Alexander Greer 18031803

Alexander Greer 1803

County Armagh
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Place of migration
Migrated to /Born in Canada

We believe Alexander Greer (1803-5 to 1890) left Warren Port, Northern Ireland on the William Fell sailing ship and arrived in Quebec City in early June 1823.  From there we see a passenger list with an "Alex Greer" along with a James Jones and Hugh Green (possibly Greer) on the steam ship named Quebec to Montreal.  Alex and James ended up in Hollowell, Pince Edward Count, Ontario, where James met his older brother Francis Jones and Alex went to work for a McDonald family, who had come to the county from New Brunswick.  Eventually Alex married Ann McDonald and had 5 children before her death some time between 1839 and 1844.  Alex then married Elizabeth P. Ferguson and had one a son.  From a lettre dated April 1829 from his father, Samuel Greer (~1773 - ~1830), in Corlust Townland, Co. Armagh, we know that Alex had an older brother named Moses (1801-1874), and an younger brother named John.  We have been able to identify Moses' 6 children through birth records of the Church of Irlenad, Ballymore Parish and the marriage of 2 of theses children through records at Clare Presbyterian, Mullabrack, and Shineglish.  We have found the 8 children of Moses' daughter, Sarah Greer Woods (1837-1901) (m. to Archibald Woods 1857-3-5) and some chidlren for 2 of their children Maurice George Woods (1865-1937) and Alexander Woods b. 1869-6-26, but there the trail ends.  We would very much like to trace the families of Moses' sons: John Greer b. 1825-5-1, Samuel b. 1828-8-13, Alexander b. 1833-2-5 (and his two wives, Ann Robinson and Marrtha Hasty (Hastings)), and Hugh b.1841-8-1, as well as the marriage and children of Alex's younger brother, John Greer, born about 1805-1810.  We have a Y DNA match to a present-day Greer living in the area where Alex's brother Moses farmed in Corlust in 1830-70's, but although we can trace that person's family tree back to a Moses Greer b. 1801 in Ballysheil Townland, we have not been able to make the connection to Alex's family.  We also know that Alex's father, Samuel, had a brother, John (who died in his mill on 1871-12-1 and had a son named William), as well as a brother named Moses who had a son named Moses.  There well may have been others in Samuel's family.  Samuel's father was also named Moses Greer b. ~1750.  Alex's mother was Sarah Guy (1774-~1827), daughter of John and Margaret Guy, and we have traced her family and her sister's, Margaret Guy Shanks (m. James Shanks 1809-7-1), family in Lisnabraugh, Co. Down. Samuel had a cousin, James Greer, son of James, who "went to America", long before Alex came to Canada - we have no idea where he may have gone, but it may have been as early as 1790.

Additional Information
Date of Birth 1st Jan 1803 (circa) VIEW SOURCE
Date of Death 4th Jun 1890 VIEW SOURCE
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Comments

  • Hi There, 

    I am Tracing My partner's Family Tree. My Partner is also a Greer, His Great, Great, Grandfather was Patrick Jackson Greer. Who's father is Joseph Greer, and Mother Martha McClelland. 

    I've gotten quite far on his Greer family tree, however, I did check to see if there was a Moses Greer on his family tree, i wasn't able to find it. But It's possible I haven't gotten to that branch either. 

    If you are on Ancestry.com you can look up the family tree which is called Greer_Eunson Family Tree or look up the username linivuki - I am still trying to sort through My partners Greer line and trying to get verification for sources as well. But You are welcome to have a look at the tree. 

    What I've been told by My Partners Family is that, the Name Greer had been changed from Grierson...so there are some who have the name Grier and Greer, but could come from the branch as 'Grierson' I was also told that back in the earlier days, much earlier. There is a story or a well known fact that Grierson and related names are recognised as a sept of the Scottish name McGregor. Beginning in 1603 the McGregor name was proscribed by the King and many were forced to change their names or face certain death. Many used Grierson, Greg, Greig, Greer and Grier, etc. as aliases, thus there may be two spellings for the same name. As far as can be ascertained, those MacGregors using Grier(son)(Greer) etc, reverted to MacGregor when proscription was lifted. But some continued to use the last name Grierson, which changed to Grier/Greer. 

    I will go through the tree again and If I do find a link to Moses Greer born: 1790 I will let you know. 

    NZ Greers

    Thursday 13th May 2021 10:35AM

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