When We Were Greers - Special Edition

by Glenn N. Holliman

Yes, Winston Churchill is a Distant Cousin!

Recently, I read more carefully my email newsletter from the Grierson family history site in Scotland.  As readers of this blog may recall October 2010, I published information our the Scottish roots of our Greer connections.

My generation's 9th great grandparents were Sir James Grier (about 1604 - 1666) and Mary Brown of Dumfrieshire, Scotland.  James was born at Capenoch, a large home near Thornhill, north of Dumfries. This couple had numerous children, one being James Grier (Greer) born 1627 who died in Maryland 1688, the founder of my branch of American Greers.

Below is the Maxwelton House located in Kirkland, near Dumfries, Scotland.  Maxwelton House has changed since the early 1600s when the Griersons and Maxwells called it home.  Formerly known as Glencairn, this estate later was acquired by the Laurie family.  Here the famous Scottish song, Annie Laurie, was written.

Sir James' parents (my generation's 10th great grandparents) were Sir William Grierson (cir 1567 - 1629) and Nichola Maxwell, born about 1578.  Located near Kirkland, the Maxwelton House is a Scottish national treasure (above) and open to the public for tours. You may google Maxwelton House and enjoy stories and views of one of our ancestor's 'modest' homes.  You may do the same for Capenoch.  Sir William, our 10th great grandfather, was the 9th Lord of Lag.

The connection?  Thanks to an article by Mike Grierson, published in the January 2011 Clan Grierson e-newsletter, we know that Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, the British prime minister who led Great Britain and Western Civilization through World War II, is also the 9th great grandson of Sir William Grierson and Nichola Maxwell!

Pictured is the cover of one of the more comprehensive biographies of Winston Churchill. This work by Martin Gilbert, published in 1991, is a page-turner regardless of its intimidating 1,000 plus pages.


Want to know more about your Scottish connections?  Contact clangrierson.com/clan-grierson/ and sign up for the newsletter, view the photos of Capenoch, and learn more about your Scots ancestors and your own tartan!