The pink blocks are for the Greer family, the green blocks are for the McCrary family and James Machen's plot is yellow. I do have a larger version but it is a 4 mg jpg file for anyone that wants a copy emailed. [records of Ann McCrary]
John
Greer "the
immigrant"
Family
Ireland
or
Scotland and South
Carolina
m. unknown*
b.
d.
buried:
her father:(?)* her mother: (?)*
| Possible children based on land grant of 1764 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Joseph Greer * | b. ?probably in Ireland | d. before 1783 S. C. |
m. |
| John Greer JR. | b.?probably in Ireland | d. | m. |
| Andrew Greer JR. | b. ?probably in Ireland | d. | m. |
| Jane Greer # | b. ?probably in Ireland | d. | m. John McCrary Sr.# |
| Sarah Greer | b.?probably in Ireland | d. | m. |
I assume that John Greer was born before 1734 due to the fact that he filed for a land grant in 1755 and should have been at least twenty-one. With the reference to the name of the community in South Carolina that they lived in being "Belfast" it wouldn't surprise me that John Greer and his sons or possible brothers, Joseph, Andrew, were coming from Northern Ireland. When listed as protestants from Ireland this gives us clue as to other origins of the family. Greer is not a listed Irish clan name but Grier is an name in Scotland associated with the McGregor clan. I suspect that earlier history of this family will lead back to Scotland and the growth of the Presbyterian Church through the Covenanter Risings. They could easily have been forced out of Scotland for their beliefs and lived in Ireland for a couple of generation before immigrating to the Colonies. These Scottish immigrants in Ireland have been said to be "Scotch-Irish".
An example of this comes from another family's document that is only superficially related to our family but may be somewhat similar to my projection of ancestry. It comes from a Revolutionary Claim from Robert Long who had served under Capt. Joseph Greer.
1755 - From Ann McCrary who found these land
records in the South Carolina Archives in unrecorded claims. These
records do not seem to be the same 100 acres that is granted in 1764 in
the Council Journal. The original petition was written on July 4th
1755.
On 5 Aug 1755 John Greer petitioned the Gov. of SC for 100 acres for
two persons in his family for whom he never had any warrant of survey
or Grant of land in the Province on Duncan Creek near John McCrarey.
Since this is several years earlier than is listed for the John Greer
and family of 1864, I propose that John Greer came and established
himself in the colonies and then went back to Ireland and picked up the
rest of his family. I am attempting to get a copy of this land record
which was recorded on the same day as McCrarey. [Council Journal p.290]
[records of Ann McCrary]
There is a drawing of the plat and on the reverse side of the Platt is written: John McCrarey Platt 100 acres in the Fork----Warrant Aug 5 1755 ---Surveyed July 6 1756 by Jo. Curry....entered Oct 16 1756 .... Deld. to Recorded Book folio......[later writing] Recorded in State Records Misc. Plats. p.92 (and in pencil......."not recorded". This record establishes John's presence in SC at that date and he later had other recorded grants of land on Duncan's Cr. "Mr. Risher Fairey who was a compiler of the Unrecorded Platt portion of the Alphabetical Index at the SC Archives told me that the two persons in John McCrarey's family would have been his wife and a child, or two children and that John had undoubtedly already procured an earlier grant." [records and comments of Ann McCray]
1764 - John Greer is listed as immigrated to South Carolina from Ireland on 8 Jan 1764. He arrived on the ship "Folk" with Captain William Henry. [So. Caro. Council Journal, #30. pp 22-31, Meeting of 24 Jan 1764, as listed by Janice Craft p.3]
Jan. 24, 1764 - John Greer, John Greer Jr., Joseph Greer, Andrew, Jane Greer, Sarah Greer each petitioned for land as immigrants from Ireland. All were protestants. We assume that these five Greer folks were all over 21 years old just to be allowed to apply for land. It is still a question in my mind about whether the women listed here were single, wives of Greer men or widows of Greer men. The McCrary researchers support with documentation that Jane Greer marries John McCreary .
Grants located at Boonesbough and Belfast, S.
C.
One east of "Due West, SC" near Laurens Co.[Craft 3]
JOHN GREER-150 acres
JOSEPH GREER-100
JOHN GREER, JR-100
ANDREW GREER-100
JANE GREER-100
SARAH GREER-100 ...
"The Petitioners were respectively sworn to their family rights and
produced Certificates under the hands of Ministers and Church Wardens
of Dissenting Ministers and Elders of Congregation in Ireland of their
being Protestants and sett forth that they were arrived in this
Province upon the encouragement and bounty allowed by the Act of the
General Assembly of this Province passed 25 July 1761 and therefore
humbly prayed an Order to the public Treasurer to pay the said Bounties
and It appearing that they severally paid for their respective
passages. Ordered that the Clerk do grant them Certificates to the
Public Treasurer to pay the said Bounties and that the Secretary do
prepare Warrant of Survey to the Surveyor General to cause the land
prayed for to be run out to the petitioners in Boonesborough or ____
(Belfast?) Township." Revill, J. (1974). Protestant Immigrants to SC
1763-1773. [records of John Harrison on Genforum.com #3282]
Laurens County Deed Book lists these transfer of
title to land on Duncan Creek.
John Greer, Sr, land to James Greer, 150 & 150 acred, located Duncan's Creek. [Deed Book B, p 453]
Robert Greer to Joseph Greer, 60 and 200 acres on Duncan's Creek. [Deed Book G, p 608 & 617]
There are twelve Greer men listed in the South Carolina Roster of soldiers in the militia during the War for Independence. We are uncertain if any of these are related to our family.
1790- There are six Greer heads-of-family in Laurens County but Joseph Greer was the only one who had two males over 16. [Craft]
1790 - Head of families lists Ninety Six Dist. which included at present time the area of Laurens, Pendleton, Greenville, Abbeville, Edgefield, Newberry, Spartanburg and Union Counties. Note the spelling of John and Joseph as Greir not Greer.
|
|
|
free males 16+ yrs |
free males -16 | females | other | slaves |
| p. 74 Laurens | Greir, Joseph | 2 | 3 | 4 | _ | _ |
| |
Greir, John | 1 | 3 | 5 | _ | _ |
| |
Greir, Richard | 1 | 2 | 3 | _ | _ |
| p. 75 Laurens | Greer, Robert | 1 | 1 | 2 | _ | _ |
| p. 83, Pendleton | Greer, James | 2 | 1 | 4 | _ | 1 |
| Greer, Equilla | 2 | 4 | 2 | _ | 5 | |
| Greer, Solomon | 2 | - | 4 | _ | 1 | |
| p. 84 Pendleton | Greer, John | 2 | 4 | 5 | _ | _ |
| Greer, James | 1 | 5 | 2 | _ | _ | |
| p. 83 | Burns, Alex. | 1 | 3 | 6 | _ | _ |
| p. 58 Abbeville | Jones, Adam Cr. Esq. | 3 | 1 | 1 | _ | 25 |
1799 - Joseph Greer bought from Robert Greer 200
acres on Duncan Creek. Robert Greer Adm. of estate of Joseph Greer,
Deceased. Located between Enoree and Duncan's Creek.
Bounded by lands belonging to John Greer. witnesses: John D. Kern,
Samuel McConahey
[Laurens Co., Deed Book G, p 617. 15 June 1799]
1803 - Robert Greer sells 20 and 200 acres to Joseph Greer on Duncan Creek. This could only be to Joseph Greer Jr. born in 1770, his father died before 1799. This is probably part of the property that was originally own by John Greer "the immigrant". [Laurens Co., Deed Book G, p 608 and p 617]
Source:
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