Individual Details
William Manson Greear
(March 10, 1810 - July 12, 1894)
1850 Pulaski County, Kentucky census, Division 1, page 50, taken 16 September 1950, house # 702: William GREER, 40, m, farmer, Real Estate Value $3000, Va; Ma (?) GREER, 37, f, Va; Crocket, 16, m, Va; Meda GREER, 14, Va; Margaret GREER, 12, f, Va; Elizabeth GREER, 10, f, Va; Susan GREER, 4, f, Va; Hannah GREER, 2, f, Ky.
"This family is on page 34 of the 1840 Scott County census. Seven children. William Greear is alleged to have been born in Scott County, Virginia and moved to Pulaski County, Kentucky sometime prior to 1843 (Pulaski County, Kentucky Court records show that in 1843 he made a declaration as to ownership of negro slaves.). William Greear was buried in a family grave yard on a farm which he once owned. The grave yard, now over-grown with bushes and trees is located just off the Somerset - Crab Orchard Road in Pulaski County, Kentucky on the Woodstock side of Buck Creek Hill, on a farm now owned by John "Harry" Anderson. This family in 1870 and 1880 Pulaski County, Kentucky census. Melvina Woods is the sister of Arminia Woods who married Moses Greer." (Dr. Thompson, 1957 as per Lois Temple FGS 752.)
"I have in my hand a typewritten document entitled "This is the story of families, names and relatives: William Greer, George Gastineau, William Starns and Eveline Thurman" written by Cordelia F. Starns, great grand daughter of the above. (Note: She was the sister to my paternal grandmother, Decia M. Starns.)
"About the Greers she writes first: There were three Greer brother who came to America together, one of these was married and that was great grandfather William Greer. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: This is an old tale, that has been generally disproved, but is still in some of the old genealogies.) She goes on to say: He settled in Grayson County, Virginia before the Indians were driven out of the middle west. Later he migrated to Kentucky with his wife and nine daughters. he took up government land, hewed out logs to build himself a fine home close against a steep mountain, near a fine stream of water named Buck Creek, teeming full of fish. There was a clear running spring of water nearby. After he had his home built he had to decide which he loved best his wife or the nearly grown daughters, for in the far off home in Virginia he had left his house furniture and he wanted them badly. The furniture was said to be from France, very fine mahogany. So he put very strong locks on the doors, armed his daughters well, instructed them how to care for themselves, for there were still roving bands of hostile Indians in Kentucky. So after much preparation he took his much beloved wife (I think this was Malvina Woods) and started the long overland trip back to old VA by ox wagon to bring the much prized furniture to the wilderness home. After six of these trips which tool six months each trip they were at last moved into their new home. But between these trips he would clear away a new field and plant a little more each year of vegetables and grain for their food, and flax for cloth. The girls were great weavers of fine linen. They played the shuttle long hours making bolt after bolt of linen which father sold for much gold which he hoarded in a strong box. On one of the trips when he was away a robber came to rob the girls. He rode a fast black horse with strong leather saddle bags to carry away the gold, for the money in those days was gold. This robber talked very rough, ordered the girls to unsaddle the horse and fee both he and the horse. The girls were wise and had been well instructed by the father. So one of the girls, maybe my own grandmother, took a rams horn they had for calling their father in from his work and went out in the woods near by and blew the horn with all her might. So the robber didn't know but what each girl might have a man and he wasn't man enough to face another man. This time he didn't force the women to saddle up his horse, he did it himself and away he went without the food or gold. The girls said they were sure they never could have re saddled the horse if the saddle bags had been filled with gold. In those days there were many robbers for there were no banks, homes far apart, roads just trails thru the endless forests. (Next she mentions Margaret Ann Greer for the first time). Once an old Indian squaw came to the house and started to boldly carry off a baby, they had a great desire to steal white babies. My great grandma always kept an iron poker red hot to defend herself and family. So she made the old Indian put the baby back in the cradle, not by attacking her but by threatening to burn the Indian woman's baby. This baby that was nearly carried away was grandmother, Margaret Ann. She later married William H. Gastineau. Margaret Ann also had a narrow escape from an eagle. She was with her mother one day down by the spring in a cradle where her mother was washing clothes by an open fire and a large iron kettle for heating water and boiling clothes. Her mother had just taken her up to feed her on the breast when a large bald eagle swept down on the wing from the mountain above and took in its talons the pillow that the baby had just been taken from to be fed.
"Next she tells of going to see this William Greer when she was 12 years with her brothers. On this trip she saw the lovely mahogany furniture and was in his bed chamber because he was not feeling well. He gave her a message for her mother, his granddaughter (Eveline Perkins Gastineau, daughter of Magaret Ann Greer Gastineau. The message was "Tell your mother "Perk" that the gypsies came by last week and told me my fortune and said I'd live to be a hundred and three years old". And strange to say he did live to that age. (Note: If this is William Manson Greer listed on the web site, the length of his life was 1810 to 1894). She goes on to say he died without telling anyone where the strong box of gold was hidden and that only his deceased first wife knew where it was hidden. The second wife did not know the secret and the box of gold was never discovered, according to this history. He was so very stingy that when his own daughter, Margaret Ann Greer, was left a widow with nine children herself, he would not help her. All of his wealth and land went to the second wife and relatives. All of his children died of hard work before he did, except Margaret Ann, who outlived even most of her own children (Note: I have her birth date as May 15, 1837 or 38, died April 10, 1904). I will stop now and get back to you soon with the information I have on the children of Margaret Ann Greer and William H. Gastineau, married August 28, 1854." (Judith A. Kehl, jakehl@wolfenet.com>, February 2000.)
FAG 146280604 ·
"This family is on page 34 of the 1840 Scott County census. Seven children. William Greear is alleged to have been born in Scott County, Virginia and moved to Pulaski County, Kentucky sometime prior to 1843 (Pulaski County, Kentucky Court records show that in 1843 he made a declaration as to ownership of negro slaves.). William Greear was buried in a family grave yard on a farm which he once owned. The grave yard, now over-grown with bushes and trees is located just off the Somerset - Crab Orchard Road in Pulaski County, Kentucky on the Woodstock side of Buck Creek Hill, on a farm now owned by John "Harry" Anderson. This family in 1870 and 1880 Pulaski County, Kentucky census. Melvina Woods is the sister of Arminia Woods who married Moses Greer." (Dr. Thompson, 1957 as per Lois Temple FGS 752.)
"I have in my hand a typewritten document entitled "This is the story of families, names and relatives: William Greer, George Gastineau, William Starns and Eveline Thurman" written by Cordelia F. Starns, great grand daughter of the above. (Note: She was the sister to my paternal grandmother, Decia M. Starns.)
"About the Greers she writes first: There were three Greer brother who came to America together, one of these was married and that was great grandfather William Greer. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: This is an old tale, that has been generally disproved, but is still in some of the old genealogies.) She goes on to say: He settled in Grayson County, Virginia before the Indians were driven out of the middle west. Later he migrated to Kentucky with his wife and nine daughters. he took up government land, hewed out logs to build himself a fine home close against a steep mountain, near a fine stream of water named Buck Creek, teeming full of fish. There was a clear running spring of water nearby. After he had his home built he had to decide which he loved best his wife or the nearly grown daughters, for in the far off home in Virginia he had left his house furniture and he wanted them badly. The furniture was said to be from France, very fine mahogany. So he put very strong locks on the doors, armed his daughters well, instructed them how to care for themselves, for there were still roving bands of hostile Indians in Kentucky. So after much preparation he took his much beloved wife (I think this was Malvina Woods) and started the long overland trip back to old VA by ox wagon to bring the much prized furniture to the wilderness home. After six of these trips which tool six months each trip they were at last moved into their new home. But between these trips he would clear away a new field and plant a little more each year of vegetables and grain for their food, and flax for cloth. The girls were great weavers of fine linen. They played the shuttle long hours making bolt after bolt of linen which father sold for much gold which he hoarded in a strong box. On one of the trips when he was away a robber came to rob the girls. He rode a fast black horse with strong leather saddle bags to carry away the gold, for the money in those days was gold. This robber talked very rough, ordered the girls to unsaddle the horse and fee both he and the horse. The girls were wise and had been well instructed by the father. So one of the girls, maybe my own grandmother, took a rams horn they had for calling their father in from his work and went out in the woods near by and blew the horn with all her might. So the robber didn't know but what each girl might have a man and he wasn't man enough to face another man. This time he didn't force the women to saddle up his horse, he did it himself and away he went without the food or gold. The girls said they were sure they never could have re saddled the horse if the saddle bags had been filled with gold. In those days there were many robbers for there were no banks, homes far apart, roads just trails thru the endless forests. (Next she mentions Margaret Ann Greer for the first time). Once an old Indian squaw came to the house and started to boldly carry off a baby, they had a great desire to steal white babies. My great grandma always kept an iron poker red hot to defend herself and family. So she made the old Indian put the baby back in the cradle, not by attacking her but by threatening to burn the Indian woman's baby. This baby that was nearly carried away was grandmother, Margaret Ann. She later married William H. Gastineau. Margaret Ann also had a narrow escape from an eagle. She was with her mother one day down by the spring in a cradle where her mother was washing clothes by an open fire and a large iron kettle for heating water and boiling clothes. Her mother had just taken her up to feed her on the breast when a large bald eagle swept down on the wing from the mountain above and took in its talons the pillow that the baby had just been taken from to be fed.
"Next she tells of going to see this William Greer when she was 12 years with her brothers. On this trip she saw the lovely mahogany furniture and was in his bed chamber because he was not feeling well. He gave her a message for her mother, his granddaughter (Eveline Perkins Gastineau, daughter of Magaret Ann Greer Gastineau. The message was "Tell your mother "Perk" that the gypsies came by last week and told me my fortune and said I'd live to be a hundred and three years old". And strange to say he did live to that age. (Note: If this is William Manson Greer listed on the web site, the length of his life was 1810 to 1894). She goes on to say he died without telling anyone where the strong box of gold was hidden and that only his deceased first wife knew where it was hidden. The second wife did not know the secret and the box of gold was never discovered, according to this history. He was so very stingy that when his own daughter, Margaret Ann Greer, was left a widow with nine children herself, he would not help her. All of his wealth and land went to the second wife and relatives. All of his children died of hard work before he did, except Margaret Ann, who outlived even most of her own children (Note: I have her birth date as May 15, 1837 or 38, died April 10, 1904). I will stop now and get back to you soon with the information I have on the children of Margaret Ann Greer and William H. Gastineau, married August 28, 1854." (Judith A. Kehl, jakehl@wolfenet.com>, February 2000.)
FAG 146280604 ·
Events
| Birth | March 10, 1810 | Grant, Grayson County, Virginia | |||
| Marriage | February, 1834 | Melvina Woods | |||
| Marriage | October, 1878 | Pulaski County, Kentucky - Sarah Jane Yancy | |||
| Death | July 12, 1894 | Homeplace, Pulaski County, Kentucky | |||
| Burial | Homeplace, Pulaski County, Kentucky |
Families
| Spouse | Melvina Woods (1818 - ) |
| Child | Crocket Greear (1834 - ) |
| Child | Almeda "Meda" Ann Greear (1836 - ) |
| Child | Margret Ann "Peg Ann" Greear ( - 1904) |
| Child | Elizabeth Jane Greear (1840 - ) |
| Child | Susannah "Susan" Greear (1846 - ) |
| Child | Hannah Greear (1848 - ) |
| Child | Sarah Clementine Greear (1853 - 1880) |
| Child | Mary M. Greear (1855 - ) |
| Child | Darthula Frances Greear (1856 - ) |
| Spouse | Sarah Jane Yancy ( - ) |
| Father | Shadrack Greear Sr. (1754 - 1842) |
| Mother | Elizabeth "Betsy" Walling (1768 - 1841) |
| Sibling | Aquilla Greear (1785 - 1833) |
| Sibling | Isaac Greear (1788 - 1875) |
| Sibling | James Noah Greear (1790 - 1872) |
| Sibling | William Greear (1793 - 1801) |
| Sibling | Moses "Wiley" Greear (1796 - ) |
| Sibling | Susannah "Susan" Greear (1798 - 1815) |
| Sibling | Shadrack Marshal Greear Jr. (1801 - 1876) |
| Sibling | John Calvin Greear (1804 - 1866) |
| Sibling | Hannah Greear (1807 - ) |
| Sibling | Jesse Martin Greear (1810 - 1899) |
| Sibling | Eli Greear (1813 - 1813) |