Mary Greer (sometimes known as Mary Rebecca Greer) was most likely born about 1745, or shortly thereafter, in Baltimore County, Maryland. However, very little is known about her, other than the fact that she married John Divers in 1766, was the mother of several children, and spent the latter years of her life in Franklin County, Virginia.
Over the years, various researchers have been divided on her parents. All seem to agree that Mary was a granddaughter of John Greer and Sarah Day. But the available record sets for some of John and Sarah's sons are inadequate, at present, to assign a father for Mary. Some argue that Mary was a daughter of William Greer and Mary Fitch. Others argue that Moses Greer and Mary Bayley are more likely to be Mary's parents. William and Moses were both sons of John Greer and Sarah Day. There are arguments pro and con for each position, but we still can't definitively resolve Mary's parentage. The argument for William as father are largely traditional, as most compiled genealogies assign him as Mary's father. Arguments for Moses center around the fact that John Divers had two grandsons named Moses. More substantial evidence is necessary in order to make any conclusion.
John and Mary were living along Gills Creek in today's Franklin Co. before 1780. He is shown on the Franklin County Settlement Map as "John Divers 1782". Several other former Maryland families were close neighbors, including the Greer's and Starkey's.
Mary served as one of the Executors for John's will in 1800. Their holdings, at the time, did include a few slaves. Mary appeared in tax lists for 1800-1803, along with her sons, but later lists have not been checked. The last record known for her is the 1810 census. There are no probate records for her in Franklin County. Most likely she had distributed her holdings prior to her death.
It might be reasonable to conclude she was buried somewhere on the Divers property.
Notes:
http://sites.rootsmagic.com/mccarterfamily/individual.php?p=1405 https://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/trees/116649/I793/maryrebecca-greer/individual The f-a-g memorial has NO SOURCE to back anything up...
1800 – District of Richard French: March 26, Christopher Divers, 1,1,0,3; April 19, Mary Divers, 1,3,0,6; July 21, Aquilla Divers, 1,1,0,3.
1801 – District of Richard French: April 15, Aquilla Divers, 1,1,0,3; May 2, Christopher Divers, 1,0,0,5; June 23, Mary Divers, 1,3,0,6.
1802 – District of Richard French: April 8, Aquila Divers, 1,1,0,2; July 31, Christopher Divers, 1,0,0,5; August 5, Mary Divers, 1,3,0,5.
1803 – District of Moses Greer: April 4, Christopher Divers, 0,1,0,5: May 14, Aquila Divers, 1,1,0,2; August 13, Mary Divers, 2,3,0,6.
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G > Greer | D > Divers > Mary Rebecca (Greer) Divers
Categories: United States, Greer Name Study | Greer Name Study | Booth-Joplin Family Cemetery, Scruggs, Virginia