George Greer (abt. 1765 - bef. 1832)

Born about 1765 in Bedford County, Virginia

Ancestors

Died before 29 Dec 1832 before about age 67 in Davidson County, Tennessee, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

George Greer was born about 1765-1766 in Bedford County, Virginia. He was the son of Benjamin Greer and Rachel Lowe. George's birth date is estimated from his first appearance in 1787 tax lists for Franklin County, Virginia.

Details of George's married life, and children, are still uncertain. See discussion below.

George remained in Franklin Co. until sometime after April 1797. He next appears in records of Davidson County, Tennessee in January 1800, when he first acquired land there on Big Harpeth River, somewhere west of today's Nashville, TN. Later land records place him on Poplar Creek of the South Harpeth River, probably somewhat closer to the south side of Nashville.

George died some time before 29 December 1832, apparently intestate, when his inventory was first completed. His "widow and relict" was Phebe Greer but the estate records do not name children, only "heirs". Moses Greer (relationship uncertain, but not the Moses Greer's of Franklin Co.) was administrator and William H. Shelton signed the inventory. Shelton married Eleanor Greer in 1797 Franklin Co., the daughter of Moses Greer (1744-1834). Purchasers at his estate sale included several other Greer's. Notably, the estate sale also involved the slave, Cezar, very likely the same "boy" willed to George by his father in 1787.

Marriages

George's wife or wives are not shown in this profile because the details of his married life are uncertain. There are two marriages recorded in Franklin Co., Virginia before 1800 for George Greer: one to Wilmoth (Willmeth) Kirby in 1789 and a second to Sarah Elizabeth Taylor in 1795. While it is possible that one George Greer married both women, another explanation may account for the records. There were two George Greer's recorded in Franklin County tax lists in 1788. One was probably the son of Benjamin Greer, and lived in the northern part of the county, and the other was probably closely related to Aquilla Greer and lived in the southern part of the county.

The marriage bond for the marriage of George Greer and Wilmoth Kirby includes a consent record for Wilmoth Kirby, signed by her parents, Francis Kerby and Elizabeth Kerby, 27 June 1789, and was witnessed by Michael Gilbert and John Kerby (FHL Film # 1977984, Image 78). Land records from 1786-1788 in Franklin Co. (DB 1, pp, 51, 139 and 430) for Francis Kirby suggest he was a close neighbor of Michael Gilbert and probably lived in the vicinity of Jack's Mountain and Pigg River, which would have been in the southern tax district. One of the George Greer's also lived in the southern tax district. This George was present in 1788 but not in 1789, suggesting he may have married Wilmoth in June 1789, before paying taxes, and moved to Georgia with other members of the extended family of Aquilla Greer.

The bondsman for Sarah Taylor and George Greer's marriage in 1795 was Skelton Taylor and the consent was signed by her mother, Sarah Taylor. Sarah's consent was also witnessed by Skelton Taylor and Sarah Demoss (FHL Film # 1977984, Image 163-165). It is likely that the mother, Sarah Taylor, and the witness, Sarah Demoss, are the same woman, as Skelton Taylor probably married Sarah Demoss. Skelton Taylor lived in the northern tax district, as did one of the George Greer's. Also of interest is that several Demoss family members were close neighbors of George Greer in Davidson Co., TN. This George remained in Franklin County until 1797 and then appears in Davidson Co., TN in 1800. He may be the George that married Sarah Taylor.

However, the estate records for George Greer in Davidson Co. clearly clearly indicate he had a wife, Phebe, in 1833. At present, it might be possible that she was a second wife for George. Unfortunately, no further information is available for Phebe.

Research Notes

There were several George Greer's alive at the same time. Some researchers have suggested that the George Greer seen in the 1820 Census for Washington County, Georgia may have been the same George addressed in this profile. The George in Georgia was over 45 (born before 1775) but all records for Washington County were burned in 1855 and 1864. So it is impossible to confirm the identity of this man.

Another George Greer, age 30-39, appears in the Washington Co. census for 1830 and is likely the son of Elisha Greer, and a descendant of Aquilla Greer, Jr.

In 1788 Franklin County, Virginia, two George Greer's are recorded in personal Property Tax Lists, one in the southern district with James and Aquilla Greer and one in the northern district with Benjamin Greer and several of his sons. It's very possible the George from the southern district (with Aquilla) is the same man in the 1820 census for Washington Co., GA. Neither Aquilla or George are recorded after 1788, probably reflecting their move to Georgia.

There may be a problem with the 1830 Census for Davidson County, TN. Ancestry has 106 images indexed for the 1830 census. The first 96 images are labeled for Carroll Co. and are not alphabetical, all compiled by Joel R. Smith. Images 97-106 are not labeled as to location or compiler, are in completely different handwriting and are alphabetical, beginning with “B” surnames and ending with “H” surnames. Ancestry probably has pages from Davidson Co. mixed with pages from Carroll County. The potential problem was reported to Ancestry 10 May 2020.

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 son George Greer one Negro boy named Cezer and no more".

• Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, 1786-1858, Virginia by Marshall Wingfield, p. 99; Greer, Geo. and Sarah Elizabeth Taylor, dau. Sarah, Aug 4, 1795. Sur. Skelton Taylor; Greer, Geo. and Wilmoth Kirby, dau. Francis and Elizabeth, June 30, 1789. Sur. Daniel Brown

• Franklin County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1786-1803, Binns Genealogy, 2007;
  

1787A, May 18, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,0,1,0
1788A, April 4, (South) James Greer,1,0,0,2
1788A, June 2, (South) Aquilla Greer, 1,3,0,4
1788A, August 4, (South) George Greer, 1,0,0,0
1788B, March 27, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,1
1789A, March 13, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,2
1790A, August 3, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,2
1791B, July 16, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,3
1793B, July 5, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,3
1794B, April 10, (North) George Greer, 1,0,0,3
1795B, March 28, (North) George Greer, 1,0,1,2
1796B, April 16, (North) George Greer, 1,0,1,2
1797B, April 2, (North) George Greer, 1,1,0,3
1798-1803, George Greer not enumerated

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 2, p. 455; 6 October 1792, Power of Attorney from John Kearby to Nathaniel Kearby. Wit: John Law, John Cheatwood, George Greer.

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

• Franklin County, Virginia Deed Book 3, p. 492; 24 February 1797, William Hill to Skelton Taylor, 450 acres granted 1760 to Nicholas Haile on both sides of Linville Creek. Wit: George Greer, John Hale, Abraham Whitworth.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book E, p. 152; 14 January 1800, Newton Edley to George Greer, 100 acres on south side of Big Harpeth River. Wit: Lewis Demoss, Oasey Demoss.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book F, p. 161; 19 August 1803, Greenberry Greer to George Greer, 80 acres on west side of South Harpeth River adjoining Daniel Jones, part of 480 acres patented to Jonathan Robertson. Signed: Green Berry Greer. Wit: John Davis, Daniel Jones.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book F, p. 162; 14 April 1804, Greenberry Greer to George Greer, 63 acres on South Harpeth River, part of 480 acres patented to Jonathan Robertson. Signed: Green Berry Greer. Wit: John Demoss, Abraham Demoss.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book F, p. 216; 15 February 1804, George Greer to William Ivey, 100 acres on south side Big Harpeth River on head waters of Trace Creek adjoining Deliverance Gray and Robert Cartwright. Wit: Lewis Demoss, Joshua Balance.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book F, p. 237; 19 August 1803, Green Berry Greer to Daniel Jones, 100 acres on west side of South Harpeth River, part of 480 acres granted to Jonathan F. Robertson. Wit: John Davis, George Greer.

• History of Davdison County, Tennessee, by W. Woodford Clayton, J. W. Lewis & Co. p. 1880, p. 372; 1816, Greenberry and George Greer were taxed in the district west of Harpeth River.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book O, p. 240; 22 December 1817, George Greer to James Pinkerton, land on waters of Poplar Creek of South Harpeth, being a tract of 10 acres granted to George Greer assignee of Robert Rye. Wit: Levi McCollum, Joshua Hanks.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book O, p. 242-243; 22 December 1817, George Greer to James Pinkerton, land on waters of Poplar Creek of South Harpeth, adjoining Blount and the road from Greenberry Greer to Newsom’s mill, being a tract of 10 acres granted to George Greer assignee of Robert Rye. Wit: Levi McCollum, Joshua Hanks.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book R, p. 570; 24 July 1827, Isaac Greer to George Greer, land on Poplar Creek, a branch of South Harpeth River, adjoining George Greer and Blount. No acreage given. No wit.

• 1830 Federal Census “Carroll County” Tennessee, probably Davidson Co.; George Greer, 1 m <5, 1 m 20-29, 1 m 60-69, 2 f <5, 1 f 20-29, 1 f 60-69. Note: Other Greer’s listed include: Green B., William, Joseph, Moses, Walter, William, Isaac, James and James.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Deed Book V, p. 334; 15 October 1832, Parker Strange to George Greer. Wit: Willoughby Wilkins, William ___. Note: Deed is almost completely faded to illegibility.

• Davidson County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, 1832-1836, FHL Film # 24635 (Record is typescript, not original):
  

p. 71, 29 December 1832, Recorded 19 February 1833; Inventory of George Greer, taken by Moses Greer Administrator; list of items included 1 slave, 80 acres of land, livestock, tools and household furnishings. Signed: William H. Shelton.
p. 155-156, April 1833 Court, Recorded 30 August 1833; Sale for George Greer, Decd; list of sale purchasers included several Greer’s (no family relationships given): William Greer, Jr., Walter T. Greer, Walter Greer, William Greer, Phebe Greer, Moses Greer. Administrator: Moses Greer.
p. 167, 10 June 1833 (Recorded), William Shelton and William Henry laid off for the support of Phebe Greer and family 18 barrels of corn, wheat and Pork. Phebe named as “widow and relict of George Greer Decd”.
p. 267, July 1833 Court, 4 December 1833 (Recorded); Nathaniel Gilleam, William Roach, William Cummins, Theophilus Fulgen, Martin Forehand appointed to lay off the dower portion of land to “Phebe Greer & heirs of George Greer Decd”, no specifics given.
p. 357-358, 30 August 1834 (Recorded), Settlement for George Greer, Decd; Moses Greer Administrator; first sale: $336.98; Sale of Negro man Cezar 1 March 1834: $395.75.

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