Moses Greer Sr (1744 - 1834)

Born 2 Jun 1744 in Baltimore County, Province of Maryland

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy (Bailey) Greer — married Jan 1765 in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland

Descendants

Died 10 May 1834 at age 89 in Franklin County, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Captain Moses Greer Sr served with Bedford County Militia, Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Moses Greer was born 2 June 1744 in the Gunpowder River area of Baltimore County, Maryland. His birth date comes from his Revolutionary War pension declaration, a transcript of which is attached to this profile. That file is merely a convenient way to access the highlights of his pension papers, available at Fold3.

Most researchers report that Moses was the son of William Greer and Mary Fitch. That may be true but Moses' father is poorly understood at present and there don't appear to be any original records that link the two men as father/son.

He reportedly married Nancy Bailey/Bayley in Maryland in January 1765, although no marriage record is available. She is said to be a daughter of Thomas and Ann Bailey. Sources vary on her birth date and birth place. Some say 30 November 1748, others 30 November 1743. Some say she was born in Prince Georges Co., MD, others say Baltimore Co. She reportedly died on 8 Aug 1827 (or 1829?) in Franklin County, Virginia. These details really need further research and verification.

At the onset of the Revolutionary War, Moses and family were living in Bedford County, Virginia. His military service started there in 1779. When Franklin County formed from Bedford and Henry Counties in 1786, Moses was already the owner of 400 acres of land along the Blackwater River. Over the course of his long life, Moses obviously maintained a strong sense of civic responsibility. He served many roles: Justice of the Peace, road surveyor, court justice (one of the original Justices 2 January 1786), revenue commissioner and legislator (State Assembly in 1794, 1798, 1804, 1806, 1807) to name a few. In 1799, he was one of the men from Franklin Co. appointed to attend a convention of 93 members of the Legislature of Virginia met in Richmond for the purpose of framing a Republican Ticket to be submitted to the freeholders of Virginia at the ensuing election of electors in 1800 to choose a President and Vice President. This convention appointed men from each County to carry on a campaign for these electors in their respective county.

Note: The first court of Franklin met at one of the 'homes' of James Callaway in what was then known as Mt. Pleasant (now Rocky Mount). Callaway had his permanent residence in Bedford Co. Callaway's son, James Callaway, Jr., later married Moses Greer's daughter, Elizabeth.

Moses was also a farmer and a slaveowner. Between his many land dealings and his many records serving the community, Moses may well be one of the best documented men of early Franklin County. It would be impractical to attempt a complete listing in this profile. Several other sources are listed below, for general reading.

For a man who spent almost 50 years serving the courts of Franklin Co., it seems unusual that Moses has no will or other estate papers recorded. He was about 90 years old when he died and he had probably distributed his land and slaves before he passed. If he had no property of value, there would have been little reason for probate. There do not seem to be any chancery cases recorded either, so his descendants were most likely satisfied with what was left them. Moses died in 1834. The date provided on this profile is reported among Moses' RW pension files. His tombstone has no dates. He was buried in the Greer Cemetery on SR 919 (Grassy Hill Road) just south of Gogginsville.

Another Historical Biography for Consideration

The Library of Virginia on-line database includes a historical biography not mentioned in sources below. Parts include: Library of Virginia; Survey Report, June 1 and 2, 1936; Biography collected by Works Progress Administration Historical Inventory by Alice Peak Hopkins of Rocky Mount, Virginia; In the home of Mrs.Cabell Smith in Hopewell, Virginia. Note: June 2 version appears to be a replacement for the June 1 version, with an added page. “Moses Greer was born in Ann Arundel County, Maryland, June 2, 1744. He was the youngest of seven sons. His father, William Greer, married Ann Fitch (sometimes written Finch) in England about 1720. Three sons William, James and Shadrock, were born in England. The family then came to Maryland where John, Aquilla, Benjamin (sometimes called Steve or Steven), Walter, Moses and one daughter, Rebecca, were born. The daughter married ___ Divers. William, the oldest son, remained netural (sic) during the Revolution, Shadrock joined the British Army causing great distress to the family. James, Aquilla, Walter and Moses fought under Washington. John emigrated to Bledsoe County, Tennessee and was the first settler in that remote region.” Note: In 1931, Mrs. Cabell Smith was appointed organizing Regent to form a chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution to be called the ‘Captain Moses Greer Chapter’…On account of the depression, the organization was not completed.

Land Records

Between 1786 and 1829, Moses Greer owned, at one time or another, 2,821.5 acres of land. Deed records indicate he sold 2,730.5 acres. That leaves a balance of 91 acres. And when we deduct the 40 acres he donated for the town of Wisenburgh, he was left with 51 acres. Given survey variability, this is a fairly good accounting. The deeds confirming this are abstracted below. Some, but not all, of these tracts adjoined. Many of these deeds are for land located close to the community of Gogginsville and involve Blackwater River, Little Creek, Back/Buck Run and Griffith's Creek. It appears likely that many of the tracts were acquired for investment purposes and were not actual residences. Based on the location of Moses' grave site, he was probably living with his son, Moses Jr., at the time of his death, and just south of Gogginsville.

Moses Greer and the Town of Wisenburgh: (From: Franklin County, Virginia: A History by Marshall Wingfield, 1964, p. 26; Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1986, A Bicentennial History, by John S. Salmon and Emily J. Salmon, 1993, p. 113-114; and Hening’s Statutes, Vol 13, p. 505 and 586). In the late 1760’s John Donelson started operating an iron bloomery in what became the town of Rocky Mount. Donelson sold out to James Callaway and Jeremiah Early and a small industrial community was there by 1773. Ultimately, Callaway and a man named Thomas Hill owned most of the land in the town, and they refused to sell lots. Other county residents felt a need for a community where tradesmen could settle and on November 10, 1792, they succeeded in getting the VA Legislature to pass an act for establishing the towns of Wisenburgh and Germantown. The town of Wisenburgh was to include “forty acres of land in the county of Franklin the property of Moses Grier, shall be, and they are vested in John Early, Jacob Boon, John Northsinger, Daniel Barnhart, Samuel Thompson, William Wright Jun., William Turnbull and Swinfield Hill, gentlemen, trustees, to be by them, with convenient streets, and established a town by the name of Wisenburgh”. Neither town flourished and by 1803 Callaway and Hill began selling lots in what was then known as Mt. Pleasant, later to become Rocky Mount.

The map of Moses Greer's land attached here was compiled from land records in Bedford and Franklin Co., VA. The area shown in the map was west of today's US Route 220 and in the vicinity of today's community of Gogginsville. Greer owned land in other areas not shown on this map. The specific location of his residence is not known. For other details of Greer's land ownership, contact McGuire-3146.

Previous Notes

His son, William Greer, kept up a family Bible which is now in possession of Mr. John W. Greer, of Kingston Spring, Tennessee, and from this Bible data for this family is derived. He (Moses Greer, Sr.) married prior to 1775, Ann Nancy Bailey. As a matter of passing interest, there is a record in York County, Pennsylvania, showing that John Bailey, of Baltimore, married January 16, 1812, Miss Hanna Greer, of York. This shows that the York and Baltimore members of the family did intermarry.

This profile formerly included the following: "A deed conveying to William (Moses Father), Moses and others the town of My. Plesent described "running past the old Greer House." (920 Maple Avenue.)". No source was offered and the deed has not been located among recorded deeds for Greer's. There is an historic 'Greer Home' in Rocky Mount, the former residence of Dr. Thomas Bailey Greer. But that is located on E. Court Street and was not built until the 1850's.

A previous posting on this profile included this entry but without any explanatory remarks: "1782 - Bedford County VA Order Book 6:336". The record in Bedford Co. Order Book 6, p. 336 is dated 25 January 1782. At that time, Chattin Doggett, George Turnbull, John Smith, Moses Greer, Matthew Talbot Jr. and John Gibson were 'recommended as proper persons to be added to the Commission of the Peace for this County'.

Sources

• Library of Virginia, Legislative Petitions of the General Assembly, 1776-1865, Bedford County # 141, 27 October 1785, petition to form a new county (Franklin); signers included: Moses Greer, Sr., Moses Greer, Jr., Uriah Greer, Thomas Greer, Benjamin Greer, Martain Greer, George Greer, Berry Greer, James Greer.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 1, p. 448-450; 3 November 1788, Thomas Terry Senr., to Moses Greer, Jr. 190 acres on both sides of Blackwater River adjoining Meadow Branch, Frank’s Run, northside thereof in Bedford Co. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 175; 8 February 1791, James Callaway, Sr. of Bedford Co. to Moses Greer, 153 acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining Benjamin Griffith, Terry, Duff. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 215; 1791, (no day or month), Moses Greer to Henry Cetreman (Kitterman?), 69 acres on a branch of Blackwater adjoining Thomas Thompson, Meadow Branch. Nancy Greer relinquished dower.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 250; 3 August 1791, Moses Greer to James Callaway of Bedford Co., 277 acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining Doggett and Thompson. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 301-302; 2 January 1792, Thomas Arthur and Sarah his wife to Moses Greer, 304 ½ acres on both sides of Little Creek of Blackwater River, part of a tract purchased by William Rentfro of James Cole adjoining Doggett, Maid (Mead?). Wit: John Kelly, David Morgan, Aquila Davis, William Greer.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 302-303; 29 October 1791, Thomas Arthur to Moses Greer, 112 acres adjoining Spencer and Doggett. Wit: John Kelly, Aquila Davis, William Greer.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 307-308; 6 February 1792, James Callaway of Bedford Co. to Moses Greer, Senr., 120 acres on both sides of Back Run. Wit: P. Hughes, Thomas Crutcher, Joel Chitwood.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 310-311; 6 February 1792, Moses Greer to Peter Ikenberry, 19 acres adjoining Greer’s own line and Cole. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 311-312; 28 January 1792, Moses Greer to Daniel Barnhart, 188 acres on both sides of Back Run. Wit: P. Hughes, Thomas Crutcher, William Greer.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 336-337; 28 January 1792, Moses Greer to Joseph Floary, 282 acres on Back Run. Wit: P. Hughes, Thomas Crutcher, William Greer.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 374; 7 May 1792, Moses Greer to John Prupecker, 12 acres on Back Run. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 447; 3 December 1792, Moses Greer, Senr., to Daniel Barnhart, 120 acres on both sides of Back Run adjoining Cole. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 463; 4 January 1793, Moses Greer to George Harter, 97 acres on Back Run. Nancy the wife relinquished dower.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 476-477; 6 April 1791, Mark Cole of Liberty Co., GA to Moses Greer, 300 acres on both sides of Little Creek and both sides of Back Run adjoining James Cole. Wit: John Lawson, Moses Greer, Jr., William Walton, Chattin Pollard, Charles Creback, Abraham Rowland.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 479-480; 6 April 1791, Mark Cole of Liberty Co., GA to Moses Greer, 400 acres on both sides of Back Run of Little Creek. Wit: John Lawson, Moses Greer, Jr., Stephen Lee, Chattin Pollard, Charles Creback.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 523-524; 6 October 1793, Mark Cole of Liberty Co., GA to Moses Greer, Senr., 328 acres on a branch of Little Creek. Wit: Stephen Lee, Chattin Pollard, Charles Creback, William Greer, Moses Greer, Jr., Abraham Rowland.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 526-527; 6 October 1792, Mark Cole of Liberty Co., GA to Moses Greer, Senr., 245 acres on a branch of Little Creek. Wit: Stephen Lee, Chattin Pollard, Charles Creback, William Greer, Moses Greer, Jr., Abraham Rowland.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 40; 7 October 1793, Moses Greer and Nansy his wife to John Landis, 245 acres on both sides of Cole Branch. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 178; 1 September 1794, Moses Greer and Nancy his wife to Henry Kinsy, 328 acres by survey Dec. 1, 1755 on the north fork of Griffith’s Creek a branch of Blackwater River. Nancy Greer relinquished dower right.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 199; 3 November 1794, Moses Greer, Sr. to Christian Myers, 200 acres on Back Run adjoining Ikenberry. Wit: Daniel Barnhart, William Cavanaugh, Henry Kitterman.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 200; 3 November 1794, Moses Greer, Jr. to Moses Greer, Sr., 190 acres on both sides of Blackwater River. Wit: Samuel Thompson, William Cavanaugh, Tithsha Barns.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 202; 3 November 1794, Moses Greer to Jacob Hickman, 10 acres on waters of Back Run and Little Creek adjoining Ikenberry and Cole. Wit: Leonard Geerhart, Moses Greer, Daniel Barnhart, Chattin Pollard.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 205; 3 November 1794, Moses Greer, Sr. to Peter Ikenberry and Enoch Brower, 275 acres on Little Creek. Wit: Daniel Barnhart, Moses Greer, Jr., Leonard Geerhart, Chattin Pollard.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 207; 3 November 1794, Moses Greer, Sr. to Moses Greer, Jr., 270 acres on Little Creek a branch of Blackwater River, being part of a tract that Greer purchased of Thomas Arthur. Wit: Daniel Barnhart, Leonard Geerhart, illegible.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 500; 2 October 1797, Moses Greer, Sr. to Christian Myers, 55 acres on Back Run adjoining Ikenberry and Cole. Nancy Greer, wife, relinquished dower.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 709; 2 September 1799, Moses Greer, Sr. to Chattin Pollard, 120 acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining Benjamin Griffith and Duff. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 709; 2 September 1799, Henry Kitterman and Moses Greer, Sr. to Thomas Highty, 96 acres on a creek. No wit.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 715; 29 September 1799, Moses Greer and William Greer to Isaac Nave, 160 acres on both sides of Little Creek, being part of Callaway’s order and Coles old survey adjoining Ikenberry, Good and Morgan. Nancy, wife of Moses Greer relinquished dower.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 4, p. 131; 20 November 1799, Moses Greer, Senior and William Greer to Isaac Nave, 162 acres on both sides of Little Creek, being part of Callaway’s order and Cole’s old survey, adjoining Icanberry, Good, Sibert and Myers. Not wit. Nancy, wife of Moses, and Elizabeth, wife of William, relinquished dower.

• Franklin County, Virginia District Court Deed Book 1, p. 352; 12 April 1802, Moses Greer, Sr. to Walter Talley Greer, 100 acres on south side of Blackwater River.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 5, p. 99; 9 May 1805, Moses Greer, Sr. and William Greer to Wilson Turner, 150 acres on both sides of Little Creek adjoining Moses Greer, Jr., Waggon road, Sibert, Nave, Myers, Cole’s old line and crossing Buck Run. Not wit. No dower.

• 1810 Federal Census, Franklin County, Virginia; Moses Greer, Sr., 2 m 16-25, 1 m 26-44, 1 m >45, 1 f 16-25, 1 f >45, 6 slaves; Moses Greer, Jr., 2 m 10-15, 2 m 16-25, 1 m 26-44, 3 f <10, 1 f 26-44.

• 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.

• 1820 Federal Census, Franklin County, Virginia; Moses Greer, Sr., 1 m 26-44, 1 m >45, 1 f 26-44, 1 f >45, 7 slaves; Moses Greer, Jr., 2 m <10, 2 m 16-25, 1 m >45, 2 f <10, 1 f 10-15, 1 f 16-25, 1 f >45, 4 slaves.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 10, p. 18-19; 4 March 1822, James Callaway and Elizabeth his wife and Moses Greer Sr. and Nancy his wife to Henry Carper, 79 acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining Benjamin Griffith and Duff.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 12, p. 446-447; 21 February 1829, Deed of Gift, Moses Greer, Senior. For natural love and affection for my son in law Henry Carper and my daughter Nancy Carper, slaves Chloe and child Rachel and Herculus, after my death and for their natural life times and after their deaths to the heirs of my daughter Nancy.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 12, p. 489-490; 2 November 1829, Moses Greer, Sr. rendering comfort and care to my daughter Molly Pollard, for $1 paid by my grandsons Samuel W. Greer and Joseph H. Pollard the former of Franklin Co. and the latter of Davison Co., TN, slaves Nelson and Rainer; grandsons to pay Elizabeth Callaway $200 for her share. Wit: Walter T. Greer, T. B. Greer, Wetherston S. Greer.

• 1830 Federal Census, Franklin County, Virginia; Moses Greer, Sr, 1 male 80-89, 1 female 40-49, 4 slaves; Moses Greer, Jr., 1 m 5-9, 2 m 10-14, 1 m 60-69, 1 f 15-19, 1 f 20-29, 1 f 40-49, 12 slaves.

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 13, p. 214-215; 17 May 1829, Moses Greer, Sr. and Thomas B. Greer and Usley his wife to Thomas Fowler of Botetourt Co., for $2000, __ acres on north side of Blackwater River adjoining the ford of the river against Callaway’s Mill, Livesey, Gray, Carper. Wit: Moses Greer Jr., Samuel W. Greer, Walter T. Greer.

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80856498/moses-greer FindaGrave Memorial #80856498, Moses Greer, Sr. and Nancy Greer, tombstone photos. Other graves registered this cemetery not supported with evidence. Located on SR 919 (Grassy Hill Road) just south of Gogginsville.

• Franklin County, Virginia: A History by Marshall Wingfield, 1964, p. 26 (town of Wisenburgh)

• Franklin County, Virginia, 1786-1986, A Bicentennial History, by John S. Salmon and Emily J. Salmon, 1993, p. 113-114 (town of Wisenburgh)

• Pioneer Families of Franklin County, Virginia, 1935, by Marshall Wingfield, page 86. Note: Some content apparently comes from interviews with descendants and may be at odds with more current research.

• Hening’s Statutes, Vol 13, p. 505 and 586 (town of Wisenburgh).

• 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.)

• Royal Heritage of the Greers Carolyn Beal, pages 137 - 138: Letter from the Veterans Administration, Washington, D.C., dated April 9, 1938, "Pension Claim File S-8609, Certificate # 2896 issued December 8, 1832; rate $ 460.00 per annum; commenced March 4, 1831; Virginia Agency". He was allowed a pension on Application September 12, 1832; then a resident of Franklin County and was referred to as Moses Greer, Sr., age 88.

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

• Information about the family and descendants of Moses Greer has been recorded in ; DAR Abstracts (369.1 D26L), Vol. 119, page 28; DAR Records #68406; and research notes of L. L. McNees of Ebenezer, Mississippi.

• Greer Kinsmen by J. B. Bell; and notes of Mrs. Cabel Smith, Rocky Mount, Virginia and Edna Greer Hatfield. (Lois Temple FGS 959.). Note: Some of Mrs. Cabell Smith's work is also available at the Library of Virginia but content is at odds with more current research.

Acknowledgments

1. HUGE THANK YOU TO "Created by: Bev Golden --Record added: Nov 22, 2011 the Find A Grave Memorial# 80856498--For all her research and most of all sharing it with us, his family
2. Thank you to Mike Ormsby for creating Greer-861 on 17 Jul 13.