Individual Details
Jesse Greer Sr.
(November 14, 1778 - September 17, 1869)
"Jesse Greer, son of Benjamin was born November 14, 1778 and married Polly Morris who was born September 17, 1787. They spent their entire life around Zionville, North Carolina where they reared seventeen children, whose names are listed on the next page." (GREER - A FAMILY RECORD, 1942 by John M. Greer., pages 24 - 25.)
Jesse and his son Jesse were Justices of the Peace a good portion of their lives.
"Jesse Greer born 14 November 1778 Wilkes County, North Carolina died 20 Sep 1860 buried Watauga County, North Carolina in Blackburn/Howell Cemetery, Bald Mountain Township. Married Mary/Polly Morris 17 Jan 1800. (She was 12 when they married and 92 when she died in 1880. She lived to see at least one ggggrandchild. Jesse and Mary had 17 children in a 29 year period (no multiples)." (Mary Floy Katzman.)
"Jesse Greer died at Todd, Ashe County, North Carolina." (Douglas Blackburn.)
Additional information about the family of Jesse Greer from Diana Harrison deedee@netstorm.net>, 2001.
Notebook of the Jesse Greer Family
In 1968, this notebook was in the possession of Mrs. Ina Dena Greer (widow of W. Isaac Greer, 1874-1938) of Norwood Hollow, Rt. 1, Box 83, Banner Elk, Avery Co., N.C. (Photocopies at Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C., June 10, 1969, by Bolard More, 207 Ridge St., Black Mountain, N.C. - Page numbers are not on the original.) Notes by Bolard More
Pages 1-7 are apparently written in one hand, which always uses the spelling "Greer", and pages 9-16 in another hand, which always uses the spelling "Grear". I believe that the first set of records were written by Jesse Greer, Sr. (1778-1869) or some other early member of the family, and that the second set were written or copies by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92). The family records of Jesse Greer, Sr., and Polly Morris, pages 1 - 3, and of Franklin and Polly Brown, page 7, are repeated with slight differences on pages 14-15 and page 16 respectively. There are obviously additions by later hands on page 5 and on pages 17 - 21. Mrs. Dena Greer states that the pages with the family of Benjamin Greer, Sr., had been cut out and taken away by someone about thirty years ago. However pages 9 and 10 are still here. It is obvious that pages have been cut out of the book. I think that there may have been another record of Benjamin Greer, Sr., family at the front of the book in the same hand which wrote the present pages 1-7. This record may have shown that John Wilcockson's wife was Sarah Boone and that Benjamin and Nancy Greer's first two children were: Rachel Greer born Mar. 31, 1768, and John Greer born Jan. 14, 1770, as has been claimed in the lists in the possession of several other people. The other names and dates are the same. The chasnges, for unknown reasons, or mistakes may have been made by Jesse Greer, Jr., in copying this earlier list on to pages 9 and 10. Arthur's "A History of Watauga County" (1915) states on page 313: "Benjamin Greer married a second time, after the death of his first wife, Mrs. Sallie Atkinson Jones, widow of Thomas Jones, who died from a wound received in the Revolution. She reared children by both husbands. They moved to Greer River, KY, where he died in 1810. [Will probated in Greer Co., KY, 1816] There is a Wilkes Co. Marriage Bond, at the State Archives in Raleigh, dated April 26, 1791, for Benjamin Greer and Sarah Jones. The children of the second marriage are unknown, except that Arthur and John M. Greer of High Point, N.C., give a son Thomas Greer (no date of birth), who may have been a son of Benjamin by his second wife. [There is no mention of a son named Thomas in Benjamin's will, but names five (5) additional children not named in this notebook - children by Sarah.] Mrs. Mary Wilson Smith of Farmville, N.C., in her D.A.R. application in 1938 claims that the second wife of Benjamin Greer was a Cutbirth, a niece of his first wife. According to "Wilcoxson and Allied Families" by Mulfeck (1958) pages 18 - 24, Sarah Cutbirth, daughter of Benjamin Cutbirth and Elizabeth Willcockson was born ca. 1772 and nothing further is known of her, but at 19 she would not likely have been the widow Jones who married Benjamin Greer in 1791. Mrs. Smith also claims that Benjamin Greer (Sr.) was the son of Andrew Greer and Ruth Kincaid of Elizabethton, Tenn. I have been unable to find any evidence to this effect. [Estate papers for Andrew Greer filed in Carter Co., TN do not show a son named Benjamin nor grandchildren of a son named Benjamin]. On the contrary the statement on page 9 herein that Benjamin was the son of John Grear and Nancy appears to be correct. John Greer, Sr., of near Wilkesborn, left a will, probated in Wilkes Co., N.C. on June 5, 1782, which mentions his wife "Nanney" and children: John, Benja., Joshua, Jesse, Aquilla, Ann Mitchell, Rachel Michell, Sarah Hardgrave and Hanah Demoss. B.M. This ends the notes of Bolard More. On to the notebook itself.
Page 1. Jesse Greer and Polly Morris were married Jan 17th 1800
Births Born
Fanny Greer Jan 29th 1801
Benjamin Greer May 9th 1802
Joshua Greer Dec 18th 1803
Nancy Greer Feb 21st 1805
Jessee Greer Dec 16th 1806 Polly Greer June 9th 1808
Sally Greer Nov 4th 1810
*Jenny Greer Oct 3rd 1812
Betsy Greer Mar 17th 1814 *not included on page 14
Page 2 is the 2nd page of Bolard More's typewritten notes.
Page 3 - Births continued
Joseph Greer Dec 13th 1815
Andrew Greer Ap 1st 1818
Cynthia Greer Oct 1st 1819
Franklin Greer Feb 1st 1822
Isaac Greer Oct 14th 1823
William Greer June 19th 1825
*James Y. Greer Aug 14th 1827
Elvira Greer Feb 16th 1830
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes *His full name was James Jackson Greer
This record finishes the children of Jessee Greer and his wife whose maiden name was Polly Morris.
Page 4 is the last of Bolard More's typewritten notes
Page 5: Names and Ages of Jesse Greer and his wife Francis and their children
Births Born
Jesse Greer died Feb 11 1892 Dec 16th 1806
Frances Greer died Dec 2 1908 Nov 16 1810
Emeline Greer died May the 20 1859 Oct 5th 1827
Caroline Greer Wilson died 1911 Sept 8 Dec 10 1828
W (Wilborn) H Greer Feb 27 1925 Oct 19 1833
Polly Greer died Feb 7 1889 Aug 3rd 1839
Record of Jesse Greer's children
John Wilburn Wilson Grandchild of the above died March the 3 1928 Feb 18th 1858
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes
(1) Married Nathaniel Rominger
(2) Married Isaac Wilson
(3) Married William "Bill" Jones
Page 6 is blank
Page 7: Record of Franklin Brown and wife ======================== Births Born
Franklin Brown (1) Oct 2nd 1780
Polly Brown July 11th 1791
Hubbard Brown (2) Nov 5th 1807
Nancy Brown (3) Oct 2nd 1818
Margaret Greer (4) Oct 8th 1842
Caroline E. Rominger (5) Dec 15th 1845
Frankie C. Rominger (6) Oct 8th 1847
(Mrs. Dena Greer did not know who these Browns are, but thought that they must be family of Frances Brown (1810-1905) wife of Jesse Greer, Jr., (1806-92). - B.M.
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes
(1) Estate records of Polly (1838) show his name as "Francis".
(2) Not included on page 16
(3) Married Joseph O. Greer son of Jesse and Polly Morris Greer
(4) Niece of Jesse Greer, Jr. (may be the daughter of his brother, Joshua)
(5) Caroline Elizabeth "Lizzie" married James Carter Donnelly
(6) Frances Charlotte "Lottie" was the 2nd wife of Nathan Harris Waugh
Page 8 is blank
Page 9: The Birth and death of *Benjamine Grear and Nancy Grear his wife the daughter of John Wilcockson and Sary
Benjamine Grear the son of John Grear and Nancy was Born febuary the 9 in the year 1746 Deceased this life October the 23 in the year 1816 and
Nancy Grear his wife was born May the 17 in the year 1745 and Deceassed this life October the 31 1790
Rachel Grear the Daughter of the a foresaid was Born January 16 1770
William Grear was born January 21 - 1772
Benjamin Grear was Born February 14 - 1774
Anna Grear was born April 26 - 1776
Page 10: Jesse Grear was born November 14 - 1778 and departed this life Sept 20 - 1869
David Grear was born Febuary 2 - 1781
James Grear was born September 17 - 1783
Samuel Grear was born November 28 - 1785
Joshua Grear was born April 8 - 1788
Rote by Jessee Grear Seignyer [sic] this the 16 of March 1886. (This could not have been written by Jesse Greer, Sr. (1778-1869) as he was dead in 1886, but must have been written by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92). The latter did not have a son named Jesse, but he did have a grandson named Jesse Clinton Greer (1864-1949) and may therefore have called himself "Seignyer". - B.M.)
* [Tradition is that Benjamin and Nancy Wilcockson Greer had another son named John and that he was born after Rachel, but notice there is no son named John listed in the notebook. Mrs. Ethel Taylor (deceased) of Salisbury, NC stated in her papers that Benjamin was married 1st to Mattie Lipps. No source was given and so far no official documentation has been found (to my knowledge) to confirm or deny this. John Greer was married to Nancy Owens and they were living in Johnson County, TN by 1840 where he was listed as Head of Household age 70-80 (1760-1770). In 1850 he was listed in the 1st District and his age was given as 82 (1768). It would appear from both the 1840 and 1850 census' he was older than Rachel. IF John was the child of Benjamin and Mattie Lipps Greer, was that the reason he wasn't listed among the children of Benjamin Greer and Nancy Wilcockson in this notebook? In Benjamin Greer's Will probated in Green Co., KY in 1816, his children are named starting with John and Rachel. Unfortunately, some of the other children were not listed in order of their births so we can't make assumptions from that.
Lyman C. Draper, who wrote "Battle of Kings Mountain and Its Heroes", evidently hoped to write a biography of Daniel Boone and as was his custom he wrote hundreds of letters to people asking for information about Daniel Boone and family members. Jesse Greer, Jr. was among the people Mr. Draper wrote to and from whom he received an answer. Mr. Draper never wrote the biography, but his massive collection of correspondence has been microfilmed and I have a copy of both letters. In his letter to Mr. Draper, Jesse Greer, Jr. mentions his "Uncle John". Comparing the handwriting in both this notebook and the letter to Mr. Draper, I believe this part of the notebook was written by Jesse Greer, Jr. Did Jesse, Jr. just "forget" to include John among the children of Benjamin Greer and Nancy Wilcockson? Is it possible this information was on the first two pages torn from the notebook? Food for thought.]
Pages 11, 12 and 13: - Spelling and punctuation as near as I can make out from the notebook
A Smawl travil of Jesse Grear
He was born the son of Benjamine and Nancy Grear in Wilkes County North Carolina on the 14th November 1778. then traveled on to the year of maturity under a tender father and mother and at 16 years old I left my Parents much Against their will. then serving the the Devil was all my delight. till the year 1800, then married Polly Morris which was born a daughter of Henry and Franky Morris on the 17th september 1787. then went on in the Gall of Bitteness as tho there was no soul to save or to be lost. til the year 1810, at the Baptism of Brother Benjamin, I Began to think that my soul must dwell with the rich man. then I betook my self to trying to pray for about ten months. But the Devil pursuaded me it was so hard that I could pray no longer. But betook myself to cursing and swearing and drinking and all kinds of sin til the year 1814. very Gardless we went to meeting to the Oldfeel [Old Field] meeting house but there was no ministry Came to preach. but as they thought proper that they should sing and pray one of them began and as I set I saw a small child about twelve or thirteen years old crying as if He would Breake her heart. and it seamed to strike me like a Clap of Thunder, to think that God was at work with such small Children and I still in the gall of bitterness then I went hence trying to pray. but it oppressed? to me that God would not hear my weak pertishion. I soon began to think that I had passed the day of grace and soon betook my self to my friends and to the people of god to see if they could give any Conslation. but I had to go moving through the wilderness until 1815. I had been from home and on my return home some hour in the night I thought if I was lost I would die a praying. and as I was trying to pray I thought that my Blessed Jesus meet with me and Bid me not fear. then I went home Rejoycing and praising God that I had Been lost But now was found. and in the time to follow his Companion Got a hope that she had made peace with god and we was Received in to the Baptist Church and was Baptised on the 4th Sunday in June 1815. (This must have been copied by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92) from something written by Jesse Grear, Sr. (1778-1869). B.M.)
Page 14: Family of aforesaid Jesse Grear
fanny Grear the first Born was Born January the 29=1801
Benjamin Grear was Born May 9=1802
Joshua Grear was Born December 18=1803
Nancy Grear was Born febuary 21=1805
Jesse Grear was Born December 16=1806 and was married to franky Brown november the 16th 1826 and Both joined the Baptist Church september 31=1831 and Remains until now
Polly Grear was Born June 9=1808
Sally Grear was Born November 4th=1810
Betsy Grear was Born March 17 1814
Page 15: Joseph Grear was Born December 13=1815
Andrew Grear was Born April 16=1818
Synthy Grear was Born October 1=1819
Franklin Grear was Born february 1=1822
Isaac Grear was Born October 12=1823
William Grear was Born June 19=1825
James Grear was Born August 14=1827
Elvery Grear was Born febuary 16=1830
This is the Ages of the aforesaid Jessee Grears Family
Page 16: Record Franklin Brown was born the 2nd day of October 1780
Polly Brown wife of Franklin Brown was Born the 11th day of July 1791
Nancy Brown was born the 2 day of October 1818
Margret Grear was born the 8th day of October 1842
Carolina Elizabeth Rominger was born the 16 day of December 1845
Franky Charlotte Rominger was born the 6th day of October 1847
Page 17: Family Recod of W.H. & Annie Greer
Wilborn H. Greer was bornd Oct 19 1833 died Feb 27 1925
Annie Greer his wife was bornd Nov 24 1829 died Feb 6th 1920
Isabell Greer was bornd Nov 3 1859
John Preston Greer was bornd June 31 1861 died Apr 29 1885
Jessy C. Greer April 25 1864 died....
Haner E . Greer - Dec 14 1868
Hannah Elizabeth Greer died
Marey E. Greer - Jan 22 1871
Isaac W. Greer - May 1 1874
W.I. Greer died Sept 1, 1938
Biddie R. Greer - Oct 8 1877
Biddie R. Greer Coffey died Feb 18, 1965
Maudie E. Greer - Augut 3 1896 Grandaughter of W.H. Greer
Children of Andrew J. Proffit and wife Isabell (Greer) (not copied)
Page 20: This page was typed and inserted into the notebook
Births Born
Jessie Clinton Greer April 25, 1864
Ida Greer (his wife) Nov. 28, 1871
Annie M. Greer Dec. 5, 1898
Robert Lee Greer June 15, 1901
Ida Greer Died Sept. 28, 1903
Page 21: Typed and inserted into the notebook
W. Isaac Greer and Ina Dean Wilson were married on Sept. 14, 1921
Births
Born William Isaac Greer May 1, 1874
Ina Dena Greer (his wife) Oct 24, 1892
William Grady Greer Jan. 2, 1923
Annie Delray Greer Aug. 18, 1924
Jessie Fred Greer March 17, 1927
John Lemuel Greer May 1, 1932
William Isaac Greer Died Sept. 1, 1938
Pages 22 to 65 inclusive are blank
Page 66:
W.H. Greer
Co. A 6th N.C. Caverly
Captain Browns Co.
Made up in Johnson Co., Tenn
Col. Folk
Lutanant Baird
Jesse and his son Jesse were Justices of the Peace a good portion of their lives.
"Jesse Greer born 14 November 1778 Wilkes County, North Carolina died 20 Sep 1860 buried Watauga County, North Carolina in Blackburn/Howell Cemetery, Bald Mountain Township. Married Mary/Polly Morris 17 Jan 1800. (She was 12 when they married and 92 when she died in 1880. She lived to see at least one ggggrandchild. Jesse and Mary had 17 children in a 29 year period (no multiples)." (Mary Floy Katzman.)
"Jesse Greer died at Todd, Ashe County, North Carolina." (Douglas Blackburn.)
Additional information about the family of Jesse Greer from Diana Harrison deedee@netstorm.net>, 2001.
Notebook of the Jesse Greer Family
In 1968, this notebook was in the possession of Mrs. Ina Dena Greer (widow of W. Isaac Greer, 1874-1938) of Norwood Hollow, Rt. 1, Box 83, Banner Elk, Avery Co., N.C. (Photocopies at Appalachian State University, Boone, N.C., June 10, 1969, by Bolard More, 207 Ridge St., Black Mountain, N.C. - Page numbers are not on the original.) Notes by Bolard More
Pages 1-7 are apparently written in one hand, which always uses the spelling "Greer", and pages 9-16 in another hand, which always uses the spelling "Grear". I believe that the first set of records were written by Jesse Greer, Sr. (1778-1869) or some other early member of the family, and that the second set were written or copies by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92). The family records of Jesse Greer, Sr., and Polly Morris, pages 1 - 3, and of Franklin and Polly Brown, page 7, are repeated with slight differences on pages 14-15 and page 16 respectively. There are obviously additions by later hands on page 5 and on pages 17 - 21. Mrs. Dena Greer states that the pages with the family of Benjamin Greer, Sr., had been cut out and taken away by someone about thirty years ago. However pages 9 and 10 are still here. It is obvious that pages have been cut out of the book. I think that there may have been another record of Benjamin Greer, Sr., family at the front of the book in the same hand which wrote the present pages 1-7. This record may have shown that John Wilcockson's wife was Sarah Boone and that Benjamin and Nancy Greer's first two children were: Rachel Greer born Mar. 31, 1768, and John Greer born Jan. 14, 1770, as has been claimed in the lists in the possession of several other people. The other names and dates are the same. The chasnges, for unknown reasons, or mistakes may have been made by Jesse Greer, Jr., in copying this earlier list on to pages 9 and 10. Arthur's "A History of Watauga County" (1915) states on page 313: "Benjamin Greer married a second time, after the death of his first wife, Mrs. Sallie Atkinson Jones, widow of Thomas Jones, who died from a wound received in the Revolution. She reared children by both husbands. They moved to Greer River, KY, where he died in 1810. [Will probated in Greer Co., KY, 1816] There is a Wilkes Co. Marriage Bond, at the State Archives in Raleigh, dated April 26, 1791, for Benjamin Greer and Sarah Jones. The children of the second marriage are unknown, except that Arthur and John M. Greer of High Point, N.C., give a son Thomas Greer (no date of birth), who may have been a son of Benjamin by his second wife. [There is no mention of a son named Thomas in Benjamin's will, but names five (5) additional children not named in this notebook - children by Sarah.] Mrs. Mary Wilson Smith of Farmville, N.C., in her D.A.R. application in 1938 claims that the second wife of Benjamin Greer was a Cutbirth, a niece of his first wife. According to "Wilcoxson and Allied Families" by Mulfeck (1958) pages 18 - 24, Sarah Cutbirth, daughter of Benjamin Cutbirth and Elizabeth Willcockson was born ca. 1772 and nothing further is known of her, but at 19 she would not likely have been the widow Jones who married Benjamin Greer in 1791. Mrs. Smith also claims that Benjamin Greer (Sr.) was the son of Andrew Greer and Ruth Kincaid of Elizabethton, Tenn. I have been unable to find any evidence to this effect. [Estate papers for Andrew Greer filed in Carter Co., TN do not show a son named Benjamin nor grandchildren of a son named Benjamin]. On the contrary the statement on page 9 herein that Benjamin was the son of John Grear and Nancy appears to be correct. John Greer, Sr., of near Wilkesborn, left a will, probated in Wilkes Co., N.C. on June 5, 1782, which mentions his wife "Nanney" and children: John, Benja., Joshua, Jesse, Aquilla, Ann Mitchell, Rachel Michell, Sarah Hardgrave and Hanah Demoss. B.M. This ends the notes of Bolard More. On to the notebook itself.
Page 1. Jesse Greer and Polly Morris were married Jan 17th 1800
Births Born
Fanny Greer Jan 29th 1801
Benjamin Greer May 9th 1802
Joshua Greer Dec 18th 1803
Nancy Greer Feb 21st 1805
Jessee Greer Dec 16th 1806 Polly Greer June 9th 1808
Sally Greer Nov 4th 1810
*Jenny Greer Oct 3rd 1812
Betsy Greer Mar 17th 1814 *not included on page 14
Page 2 is the 2nd page of Bolard More's typewritten notes.
Page 3 - Births continued
Joseph Greer Dec 13th 1815
Andrew Greer Ap 1st 1818
Cynthia Greer Oct 1st 1819
Franklin Greer Feb 1st 1822
Isaac Greer Oct 14th 1823
William Greer June 19th 1825
*James Y. Greer Aug 14th 1827
Elvira Greer Feb 16th 1830
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes *His full name was James Jackson Greer
This record finishes the children of Jessee Greer and his wife whose maiden name was Polly Morris.
Page 4 is the last of Bolard More's typewritten notes
Page 5: Names and Ages of Jesse Greer and his wife Francis and their children
Births Born
Jesse Greer died Feb 11 1892 Dec 16th 1806
Frances Greer died Dec 2 1908 Nov 16 1810
Emeline Greer died May the 20 1859 Oct 5th 1827
Caroline Greer Wilson died 1911 Sept 8 Dec 10 1828
W (Wilborn) H Greer Feb 27 1925 Oct 19 1833
Polly Greer died Feb 7 1889 Aug 3rd 1839
Record of Jesse Greer's children
John Wilburn Wilson Grandchild of the above died March the 3 1928 Feb 18th 1858
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes
(1) Married Nathaniel Rominger
(2) Married Isaac Wilson
(3) Married William "Bill" Jones
Page 6 is blank
Page 7: Record of Franklin Brown and wife ======================== Births Born
Franklin Brown (1) Oct 2nd 1780
Polly Brown July 11th 1791
Hubbard Brown (2) Nov 5th 1807
Nancy Brown (3) Oct 2nd 1818
Margaret Greer (4) Oct 8th 1842
Caroline E. Rominger (5) Dec 15th 1845
Frankie C. Rominger (6) Oct 8th 1847
(Mrs. Dena Greer did not know who these Browns are, but thought that they must be family of Frances Brown (1810-1905) wife of Jesse Greer, Jr., (1806-92). - B.M.
MaryFloy Katzman's Notes
(1) Estate records of Polly (1838) show his name as "Francis".
(2) Not included on page 16
(3) Married Joseph O. Greer son of Jesse and Polly Morris Greer
(4) Niece of Jesse Greer, Jr. (may be the daughter of his brother, Joshua)
(5) Caroline Elizabeth "Lizzie" married James Carter Donnelly
(6) Frances Charlotte "Lottie" was the 2nd wife of Nathan Harris Waugh
Page 8 is blank
Page 9: The Birth and death of *Benjamine Grear and Nancy Grear his wife the daughter of John Wilcockson and Sary
Benjamine Grear the son of John Grear and Nancy was Born febuary the 9 in the year 1746 Deceased this life October the 23 in the year 1816 and
Nancy Grear his wife was born May the 17 in the year 1745 and Deceassed this life October the 31 1790
Rachel Grear the Daughter of the a foresaid was Born January 16 1770
William Grear was born January 21 - 1772
Benjamin Grear was Born February 14 - 1774
Anna Grear was born April 26 - 1776
Page 10: Jesse Grear was born November 14 - 1778 and departed this life Sept 20 - 1869
David Grear was born Febuary 2 - 1781
James Grear was born September 17 - 1783
Samuel Grear was born November 28 - 1785
Joshua Grear was born April 8 - 1788
Rote by Jessee Grear Seignyer [sic] this the 16 of March 1886. (This could not have been written by Jesse Greer, Sr. (1778-1869) as he was dead in 1886, but must have been written by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92). The latter did not have a son named Jesse, but he did have a grandson named Jesse Clinton Greer (1864-1949) and may therefore have called himself "Seignyer". - B.M.)
* [Tradition is that Benjamin and Nancy Wilcockson Greer had another son named John and that he was born after Rachel, but notice there is no son named John listed in the notebook. Mrs. Ethel Taylor (deceased) of Salisbury, NC stated in her papers that Benjamin was married 1st to Mattie Lipps. No source was given and so far no official documentation has been found (to my knowledge) to confirm or deny this. John Greer was married to Nancy Owens and they were living in Johnson County, TN by 1840 where he was listed as Head of Household age 70-80 (1760-1770). In 1850 he was listed in the 1st District and his age was given as 82 (1768). It would appear from both the 1840 and 1850 census' he was older than Rachel. IF John was the child of Benjamin and Mattie Lipps Greer, was that the reason he wasn't listed among the children of Benjamin Greer and Nancy Wilcockson in this notebook? In Benjamin Greer's Will probated in Green Co., KY in 1816, his children are named starting with John and Rachel. Unfortunately, some of the other children were not listed in order of their births so we can't make assumptions from that.
Lyman C. Draper, who wrote "Battle of Kings Mountain and Its Heroes", evidently hoped to write a biography of Daniel Boone and as was his custom he wrote hundreds of letters to people asking for information about Daniel Boone and family members. Jesse Greer, Jr. was among the people Mr. Draper wrote to and from whom he received an answer. Mr. Draper never wrote the biography, but his massive collection of correspondence has been microfilmed and I have a copy of both letters. In his letter to Mr. Draper, Jesse Greer, Jr. mentions his "Uncle John". Comparing the handwriting in both this notebook and the letter to Mr. Draper, I believe this part of the notebook was written by Jesse Greer, Jr. Did Jesse, Jr. just "forget" to include John among the children of Benjamin Greer and Nancy Wilcockson? Is it possible this information was on the first two pages torn from the notebook? Food for thought.]
Pages 11, 12 and 13: - Spelling and punctuation as near as I can make out from the notebook
A Smawl travil of Jesse Grear
He was born the son of Benjamine and Nancy Grear in Wilkes County North Carolina on the 14th November 1778. then traveled on to the year of maturity under a tender father and mother and at 16 years old I left my Parents much Against their will. then serving the the Devil was all my delight. till the year 1800, then married Polly Morris which was born a daughter of Henry and Franky Morris on the 17th september 1787. then went on in the Gall of Bitteness as tho there was no soul to save or to be lost. til the year 1810, at the Baptism of Brother Benjamin, I Began to think that my soul must dwell with the rich man. then I betook my self to trying to pray for about ten months. But the Devil pursuaded me it was so hard that I could pray no longer. But betook myself to cursing and swearing and drinking and all kinds of sin til the year 1814. very Gardless we went to meeting to the Oldfeel [Old Field] meeting house but there was no ministry Came to preach. but as they thought proper that they should sing and pray one of them began and as I set I saw a small child about twelve or thirteen years old crying as if He would Breake her heart. and it seamed to strike me like a Clap of Thunder, to think that God was at work with such small Children and I still in the gall of bitterness then I went hence trying to pray. but it oppressed? to me that God would not hear my weak pertishion. I soon began to think that I had passed the day of grace and soon betook my self to my friends and to the people of god to see if they could give any Conslation. but I had to go moving through the wilderness until 1815. I had been from home and on my return home some hour in the night I thought if I was lost I would die a praying. and as I was trying to pray I thought that my Blessed Jesus meet with me and Bid me not fear. then I went home Rejoycing and praising God that I had Been lost But now was found. and in the time to follow his Companion Got a hope that she had made peace with god and we was Received in to the Baptist Church and was Baptised on the 4th Sunday in June 1815. (This must have been copied by Jesse Greer, Jr. (1806-92) from something written by Jesse Grear, Sr. (1778-1869). B.M.)
Page 14: Family of aforesaid Jesse Grear
fanny Grear the first Born was Born January the 29=1801
Benjamin Grear was Born May 9=1802
Joshua Grear was Born December 18=1803
Nancy Grear was Born febuary 21=1805
Jesse Grear was Born December 16=1806 and was married to franky Brown november the 16th 1826 and Both joined the Baptist Church september 31=1831 and Remains until now
Polly Grear was Born June 9=1808
Sally Grear was Born November 4th=1810
Betsy Grear was Born March 17 1814
Page 15: Joseph Grear was Born December 13=1815
Andrew Grear was Born April 16=1818
Synthy Grear was Born October 1=1819
Franklin Grear was Born february 1=1822
Isaac Grear was Born October 12=1823
William Grear was Born June 19=1825
James Grear was Born August 14=1827
Elvery Grear was Born febuary 16=1830
This is the Ages of the aforesaid Jessee Grears Family
Page 16: Record Franklin Brown was born the 2nd day of October 1780
Polly Brown wife of Franklin Brown was Born the 11th day of July 1791
Nancy Brown was born the 2 day of October 1818
Margret Grear was born the 8th day of October 1842
Carolina Elizabeth Rominger was born the 16 day of December 1845
Franky Charlotte Rominger was born the 6th day of October 1847
Page 17: Family Recod of W.H. & Annie Greer
Wilborn H. Greer was bornd Oct 19 1833 died Feb 27 1925
Annie Greer his wife was bornd Nov 24 1829 died Feb 6th 1920
Isabell Greer was bornd Nov 3 1859
John Preston Greer was bornd June 31 1861 died Apr 29 1885
Jessy C. Greer April 25 1864 died....
Haner E . Greer - Dec 14 1868
Hannah Elizabeth Greer died
Marey E. Greer - Jan 22 1871
Isaac W. Greer - May 1 1874
W.I. Greer died Sept 1, 1938
Biddie R. Greer - Oct 8 1877
Biddie R. Greer Coffey died Feb 18, 1965
Maudie E. Greer - Augut 3 1896 Grandaughter of W.H. Greer
Children of Andrew J. Proffit and wife Isabell (Greer) (not copied)
Page 20: This page was typed and inserted into the notebook
Births Born
Jessie Clinton Greer April 25, 1864
Ida Greer (his wife) Nov. 28, 1871
Annie M. Greer Dec. 5, 1898
Robert Lee Greer June 15, 1901
Ida Greer Died Sept. 28, 1903
Page 21: Typed and inserted into the notebook
W. Isaac Greer and Ina Dean Wilson were married on Sept. 14, 1921
Births
Born William Isaac Greer May 1, 1874
Ina Dena Greer (his wife) Oct 24, 1892
William Grady Greer Jan. 2, 1923
Annie Delray Greer Aug. 18, 1924
Jessie Fred Greer March 17, 1927
John Lemuel Greer May 1, 1932
William Isaac Greer Died Sept. 1, 1938
Pages 22 to 65 inclusive are blank
Page 66:
W.H. Greer
Co. A 6th N.C. Caverly
Captain Browns Co.
Made up in Johnson Co., Tenn
Col. Folk
Lutanant Baird
Events
| Birth | November 14, 1778 | Zionville, Watauga County, North Carolina | |||
| Marriage | January 17, 1800 | Ashe County, North Carolina - Mary "Polly" Morris | |||
| Death | September 17, 1869 | Zionville, Watauga County, North Carolina | |||
| Burial | Blackburn/Howell Cemetery, Bald Mountain Township, Watauga County, North Carolina |
Families
| Spouse | Mary "Polly" Morris (1788 - 1880) |
| Child | Frances "Fannie" Greer (1801 - 1850) |
| Child | Benjamin Greer (1802 - ) |
| Child | Joshua Greer (1803 - ) |
| Child | Nancy Greer (1805 - 1846) |
| Child | Jesse Greer Jr. (1806 - 1888) |
| Child | Mary "Polly" Greer (1808 - 1898) |
| Child | Sarah "Sallie" Greer (1810 - ) |
| Child | Jane "Jenny" Greer (1812 - ) |
| Child | Elizabeth "Betsy" "Betty" Greer (1814 - 1894) |
| Child | Joseph O. Greer (1815 - ) |
| Child | Andrew Greer (1818 - 1878) |
| Child | Cynthia "Synthy" Greer (1819 - ) |
| Child | Franklin Greer (1822 - 1879) |
| Child | Isaac Greer (1823 - 1880) |
| Child | William S. "Bill" Greer (1825 - 1880) |
| Child | James Jackson "J. J." Greer (1827 - 1912) |
| Child | Elvira Greer (1830 - ) |
| Father | Benjamin Greer (1746 - 1816) |
| Mother | Nancy Wilcox (or Wilcoxson) (1745 - 1790) |
| Sibling | Rachel Greer (1768 - 1840) |
| Sibling | John Greer (1770 - 1850) |
| Sibling | William Greer (1772 - 1862) |
| Sibling | Benjamin Greer Jr. (1774 - 1800) |
| Sibling | Nancy Ann "Anna" Greer (1776 - ) |
| Sibling | Vincent David Greer (1781 - 1850) |
| Sibling | James Greer (1783 - 1844) |
| Sibling | Samuel Greer (1785 - 1872) |
| Sibling | Joshua Greer (1788 - 1860) |
| Sibling | Thomas Greer (1790 - ) |