Biography: Robert H. Greer, Hillsboro, Washington County, Oregon ********************************************************************************* USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE: ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by:Vicki Oliver Aug 2004 ********************************************************************************* ROBERT HENRY GREER 1856 - 1931 Hillsboro resident; Oregon State Representative 1909 and 1910; City Councilman; 13 year Member and President of School Board; PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF FAMOUS OREGONIANS p. 446 (published 1903) ROBERT H. GREER. A merchant of Hillsboro who is maintaining the business prestige of his adopted town is Robert H. Greer, one of the foremost Canadian-Americans of his locality, and a man of pronounced business judgment. He was born in Franklin, Huntingdon County, Canada, August 10, 1856, a son of Joseph and Jane (Burns) Greer, natives respectively of the North of Ireland and County Down, near Banbridge, Ireland. The family is of Scotch ancestry, the paternal grandfather having gone from Scotland to County Armagh, where he farmed, but eventually removed to the vicinity of Strongton [Sherrington], Canada, where his death occurred. Joseph Greer was young when his father settled in Canada, and he in time engaged in farming, alter removing to Lanesboro, MN, and still later to Clear Lake, IA, where he died. In religion he was in youth a Presbyterian, but in after-life changed to the Methodist Episcopal Church. His wife was a daughter of William Burns, who was born in Scotland, and removed to County Down, Ireland, eventually taking up his residence in Canada, when his daughter was a year old. Mrs. Greer who died in IA, was the mother of twelve children, ten of whom attained maturity, and of whom three sons and three daughters are now living. Robert H. being the second youngest in the family. Besides the latter, James C. is also a resident of Hillsboro. Mr. Greer was educated in the public schools of Canada, and after removing to Minnesota started out upon a career of self-support. Near Lanesboro he learned the miller's trade, after which he applied his trade in Taranto, IA, until March 1880. The same year he removed to Oregon and engaged in the milling business at Glencoe, this county, and in 1884 went to North Yakima, Yakima County, WA, and incorporated the North Yakima Milling Company, of which he was made president. He built the mill at that place, but at the expiration of a year sold out and came to Hillsboro, where he engaged in the grocery and queensware business. He has worked up a large and gratifying trade, and has every prospect of continued success. The first marriage of Mr. Greer occurred in Washington County, OR, and was with Hannah Goodin, a native of Upper Canada, who died in Glencoe, in December 1884, leaving one child, Jennie. For his second wife, Mr. Greer married Sarah M. Hiatt, a native of Jackson county, OR. Of this latter union there have been born four children: Norman, Cecelia, Damon, and Robert Hiatt. Mr. Greer is a Republican in political affiliation, has served the community as councilman for a couple of years, and is now president of the school board. Fraternally he is well known and popular, and is associated with the Odd Fellows and Encampment, the Rebekahs, and the Knights of Pythias, of which latter organization is past chancellor and past grand-master-at arms of the Grand Lodge. Mr. Greer is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which is a trustee, and towards the support of which he is a liberal contributor.