Biography of Matt F. Greer, Franklin Co, AR

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        Date: 16 Aug 1998
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SOURCE: History of Benton, Washington, Carroll, Madison, Crawford,
Franklin, and Sebastian Counties, Arkansas. Chicago: The Goodspeed
Publishing Co., 1889.

Matt F. Greer is a native of Rome, Ga., and was born January 21, 1851,
his parents being E. T. and Rebecca T. (Wright) Greer, natives of
Georgia, where they were reared and married. The father was a
contractor and builder, and in 1882 came to Arkansas, where he died in
1883. His wife is still living. Matt T. grew to manhood in his native
State, and became a mechanic under his father's instruction, serving
as his father's foreman until eighteen years of age. In 1878 he
located in Ozark, Ark., and engaged in contracting and building, since
which time he has erected many houses here and in the adjoining
country. In 1881 he became the owner of a planing-mill, to which he
afterward added undertaker's goods. He then put in a large stock of
lumber, and shortly after bought a flour mill, which was soon
supplemented with a large cotton-gin. He continues business in the
various lines mentioned with increasing success, and in 1887 purchased
a large hardware stock. He was the builder and one of the
incorporators of the Ozark Canning Factory, and is on the board of
directors. He is one of the most enterprising business men of Ozark,
and owns nine good residence and tenement buildings, and a business
block, besides the mills and property above mentioned. Returning to
Georgia, he was married October 12, 1882, to Ella Spillman, a native
of Tennessee, and daughter of Newton Spillman, formerly of that State.
Mrs. Greer was reared and educated in Tennessee and Georgia, and is a
member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. To Mr. and Mrs. Greer one
child has been born, Leta Pearl, who is now five years old. Our
subject is a member of the K. of P.