Greer (most likely) Paisley, Renfrewshire

ngcart · Post by **ngcart** » Fri Aug 07, 2009 3:30 am

Hello,

My first post here. I registered just as the "late troubles" began.

I've been researching my mother's Scottish ancestors for 20 years. All save one of her ancestors came from Scotland to Canada between ca 1800 and 1891, most by 1835. I've been quite successful except for a great great grandfather who came to Canada with the army in 1860s. I have a lot on him from 1869 (first marriage) until his death, but cannot find his family.

His name was William John Greer (2 Apr 1841 - 9 Apr 1917), and according to his 2 marriage licenses his parents were William J. Greer and Margaret Greer nee unknown. In the first his father was called a "forrester", and the second a laborer. William's obit states he was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland. He joined the 78th Highland regiment in 1859 and served until late 1870.

I have, of course, searched censuses and BMDs for William and his family, with no luck. I have also searched in vain for his army records, but know that he was a soldier because his marriage records are signed off on by army staff in Nova Scotia.

Here is my current thinking: Perhaps they were members of a non-conformist church which is why his birth registration doesn't appear.

Does anyone in the Renfrew area have access to any non-conformist church records they can search for me?

Any help on this will be very much appreciated.

By the way, I have determined all the likely places William would have been in 1861 with the army, and searched those censuses without success. Also contacted Highlander Museum and had UK archives check for any service records.

Thanks!

Nick

Post by **joette** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:34 am

Hi Nick & Welcome to TalkingScot.
I too have Greers from the Renfrew area(Abbey parish) My Ggreat-Grandfather was born there in 1838-parents Gilbert Greer & Mary Simpson.
He had siblings Catherine,Thomas,William,John & Gilbert.
All of his brothers bar Thomas were Stonemasons like their Father.
As far as I know there were no Greer connections/cousins in Paisley/Renfrew Gilbert came from St Quivocks Ayr although I have never been able to find any birth records for him.
Have you checked the 1841/1851 censuses for him.Also I have seen the most weird & wonderful spellings for Greer so use wildcards where possible.
Try Freecen or www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.for the Censuses.

ngcart · Post by **ngcart** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 3:27 am

Hi Joette,

Thanks for the reply and welcome: I was beginning to think perhaps no one would reply.

Give me an idea, please, of some of the odd spellings you have found for Greer. The only one I have found is "Green" on my 2x 2gpa's 1st marriage cert. Of course I try Grier and Greir and have even looked at "Greirson", etc.

Greer seems to be a VERY uncommon name for Scotland, and since I have a letter from another 2x G GMA that calls him "McGreer", I have considered whether it might have originally been something like "McGregor".

I and other have checked for this family in the 1841/51 censuses with no luck so far. SP has been getting lots of my money lately, verifying assumptions I have made over the years with actual BMDs.

Nick

Post by **joette** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 5:40 pm

Hi Nick I see you are in Washington State my npehew & family live in Spokane.
I have seen Grier,Greri,Greeir,Grey,Griy,Grire.
It may have been McGreer(son of Greer??)
I have long suspected my Greers hailed from Ireland although Gilbert claims St.Quivocks.His wife Mary Simpson says she was born in Ireland although where I have no clue.
Is it possible that his parents went to Canada when he was young? He may have joined a Scottish Regiment there & that's why you're not finding him in Scotland?
I will have a look at the Censuses to see if I can come up with anything.
It would be great if we were connected.I am very proud of the Greer line-they were long lived for the times & must have been strong & healthy to carry out their work as stonemasons.

ryan · Post by **ryan** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 9:57 pm

The Mitchell library in Glasgow city centre have the non conformist register in thier archives. Maybe somebody here will have a look for you?

Ryan

Post by **joette** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:13 pm

Thanks for that Ryan I will be back in Glasgow in October unless anybody could have a look sooner?

ngcart · Post by **ngcart** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 12:06 am

Is it possible that his parents went to Canada when he was young? He may have joined a Scottish Regiment there & that's why you're not finding him in Scotland?

You know, I have actually never thought of this possibility (silly me), altho I think it is very unlikely. I have found from old news reports that the 78th Highlanders had made their "first ever" recruiting effort to the area he was in in late 1858-early 1859.

Did find this census a while back, and have not completely discarded as a possibility, altho I seem to recall findiing this William in subsequent censuses:

1851 Census Scotland Ayrshire Dalry
ED15/Parish Reg # 587/ Page 20
New Street
GREER
John Head Marr 39 Ag Lab born Ireland
Margaret Wife Marr 38 born Ireland
Thomas Son Unmarr 15 Ag Lab born Ireland
George Son Unmarr 13 Ag Lab born Ireland
William Son Unmarr 10 Scholar born Ireland
Ellen Dau Unmarr 5 Scholar born Ireland
James Son Unmarr 3 born Ireland

Thanks for the info Robert.

Nick

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:49 am

I think it's safe to discard that one.....looks like their son William re-surfaces in 1901 with wife and kids....

1861 CENSUS
Name: John Greer
Age: 48
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1813
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil parish: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Loans
Occupation: Ag Lb
ED: 18
Household schedule number: 47
Line: 21
Roll: CSSCT1861_84
Household Members: Name Age
John Greer 48
Margaret Greer 51
James Greer 12
John McGugan 8

1871 CENSUS
Name: John Greer
Age: 59
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1812
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil parish: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Loans
Occupation: Labourer On Railrooad
ED: 18
Household schedule number: 35
Line: 14
Roll: CSSCT1871_108
Household Members: Name Age
John Greer 59
Margaret Greer 62

1881 CENSUS
Name: John Greer
Age: 62
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1819
Relationship: Head
Spouse's name : Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil parish: Dalry
Town: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Courthill Street
Occupation: General Labourer
ED: 4
Household schedule number: 102
Line: 22
Roll: cssct1881_183
Household Members: Name Age
John Greer 62
Margaret Greer 66
Margaret Onely 12

1891 CENSUS
Name: John Greer
Age: 78
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1813
Relationship: Father
Gender: Male
Where born: Ireland
Registration Number: 587
Registration district: Dalry
Civil parish: Dalry
Town: Dalry
County: Ayrshire
Address: Dandy Row
Occupation: Past Work Formerly Gen Labourer
ED: 17
Household schedule number: 17
Line: 10
Roll: CSSCT1891_202
Household Members: Name Age
William Greer 48
Catherine Greer 47
John Greer 78
Maggie Greer 8
Catherine Greer 6

Are there any clues to be gained from the names of any children of your William John Greer?

Best wishes
Jean

ngcart · Post by **ngcart** » Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:57 am

Jean,

Thank you for checking all those censuses and verifying my recollection (AKA "FAM" or "forget always memory"). I will update my files to verify that this is wrong family.

Childrens' names follow Scots naming conventions:

1) William John b Halifax NS 5 Dec 1869 (died befor 1917)
2) Catherine b NS 11 Aug 1871 (I've traced her family)
3) Margaret b 24 Nov 1873 (Maine on wedding cert, Massachusetts from later sources) - My direct
4) Hugh b Massachusetts 23 May 1875 (traced to 1930 - never married)

So the first 4 are named after his father, wife's mother, his mother, wife's father.

5) Jane (Jennie) b NS 1877 have traced to death in 1941, and some of family
6) Alexander b Albion Mines NS, 22 Jun 1879 died Sep 1880

The William we are seeking is in 1871 Halifax NS census married to first wife age 28; in 1881 he is in Albion Mines, NS with age stated as "30" (same age as on second marriage (1880) to an 18 year old, when he was actually 39); 1891 in Schreiber, Ontario is 49 yo; 1900 & 1910 in Snohomish County, Washington is 58 and 68; died 1917 (I may have stated 1916 earlier).

Nick