John Fitch Greer Sr. (abt. 1785 - aft. 1860)

Born about 1785 in Bedford County, Virginia

Ancestors

Died after 26 Jun 1860 after about age 75 in Cumberland County, Tennessee. [uncertain]

Biography

John F. Greer was probably born about 1785 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was the son of Moses Greer Sr. and Nancy Bailey. The birth date is derived from the 1860 census, indicating he was 75 at the time. John is not present, by name, in Franklin Co. tax lists through 1803, suggesting he was probably living in his father's household and any property he owned was covered in his father's tax assessment.

John does not appear by name in Franklin Co. records until he bought 125 acres of land in 1812 from James Callaway, Jr. (brother-in-law). That land was on Blackwater River and probably adjoined his father.

There are questions about John's married life (see below) but it seems fairly certain he was the 'John Greer' who married Elizabeth Fowler in 1813 Franklin County. Shortly after they married they moved to Tennessee, where they remained. They ultimately settled somewhere near Grassy Cove in Bledsoe County (now Cumberland Co., formed 1855 from part of Bledsoe Co.).

The first deed recorded for John in Bledsoe Co., in 1816, indicates he was "of Davidson County". No actual records for John have been located in Davidson Co. but several of John's close relatives did live there. Perhaps John and Elizabeth moved there first, only to relocate to Bledsoe Co. by 1816.

Unfortunately, Bledsoe County suffered courthouse fires in 1882, 1895 and 1908. All wills pre-1884, all marriage records 1807-1907, most court records and some early deed books were all lost. Census and deed books are about the only original records left

John apparently sold his remaining 274 acres of land in Bledsoe Co. on 28 February 1851 to his nephew, Wetherston S. Greer, with his son, John F. Greer, Jr. as a witness. However, this deed was not recorded until 1856.

John has not been located in the 1850 census. But by 1860 he was living in Cumberland Co., formed from Bledsoe Co. in 1855. At the time he was living with John and Mary Walker, probably as a boarder.

John's Marriage (s)

John Greer's marriage in 1813 to Elizabeth Fowler is recorded in the Franklin Co. marriage bond register, although without a bondsman or date. The marriage was performed by Wilson Turner on 14 January 1813. However, the marriage bond itself appears to be missing from the collection. It's possible that the bond was actually recorded in Botetourt Co., the place of residence of Elizabeth's most likely father, Thomas Fowler.

Thomas Fowler was well-known to John's father. Fowler was involved in several land transactions c. 1790-1810 in the area between Maggodee Cr. and Blackwater River, the same place where Moses Greer lived. Moses Greer served as one of the executors of Fowler's 1832 will (Franklin Co. Chancery Court Case 1849-037, Images 74-75). That will does not mention Elizabeth, probably because her inheritance had already been addressed before she moved to Tennessee.

Besides the marriage record, the only other record located mentioning Elizabeth by name was an 1814 deed in Franklin Co. where Moses, Sr., John F.Greer "and Elizabeth his wife" sold land to Thomas B. Greer.

We also have several other reports, none with supporting evidence, that John married Cressy Graves about 1794 and had a son, Elijah born in 1795 Bledsoe Co., TN. There are no records for such a marriage in Franklin Co. and marriage records for Bledsoe Co. are lost. There is no evidence that John F. Greer was in Tennessee as early as 1794. While it is very likely there has been confusion with another John Greer, the 'records' for this marriage are retained below in the "Other Records" section.

Probable Children

Note: The 1830 and 1840 census records (below) indicate there were several children other than those listed here.

1. John Fitch Greer, Jr., b. 8 Nov 1818, Grassy Cove, Bledsoe Co., TN.
2. Senter Greer, b. Bledsoe Co., TN.
3. Moses C. Greer, b.c. 1817, Bledsoe Co., TN.
4. Nancy C. Greer, b. Bledsoe Co., TN.
5. Catherine E. Greer, b. Bledsoe Co., TN.
6. Eliza Greer, b. Bledsoe Co., TN.

Other Records

Aside from the data presented here, no other information is currently available to confirm or dismiss this evidence.

Name: John Fitch Greer

Spouse: Cressy Graves

Date: circa 1794

Place Virginia

According to GREERS THAT GOT TO GEORGIA by Julian Greer,

John Fitch Greer had two wives: first, Martha Lee Greer and second, Rosa Lee (nee Rust), who were twins, and not Betsey Fowler as indicated by Robert M. Torrence and J. B. Bell. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: John Fitch Greer did marry twins, Martha Tennessee and Rosa Lee Greer, but not this John Fitch Greer. They married John Fitch Greer, son of General Jackson Greer, who was the son of Walter Talley Greer, who was the son of William Greer, who was the son of Moses Greer and Nancy Bailey. The information from Julian Greer's book seems to have been taken from GREER GENEALOGY (1937) by Sylvester Greer, which I have not seen.)

Children by Cressy Graves:

1. Elijah W Greer b.c. 1795, Bledsoe Co., TN. (Just an observation----

CAN THE place of birth be correct as John did not move to Bledsoe until after he married Fowler in 1816.

(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: The research of Lillian (Mrs. Archie T.) Greer in the 1950's to 1970's (as sent to me by Cindy Barbee, a granddaughter, email: scotlass1959@yahoo.com>, March 2002), shows the wife of John Fitch Greer to be Cressy Graves. As there was a child born as early as 1795, and John Fitch did not marry Elizabeth Fowler until 1813, then there had to be a first marriage.)

Sources

• 1810 Federal Census, Franklin County, Virginia; Moses Greer, Sr.
  

2 males 16-25 (1785-1794) Thomas B. Greer and ??
1 male 26-44 (born 1766-1784) John F. Greer??
1 male >45 Moses Greer, Sr. 1 female 16-25 daughter Catherine B. Greer??
1 female >45 Nancy Greer
6 slaves

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 6, p. 259; 3 February 1812, James Callaway of Franklin Co. (Jr.) to John Greer, 125 acres on branches of Blackwater River adjoining Moses Greer, Sr., Gray and Moses Greer, Jr. Note: Land probably adjoined tracts below (DB 7, p. 146 and DB 13, p. 214).

• Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia by Marshall Wingfield, 1786-1858; p. 100, Greer, John and Elizabeth Fowler, Jan. 14, 1813.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 7, p. 146-147; 16 April 1814, Moses Greer, Sr., John F. Greer and Elizabeth his wife to Thomas B. Greer, 180 acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining Gray and James Callaway. No wit. No dower.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book B, p. 215; 9 November 1816, Willis McClendon of Bledsoe Co. to John Greer of Davidson Co., 70 acres in the cove of the mountain by the name of McKenny’s cove. Wit: William Gibson, Benjamin Gibson

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book C, p. 315; 24 November 1819, Willis McClendon of Bledsoe Co. to John Greer of Bledsoe Co., 4 acres in McKenny’s cover on the west side where Greer now lives. Wit: Joseph McClendon, Aquilla Nail.

• 1820 Federal Census: John F. Greer not located

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Surveyor’s Book A, p. 69; 4 October 1824, Survey for John F. Greer, 50 acres on Cumberland Mountain. Note: Includes plat.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Surveyor’s Book B, p. 48; 19 September 1826, Survey for John F. Greer, 100 acres on McKinney’s Cove. Note: Includes plat.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Surveyor’s Book B, p. 54; 30 June 1827, Survey for John F. Greer, 25 acres on Cumberland Mountain on waters of Obed’s River north of the turnpike road from Sparta to Kingston. Note: Includes plat. Located in today’s Cumberland and/or Morgan Co. (north of Bledsoe Co.).

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Surveyor’s Book B, p. 91-92; 23 September 1828, Survey for John F. Greer, 25 acres on McKinney’s Cove. On Gardin’s turnpike road. Note: Includes plat.

• 1830 Federal Census, Bledsoe County, Tennessee; John F. Greer; 1 male <5, 1 male 5-9, 2 males 10-14, 1 male 15-19, 1 male 20-29, 1 male 40-49 (John), 2 females <5, 1 female 5-9, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 30-39 (Elizabeth), 2 slaves.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book F, p. 282; 18 November 1830, Aquilla Nail to Wetherston S. Greer, 292 acres in several small tracts adjoining William McLendon. Wit: John F. Greer, Willis McLendon.

• 1840 Federal Census, Bledsoe County, Tennessee; John F. Greer; 1 male <5, 2 males 10-14, 1 male 15-19, 3 males 20-29, 1male 50-59, 1female 5-9, 1 female 10-14, 1 female 15-19, 1 female 40-49, 1 slave.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book K, p. 37; 1 October 1844, George Dawson to John F. Greer, in trust, for debt to John A. Carrick and Seth L. Carrick, household furniture and livestock.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book K, p. 181, 1 January 1845, James Walker to John F. Greer, in trust, for debt to Wetherston S. Greer, household furniture and livestock, Wit: Chatten T. Pollard.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book K, p. 324, 6 May 1848, George Dawson to John F. Greer, in trust, for debt to John A. Carrick and Seth L. Carrick, household furniture and livestock. Wit: E. M. Willoughby, John Thurman.

• 1850 Federal Census: John F. Greer, Sr. not located. Son, John F. Greer, Jr., was age 31 and living in Bledsoe Co.

• Bledsoe County, Tennessee Deed Book M, p. 274; 26 February 1851, John F. Greer to Wetherston S. Greer, for $1500, 274 acres in McKenny’s cove, being all the land that I have and hold in said cove. Wit: James Walker, John F. Greer, Jr. Note: Recorded 10 March 1856 with witnesses taking oath they saw John F. Greer sign the deed.

• 26 June 1860 Federal Census, Cumberland County, Tennessee, Pomona P. O.; Household # 299/278; John M. B. Walker, 28, farmer, born TN; Mary A. Walker, 29, born TN; Emelia Walker, 5, born TN; Elouisa Walker, 3, born TN; Elijah F. Walker, 2, born TN; John F. Greer, 75, farmer, born VA. Note: Walker’s proper name was John Monroe Beatty Walker. Mary’s was Mary Ann Frost Walker. One of the Walker’s may be John’s grandchild??

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=80856498

• "Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XRQX-MQB : 5 December 2014), John Greer and Elizabeth Fowler, 14 Jan 1813; citing Franklin County, Virginia, reference ; FHL microfilm 31,523.

• Ralph Terry rootsweb.com (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 24 - 25.) (Information on this family from the family Bible of John W. Greer, Kingston Springs, Tennessee; and also recorded in the research notes of L. L. McNees (deceased) of Ebenezer Mississippi as per GREER KINSMEN by J. B. Bell.)

• Ralph Terry---"John Greer and Elizabeth Fowler married 14 January 1813." (MARRIAGE BONDS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY, VIRGINIA by Marshall Wingfield.) (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: The papers included in the papers of Martha V. Harris, Phoenix, Arizona, about 1955, show the John Greer who married Elizabeth Fowler to be the son of James Greer and Elizabeth Greer. This James Greer was the son of Benjamin Greer, who was the son of John Greer.)