taylor puntenney
from: FindAGrave.com, Memorial# 116121735, @http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=116121735, accessed May 7, 2015:

After rereading the WILL dated 25 March 1675
but not "probated" until 5 April 1676
(the date of death is corrected)
and naming the eldest son ARTHUR Executor.

John Teylore, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975"
3 url https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR29-XYT
Citation
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NR29-XYT : accessed 5 May 2015), John Teylore, 1629; citing Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, reference - 2:2K8W1FM; FHL microfilm 1,068,982.
Reason This Source Is Attached
[Add Justification] Add
Originally Created:
11 December 2013byJodyJones

"John Taylor & Margaret Phinney were married in St. Mary's Church Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, 28 Aug. 1649". Only one question, if they were married 1649, their eldest child Arthur Taylor was born 1648, or so says the sources. OOoppps! then the next child 1649. So Arthur must have been born later. Things like THAT couldn't have happened back then.

"John Taylor, his wife Margaret, 4 children and 1 servant arr'd America 1659." As per PASSENGER LIST. They made their home in Baltimore, MD Little Gunpowder River area. "John Taylor was the Justice of the first court in Baltimore County MD." as per Maryland Historical & Gene. Bulletin. by Hayes vol 8-14 pg 18.
JOHN TAYLOR--An Englishman - arrived in Maryland on August 01, 1659 with his wife Margaret & 4 of his children -Arthur, Mary, Robert & John Taylor,Jr. Source: (1) Hall of Records. Liber 532, folio 532 Annapolis,Maryland.
THERE IS ALSO THE WILL OF JOHN TAYLOR WHICH NAMES HIS ELDEST SON AS EXECUTOR, ARTHUR

ALSO from the Dodson Family TREE on rootsweb is:
"John Taylor, immigrant, demanded land for transporting himself, his w ife, Margaret, and one servant, Mary Gresham." He was granted 150 acre s on April 22, 1663. The date of his arrival was August 1, 1659, at which time he brought in his wife, Margaret and his children Arthur, Mar y, Robert, and John Jr. (Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland - Liber 4 , folio 219; and Liber 632, folio 532 - August 1, 1659.) At a late dat e he brought in several persons named Phillips. (Administration Book 9 , Folio 341.)

"John Taylor was the Justice of the first court held in Baltimore coun ty, Maryland." (The Maryland Historical & Genealogical Bulletin, by Ha yes, Vol. 8-14, page 18.)

John Taylor made a non-cupative will, dated March 25, 1675; probated April 5, 1676, wherein he named Arthur Taylor as his eldest son and hi s executor. In his will, he left a son, James, 1000 pounds of tobacco and excused his debts; left bequests to his daughter, Elizabeth, and t o his son, Robert. His son John was not mentioned, as he doubtless ha d received his share earlier. (Baltimore County Records - Administrative Book 9, folio 341 and Will Book 5, page 26.)

This record was added to MY FAMILY TREE in familysearch.org. and this person agrees with what I found which DOES MATCH the PASSENGER LIST ARRIVING IN AMERICA.

John Taylor, "England Marriages, 1538–1973 "
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N65X-T9Q
Citation
"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N65X-T9Q : accessed 5 May 2015),
John Taylor and Margarett Fynney,
1649; citing St. Mary, Lichfield, Staffordshire, England, reference 2:3FQ2ZR9; FHL microfilm 1,068,982.
Reason This Source Is Attached
Originally Created: 11 December 2013 by Jody Jones
______________
"John Taylor Immigrant, demanded land for transporting twelve persons,including himself,his wife, Margaret, and one servant, Mary Gresham."

The date of arrival was 1 August 1659 when he brought in his wife andArthur, Mary, Robert and John, Jr. At a later date, he brought inseveral persons named Phillips.

He was granted Taylor's Choice on the 4 March 1661 and was one of the commissioners of Baltimore County who held court at the house of Capt. Thomas Howell on the 20 July 1661. He was again a justice in 1665 and probably of other courts. John Taylor left a will dated 5 April1676; probated 16 May 1676.

Father: Richard TAYLOR b: ABT 15 NOV 1596 in Litchfield, Staffordshire, England c: 15 NOV 1596 in St. Mary's, Litchfield, Staffordshire, England

Marriage 1 Margaret FINNEY b: 1629 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England•Married: 28 AUG 1649 in St. Mary's, Litchfield, Staffordshire, England
Children1.Has Children Arthur TAYLOR b: ABT 1648 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
2.Has No Children Mary TAYLOR b: ABT 1650 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
3.Has No Children Robert TAYLOR b: ABT 1651 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
4.Has Children James TAYLOR b: ABT 1653 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
5.Has No Children John TAYLOR b: ABT 1653 in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England
6.Has No Children Thomas TAYLOR b: AFT 1659 in Baltimore Co., MD
7.Has Children Elizabeth TAYLOR b: AFT 1659 in Baltimore Co., MD

Sources: 1.Title: FindAGrave.com
Author: Find A Grave, Inc.
Publication: http://www.findagrave.com/index.html
Repository:
Note: Researched by Samuel Taylor Geer
Media: Electronic
Text: "John Taylor, Sr," Memorial# 116121735 by carole taylor puntenney, @http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=116121735, August 27, 2013






Children of John Taylor and Margaret ? are:
50 i. Arthur Taylor, born Abt. 1648 in probably England; died Abt. 1692 in Baltimore Co., MD; married Margaret Hill.
ii. Mary Taylor, born Abt. 1649 in probably England; married Richard Windley.
iii. Robert Taylor, born Abt. 1651 in probably England; died in probably Baltimore Co., MD.
iv. John Taylor, Jr., born Abt. 1653 in probably England; died Aft. 1659 in probably Maryland.
v. James Taylor, born Aft. 1658 in probably Maryland; died Aft. 1676.
vi. Thomas Taylor, born Aft. 1659 in probably Maryland; died Bef. 1676 in probably Maryland.
vii. Elizabeth Taylor, born Aft. 1659 in Baltimore Co., MD; married (1) James Smithers; married (2) Richard Sims.

102. Roger Hill

Child of Roger Hill is:
51 i. Margaret Hill, born Abt. 1650 in Baltimore Co., MD; died Bef. Jan 1678 in Baltimore Co., MD; married Arthur Taylor.