Individual Details
James Madison Greer
(January 19, 1816 - March 22, 1878)
"My father was named James Madison Greer. He was about five feet nine and one-half inches in height, has blue eyes, held himself erect, was florid in complexion and was a lawyer by profession. He was born a slave holder and in Desoto County, Mississippi had a plantation. He did not actively practice law, but few years and this was in Holly Springs, Mississippi, near which village he owned a "Place." He was not a college man, but had been throughly taught, was a good latin scholar, a man of much reading and a lover of Scott and Burns and above all Shakespeare. He was of a hasty temper and above all men that I ever knew despised sham and pretense in his fellow men.
"In the early 50's (1856) he was a member of the Mississippi legislature - was elected from DeSoto County, Mississippi. He was a Democrat in politics, religious in temperament and leaned to his wife's church - the Episcopal, though he never became a member. I recall with enjoyment his frequent declaration made in all seriousness and utter absence as to their being of Irish Bull order that he would be damned if he didn't join Mary's church - Mary being his wife.
"Of course it will not be believed that I can speak impartially of him. But at least I may say in a very strictest of Justice; he recorded his name clean and with out a charge of dishonor and he hands it down the same way to his children. I would tell something of his kindness to his slaves of his glorious sense of humor - in which Irish Bull came out - of his intense love of country. Probably he was provincial - at all events he was sectional - but before his death in 1879 out younder in Texas, he came back to his old love the Union, into which he was born. Of course I cannot write of him, so as to interest you a generation or yet of another who will come after, but let me say that he loved loyally and lived honorably and he died without any man doubting his integrity, his honesty or his courage. On Dec. 23, 1841 he married in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He married Mary Elizabeth Autry. She was then but a child, having been born on Feb _____. From this marriage was born: 1. James Micajah Greer, born Oct. 16 1848; 2. Hal Wyche Greer; 3. Robert Autry Greer; 4. D'Edward Greer. (Henry Greer born Feb. 1851, died Feb 16, 1852, Holly Springs, Mississippi.) All four of these sons are now living (1905). All four sons are lawyers. Three in Texas, Beaumont being their home - and I the oldest having been since Nov. 1871 a lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee." (THE GREER'S by Judge Micajah Greer of Memphis, Tennessee, April 1905, page 14 - 15.)
"James M. Greer married Mary E. Autrey, 22 Dec 1841 by Saml Hurd, " ... consent ... my daughter ... 21 Dec 1842 ... Martha W. Autey (sic)" (Marshall County Marriage Book ?, pages 349 - 350, as per Marshall County, Mississippi Records by Helen Bouwling McKnight.)
"Just to let know that James Madison Greer married Mary Autry, daughter of Micajah Autry and Martha Wyche Putney Wilkenson. This is where the Pooles name comes in. They are related through the Wyche-Putney family. James Madison married Mary Autry 23 December 1844 in Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi. She was 17 years old. Mary was born 10 Feb 1827 on a plantation near Nashville, Tennessee and died 25 May 1915 in Beaumont, Texas, I believe she is buried in the Greer-Irby family plot in Beaumont, Texas, Magnolia Cemetery, but not sure. Also buried there is Hal Wyche Greer, Hal Irby Greer, Mrs. Hal Wyche Greer (Sarah), Mrs. Frank Higgins, and Frank Higgins." (Sara Greer, email: SJGreer30@aol.com>.)
(Additional information on the family and descendants of James Madison Greer is from letters written by Henrietta Anderson Greer Holden and L. L. McNees to Mrs. Hallie R. Holeman Warren of Beaumont, Texas in 1969, as recorded in GREER KINSMAN by J. B. Bell. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: This source gives James Madison Greer's place of birth as Paris, Tennessee. Other sources have given his birthplace as Sumner County, Tennessee, but Paris appears to be correct.)
"In the early 50's (1856) he was a member of the Mississippi legislature - was elected from DeSoto County, Mississippi. He was a Democrat in politics, religious in temperament and leaned to his wife's church - the Episcopal, though he never became a member. I recall with enjoyment his frequent declaration made in all seriousness and utter absence as to their being of Irish Bull order that he would be damned if he didn't join Mary's church - Mary being his wife.
"Of course it will not be believed that I can speak impartially of him. But at least I may say in a very strictest of Justice; he recorded his name clean and with out a charge of dishonor and he hands it down the same way to his children. I would tell something of his kindness to his slaves of his glorious sense of humor - in which Irish Bull came out - of his intense love of country. Probably he was provincial - at all events he was sectional - but before his death in 1879 out younder in Texas, he came back to his old love the Union, into which he was born. Of course I cannot write of him, so as to interest you a generation or yet of another who will come after, but let me say that he loved loyally and lived honorably and he died without any man doubting his integrity, his honesty or his courage. On Dec. 23, 1841 he married in Holly Springs, Mississippi. He married Mary Elizabeth Autry. She was then but a child, having been born on Feb _____. From this marriage was born: 1. James Micajah Greer, born Oct. 16 1848; 2. Hal Wyche Greer; 3. Robert Autry Greer; 4. D'Edward Greer. (Henry Greer born Feb. 1851, died Feb 16, 1852, Holly Springs, Mississippi.) All four of these sons are now living (1905). All four sons are lawyers. Three in Texas, Beaumont being their home - and I the oldest having been since Nov. 1871 a lawyer in Memphis, Tennessee." (THE GREER'S by Judge Micajah Greer of Memphis, Tennessee, April 1905, page 14 - 15.)
"James M. Greer married Mary E. Autrey, 22 Dec 1841 by Saml Hurd, " ... consent ... my daughter ... 21 Dec 1842 ... Martha W. Autey (sic)" (Marshall County Marriage Book ?, pages 349 - 350, as per Marshall County, Mississippi Records by Helen Bouwling McKnight.)
"Just to let know that James Madison Greer married Mary Autry, daughter of Micajah Autry and Martha Wyche Putney Wilkenson. This is where the Pooles name comes in. They are related through the Wyche-Putney family. James Madison married Mary Autry 23 December 1844 in Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi. She was 17 years old. Mary was born 10 Feb 1827 on a plantation near Nashville, Tennessee and died 25 May 1915 in Beaumont, Texas, I believe she is buried in the Greer-Irby family plot in Beaumont, Texas, Magnolia Cemetery, but not sure. Also buried there is Hal Wyche Greer, Hal Irby Greer, Mrs. Hal Wyche Greer (Sarah), Mrs. Frank Higgins, and Frank Higgins." (Sara Greer, email: SJGreer30@aol.com>.)
(Additional information on the family and descendants of James Madison Greer is from letters written by Henrietta Anderson Greer Holden and L. L. McNees to Mrs. Hallie R. Holeman Warren of Beaumont, Texas in 1969, as recorded in GREER KINSMAN by J. B. Bell. (NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: This source gives James Madison Greer's place of birth as Paris, Tennessee. Other sources have given his birthplace as Sumner County, Tennessee, but Paris appears to be correct.)
Events
| Birth | January 19, 1816 | Paris, Henry County, Tennessee | |||
| Marriage | December 23, 1844 | Holly Springs, Marshall County, Mississippi - Mary Elizabeth Autry | |||
| Death | March 22, 1878 | Corsicana, Navarro County, Texas | |||
| Burial | Richland Springs Cemetery, San Saba County, Texas |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Elizabeth Autry (1827 - 1915) |
| Child | James Micajah Greer (1848 - ) |
| Child | Henry Greer (1851 - 1852) |
| Child | Hal Wyche Greer (1851 - 1923) |
| Child | Robert Autry Greer (1854 - ) |
| Child | De Edward Greer (1856 - 1928) |
| Father | James Greer Jr. (1774 - 1851) |
| Mother | Susannah "Susan" Searcy (1780 - 1819) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Searcy Greer (1799 - 1819) |
| Sibling | Ann Haynes Greer (1801 - 1885) |
| Sibling | David Searcy Greer (1804 - 1881) |
| Sibling | Diana "Diannah" Greer (1806 - 1876) |
| Sibling | Jane Greer (1808 - 1829) |
| Sibling | Robert Searcy Greer Sr. (1811 - 1872) |
| Sibling | Sally Lowe Greer (1813 - 1884) |
| Sibling | Susannah Elizabeth Greer (1818 - ) |