William and Eliza McGreer
Widow Eliza McGrier married Charles Drury on 3/2/1845 in Mercer County. Eliza was widow of William McGreer who is buried in Drury Cemetery in Rock Island County. William died 18 Dec 1842, age 35 years. Eliza and Charles Drury are found in the 1850 census in Eliza Township: Charles Drury, 35, Physician, born Indiana; Eliza, 39, born Ohio; William H. McGreer, 20, farmer, Rhoda McGreer, 16; Martha McGreer, 14, and John M. McGreer, 11, all born Indiana. William and Eliza had another daughter, Sarah Jane, who died in 1847 and is buried in Drury Cemetery. Eliza was probably Eliza Brandenburgh who married William McGreer in Union County, Indiana 7/31/1828. In 1860 Charles and Eliza are in Bloomington, Muscatine County, Iowa: #711 Charles Drury, 46, wood dealer, born In; Eliza, 50, born Ohio; Rhoda Hollingsworth, 25, born In; Samuel Hopper, farmer, 27, born In. There is a notation in the 1882 History of Mercer County that Charles Drury had quit the practice of medicine by 1851 and moved to Oregon; however he had evidently returned to Iowa by 1860. Daughter Rhoda had married Christopher Hollingsworth 13 Jan 1854 in Muscatine, Iowa. Christopher is not found in the 1860 census. Son William H. McGreer married Zerilda Jane Jordan on 10/10/1857 in Mercer County. They are not in Mercer in 1860 and we have not followed them further.
John and Rebecca Miller McGreer
William McGreer, deceased 1842, was probably brother of John McGreer, as John and Rebecca Miller McGreer are found in Eliza Township just two households from widow Eliza McGreer in 1850. John and Rebecca were married on 6/23/1836 in Union County, Indiana. In the 1850 census they have children: Evaline, 13, born Indiana; Lewis, 11; Martha, 6; Thomas, 4, and an unnamed newborn baby, all born Illinois. There were several deaths at the same time in 1854 (probably from disease - see cemetery records at end of page).
The family in 1860 in Eliza Township: John McGreer, 45, farmer, born Indiana; Rebecca, 44, born Indiana; Lewis, 21, born Illinois (Ind per 1870 census); Virginia (Pullen), 19, born Indiana; Thomas, 14, born Illinois. The baby listed in 1850 evidently died.
Lewis and Virginia Pullen McGreer
Son Lewis McGreer married Virginia Pullen, daughter of Dennis and Nancy Pullen on 5/7/1860 in Mercer County. Lewis and Virginia are found in the 1870 census in Eliza Township: Lewis, 32, born Indiana, Virginia, 29, In; Lee, 7, Ill; Elbert, 1. They had another child, daughter Hattie, born October 1870. She married Dr. Joseph P. Close 31 Oct 1894 in Mercer County. They are found in 1900 in Eliza Township: #177 Joseph P. Close, medical doctor, born Sept 1865, 34, Il, Oh, Oh; Hattie, Oct 1870, 29, married 5 years, 1 child born 1 living, Il, In, In; Ferris, daughter, born July 1897, 2, Il. Mother Virginia McGreer is living with them: Virginia McGrear mother-in-law, widow, born Dec 1841, 58, 3 children born, 3 living, In, Va, Va.
Son Elbert married Emma Vanatta 3/18/1891 in Muscatine Iowa (we have been unable to determine her parentage). They are found in 1900 in Drury Township in Rock Island County: #178 Elbert McGreer, May 1869, 31, married 9 years, born Il, parents born In; Emma, Apr 1869, 31, 1 child born, 1 living (their only child) Il, Pa, Oh; Harry T, Jan 1894, 6, Il, parents born Il. Elbert Died Aug 31, 1962 in Muscatine, Iowa per his obituary furnished by Kay Blaha. He had lived for ten years in Muscatine. Elbert and Emma Vanatta McGreer are buried in the Drury Cemetery in Rock Island, as are Lewis and Virginia McGreer.
Thomas and Isabella Honeyman McGreer
Thomas Ross McGreer married Isabella Anna Honeyman 8/11/1870 in Rock Island County, Illinois. Isabella was daughter of John Long and Sarah Jarvis Honeyman. Isabella was living in Lincoln, Nebraska in 1901 and lost both her husband and mother in that year. We do not find them anywhere in 1870. According to The Honeyman Family by Marie Musgrave, they had children Guy, Ray, May, and John Thomas McGreer. This is born out by the 1900 census in Lincoln, Nebraska: Thomas R. McGreer Apr 1846, 54, married 29 yrs, born Il, father born Ireland (actually it was probably his grandfather who was born in Ireland), mother born Indiana; Isabella A., Oct 1852, 47, 4 children born, 34 living, born In, father Pa, mother Oh; Guy, Apr 1871, 29, born Ia, father Il, mo In; Ray, July 1873, 26, Ia; May, May 1875, Ne; John T, Apr 1883, 17, Ne. According to the The Honeyman Family in Scotland and America by A. Van Doren Honeyman, Isabella was living in Oklahoma City, Ok in 1909. He gives her birthdate as Oct 5, 1852.
McGreer Cemetery records from Miller Cemetery in Mercer County:
McGreer, John R., died Sept 30, 1895 aged 79 y 11 m 6 d
Rebecca, wife of John McGreer, died July 17, 1860 (or 1866) aged 52 yr 4 mo 6 ds (stone damaged)
Eveline, dau., of J. & R. McGreer, died Apr 3, 1854, aged 16 yr 10 m 20 ds
Mary I., dau., of J. & R. McGreer, died Mar 28, 1854, aged 3 y 10 m 18 ds
Martha A., dau of J. & R. McGreer, died Mar 28, 1854 aged 10 yr 2 m 22 dys
Infant son of J. & R. McGreer, died Apr 20, 1845, age 11 ds
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