Mecklenburg County NcArchives Bible Records.....Alexander Grier ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/ncfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nancy Noel nancyenoel@adelphia.net October 29, 2006, 10:53 am ALEXANDER GRIER FAMILY BIBLE Alexander Grier ( 1788-1858) was born in Mecklenburg Co NC March 22, 1788. He was one of 3 sons and a daughter of Thomas Grier (1744-1828) Irish immigrant and Revolutionary War veteran, and Hannah Alexander Grier (1761-1788). Alexander married Margaret I. Spratt in Mecklenburg Co. in August, 1818. Alexander, along with his brother, James Augustus, migrated to Tennessee eventually settling in Jackson, Madison County TN in the early 1820s. The names listed in the Bible, cover, at least partially, 3 generations of the Grier family beginning with the birthdates of Alexander and his wife Margaret I. Spratt. This Bible is held in the Jackson-Madison County Library, kept in the Tennessee Room collection and was donated to the library by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Weis, Jackson, Tenn., November 2, 1995. {Source of information as to the donor of the bible provided by Jonathan KT Smith at URL: http://www.tngenweb.org/records/madison/smith/deed20-04.htm GENEALOGICAL GLEANINGS FROM THE DEED BOOKS 20 THROUGH 27 1857-1870, MADISON COUNTY, TENNESSEE} It can be noted that the name undergoes some changes in its spelling over the years from GRIER to GREER. This is most notable in the generation of children of Alexander and Margaret Spratt Grier. It appears as GREER in most court records of the mid-late 1800s in Madison Co TN. In the earliest bible entries for this generation it will be seen spelled at least 3 ways: GRIER, GREIR and GREER. This Bible, aside from its value to the descendants of the Grier family, is an object lesson in the history of name changes and their spellings in the history of our country. Genealogists are well aware that spelling changes of one name are found frequently in old records, even those written by the same person. This Bible record is primary evidence of how the Irish GRIERs became the American GREERs. These pages were photocopied from the originals and transcribed by Nancy Noel. Notes in brackets are mine. ALEXANDER GREER FAMILY BIBLE RECORD Page 3a -- Cover page This Bible was published by Kimber and Sharpless, 93 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1826. In bold letters on the front cover of this large Bible is inscribed, "A. GREER." Page 3b BIRTHS MARGARET I. SPRATT, daughter of James & Elizabeth Spratt born Aug. 20th 1798 ALEXANDER GREER, son of Thomas & Hannah Greer born March 21st 1788 SUSAN HANNAH GREER, daughter of Alex. & Margaret I. Greer born Jany. 23rd 1820 JAMES THOMAS GREER born May 5th 1822 EMILY ALEXANDER GREER born Nov. 21st 1824 JOHN ALEXANDER GREER born Feby. 25th 1827 CAMILLUS GREER born August 4th 1830 PLEASANT ALEX GREER born Nov. (blank) 1832 CHARLES LAFAYETTE born 30th July 1834 PLEASANT THEODORE born Feby. 2lst 1837 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ P.R Robins Born March the 9th 1828 July the 22nd 1850 { this name and the dates are scratched over with pen marks. N.N.} Page 3c DEATHS PLEASANT ALEX GREIR Departed this life July 27th 1833 ~ MARGARRET I GREIR Departed this life Jany 22nd 1841 SUSAN H. GREER Departed this life Oct 27th 1842~ PLEASANT THEODORE GRIER Departed this life Nov. 14th(?) 1845 CHARLES LAFAYETTE GREEIR Departed this life Oct, the 25 1857 JOHN A GREER died Feb 4th 1903 { in a new handwriting. N.N.} P.R. Robins Born March the 9th 1828 this is (?) July 22 1850.{Person unknown to this researcher. N.N.} ALEXANDER GREER Departed this life the ‘9’ 1858, he was 71 years of age. { the numeral one in the number 71 is marked over the numeral 2. It appears that 72 was initially written and then corrected. N.N.} CAMILLUS P. GREER Departed this life February the 7, 1859 JAMES T. GREER Departed this life February the 14, 1859 HIBERNIA PERSON NEILL daughter of Benj. R & Emily Person died June 14th 1909 & buried on June 16th. BENJ RUSH PERSON died Feb 25th 1881 “ Grandpa” {In the margins are written various people’s names and death dates. The following is a list of those names and in parentheses the locationj on the page is given.} EMILY GREE(sic) PERSON died Oct. 3 1915 ( upper left corner margin) ___LY PERSON wife of RUSH died Oct 17th 1915 ( lower left side margin) GILBERT FALLS NEILL died feb. 5th 1885 “Papa” ( lower left bottom margin) B. HUNTER GATES died Aug 1st 1894 Husband of Emma Neill ( lower right bottom margin) page 3d MARRIAGES ALEXANDER & MARGARET I. GREER Married Augt. 13th 1818 BENJAMIN R. PERSON and EMILY GREER were married Jan. 2d 1844 { in a different handwriting than the previous 2 entries on this page. N.N.} GILBERT F. NEILL & HIBERNIA PERSON were married December 8th 1869 B. HUNTER GATES and EMMA NEILL were married Oct. 26th 1892 FALLS NEILL & HATTIE BOOTH married April 3rd 1913 JOHN A. GREER & LOUISA INGRAM married May the 23 1859 - HIBERNIA PERSON NEILL, daughter of Benj. R. & Emily Person died June 14th 1909 & buried on June 16th BENJ. RUSH PERSON died Feb. 24th 1881 "Grandpa" { The words Papa andGrandpa believed to be written by either Gilbert Falls Neill or his sister Emma Neill Gates. N.N.} GILBERT FALLS NEILL died Feb. 5th 1885 "Papa" B. HUNTER GATES died Aug. lst 1894, husband of Emma Neill EMILY GREER PERSON died Oct. 3rd 1915 SALLY PERSON, wife of Rush, died Oct. 17th 1915 JOHN A. GREER died Feb. 7th 1903 PAGE 3e BIRTHS, {written in one person's handwriting}: BENJAMIN RUSH PERSON son of Benjamin & Hannah Person, born Oct. 23rd 1810 EMILY A (or E?). PERSON daughter of Alexander & Margaret I. Greer was born Nov. 21st 1824 HIBERNIA PERSON NEILL daughter of Benjamin R. & Emily E. Person was born October 1st 1847 EMILY NEILL GATES, daughter of Gilbert Falls and Hibernia Neill was born June 28th 1871 WILLIAMS FALLS NEILL son of Gilbert Falls and Hibernia Neill born Nov. 19th 1879 SUSAN H. PERSON Daughter of Alexander and Margaret Greer was born Jan. 23rd 1820 BENJAMIN PERSON Father of B. R. Person was born Oct. 11th 1778 HANNAH PERSON, mother of Benj. R. Person was born March 31st 1788 ALEXANDER GREER Father of Emily E. Person was born March 21st 1788 MARGARET I. GREER, mother of Emily E. Person was born Aug. 2Oth 1798 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/mecklenburg/bibles/alexande24gbb.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ncfiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb