Individual Details
Aquilla Greer
(Bet 1765 and 1770 - September 29, 1842)
Aquilla and his brother Shadrack left Franklin County about 1780 and located in Grayson County, Virginia. According to his grandson, William Calvin Greer, Aquilla sold his lands in Franklin County and established himself in Ashe County, North Carolina in 1816. From now lost information copied by Myrtle Johnson, "Isaac and Isiah Greer of Franklin County, Virginia bought 400 acres of land in the Grassy Creek Valley from William Lenoir (to whom it was granted in 1779 while a part of Wilkes County) and sold it to Aquilla in 1816, who built his brick residence on it." This land was later acquired by H. G. Parsons, grandson of Catherine Greer.
"The land bordered the Virginia - North Carolina line on the north, the mouth of Martin's Branch on the west and the drafts of Beaverdam Creek on the east. From Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax Records it has been established Aquilla Greer came to Ashe County to live in 1826. With slave labor he built his home of bricks made on the place. The two story home is laid in Flemish Bond. The exterior remains much the same as originally constructed except the upper middle front window has been centered and the two front doors replaced with one. It was a grand home for the time.
"Family tradition is Aquilla was a cattleman driving his stock to southern markets. Perhpas this is the way he met his first wife. About 1805 Aquilla married Elizabeth Massey, daughter of Col. William and Elizabeth Rives Massey of Lancaster County, South Carolina. At this time Aquilla was Captain of the Rifle Company, 2nd Battalion, Grayson County, Virginia, but at August Court, 1806, he resigned. Two months later, on October 25, 1806 his first child, William Massey Greer, was born. His wife Betsy died then or soon after.
(There is a second child, Mary Greer, mentioned in the MASSEY GENEALOGY and the William Calvin Greer Ledger of 1887, but she is not mentioned in Aquilla Greer's will. Possibly she died young.)
"About 1808 Aquilla Greer and William Bourne formed a partnership called "William Bourne, Aquilla Greer and Co." in the tax lists. They received grants of over 1000 acres in Grayson County, but their line of business is unclear. When Bourne died about 1836 or 1837, the land was sold to settle his estate.
"On 8 May 1809 Aquilla Greer entered 640 acres in White County, Tennessee. In 1834 he conveyed 257 acres to his son William and 355 acres to his son John "of North Carolina." William Massey Greer, having married Polly Vaughn, 29 July 1826 removed to White County about 1833 with his wife and three small children. In Tennessee four more children were born before William died 16 September 1839.
"Aquilla married as his second wife, Mary (Polly) Fielder, daughter of John and Nancy Clark Fielder of Grayson County. Polly's father was a veteran of the Revolution.
"Polly Greer was living on October 11, 1840 (the date of a bond among the Greer Family Papers). Aquilla wrote his will 24 October 1838 but no probate date is given. It is also recorded in Ashe County Deed Book U, page 329, "registered March 15, 1861." Aquilla named all four of his children in his will. His wife was left his plantation "during her life or widowhood with the mansion house and improvement ..." His son John was to "have the lower end of the land" and Caty the upper end including the dwelling house. Aquilla died before 3 November 1843 when the heirs deeded land in Grayson County (Book 10, page 458).
Ashe County North Carolina Will Abstracts 1799-1910 by Grace Turner, #149, Aquilla Greer, names 3 children: John, Nancy & Caty and son in law, Elias Drawn.
"Robert Crockett Pierce, an old resident of Grassy Creek, said in 1959, "Old Johnny Greer's father was buried in a cemetery" on the east side of the old Jefferson Road north of the intersection with the White Top Road. If so, no identifiable stones remain to identify Aquilla Greer's final resting place."
(Sources: Ashe County, North Carolina Deed Book E, page 213; Grayson County (Deed Book 10, page 458 lists heirs of Aquilla Greer (3 November 1843), Virginia and Ashe County (Wills, Inventories, Accounts & Guardians Book B, page 104, Will of Aquilla Greer dated 24 October 1838), North Carolina census records, wills, marriages, deeds and court records; Henry County, Virginia Court records; Pittsylvania, Henry and Franklin County, Virginia land and personal property tax records; Franklin County, Virginia deeds; John F. Greer Sr. family Bible; Gentry family records; Drayghn - Parsons family records; Alleghany County, North Carolina deeds and marriages. --- THE HERITAGE OF ASHE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, VOLUME I, 1984; article 274, "Aquilla Greer" by Myrtle Greer Johnson, pages 274-275.)
(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: It has been recorded that this Aquilla died at the residence of his brother, Shadrack, whom he was visiting near Wood, Scott County, Virginia. "A brother of Shadrack, Aquilla, was born September 4, 1785 and his grave in Scott County, Virginia is by the side of grandfather and grandmother." (J.C. Greear notes.) However, this information is incorrect, as the tombstone in Scott County, Virginia is that of a nephew of this Aquilla, but who was also named Aquilla, and was a son of Shadrack Greear. There is a tracing and photograph of this tombstone in the Terry Archives.)
"The land bordered the Virginia - North Carolina line on the north, the mouth of Martin's Branch on the west and the drafts of Beaverdam Creek on the east. From Grayson County, Virginia Land Tax Records it has been established Aquilla Greer came to Ashe County to live in 1826. With slave labor he built his home of bricks made on the place. The two story home is laid in Flemish Bond. The exterior remains much the same as originally constructed except the upper middle front window has been centered and the two front doors replaced with one. It was a grand home for the time.
"Family tradition is Aquilla was a cattleman driving his stock to southern markets. Perhpas this is the way he met his first wife. About 1805 Aquilla married Elizabeth Massey, daughter of Col. William and Elizabeth Rives Massey of Lancaster County, South Carolina. At this time Aquilla was Captain of the Rifle Company, 2nd Battalion, Grayson County, Virginia, but at August Court, 1806, he resigned. Two months later, on October 25, 1806 his first child, William Massey Greer, was born. His wife Betsy died then or soon after.
(There is a second child, Mary Greer, mentioned in the MASSEY GENEALOGY and the William Calvin Greer Ledger of 1887, but she is not mentioned in Aquilla Greer's will. Possibly she died young.)
"About 1808 Aquilla Greer and William Bourne formed a partnership called "William Bourne, Aquilla Greer and Co." in the tax lists. They received grants of over 1000 acres in Grayson County, but their line of business is unclear. When Bourne died about 1836 or 1837, the land was sold to settle his estate.
"On 8 May 1809 Aquilla Greer entered 640 acres in White County, Tennessee. In 1834 he conveyed 257 acres to his son William and 355 acres to his son John "of North Carolina." William Massey Greer, having married Polly Vaughn, 29 July 1826 removed to White County about 1833 with his wife and three small children. In Tennessee four more children were born before William died 16 September 1839.
"Aquilla married as his second wife, Mary (Polly) Fielder, daughter of John and Nancy Clark Fielder of Grayson County. Polly's father was a veteran of the Revolution.
"Polly Greer was living on October 11, 1840 (the date of a bond among the Greer Family Papers). Aquilla wrote his will 24 October 1838 but no probate date is given. It is also recorded in Ashe County Deed Book U, page 329, "registered March 15, 1861." Aquilla named all four of his children in his will. His wife was left his plantation "during her life or widowhood with the mansion house and improvement ..." His son John was to "have the lower end of the land" and Caty the upper end including the dwelling house. Aquilla died before 3 November 1843 when the heirs deeded land in Grayson County (Book 10, page 458).
Ashe County North Carolina Will Abstracts 1799-1910 by Grace Turner, #149, Aquilla Greer, names 3 children: John, Nancy & Caty and son in law, Elias Drawn.
"Robert Crockett Pierce, an old resident of Grassy Creek, said in 1959, "Old Johnny Greer's father was buried in a cemetery" on the east side of the old Jefferson Road north of the intersection with the White Top Road. If so, no identifiable stones remain to identify Aquilla Greer's final resting place."
(Sources: Ashe County, North Carolina Deed Book E, page 213; Grayson County (Deed Book 10, page 458 lists heirs of Aquilla Greer (3 November 1843), Virginia and Ashe County (Wills, Inventories, Accounts & Guardians Book B, page 104, Will of Aquilla Greer dated 24 October 1838), North Carolina census records, wills, marriages, deeds and court records; Henry County, Virginia Court records; Pittsylvania, Henry and Franklin County, Virginia land and personal property tax records; Franklin County, Virginia deeds; John F. Greer Sr. family Bible; Gentry family records; Drayghn - Parsons family records; Alleghany County, North Carolina deeds and marriages. --- THE HERITAGE OF ASHE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, VOLUME I, 1984; article 274, "Aquilla Greer" by Myrtle Greer Johnson, pages 274-275.)
(NOTE FROM RALPH TERRY: It has been recorded that this Aquilla died at the residence of his brother, Shadrack, whom he was visiting near Wood, Scott County, Virginia. "A brother of Shadrack, Aquilla, was born September 4, 1785 and his grave in Scott County, Virginia is by the side of grandfather and grandmother." (J.C. Greear notes.) However, this information is incorrect, as the tombstone in Scott County, Virginia is that of a nephew of this Aquilla, but who was also named Aquilla, and was a son of Shadrack Greear. There is a tracing and photograph of this tombstone in the Terry Archives.)
Events
| Birth | Bet 1765 and 1770 | Franklin County, Virginia | |||
| Marriage | Abt, 1804 | South Carolina - Elizabeth "Betsy" Massey | |||
| Marriage | May 19, 1814 | Grayson County, Virginia - Mary "Polly" Fielder | |||
| Death | September 29, 1842 | Ashe County, North Carolina |
Families
| Spouse | Elizabeth "Betsy" Massey ( - ) |
| Child | William Massey Greer (1806 - 1839) |
| Spouse | Mary "Polly" Fielder (1780 - 1840) |
| Child | John Freeland Greer Sr. (1815 - 1897) |
| Child | Nancy Greer (1817 - 1906) |
| Child | Catherine "Caty" Greer (1820 - 1845) |
| Father | William Greer Jr. (1732 - 1802) |
| Mother | Sarah Freeland (1732 - 1802) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Greer (1751 - 1825) |
| Sibling | Shadrack Greear Sr. (1754 - 1842) |
| Sibling | Rachel Greer (1758 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Greer (1763 - 1833) |
| Sibling | Hannah Greer (1764 - ) |