Individual Details
Dr. Joseph Abner Wayne Greer
(17 Apr 1844 - 19 Feb 1908)
After the Civil War ended, Joseph Wayne Greer entered the Medical Department of the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University of New Orleans), and received his M.D. degree in 1869.
Sherman Daily Register, October 17, 1900:
"SEED OATS FOR BRAZORIA"
One Thousand Bushels Go from Grayson Farmers Today.
A consignment of one thousand bushels of first class seed oats were loaded today and shipped to the sufferers in Brazoria County. Dr. Joseph Greer, formerly a resident of Van Alstyne, but now living in Angleton, Brazoria County, will be requested to take charge of this consignment and distribute it. The oats were gathered largely through the efforts of Jeff and Rome Hall, who resolved themselves into a relief committee when the call for help came. Pittman, Harrison & Co. have received and cared for the donations as they were made and looked after the shipment.
Sherman Daily Register, October 20, 1900:
"The Storm king's Funeral Dirge"
(a lengthy article by Joseph Greer on the hurricane that devastated Galveston that year) See it at:
http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143512/m1/3/zoom/?zoom=4&lat=4804&lon=1858&layers=BT
His middle name Wayne is attested on the death certificates of his daughter Sallie and his son William, as well as the initial W. in the 1860 census.
The other middle name “Abner" is from a pension application via his wife where she lists his full name. Apparently he had two middle names. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1677/32241_1020703347_1012-00428/1341739?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/31746356/person/18113867158/facts/citation/155142518688/edit/record
Sherman Daily Register, October 17, 1900:
"SEED OATS FOR BRAZORIA"
One Thousand Bushels Go from Grayson Farmers Today.
A consignment of one thousand bushels of first class seed oats were loaded today and shipped to the sufferers in Brazoria County. Dr. Joseph Greer, formerly a resident of Van Alstyne, but now living in Angleton, Brazoria County, will be requested to take charge of this consignment and distribute it. The oats were gathered largely through the efforts of Jeff and Rome Hall, who resolved themselves into a relief committee when the call for help came. Pittman, Harrison & Co. have received and cared for the donations as they were made and looked after the shipment.
Sherman Daily Register, October 20, 1900:
"The Storm king's Funeral Dirge"
(a lengthy article by Joseph Greer on the hurricane that devastated Galveston that year) See it at:
http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth143512/m1/3/zoom/?zoom=4&lat=4804&lon=1858&layers=BT
His middle name Wayne is attested on the death certificates of his daughter Sallie and his son William, as well as the initial W. in the 1860 census.
The other middle name “Abner" is from a pension application via his wife where she lists his full name. Apparently he had two middle names. https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/1677/32241_1020703347_1012-00428/1341739?backurl=https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/31746356/person/18113867158/facts/citation/155142518688/edit/record
Events
| Birth | 17 Apr 1844 | Oak Bowery, Chambers County, Alabama | |||
| Census (family)-shared | 28 Sep 1850 | (Joseph Greer Jr. and Jane Murray Wilson) Chambers County, Alabama |  |  | |
| Census (family)-shared | 2 Aug 1860 | (Joseph Greer Jr. and Jane Murray Wilson) New Harmony, Chambers County, Alabama | | | |
| Military | 1862 | | | ||
| Military | 1864 | | |||
| Marriage | 28 Feb 1871 | Collin County, Texas - Emma Sarah Mahar | |||
| Census (family) | 1 Jun 1880 | Van Alstyne, Grayson County, Texas - Emma Sarah Mahar | | | |
| Census (family) | 4 Jun 1900 | Brazoria County, Texas - Emma Sarah Mahar | | | |
| Death | 19 Feb 1908 | Alvin, Brazoria County, Texas | | ||
| Alt name | Joseph Abner Wayne Greer | ||||
| Burial | Van Alstyne Cemetery, Grayson County, Texas | | |
Families
| Spouse | Emma Sarah Mahar (1853 - 1926) |
| Child | Jennie Knox Greer (1872 - 1903) |
| Child | Elvira "Eva" Greer (1872 - 1873) |
| Child | Vallie Margaret "Peggy" Greer (1875 - 1973) |
| Child | Sallie Pearl Greer (1877 - 1949) |
| Child | Thomas Columbus Greer (1878 - 1880) |
| Child | Joseph Wayne Greer (1880 - 1927) |
| Child | Lafayette "Fatie" Greer (1883 - 1883) |
| Child | William Clement "Bill" Greer (1886 - 1969) |
| Father | Joseph Greer Jr. (1807 - 1893) |
| Mother | Jane Murray Wilson (1808 - 1873) |
| Sibling | Priscilla Greer (1832 - 1846) |
| Sibling | Thomas Wilson Greer (1833 - 1913) |
| Sibling | Capt. James LaFayette Greer (1836 - 1922) |
| Sibling | Sarah Jane Greer (1839 - 1907) |
| Sibling | Columbus Patten Greer (1842 - 1863) |
| Sibling | Knox S. Greer (1846 - 1872) |
| Sibling | John Flavel Greer (1850 - 1924) |
| Sibling | Baxter Dixon Greer (1851 - 1927) |
Notes
Census (family)-shared
Joseph Greer M 43 South Carolina - Wagon makerJane M Greer F 42 South Carolina
Thomas W Greer M 16 Alabama - Student
James L Greer M 13 Alabama
Sarah J Greer F 11 Alabama
Columbus P Greer M 8 Alabama
Joseph A Greer M 6 Alabama
Knox L Greer M 4 Alabama
John F Greer M 3/12 Alabama
Jane Wilson F 65 South Carolina
Priscilla Greer F 75 South Carolina
Joseph Greer owns 17 slaves in 1850.
Census (family)-shared
Joseph Greer M 52 South Carolina - FarmerJane M Greer F 51 South Carolina
Lafayette Greer M 23 Alabama - School teacher
Sarah J Greer F 21 Alabama
Columbus Greer M 19 Alabama
Joseph W Greer M 17 Alabama
Knox Greer M 14 Alabama
John Greer M 11 Alabama
Baxter Greer M 9 Alabama
Military
Joseph Abner Wayne Greer and his older brother, Columbus Patton Greer, were both in Company D, the 34th Regiment of Alabama Volunteer Infantry, under the command of Col. Julius C. Mitchell, from the latter part of 1861. Columbus Greer was wounded on 31 Dec 1962 at the battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, and died 15 January, 1863. Joseph Greer served in the 34th Regiment until it surrendered at High Point, North Carolina, on 26 Apr 1865.The 34th Infantry Regiment, organized at Loachapoka, Alabama, in April, 1862, contained men from Montgomery and the counties of Tallapoosa, Coosa, and Russell. It moved to Tupelo, Mississippi, and was assigned to General Manigault's Brigade where it remained for the duration of the war. The unit saw little action during the Kentucky Campaign then took an active part in many conflicts of the Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to Atlanta. Later it fought in Hood's winter operations in Tennessee and at Bentonville, North Carolina. The regiment reported 11 killed and 77 wounded at Murfreesboro, had many captured at Missionary Ridge, and in December, 1863, totalled 388 men and 281 arms. It lost 14 killed and 46 wounded at Ezra Church and was almost annihilated at Nashville. Few surrendered on April 26, 1865. The field officers were Colonel Julius C.B. Mitchell, Lieutenant Colonels John C. Carter and James W. Echols, and Majors Henry R. McCoy and John N. Slaughter.
Census (family)
self Joseph Greer M 36 Alabama - Physicianwife S. E. Greer F 26 Texas - K.H.
daughter J. K. Greer F 8 Texas
daughter V. M. Greer F 5 Texas
daughter L. P. Greer F 3 Texas
Also listed under the same household and family (#12):
self E. B. Higgins M 33 North Carolina - Panman
wife Lora Higgins F 25 Texas - Boarding
son James Higgins M 4
Census (family)
Head Joseph Greer M 56 Alabama - PhysicianWife Sarah E Greer F 47 Texas
Daughter Jennie K Greer F 26 Texas - School teacher
Daughter Margaret V Greer F 24 Texas - no
Daughter Sallie P Greer F 21 Texas
Son Wayne J Greer M 20 Texas - School boy
Son [William Clement] Greer M 15 Texas - School boy
Death
From the diary of Joseph Wayne Greer, Jr.: "My father died July 19, 1908. He was the best father a fellow ever had. He was so sure of the future that he told Bill that he would think no more of dying than he would of going to sleep. There are not many men have that little fear of death."Death source: Directory of Deceased American Physicians, 1804-1929
Burial
Tombstone inscription: A soldier 1862-1865. Company D. 34th Alabama volunteer infantry, Tennessee Army, CSA, with General Johnson.Endnotes
1. "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHPT-ZKR : accessed 29 Jul 2013), Joseph Greer, 1850..
2. "United States Census (Slave Schedule), 1850 ," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MV87-HGJ : accessed 29 Jul 2013), Joseph Greer, 1850..
3. "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MHDZ-DY6 : accessed 25 Aug 2013), Joseph Greer, 1860..
4. "United States Civil War Soldiers Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FSQ5-644 : accessed 25 Aug 2013), Joseph Greer, 1861-1865..
5. "Alabama, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XXK3-QKL : accessed 25 Aug 2013), Joseph Greer, 1864..
6. "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFN6-J9Z : accessed 09 Aug 2013), Joseph Greer, 1880..
7. "United States Census, 1900," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M32B-DYY : accessed 25 Aug 2013), Sallie P Greer in entry for Joseph Greer, 1900..
8. Find A Grave Memorial# 10604081..