When We Were Greers, Part I

by Glenn N. Holliman

Benjamin Greer, A Larger than Life Frontiersman from an Amazing Scottish Lineage!

As if the stories about the Boones and Wilcoxsons were not enough family lore to keep many genealogists busy, I now introduce a robust leader of the frontier, the 5th great grandfather of my generation, one Benjamin Greer. In the year 1767, Benjamin married Rachel Wilcoxson, niece of Daniel Boone. Between then and her death in 1790, the couple had ten children, one being Jesse Greer, Sr., whom we will later discuss. He later fathered five more children by a second wife, for a total of 15 new Greers.

Benjamin was born in February 9, 1746 in Albemarle County, Virginia and died in Kentucky in 1810. His parents were from Maryland and earlier ancestors from Scotland. Benjamin could be the subject of a Hollywood movie as he chased Cherokee Indians, fought as a patriot captain at the Battle of King's Mountain, thrashed a soldier caught stealing, hung Tories and later told his Baptist Church what they could do with their rules on abstinence (from drink, not sex obviously).

In this faded photo above made in the early 1920s in the Appalachian Mountains, we see Frances Wilson Osborne, a great great grand daughter of Benjamin Greer, holding her latest grandchild, Geraldine Stansberry. On the horse are Louise and Charles Stansbery.

During the life of Benjamin, the Greers, Osbornes and Wilsons settled in Watagua and Ashe Counties, North Carolina. This photo was probably made in Sullivan County, Tennessee or Damascus, Virginia and was recently uncovered in the collection of Geraldine Stansbery Holliman Feick.

We will look carefully at Benjamin's large life in later postings, but will first examine our amazing Greer heritage. Actually one should say McGregor and that line goes back, believe it or not, to one Hugh II, born before 680 and King of the Scottish realm of Dalriada from 691 to 695. The name McGregor became Grierson and then Grier and Greer. Before coming to Maryland in the 1680s, our ancestors hailed from southern Scotland in and around Dumfrieshire. A map of that region is below. Double click on the map to enlarge.

More on our Scottish heritage in the next posting....