Saturday, July 12, 2008

ELIJAH OTE LYON was a son of Josh LYON and his wife Lettie HARRISON. He was born 12 Jun 1825 in Shelby Co., KY, and died 18 Mar 1898 in Kansas City (

ELIJAH OTE LYON was a son of Josh LYON and his wife Lettie HARRISON. He was born 12 Jun 1825 in Shelby Co., KY, and died 18 Mar 1898 in Kansas City (Jackson County), Missouri.

He married (1) CATHERINE HIEATT 22 Dec 1846 in Anderson County, KY. She was born 01 Dec 1828 in Shelby County, KY, and died 14 Apr 1857 in Sandyville (Warren County), Iowa. He married (2) MARY ELEANOR BEEMAN 11 Oct 1857 in Sandyville (Warren County), Iowa. She was born Apr 1841 in Crawford County, IN, and died 11 Sep 1879 in Near Warrensburg, MO.. He married (3) MARY ELLEN HANCOCK 13 Apr 1881 in Centerville, Missouri. She was born 25 Apr 1841 in Owen County, Indiana.

Elijah Lyons is listed next door to Daniel Lyon in the Shelby County, KY 1850 census.
Elijah Lyon died at a Kansas City sanitarium Friday, March 18, 1898. He was stricken with paralysis three years prior to his death and never recovered. He dated his last illness from harvest of 1897. He lived 73 yrs. 9 months, & 6 days, married 3 times and sired 25 children, 16 of whom were living at the time of his death. He was born in Harrison City, Kentucky and married there, moved to Warren County, Iowa where his 1st wife died and he remarried. He moved to Jackson City, Misssouri and married his 3rd wife. All of his children from the last marriage attended the funeral held at the Christian Union Church, Elder Arnett officiated. The remains were buried with Masonic honors.

Taken from the HENNESSEY CLIPPER, OKLAHOMA newspaper. My thanks to the individual who provided me with this information.

Friday, July 11, 2008

MT. EDEN IN SHELBY COUNTY, KY WELL REPRESENTED IN THE CIVIL WAR


Printed in the Friday 22 March 2002 Sentinel News, Shelbyville, KYTwo Captains of Mount Eden in the Civil WarByWilliam METCALF

Mount Eden was represented during the Civil War by men of that area. Many of these men were of both members of the 6th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment and the 15th Kentucky Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

One man in Company B, 15th Kentucky Volunteer Regiment was Captain William Henry HARRISON. He was born 15 September 1837, died 19 January 1909 and is buried in Stodghill Cemetery near Mount Eden, Kentucky. He was the son of James and Sarah COOPER HARRISON.

HARRISON served in Company B from 1861 until his discharge on 18 February 1863.

He contracted typhoid fever in Huntsville, Alabama in May 1862. He was treated and nursed for several weeks before he could return to his unit. He never fully recovered and had to resign his commission because of his disabilities. It affected his health for the rest of his life. After the war, HARRISON returned to the Mount Eden area, where he was a farmer.

A group of men from the Company B were known as the "Mount Eden sharpshooters". The 15th Kentucky Infantry Regiment earned the name the "Bloody Regiment" for its part in the Battle of Perryville in October 1862.

Private Archie Lewis HEDDEN in Company B served under HARRISON. He served from 01 October 1861 to 14 January 1865. He was born 22 May 1840, the son of Squire B. and Sarah PULLIAM HEDDEN. After the war, he returned to the Mount Eden area where he farmed and raised a large family. He Isabel Frances CORBIN 11 March 1869. He died 15 September 1925 at the age of 85 and is buried in the Grove Hill Cemetery in Shelby ville, KY

Of the 888 men of the 15th Kentucky Calvary, more than 400 were killed or wounded, anotehr 113 died of illnesses or non battlefield related causes.

Another Captain from Mount Eden was HARRISON'S brother in law, Elisha HEDDEN, of Company D, 6th Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted October 1861.

HEDDEN was born near Mount Eden 25 March 1834, the son of Elisha and Mary CARRESS HEDDEN. He married Miranda (Mandy) HARRISON, HARRISON'S sister on 05 October 1854. The reared six children.

HEDDEN suffered serious wounds to the head at the Battle of Shiloh. He and four others were wounded when they tried to capture a big gun from the enemy. Several of the men of the company were killed over this gun. HEDDEN was sent to a hospital in Mound City, Illinois. He recovered and nine months later was wounded at Stone's River in Tennessee.

HEDDEN resigned his commission in the fall of 1863. He returned to Mount Eden where he pursued farming. In October 1886, HEDDEN sold his farm and moved to Hutchinson, Kansas where he spent the rest of his life. He died there 28 November 1906 and is buried in the Lone Star Cemetery near the town of Pretty Prairie (Reno County), Kansas. HEDDEN had a first cousin, Jacob Richard HEDDEN, who married a sister of Jefferson DAVIS..

Another man from Mount Eden of the 6th Kentucky Infantry was Henry Clay TERRELL. He served under HEDDEN and he, too, was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh on 07 April 1862. He served form 10 January 1862 until 28 June 1862. He kept a diary of his time served until several weeks after his hospitalization. He was wounded in the back and hip. He died 24 February 1868 and is buried in Mount Moriah Cemetery at Mount Eden. He was born 24 August 1821 and was the son of Zachariah and Polly FLOYD TERRELL

James H. HARRISON died at the Battle of Perryville, KY in the Civil War.



James H. HARRISON was killed in the Civil War at the Battle of Perryville in Perryville, Kentucky. James was a member of the 1st Regiment of the Kentucky Calvary. It was formed at Liberty, Burkeville and Monticello, Ky. in October, 1861. The Battle of Perryville was the largest Civil War battle in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. More than 7,500 Union and Confederate troops were wounded and killed.

James H. HARRISON is among those buried in Hedden Cemetery near Mt. Eden, Kentucky. (Discover more about Hedden Cemetery on the Greer Heritage Map.)

James was a son of Nancy Agnes GREER and John HARRISON. He was a grandson of Rebecca Howard and Samuel GREER.

Captain Elisha HEDDEN died in Hutchinson (Reno Co.), Kansas


Captain HEDDEN Dead

He passed away this morning after a long illness.

Captain Elisha HEDDEN died this morning at his home on Fourth East. He had been in poor health for some time and had been confined to his room for the last six months.




Mr. HEDDEN was born in Shelby County, Kentucky 25 March 1834. He was married 05 Oct 1854 to Miss Miranda HARRISON also of this county. When the war broke out Mr. HEDDEN organized a company for service in the Union cause. His company was mustered in as Co. E, 6th Kentucky Infantry. Mr. HEDDEN was elected captain and served through the war. He was wounded at the battle of Shiloh and Stone River. He was in the Revenue Service of the government after the war for 16 years. He moved to Hutchinson in January 1886.

In March 1894, his wife having died, he was married to Mrs. Susan Cardwell CARRIS who survives him. He has six children by his first wife who are all living. They are Charles M. HEDDEN of El Paso, TX, Ben C. HEDDEN of Nevada, MO, Mrs Mary J. SNYDER of Lake Charles, LA., E.V. HEDDEN of Shelby County, KY, Mrs. Sarah B. CONNELLY of New York City, and G. H. HEDDEN, also of New York City. He also leaves three stepchildren; Lena TURNER, George CARRIS of Shelby County and Miss Lillie CARRIS of this city.

Captain HEDDEN was assistant marshal and also marshal of this town. He was well known and well liked. He had a kindly disposition and his friends were numbered by the score. He wads a member of the Joe HOOKER Post of the Grand Army and they will attend his funeral which will be held from his late home tomorrow afternoon. The services at his house will be conducted by the Rev. BEAVER of the Baptist Church of which he was a life long member.

The relatives have the sincerest sympathy of the community in their loss. He died in Hutchinson (Reno Co., Kansas

My thanks to the individual who gave me this obituary . It was published in the Daily Independent on Wednesday 28 Nov 1906. Thanks also for the photograph of Elisha.

He was a nephew of Oliver HEDDEN who married Mary )Polly) GREER, daughter of Samuel. Elisha's father was Elisha, Sr., son of Jacob and brother of Oliver.


Wednesday, July 9, 2008

CULBERTSON, MONTANA....the site of the murder of WILLIAM WATER GREER


CULBERTSON, MONTANA....the site of the murder of WILLIAM WATER GREER


William Walter GREER was born near Bloomfield (Nelson County), Kentucky. Hi sparents were Thomas Newton and Sally Foster GREER. After college graduation, he left for Montana and bought a ranch. He was murdered. His body was brought back to Bloomfield for burial He is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery there. His grandfather was James and his great grand father was Samuel GREER.


William Walter (W. W.) Greer (13 January 1874 - 26 January 1905) graduated from Centre College as Valedictorian of his class. He was unmarried and lived on a ranch in Culbertson Valley, Montana. He was called the "duck man" in the newspaper. I think maybe he had tame ducks living in the cabin with him. He was murdered by a rustler named James Malcolm on 26 January 1905. Read the article from the Searchlight. It is a classic.

MURDER MOST FOUL

The Dead Body of W. W. Greer Found in His Own Cabin at Big Lake with Two Bullet Holes in His Body.

R. P. Bowman Found the Dead Body While Out on Horseback Last Friday Looking for Some Stray Horses. James Malcolm, who Was Arrested Saturday for Stealing a Horse, Is Suspected of Committing the Crime. Malcolm Visited the Duckman's Ranch on Thursday, Jan. 26th, the Day Before the Body Was Found. A Coroner's Inquest was Held in Culbertson Today.

While looking for stray horses belonging to the Bowman Ranch last Friday, Rusaw P. Bowman rode to the cabin of W. W. Greer, known in the Big Muddy District as the Duckman cabin and when he entered he found Greer lying near the door dead.

At first Mr. Bowman thought the man died from near-------, as he lay in an apparently natural position and that was the first report sent out, but the next day when Coroner Getty arrived on the scene, a closer examination was made and the man was found to have been murdered. ………………(lines missing) ranch, notifying Mr. Bedford of the occurrence, and from there to the ranch of Gay Allen, whom he notified. He also met the stag on its way from Plentywood to Culbertson, and sent a message by the driver to Agent Stanfield, who telegraphed to Coroner Getty at Glasgow to come to Duckman's cabin as soon as possible.

Mr. Bowman then returned to Duckman's Ranch, accompanied by Messrs. Bedford and Allen, where they all remained until Dr. Getty arrived there the next day, Saturday, January 28th.

Coroner Getty was accompanied by Thomas Moore and Orrin Denn, the latter driving the team.

The coroner and party brought the remains of Greer to Culbertson, arriving here about noon on Monday, when the body was laid on a table in the restaurant building opposite the Evans Hotel. Dr. Getty immediately empaneled a coroner's jury composed of W. S. Evans, foreman, Alb. Manderbach, W. T. Stephens, Thomas Darwin, P. J. Nagy and Walter S. Patch.

In the meantime County Attorney John J. Kerr and Sheriff Griffith had arrived from Glasgow in response to telegram and were present at the inquest. The examination of the witnesses took place in the office of G. H. Coulter, beginning about 2 o'clock Monday afternoon, and the reporter was present during the proceeding.

The principle witness at the inquest was R. P. Bowman, Orrin Denny and Thomas Moore simply corroborating his testimony. The awful story of the tragedy is best told in the language of Mr. Bowman, as follows:

"My name is Rusaw P. Bowman. I reside near the Big Muddy River, about 27 miles from Culbertson, in Valley County, Montana. "On Friday, Jan. 27th, I left home about 1 o'clock p.m., on horseback to look for some stray horses. I rode over to the Duckman's cabin, which is about four miles from my ranch. I went to the door and knocked but there was no answer. Again knocked and on receiving no reply was about to go away when I heard a noise in the shack, which I afterwards concluded was made by some tame ducks in the cabin.

"I opened the door and saw a man lying there with his feet near the door. I afterwards found that his name was W. W. Greer, known in this vicinity as the "Duck Man," for the reason that he was raising tame ducks.

"I spoke to him and he did not answer. I shook him and found that he was dead. I closed the door and rode back and found Mr. Bedford and Guy Allen and the stage driver to send a message to the coroner.

"I then rode back to ---- Duckman's Ranch accompanied by Bedford and Allen and we stayed there --- the next day when Coroner Getty arrived, when I assisted him to search the premises.

"After the coroner arrived, we made a ………..(lines missing)

"After examining the body, we looked around outside of the cabin and found tracks indicating that some person had recently ridden up on horseback, accompanied by three dogs, from the east. The tracks of the horse showed that there was a part of the right front hoof of the animal broken off so that it did not make a perfect impression, making it easy to follow the trail.

"This trail was traced up to within a short distance of the cabin where it was evidently obliterated by other tracks. On the west side of the cabin, tracks of the same horse were found, going in a northwesterly direction from the cabin.

"On account of darkness, we discontinued the tracing of the tracks until the next day. That night Mr. Bowman went home for the night and the coroner and his party stopped with a neighboring rancher, with the understanding that they would meet on Saturday morning at the Duckman's cabin. Continuing his testimony, Mr. Bowman said:

"The next morning I took up the trail of the horse and three dogs from my own ranch to this dugout or cave called Duckman's cabin where Greer was killed. I met Dr. Getty and his party there and we made a circle around the cabin about a quarter of a mile away to see if there were any other tracks leading to the Greer ranch, but found no other recent trail leading to or going away from the cabin, except the ones mentioned and one other, that of a man leading a horse. This trail had been partly obliterated by the wind filling the footprints with snow and appeared to be several days older than the trail of the horse and dogs.

"After this I and Dr. Getty's party took up the trail of the horse and dogs leading to the Duckman's ranch from an easterly direction, and traced it back about 10 miles to the ranch of J. H. Smith at the head of Big Lake.

"We asked Mrs. Bell if anyone had been there recently with three dogs. She answered that Jim Malcolm had been there with three hounds; that he left there saying that he was going to the Duckman's cabin to stay all night; that he left the Smith ranch about 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26th, for the Duckman's ranch.

"The same Jim Malcolm," continued Mr. Bowman, "came to my place on that same Thursday night, arriving about 10 minutes to 7 o'clock, and staid all night. He was accompanied by three hounds. My place is about four miles from the Duckman's cabin. While at my place, Jim Malcolm stated that he had intended to stay at the Duckman's ranch that night, but that he could not find the place. "He had a 30-30 barrage rifle with him. The Savage rifle was placed in evidence and handed to the witness. Mr. Bowman continuing, said: "This is the same rifle that Jim Malcolm had when at my house to the best of my knowledge. It is the one here in front of Mr. Crohn.

"The morning Jim Malcolm left my ranch I found ---- cartridge shell near the barn door where he kept his horse that night." Here Mr. Bowman produced the shell in court. "This scratch," he said, "is a mark I put on the shell myself to identify it."Question, by Judge Kerr. "Have you tried the empty shell in the gun since that time?" Answer: "Yes, Sir, and it fits this rifle."

The empty shell when compared with three other shells, one fired from the same gun since the first one was found, and two fired from other rifles using the same kind of cartridges, showing that the two fired from the Savage rifle that Malcolm had have the same peculiar markings from the ones fired from the discharge, and that they differed from the ones fired from other guns.

Continuing, Mr. Bowman said, "I have since seen the horse that Mr. Malcolm rode to my house Friday night. I saw it Sunday evening at Mr. Sherman's ranch. It was in Billy Crohn's possession. I examined the horse's hoof to see if it was the same horse I had been trailing and found that the hoof made the same footprints that I found near the Duckman's cabin.

Question: Who was with you during your search for the tracks around the Duckman's cabin and while following the trail of the horse and three dogs? Answer: Thomas Moore, Orrin Denny and the coroner, Dr. Getty.

After taking the testimony, the Coroner and jury proceeded to the Humphrey restaurant, where the body lay. Coroner Getty, assisted by W. T. Stephens, stripped the body by cutting the clothes from him.

Mr. Greer was rather a slight man, weighing perhaps 120 pounds. He was warmly clothed and as clean as a man could well be. He had on thin cotton underwear next to his skin, with heavy woolen underwear over this. His outside clothes consisted of a conductor's or motorman's uniform that he had recently used while working for the street railway in Chicago.

When he was stripped, it was found that he had been shot twice, each ball going clear through the body. The ball supposed to have been shot first entered the left breast near the arm and went clear through the chest emerging almost straight across on the right side near the arm. The second ball, which was probably fired when the man was falling, entered the small of the back, a little to the right of the backbone, going through the abdomen and coming out a little above and to the right of the navel. Either shot would have been fatal.

Dr. Getty said after performing the autopsy on Tuesday morning that the first shot could not have been made in a manner to cause a quicker or more painless death, as it severed all the large blood vessels leading from the heart. Both lungs were pierced and the aorta or main artery was cut just above the heart.

Walter W. Greer was a well educated man, holding a diploma from a Kentucky college as a Bachelor of Science. He was an inoffensive man, fond of reading and experimenting in raising vegetables, etc. He had several dozen tame ducks which he was wintering in his shack, and intended making a business of raising ducks. From the pockets of the dead man were taken the following articles: A five-dollar bill, a nickel, a cheap watch, a common jack-knife, a bill of sale of a black mare, signed by Arthur Charlesworth, a union card from a Chicago Union and a couple of books of postage stamps, one empty and the other with only two stamps gone.

A message was sent to his attorney, Bedford C. Cherry of Bardstown, Ky, who communicated with his relatives.

A message was received by Coroner Getty Tuesday morning to have the body embalmed and held until the arrival of the sender, and the message was signed, E. A. Walton, Salt Lake City, Utah.

VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY

We the jury summoned at the inquest held by the Coroner of the County of Valley over the body of one W. W. Greer, on the 30th day of January 1905 A.D., after hearing the testimony and examining the body, upon our oaths do say that the person here lying dead and upon which the inquest was held, was Walter W. Greer, and that he came to his death on January 26th 1905 at said Greer ranch, about thirty miles north of Culbertson and in Valley County, Montana, and that he came to his death by means of --- shot wounds ……………..some person or persons unknown ………… ------ in Culberson, Montana, January 30th 1905.

JURORS: W. S. Evans, foreman, Albert Manderbach, W. T. Stephens, Thomas Darwin, F. R. Nagey, W. R. Patch.

THE OTHER MAN

The only other man who is known to have been at the Duckman ranch within a week of the tragedy is Hugh Crohn, who was probably the last man who could have seen W. W. Greer alive except the murderer.

Hugh Crohn took dinner with R. P. Bowman on Tuesday, Jan. 24th, and told him he had staid all night at the Duckman cabin on Monday night and that he intended to stay with Greer again that night, Tuesday --- Crohn …….. wolf traps in the county and that he was ……………. to look after them ……… Hugh Crohn went to ……… Mr. Bowman's ranch …….. he is at present, but if information is filed against Mr. Malcolm for the murder of Greer, Mr. Crohn will be subpoenaed as a witness.

Court Attorney Kerr told the reporter that the matter would be taken up in due ---- a full investigation is made into the case.

MALCOLM ARRESTED FOR HORSE STEALING

On Saturday last Jim Malcolm was arrested in Culbertson for stealing a horse ………… . and was taken before Judge Coulter where he pleaded guilty to the charges. He was taken to Glasgow on Sunday and lodged in jail to await the action of the district court. While in Judge Coulter's office Malcolm, who is only 18 years old, said that he did not care if he got ---- years for stealing the horse, that he had been kicked and caffed around all his life and that he would be of age when he got out of prison.

As near as can be ascertained, the whereabouts of Malcolm last week were about as follows. About a week before, before he was arrested, he stole the horse, saddle and gun from George Bolster, while Bolster was absent from home. He went to the Crohn ranch on Monday of last week and stayed there a couple of days, and while there traded the stolen horse and gun to Billy Crohn for the Savage rifle and the horse which he rode on Thursday.

On Thursday about 11:30 o'clock a.m., he left the Smith ranch on horseback with the Savage rifle and the three dogs, saying he was going to stay all night at the Duckman's ranch. After being seven hours on the road, he arrived at R. P. Bowman's ranch and said he could not find the Duckman's cabin. Malcolm staid Thursday night at the Bowman's ranch and on Friday came to Culbertson.

In the meantime, Geo. Bolster had traced his horse to Billy Crohn's ranch where he found it and he and Billy Crohn came to Culbertson and filed information against Malcolm for horse stealing.

JAMES FRANCIS GREER WAS KILLED IN A RUNAWAY HORSE ACCIDENT IN WACO, TEXAS

JAMES FRANCIS GREER WAS KILLED IN A RUNAWAY HORSE ACCIDENT IN WACO, TEXAS


James Francis (24 January 1858 - 13 January 1907 in Waco, Texas) Greer who married Virginia Lee, a teacher in Waco, Texas. James Francis Greer died in a horse accident. He was a graduate of Centre College in Danville, Kentucky and graduated first in his class of twenty (Baylor Roundup, 1896) was active at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He also received what is termed an A. M. which I assume is a Master's degree. He was a professor of Latin, German, and French at Baylor University. In 1893, he was elected Vice President of Baylor. Sue Harris has sent me his picture and he truly has the "forehead of a Greer"!

His daughter states he was a noted educator and scholar. He and Virginia Lee were married 19 June 1883.

James F. Greer was killed in an accident with a runaway horse, 13 January 1907. This is taken from the Waco Daily Times Herald 14 January 1907. His daughter, Miss Lillian, was "painfully though not dangerously, bruised. They were returning home from a funeral and the horse started running and finally nearly ran into another buggy. In order to prevent a collision, he turned sharply and the buggy overturned. He was "rendered unconscious and carried to the home of his brother-in-law, Nat Harris. He died within an hour. At the time of his death he was principal of Sanger Avenue Public School (Waco Daily Times Herald 14 January 1907).

The entire obituary reads:

One of the most disturbing accidents which has happened in Waco in a long while happened late yesterday afternoon, in which Professor J. F. Greer, principal of Sanger Avenue public school, was killed, and his daughter, Lillian, who was in the buggy with him was painfully though not dangerously bruised.

Professor Greer and Miss Lillian were returning home form the funeral of Miss Evelyn Kyger, and when they reached a point about two blocks to the other side of the South Waco Fire station, and near to the residence of Alderman Garrett, the horse began running being eager to get home. Professor Greer turned the horse on a cross street about two blocks the other side of the fire station, and the animal went running at a rapid gate towards Seventh street. Professor Greer held firmly to the lines, guiding the animal safely until about the time the vehicle reached Seventh street, when he met a buggy. In trying to avoid a collision with this buggy and to make the turn into Seventh Street necessitated a double turn and Professor Greer did his best to make it, but this was impossible as the curve was too acute and the buggy was overturned, throwing both of the occupants to the ground. Professor Greer struck on his head and was rendered unconscious. He remained in this state and never spoke afterwards, though breathing and circulation kept up for a little more than an hour. He was carried to the residence of his brother in law, Nat Harris who lived near the point of the accident and died there.

Miss Lillian was given attention at once, but it was found that she was not dangerously hurt. A peculiarly sad feature of the matter is that Bachman Greer, a 12 year old son of Professor Greer, lies at home very ill from typhoid fever, and has not been apprised of his father's death. The entire community will be shocked by the news when it reaches them and all who heard of it today expressed deepest sorrow. Professor Greer has been a resident of Waco since 1892 when he came here form Nacogdoches, and as a citizen and educator has won a place in the estimation of the people only good and desirable men can secure and hold. He was one of the foremost educators of the state and has had a wide experience in school matters. He held positions of responsibility in school matters before coming to Texas and was in charge of the school at Nacogdoches for four years. After coming to Baylor he was for several years professor of Latin in that institution being also vice president; he was later co-principal of of the Grayson College at Whitewright; he was also co-principal of the Lancaster Military Institute and at the time of his death, one of the proprietors of that institution.

At the beginning of the present term of the Waco Public schools, professor Greer was elected principal of the Sanger Avenue school and has been holding this place with the same marked outcome and ability which have characterized his past career. He was 52 years old (?) and leaves a family.

The funeral will take place at 4 o'clock this afternoon from the residence of Home Wells... Interment at Oakwood Cemetery...

The Sanger Avenue School will be dismissed for the funeral.


James Francis was the oldest son of Thomas Newton GREER. Thomas Newton was a son of James GREER who was, in turn, a son of Samuel GREER.

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Maple Grove Cemetery

MAPLE GROVE CEMETERY

BLOOMFIELD, KENTUCKY


These are the Greer gravestones in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Bloomfield, Kentucky. Hopefully, I have pictures of all these and their correct placement. These graves are in two imperfect rows on the right side of the cemetery as you enter it. They are in the front half of the right side.

These stones are in same row as James and Elizabeth Greer's graves.

1. Sallie M. daughter of James and Elizabeth Greer
Born 29 April 1828
Died 9 May 1842
Age 14 years 10 days

2. Elizabeth Greer, Jr.
Born 14 January 1845
Departed from this life
13 November 1855

3. Samuel H. Greer
8 November 1837
2 October 1905

This is a very large stone with the following:

Our Father and Mother

4. Elizabeth Greer James Greer
Born 1 October 1802 Born 7 September 1797
Died 7 June 1871 Died 11 July 1871

5. R. J. Greer Catherine Wats
Born 9 February 1842 Born 9 October 1845
Died 28 April 1907 10 July 1894

6. Infant son
R. J. and K. W. Greer
19 February 1875

7. Infant Son
R. J. and K. W. Greer
Born 16 October 1877
Died 23 October 1877

We could not read the top part of this stone. I believe it is in line with the others above.

8. 4 November 1885 (I believe this was the only date)

At Bottom of stone

"Father and Mother for me
Waiting in glory for thee"

9. Richard J.
son of R. J. and K. W. Greer
18 May 1883
8 February 1907

This row is nearer the highway and this above grave is farther from the road.

10. Robert E. Lee Greer
son of T. N. and S. L. Greer
Born 6 February 1870
Died 30 March 1871

11. W. W. Greer
13 January 1874
26 January 1905

At the bottom of his grave is the inscription " thy will be done".

12. Mary
Daughter of T. N. and S. L. Greer
Born 30 July 1859
Died 26 July 1863


Farther from the road than the above graves is one for

William R. Milton
15 January 1805
22 July 1833

I would guess this is a younger brother of Elizabeth Milton but I do NOT know this for sure.

It was a beautiful day. We visited the cemetery after we had made pictures of where Samuel Greer built his home near Bloomfield, Kentucky. Near there, we also saw the beautiful home of Elizabeth Milton. It was recently purchased by two physicians and has been renovated. In order to get to this area, take Highway 62 from Bardstown and continue til you get to Highway 162 or "Old Bloomfield Road". Jack Briggs now owns the farm that Samuel Greer once owned. It is difficult to get to the location of the DAR marker. You can go through the Jack Briggs farm or continue along Highway 162 to a mailbox that says "Sparrow" on it. It is about 0.7 mile from the Jack Briggs farm. The Elizabeth Milton home is near here.

The Maple Grove Cemetery is located in Bloomfield, Kentucky.

As is always the case, no matter how careful, I left out a grave. I know it is there since I have a picture of it. I do not know its placement however.

This is another of the sons of James and Elizabeth Greer.

Sallie L. Greer Thomas N. Greer
Born 9 January 1838 Born 6 October 1826
Died 8 June 1911 Died 7 January 1897

Owensboro, Kentucky....Home of some of the Western Kentucky GREERS

Samuel Greer II was born about 1801 and married Minerva Cooper on 05 December 1822. Minerva was the daughter of John and Mary Cooper. The wedding ceremony for Samuel and Minerva was performed by Isaac Taylor and witnesses included David Huston and Samuel Huston.

Minerva Cooper was born in Nelson County, Kentucky about 1802 and died in Daviess County, Kentucky 14 November 1871. According to the tombstone, she was 68 years 6 months indicating she was born about May 1802. She might have been born as late as 1804 though. I am not sure who made up their birth dates!!!

Samuel II was the youngest of the three sons of Samuel and Rebecca Howard Greer. Part of Samuel II's life was spent in Nelson County, Kentucky. He did not marry until after his father died in 1820. In the Samuel Greer I's will, Samuel II received 100 acres of land on the southeast end of the survey which included the "mantion" (mansion house). He was also willed a "black boy named Johnson and a good featherbed and common furniture".

James and Samuel II also received after Rebecca's death "the black man Peter and the black woman Pat and all their increase from the date of his death". They were "Not to sell or barter blacks but to treat them in a human like manner".

Samuel and Minerva lived in Nelson County and Shelby County near Mt. Eden until they moved to Daviess County, Kentucky in 1832 according to Sallie Carter, a daughter of William Boyd GREER..
Samuel II died 20 October 1846. Samuel's tombstone says he was 75 years indicating he was born in 1771. This is not correct. As I am sitting here tonight with a magnifying glass trying to figure out what is written on the bottom of the stone, a thought just occurred to me. I would bet a 4 was mistaken for a 7 by a German carver. Of course, it should have been a four and he was 45 years old.

He was dead by the 1850 census where Minerva was left with seven children but in no way was he born much earlier than 1800. Samuel Greer ‘s tombstone also says across the left hand top on a Holy Bible ""Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord". At the bottom it says "Tis .... to gaze upon the sad; That wraps thy moldering clay ..... (another full line" which was in the grass). [The inscription presumably ran: "Tis sweet to gaze upon the sod that wraps thy mouldering clay. To think thy spirit rests with God who called it hence away." It appears to be a common sentiment on tombstones from the era. -Ed.]

Coleman D. GREER was the oldest son of Samuel, Jr. and Minerva Cooper. One of his sons was Coleman Henry GREER and he was the father of Della GREER who married Heber MIDKIFF. Heber and Dellie had five children, three of whom are Markley FREER, Lincoln MIDKIFF, and Esther (Sissy) EDGE This family is very musically inclined and are wonderful to be around.

They are shown here with Markley on the left, Link in the middle and Sissy on the right.
A much older picture taken about 1906 shows Coleman and Nellie Greer with some of their children. Included are Aaron GREER (in back between his parents), Delia to the left and behind her father, Erbit to the far right, Dillie standing between his dad's legs and Mary Elizabeth in her mother's lap. Mary Elizabeth died young. The family lived in Ohio County, KY when the children were young. Aaron died in Walkerville, Michigan.