Greer Family emigration 1824

Hi Metty,  

I will see if can I help you.  

You have obviously collected their names from something, if you know that they all arrived together, you must have had access to the emigration records.  I believe that your answers lie in Canada.  Are you able to find any marriage or death records for them?  These records might include the names of the others ie if one of them died would the records include the relationship of the informer etc. If you could find out where they were buried the cemetery may have memorials that might indicate who they were as very often memorials state that this stone was erected by....in memory of his brother etc.  I gather from others that Canadian records are not great.  I have access to Roots Ireland, alas it does not hold records for the years that you require but it holds the following records:

Mary Ann Grier    
Date of Baptism:    13-Jun-1824
Address:        Parish/District:    BAILIEBOROUGH
Gender:    Female    County    Co. Cavan
Denomination:    Church Of Ireland
Father:    George Grier    Mother:    Ellen Grier
There was also Elizabeth Grier Date of Baptism:04-Mar-1827 born to this same couple.  

This appears to be their marriage record: 

24-Aug-1819          
Parish / District:    KILLINKERE        County:    Co. Cavan
Name:    George    Greer        Elinor    Kellett
Address:    Monaghamore Bailieborrow        Envigaroge
Denomination:    Church Of Ireland        Church Of Ireland
Occupation:            
Age:            
Status:            
Husband's Father        Wife's Father
Name:        Greer            Kellett

What this proves that some Greers did not emigrate, there was also a family in Knocknalossett in Knockbride.  Those that I looked at were Church of Ireland (Anglican rather than Presbyterian)  

Land records are used where no other records are available so I looked up Griffiths Valuation and found the following Greers in the Bailieborough area

Greer James Monaghanoose Bailieborough Co. Cavan

Greer Joseph Carnalynch Killinkere Co. Cavan

Greer Robert Glasdrumman Knockbride Co. Cavan

Greer Robert Knocknalosset Knockbride Co. Cavan

Grier James Drumoosclin Bailieborough, Co. Cavan  

James & Robert may be the same persons as these farms of land would be close to one another.   This survey would be taken circa 1850, the names do repeat some of the names you have.   I wonder did any of them emigrate to the Greers you mention.  Chain migration did occur.

Working back to the Tithe Applotments one name was found in 1833 Grier JosephCarnalinch Killinkere Cavan.  

I also consulted articles relating to the Church of Ireland in Bailieborough but found nothing relating to Greers.  The old Church of Ireland graveyard is transcribed but many stones are illegible.  The newer part has not been transcribed. If the Church body has records you should contact https://www.ireland.anglican.org/about/rcb-library to see what they have.  Otherwise contact Cavan Genealogy Centre, for a fee they will also do some research for you. 

Contact Details
Irish Family History Foundation
Cana House
Farnham Street
Cavan
Co. Cavan
Email: enquiries@rootsireland.ie 

Also utilise any resources available at https://genealogy.nationalarchives.ie you may find a will that could refer to family in Canada.  I hope I have given you a little more to work on, sorry I was unable to find the answers you require.  

Regards Carmel O'Callaghan 

Carmel,

Thank you so much for your reply and additional information on Greers you found in Cavan. 

The information I had on the Greer men came from Land Petitions in Ontario Canada. The petitions were all filed in September and December of 1824. A genealogy researcher in Canada found spouse and descendant information for most of these men, but wasn't able to confirm their relationship. They all stayed in the Peterborough County area of Ontario, until my branch under Robert Greer (b: 1801) left Canada and moved to Michigan in the 1870s.

I will try reaching out to the church you suggested.It is possible the George and Ellen Greer are related and stayed behind in Ireland.

Thank you,

Metty

Hi Metty

I am descended from James Grier and Sarah Duart and live in the area in Canada where they lived.

They married in Canada in 1887

James rented a farm from John Greer in Cavan Ontario so I believe he at least knew them.

I have been trying to determine the connection to the Greers' that came over at the same time

I would love to connect with someone connected to this family.

Ken Greer

Hi Ken,

The line I descend from is:

Robert Greer b. Ireland 1801 d. Michigan 1875 or 1877. married Matilda Henderson (b. 1810 England? died circa 1846 in Canada) in Cavan Canada in 1827. They had the following children: John Robert Greer, Maria Greer, William R. Greer, Dawson Greer, George Greer and Susan Greer. All the children moved to Michigan in the 1860s and 1870s.

John Robert Greer b. Canada 1830 d. Michigan 1895. married Mary Ellen Sawyer (? - 1879). Their children were Robert John Greer, Frederick Stewart Greer, James Greer, Maria Susanne Greer, George Greer and Adelbert Greer

Frederick Stewart Greer b. Lindsay Ontario Canada 1866 d. Burney, California 1935. married Laura Sangster (b San Jose California 1877 - d Shasta County California 1925. They had the following children: Ellen Carolina Greer (my grandmother b. 1903 d. 1992), John Adelbert Greer, Fred Arvid Greer and Verna Marie Greer.

My great grandfather Frederick was the only one of his generation to leave Michigan. He and George Bellinger came out west to northern California and set up a saw mill in a small town called "Dana" in 1895.  There are still Greer descandants in Michigan, and a couple cousins that I communicate with there.

If you are interested in collaborating more, my email address is mettythomason@gmail.com

Thank you,

Metty

Hi Metty

I sent you an email. Did you receive it?

I show a different son for Robert Grier and Matilda Henderson

John Grier married to Mary Fullerton Eagleson, lived at lot 22 conn 1, Cavan, Upper Canada

children James, Robert, William, George, Matilda and John.

John and Mary lived and died in the Cavan area

I have information from a chapter in a book that talks about the family but not sure how to determine which John is which.

Very confusing

Ken

Hi Ken and Metty,
I am also descended from Robert and Matilda Greer, through John, James and then William Greer. The town in Michigan where the Greers settled after their years in Ontario is called Gladwin. The cemetery there is an excellent resource.

John (Robert) Greer died Friday at his residence in this township in his 60th year after a lingering illness with kidney complaint. His funeral Sunday at the Greer schoolhouse was largely attended. Rev. A. Pits preached the funeral sermon. Mr. Greer has resided in this township a number of years, coming here from Canada and making him a home for himself He was a quiet, and industrious Citizen and enjoyed the respect of all. Gladwin County Record 8/30/1895

Also an excerpt from his son George Greer's (1874-1924) obituary:
George Greer was born Oct. 10, 1874, at Lindsey, Ontario, and at his death Friday, March 21, 1924, was aged 49 years, 6 months and 11 days.

When George was eight years of age his father moved to Gladwin county, and made a home for the family in Gladwin township of which he was one of the early settlers. His mother died before they moved to Gladwin.

So this means that John Greer Sr did not stay in Canada on the farm, but moved to Michigan

As far as the Irish immigrants: did you see the beautiful handwritten note from the parish reverend as a recommendation for land grants?

And where George and Ellen from Killinkere are concerned, I believe I read that they got married, decided to emigrate with the rest of the Greer
brothers/cousins and Ellen passed away before reaching Canada. I'm not sure where I have this info from anymore, though...

On the petitions for land grants in Canada you see the autographs of all emigrated Greer men. Tantalising, because a couple of the handwriting samples are very similar, and a few very different... if only we could know for sure what their relations were!

Ken, I am very interested in the book you mentioned, could you share the title with me? Thank you!!!
C Greer

Here is a post about George Greer and his marriage:

https://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/greer/6263/

The book is called "this green & pleasant land: chronicles of cavan township"

CGreer,

I don't think I replied before. Thank you for the information about the cemetery in Gladwin, I've been there with cousin Dorothy who lives in the area. I think that was in the summer of 2018. We are still trying to confirm the year the John Robert born 1801 died. Some records indicate 1875 and other 1877. 

I have pulled all the land petitiion records and have the letter from the parish in Ireland recommending them for emigraiton. Now if we could just figure out the relationship of all them it would help!

Thanks,

Metty Thomason

Hello, any chance these Greers are related to the ones from Tyrone?