Individual Details
William Hicks Greer
(October 23, 1890 - June 22, 1953)
"William Hicks Greer, known as "Hicks," attended elementary school where his father had it built on his property, and hired the teacher who lived with the family. When he completed this, he joined his brother, Cleve, at the Helton Academy and boarded with the Osborne family. During vacation he helped his father on the beef farm, and drove the supply wagon when the cattle were driven to market via the Natural Bridge in Virginia.
"He married Lou Zettie Pugh, who lived just over the county and state line in Grayson County, Virginia. She proved to be a wonderful wife and mother and was a real helpmate thru the years. She canned and dried vegetables and fruits, sewed and knitted, making most of the clothing for herself and children. She could also weave and made carpet for some rooms in their home.
"Hicks was a helper for his father, who was a sales representative for the Craddock Shoe Company, driving the horses, caring for them, as well as the display cases. The census record of 1910 for Ashe County shows them and the first child, Virginia age two, in the household of Calvin and Mary E. Greer. Later Hicks farmed and sold milk to the Grassy Creek cheese factory. He was also a substitute mail carrier, at the time when a brother, Edwin was the Postmaster at Grassy Creek, North Carolina.
"Hicks and family followed his parents to Harford County, Maryland in December 1919, buying a small dairy farm which adjoined his parents farm. His father never learned to drive his car but called son Hicks, to take them where and when they wished to go. He was a devoted son who always had the highest respect and love for his parents and entire family. He was offered a job in Mann, West Virginia as manager of a garage. He went to give it a trial for a couple of years in 1924, but while he liked the work, he did not wish to move his family there, thinking the children would probably have better opportunities in Maryland. His wife and children were delighted when he returned to the farm to give a much needed helping hand. He was offered a job as salesman by Heaps Motor Company, and sold a lot of Fords over the county for a number of years. He sold several female teachers Fords for transportation, and taught them to drive. They marvelled at his patience.
"In the early 1930's his brother Cleve needed him to be Vice-President and manager of the trucks and drivers of the Greer Transportation Company which he owned. He held this position until Cleve's son Bill took it over in the late 1940's. Hicks sold the farm in 1933 and moved to the home in Cardiff which he bought when they sold it to settle his parent's estate. During World War II he moved to Bel Air in 1943, due to shortage of gas, to be near work of both he and his wife, who by then was doing alterations in a clothing store. They were concerned about their youngest son who was in the Air Force in india, flying gasoline over the "Hump" to China. He servived and became a pilot for TWA.
"Hicks and Zettie were blessed with six children and seven grandchildren. He was stricken with a coronary thrombosis and lived only a few hours after reaching a hospital in Baltimore, departing this life June 22, 1953. His wife lived alone until her series of strokes which finally took her on May 4, 1958. They sleep near his parents in the cemetery of Highland Presbyterian Church. He was a trusted friend, a loving father and husband and will be remembered best for his outgoing personality, humor, cheerful disposition, friendliness and willingness to lend a helping hand to anyone needing it. He had an inherited musical talent and could paly any tune he heard on any instrument, but preferred the banjo, violin and mouth organ. He also had a deep faith which he passed on to his children in his own inevitable way." (THE HERITAGE OF ASHE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, VOL I, 1984; article by Virginia Greer Davis, page 280.)
"He married Lou Zettie Pugh, who lived just over the county and state line in Grayson County, Virginia. She proved to be a wonderful wife and mother and was a real helpmate thru the years. She canned and dried vegetables and fruits, sewed and knitted, making most of the clothing for herself and children. She could also weave and made carpet for some rooms in their home.
"Hicks was a helper for his father, who was a sales representative for the Craddock Shoe Company, driving the horses, caring for them, as well as the display cases. The census record of 1910 for Ashe County shows them and the first child, Virginia age two, in the household of Calvin and Mary E. Greer. Later Hicks farmed and sold milk to the Grassy Creek cheese factory. He was also a substitute mail carrier, at the time when a brother, Edwin was the Postmaster at Grassy Creek, North Carolina.
"Hicks and family followed his parents to Harford County, Maryland in December 1919, buying a small dairy farm which adjoined his parents farm. His father never learned to drive his car but called son Hicks, to take them where and when they wished to go. He was a devoted son who always had the highest respect and love for his parents and entire family. He was offered a job in Mann, West Virginia as manager of a garage. He went to give it a trial for a couple of years in 1924, but while he liked the work, he did not wish to move his family there, thinking the children would probably have better opportunities in Maryland. His wife and children were delighted when he returned to the farm to give a much needed helping hand. He was offered a job as salesman by Heaps Motor Company, and sold a lot of Fords over the county for a number of years. He sold several female teachers Fords for transportation, and taught them to drive. They marvelled at his patience.
"In the early 1930's his brother Cleve needed him to be Vice-President and manager of the trucks and drivers of the Greer Transportation Company which he owned. He held this position until Cleve's son Bill took it over in the late 1940's. Hicks sold the farm in 1933 and moved to the home in Cardiff which he bought when they sold it to settle his parent's estate. During World War II he moved to Bel Air in 1943, due to shortage of gas, to be near work of both he and his wife, who by then was doing alterations in a clothing store. They were concerned about their youngest son who was in the Air Force in india, flying gasoline over the "Hump" to China. He servived and became a pilot for TWA.
"Hicks and Zettie were blessed with six children and seven grandchildren. He was stricken with a coronary thrombosis and lived only a few hours after reaching a hospital in Baltimore, departing this life June 22, 1953. His wife lived alone until her series of strokes which finally took her on May 4, 1958. They sleep near his parents in the cemetery of Highland Presbyterian Church. He was a trusted friend, a loving father and husband and will be remembered best for his outgoing personality, humor, cheerful disposition, friendliness and willingness to lend a helping hand to anyone needing it. He had an inherited musical talent and could paly any tune he heard on any instrument, but preferred the banjo, violin and mouth organ. He also had a deep faith which he passed on to his children in his own inevitable way." (THE HERITAGE OF ASHE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, VOL I, 1984; article by Virginia Greer Davis, page 280.)
Events
| Birth | October 23, 1890 | Grassy Creek, Ashe County, North Carolina | |||
| Marriage | July 14, 1907 | Grayson County, Virginia - Rosa Canzada "Lou Zettie" Pugh | |||
| Death | June 22, 1953 | Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland | |||
| Burial | Highland Presbyterian Church, Baltimore County, Maryland |
Families
| Spouse | Rosa Canzada "Lou Zettie" Pugh (1888 - 1958) |
| Child | Willa Virginia Greer ( - ) |
| Child | Cecil Straily Greer (1911 - 1983) |
| Child | Margueritte Delene Greer (1913 - 1961) |
| Child | Carroll Hixene Greer ( - ) |
| Child | June Coleen Greer ( - ) |
| Child | William Hicks "Bill" Greer Jr. ( - ) |
| Father | William Calvin "Coot" Greer (1857 - 1928) |
| Mother | Mary Ellen "Mollie" Pierce (1855 - 1930) |
| Sibling | Thomas Arthur Greer (1875 - 1946) |
| Sibling | Walter Eugene Greer (1877 - 1924) |
| Sibling | John Kincannon "Charley" Greer (1878 - 1928) |
| Sibling | Zollie Ophelia Greer (1880 - 1967) |
| Sibling | Martha Anna Lou Greer (1883 - 1946) |
| Sibling | Edwin Dudley Greer (1885 - 1932) |
| Sibling | Grover Cleveland Greer (1888 - 1987) |