Henry Greer (1771 - bef. 1832)

Born 11 Oct 1771 in Bedford County, Virginia

Ancestors

Died before 19 Dec 1832 before age 61 in Breckinridge County, Kentucky

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This profile is part of the Greer Name Study.

Corrections

Previous versions of this profile Inadvertently confused this Henry Greer with Henry Greer. The children previously listed were moved to Greer-2161, as was the incorrect spouse. Birth and death dates and places were also adjusted.

Biography

Henry Greer was born in 1771 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was the son of Benjamin Greer and Mary Haynes. It's very likely that Henry and his brother were twins. Both Henry and Benjamin appear for the first time in records with the 1787 will of their father. They appear in Franklin Co. tax records in 1793 and are often paying taxes on the same day.

Henry most likely lived on his father's land, even after he married, probably taking care of his mother who was still living in 1801. There is only one land record, for Henry and Benjamin, on Gills Creek in 1794. Henry married Susanna Hatcher in 1792 in Bedford Co., just across the river from Franklin Co. They were still in Franklin in 1803, but have not been found in Kentucky records before the 1810 census. They appear in the 1810 census for Breckinridge County, Kentucky and begin to acquire land there by 1811. That land was on Tules Creek and Rough Creek, both just south of Hardinsburg, the county seat.

The 1830 census suggests Susannah had died 1820-1830. Henry died sometime prior to 19 December 1832, when his son, John Greer, petitioned the court to be administrator of his estate. Additional estate and land records appear to confirm he died intestate.

One report (see Ralph Terry notes from Ann Huntsman below) suggests Henry's grave site may be underwater at Rough River Lake in Breckinridge Co.

Children

Insufficient information is available to create individual profiles for Henry's children. Those born before 1810 were likely born in Virginia. From records available (below), it is clear that Henry had 9 heirs and those 9 children are most likely (order listed may not be birth order):

1. John Greer, born c. 1792, Franklin Co., VA, may have married Mary MNU
2. Benjamin Greer, born c. 1793 Franklin Co., VA, married Mary 'Polly' MNU before 1838
3. Martha 'Patsy' Greer, born c. 1796 Franklin Co., VA, married Joel Haynes, lived in Audrain Co.,Missouri
4. Julia Greer, born c, 1801 Franklin Co., VA, married Abraham Skillman c. 1827 Breckinridge Co., KY.
5. Henry Greer, Jr., born c. 1807 Franklin Co., VA, married Ellen Smith, died 28 June 1854 of consumption
6. Jabez Greer, born c. 1812 Breckinridge Co., KY
7. Susan Greer, born c. 1813 Breckinridge Co., KY, married David Smith, died before 1850
8. Catherine Greer, born c. 1814, Breckinridge Co., KY, married William Marks
9. Phebe Greer, born Breckinridge Co., KY, married Thomas Vawter Newman

Research Notes

Breckinridge County, Kentucky suffered courthouse fires in the 1820's, 1864 and 1958. Some record losses were sustained and may be responsible for the lack of marriage records and/or probate records.

The 1999 message from Ann Huntsman (below) indicates the will of Benjamin Hatcher (father of Susannah) c. 1808 contains content proving the marriage of Henry Greer and Susannah Hatcher. That record has not yet been located.

Sources

• Franklin County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 17-19; 28 December 1787, Will of Benjamin Greer includes: "Item, I give and bequeath unto my Loving wife Mary Greer four Negro’s named Counselor, Jude, Daff and Frank with all my Stock household furniture & Land her life time, and their Increase, and at my wifes Decease my desire is the Land excepted for my two youngest sons, only & that to be Equally Divided Between them, namely Henry Greer and Benjamin Greer, also my desire is that the four Negros named Counselor, Jude, Daff & Frank with all my Stock household furniture, with all their increase to be Divided equally between my four youngest children namely Henry, Benjamin, Dinah and Sarah Greer".

• Ency. of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. VI, Bedford County, Virginia Marriage Records (not Quaker marriages); p. 924; 24 September 1792, Greer, Henry & Susanna Hatcher, dt Benjamin Hatcher. Samuel Hatcher surety. Consent by Benjamin Hatcher. Married by John Ayers 4 October 1792.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 89, 27 March 1794, Robert Mead, attorney for William Mead, to Henry and Benjamin Greer, land (no acreage given) on waters of Gills Creek adjoining Greer’s corner, Race path branch, Taylor. Wit: George Greer, George Asberry.

• Franklin County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1786-1803, Binns Genealogy, 2007; all records below from Northern District of Franklin Co. and all record White, Black >16, Black <16, Horses.
  

1793B
July 5, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,0
July 5, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,1
1794B
April 10, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,1
April 10, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,0
1795B
April 6, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,2
April 6, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,1
1796B
April 30, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,1
May 13, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,1
1797B
April 1, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,1
April 1, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,1
1798B
April 7, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,2
April 7, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,2
1799B
April 1, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,2
April 6, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,3
1800B
March 10, Henry Greer, 1,0,0,3
March 10, Benjamin Greer, 1,0,0,3
1801B
August 8, Henry Greer, 1,1,1,1
1802B
August 24, Henry Greer, 1,0,1,3
1803B
April 15, Henry Greer, 1,0,1,4

• Franklin County, Virginia Marriage Bond Index, Females; FHL Film # 75789670 and Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1858, p. 110; Bond # 1831, Hatcher, Henry and Sally Greer, daughter of Henry and Mary, 4 February 1801. Sur. Henry Greer. Note: This is likely Mary Haynes Greer giving consent, with her son, Henry, acting as bondman and witness.

• 1810 Federal Census, Breckinridge County, Kentucky; Henry Grier; 3 males <10, 1 male 10-15, 1 male 26-44, 3 females <10, 1 female 10-15, 1 female 26-44, 7 slaves.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book C, p. 211-212; 31 December 1811, William Hardin, Sr. to Henry Greer, 150 acres on Tuels (sic - Tules) Creek adjoining Hardin's large surveys.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book C, p. 443-444; 13 November 1815, Ralph Crume to Henry Greer, 250 acres on waters of the north fork of Rough Creek, part of the land deeded by William Hardin, Sr. to Crume 7 January 1813, adjoining Henry Wilyards.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Court Minute Books 1813-1819, FHL Film # 7856541, p. 290, 15 June 1818, On the motion of Henry Greer his stock mark is ordered recorded, which is a crop and slit in the left ear and a crop off the right.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book D, p. 240, 24 February 1818, Henry Greer and Susanna his wife to William Haynes of Bedford County, Virginia, 250 acres on north fork of Rough Creek adjoining Henry Wilyard. Susanna relinquished dower rights.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed book D, p. 332, 9 October 1818, Richard Penndry (?) and Eleanor his wife to Henry Greer, 220 acres on north fork of Rough Creek, being land conveyed to Penndry by William Hardin.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book D, p. 471, 27 March 1819, Henry Greer to James Anderson, 191 acres, 1 rood and 38 poles on Tuels (sic - Tules) Creek, being part of land originally William Hardin's. No mention of dower release.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed book D, p. 461, 18 March 1819, Henry Haynes and Phebe his wife to Henry Greer, 16 acres and 6 poles being part of land deeded to Haynes by William Hardin 22 July 1815, adjoining Jacob Wiser.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deeed Book D, p. 462-462, 18 March 1819, Henry Haynes and Phebe his wife to Henry Greer, 25 acres, 1 rood and 32 poles on waters of Tuel's (sic - Tules) Creek, being part of land conveyed to Haynes by William Hardin 31 December 1812, adjoining Henry Greer. and William May.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Court Minute Books 1818-1823, FHL Film # 7856541, p. 73, 16 August 1819, Henry Greer named overseer of the road from Hardinsburg to Neif’s Mill from where said road leaves Duncan’s Road to the cross roads in the barrens in the room of Francis Watts. James Thompson, Nicholas Scott, William Duncan and William Tabor named as neighbors to assist; p. 178, 18 December 1820, Henry Greer petitions the court to alter part of the road from Hardinsburg to Elizabeth town by way of Nieff’s Mill; p. 191, Henry Greer’s alteration of the road approved by court and passes by Henry Haynes, Richard Stephens. Henry Haynes, John Davison and Joseph N. Dodson viewed the way proposed.

• 1820 Federal Census, Breckinridge County, Kentucky; Henry Greer; 2 males <10, 2 males 10-16, 2 males 16-26, 1 male >45, 1 female <10, 2 females 10-16, 2 females 16-26, 1 female >45, 9 slaves.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book F, p. 421, 2 January 1824, Heirs (all named) of Thomas Holt of Harrison Co., KY to Henry Greer, 382 acres on waters of Rough Creek, part of 60,000 acres patented by Philip Barbour.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky, Record of Wills, 1800-1825, by Annie Burns Walker (Family Search record):
  

p. 82-83, 17 May 1824, Henry Greer named as Executor for will of Benjamin Watts, with Mary Watts and Francis Watts.
p. 85, 21 February 1825, Henry Greer named as Executor for will of Benjamin Pate, along with Henry Haynes.

• 1830 Federal Census, Breckinridge County, Kentucky; Henry Greer; 1 male 10-14, 1 male 15-19, 3 males 20-29, 1 male 50-59, 2 females 15-19, 1 female 20-29, 1 female 20-29, 5 slaves.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book H, p. 410, 22 May 1828, Deed of Trust, Joseph Dodson to Henry Greer, for debt to Bank of the Commonwealth and to Henry Greer, livestock and tobacco crop.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book I, p. 481, 17 April 1832, Robert Stephens, Executor of Richard Stephens, to Henry Greer, 34 acres on Rough Creek, part of 60,000 acres patented by Philip Barbour, adjoining Nicholas Holms, Dodson and Henry Greer.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Court Minute Books 1830-1835, FHL Film # 785654;
  

p. 124, 19 December 1832, John Greer came into court and moved the Court for leave to administer the estate of Henry Greer decd which is granted him whereupon he took the oath required by law and with Susan Greer, Phebe Greer, Benjamin Greer & Henry Greer his securities entered into bond in the penalty of $3000 conditioned agreeably to law and thereupon letters of administration is granted him in due form. Ordered that Henry Haynes, David J. Stephens, James Moredock and James Bramblett or any three of them being duly sworn do appraise in current money the slaves if any and personal estate of Henry Greer decd & make report agreeably to law.

p. 125, 19 November 1832, A Power of Attorney from Susan Greer & Phebe Greer to John Greer was duly proved by Henry Greer & John Haynes subscribers thereto and ordered to be recorded.

p. 126, 19 November 1832, Henry Greer is appointed guardian for Jabez Greer an infant orphan of Henry Greer Sr. decd and with Samuel McClarty his security ordered into bond in the penalty of $1200 conditioned agreeably to law.

p. 139, 17 December 1832, On the motion of Catherine Greer above the age of fourteen years Henry Greer is appointed her guardian and with Samuel McClarty his security entered into bond in the penalty of one thousand dollars conditioned agreeably to law.

p. 147, 21 January 1833, An inventory and appraisement of the estate of Henry Greer was exhibited in the Court by John Greer the Administrator and ordered to be recorded. An Account of the Sales of said Estate was exhibited in Court and ordered to be recorded. An Account of Debts due Henry Greer decd at the time of his death was exhibited in Court by John Greer the Administrator and ordered to be recorded.

p. 338, 21 September 1835, A Settlement of Commissioners with John Greer administrator of the estate of Henry Greer decd was produced in Court and ordered to be over one month.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book K, p. 99-100; 19 November 1832, Power of Attorney from Susan Greer and Phebe Greer to “our brother John Greer”, for purposes of signing the administration bond.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Court Minute Books 1833-1842, FHL Film # 7796415;
  

p. 275, 23 July 1835, Benjamin Greer vs the heirs of Henry Greer decd; In Chancery; This day came the complainant by his Counsel, and the Defts Joel Haynes & Patsy his wife, formerly Patsy Greer, having been duly published against &c, all the other Defts having been duly served with process and failing to appear and answer the Complainant’s Bill except John Greer, the same is taken for [illegible word] against all except John Greer. And thereupon this cause came to be heard upon the bill [illegible word] and the answer of Deft John Greer &c the exhibit, and upon due consideration had thereon by the Court it is decreed and Ordered that Complt is entitled to 110 acres of land as described in the Bill and exhibits, as part of the land conveyed to Henry Greer by William Pendry, and which the Complt holds by purchase from his father Henry Greer. It is further decreed and Ordered that Joseph B. Ball, Stephen Meredith &c are hereby appointed Comr to divide the said 220 acres of Land between the Complt as a purchase and himself & the other heirs of Henry Greer decd who are Defts in this suit & allot to Complt 110 acres, that in the division they divide the same so as to include the improvements in the part allotted to him leaving the balance in as good shape as possible and make report to the next term of this Court until which time the question of Costs is reserved & the cause continued.

p. 307, 18 April 1836, Benjamin Greer vs Henry Greer’s heirs; In Chancery; A deed from Jo Allen as Commissioner appointed to convey to Benjamin Greer was exhibited in Court by the Commissioner and acknowledged to be his act and deed as Comr. and was approved of by the Court & ordered to be recorded.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book L, p. 466, 3 March 1838, Benjamin Greer and Polly his wife to Henry Greer (Jr.), one ninth part, as heir of Henry Greer, Sr., in 382 acres on Rough Creek, being land conveyed to Henry Greer, Sr. by heirs of Thomas Holt; also one ninth part of 34 acres purchased by Henry Greer, Sr. of Robert Stephens.

• Breckinridge County, Virginia Deed Book M, p. 61, 10 January 1839, Abraham Skillman and Julia his wife to Henry Greer, Jr., one ninth part, as heir of Henry Greer, Sr., in 382 acres on Rough Creek, being land conveyed to Henry Greer, Sr. by heirs of Thomas Holt; also one ninth part of 34 acres purchased by Henry Greer, Sr. of Robert Stephens.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book M, p. 378, 16 May 1840, Benjamin Greer and Polly his wife to Charles Alexander, 100 acres on north fork of Rough Creek, formerly owned by Henry Greer, now deceased, part of a 220 acre survey conveyed to Benjamin Greer by Jo Allen Commissioner and recorded in Deed Book __, p. 259. Signed: Benjamin and Mary Greer. Mary relinquished dower.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book O, p. 288; 14 July 1845, Power of Attorney from Joel Haynes and Martha Haynes of Audrain County, Missouri to Benjamin Greer of Meade County, Kentucky, to sell and convey all right and title in land which Henry Greer, Sr. died possessed.

• Breckinridge County, Kentucky Deed Book O, p. 290-291; 16 August 1845, Joel Haynes and Martha Haynes, late Martha Greer, by Benjamin Greer their attorney, and Jabez Greer, heirs of Henry Greer decd, to William Butler of Breckinridge Co., all their undivided interest in a tract of land on North Fork, containing 110 acres in which Martha claims one ninth and Jabez claims one ninth.

• https://wc.rootsweb.com/trees/116649/I5571/henry-greer/individual Ralph Terry report of 1999 message from Ann Huntsman. Contains details of Huntsman's family connection to Henry Greer through his daughter Julia.

• Capenoch Judia and Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas

• O'Quin, Bertie, compiler. The Descendants of Aquilla Greer, Sr. 1719-1790 (August 2005)

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Catherine Rivera for creating WikiTree profile Greer-733 through the import of Tillery Update 2012.ged on Apr 4, 2013.