Husband Hon. John Morgan Greer 1 2 3
Born: 3 Aug 1844 - Jefferson Twp, Butler Co, PA 4
Christened:
Died: 1912
Buried: - North Cemetery, Butler, Butler Co, PA
Father: Thomas Greer (Abt 1817-1880) 5 6
Mother: Margaret Jane Morgan ( -1846) 6
Marriage: 24 Mar 1864 7
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Wife Julia S. Butler 7
Born: 1843 - Clarion Co, PA
Christened:
Died: 1913
Buried: - North Cemetery, Butler, Butler Co, PA
Father: John B. Butler ( - ) 7
Mother: Harriet N. Stebbins ( - ) 7
Children
1 F Harriet Newell "Hattie" Greer 7
Born: 1866
Christened:
Died: 1876 7
Buried: - North Cemetery, Butler, Butler Co, PA
Spouse: Did Not Marry
2 M Thomas H. Greer 8
Born: 1868
Christened:
Died: 1944
Buried: - North Cemetery, Butler, Butler Co, PA
Spouse: Priscilla Ayres (1866-1924) 9
3 M John B. Greer 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
4 M Dr. Robert B. Greer 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Catherine McC. Walker ( - ) 10
General Notes: Husband - Hon. John Morgan Greer
In July, 1862, a month before he was eighteen years of age, he enlisted in the defense of the Union, and, although wounded at Petersburg, remained in the service until February, 1866, when he was mustered out. After his return from the army, he taught school, and afterward read law in the office of the late Judge Charles McCandless. In September, 1867, he was admitted to the bar, and, in 1868, was elected district attorney for a term of three years. In 1876 he was elected State Senator, and re-elected in 1880. In 1882 he was nominated for the office of secretary of internal affairs. In that year, however, the entire Republican ticket suffered defeat. In 1884, he was one of the two nominees of the Republican party for judge of the Seventeenth Judicial district, but failed of election. From 1887 to 1891, he served as inspector and examiner of soldiers' orphan schools. In 1892, on the death of Judge McMichael, he was elected as his successor-additional law judge of the Seventeen judicial district. In 1893, under the operation of a special act of the legislature, Butler County alone became the Seventeenth judicial district, Lawrence County being erected into a new district, with Judge Hazen as president judge. Judge Greer then succeeded to the president judgeship of the Seventeenth judicial district.
He was reared on the family homestead, obtained a common school education, and subsequently attended Connoquenessing Academy, at Zelienople, Pennsylvania. He afterwards taught school in Winfield township, in the winter of 1861-62, and in Jefferson township in 1863-64. In July, 1862, he enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteers, and served until mustered out at the expiration of his term, participating in the battles of South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. In March, 1864, he re-enlisted, in Battery E, Second Pennsylvania Artillery, but the regiment having more than its quota, a new regiment was organized by the war department, known as the Provisional Second Artillery, in which he served as sergeant of Battery B, in Ledlie's Division, Ninth Army Corps, until the close of the war. He was in the battles of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Petersburg and Mine Explosion, where he was shot through the left thigh by a minie-ball, while in command of his company. He was taken to the hospital, remained there until March, 1865, and was present at the surrender of Lee. He was mustered out with his regiment in February, 1866. Returning home he taught school for one term in Butler, completed his law studies with Judge McCandless, and was admitted to the bar September 28, 1867. He at once commenced practice alone, and, in 1868, was elected district attorney, filling that position three years. In 1873 he formed a partnership with Judge McCandless, which existed five years. In 1876 he was elected, on the Republican ticket, senator of the Forty-first district, composed of Butler and Armstrong counties, was re-elected in 1880, and served in the Senate of Pennsylvania for eight years. Throughout his term of service he was a member of the judiciary committee. He was the author of a bill providing for an appeal to the Supreme Court where the lower court refused to open a judgment entered on a power of attorney on a note or bond; also of a bill which provides that no deed, regular and absolute on its face, shall be treated as a mortgage, unless the defeasance is in writing, made at the time of the deed and placed on record within sixty days; also of another bill providing that judgment by default, against one of several defendants, shall not bar a recovery against other defendants in the same suit.
In 1882, while still a member of the Senate, he was nominated on the first ballot for secretary of internal affairs, and though the whole ticket was defeated that year, he led it by a respectable majority. In 1884 he was one of the two judicial candidates nominated by the Republican party in the Seventeenth district, composed of Butler and Lawrence counties, but the people of Lawrence County gave their support to Judges Hazen and McMichael, both citizens of that county, and he was defeated by less than 200 votes. In 1887 he formed a partnership with Everett L. Ralston, which existed until his elevation to the bench. The same year he was appointed by Governor Beaver inspector and examiner of Soldiers' Orphan Schools, and after serving in that capacity four years he resigned. On the death of Judge McMichael, in 1892, he was the choice of Butler County for the vacancy, was nominated on the Republican ticket and elected. In 1893 the legislature of Pennsylvania passed a law dividing the Seventeenth district into two separate districts, with Lawrence County as a new district, and Judge Greer became president judge of the Seventeenth, embracing Butler County alone. He was always a Republican, and was one of the strongest and most popular members of his party in western Pennsylvania. During his official career he won many warm friends by his kind and courteous bearing and evident desire to be just and fair.
The Judge was a member of A. G. Reed Post, Number 105, G. A. R., and the family was connected with the Methodist Episcopal church. He was one of the citizens of Butler county who were instrumental in establishing Slippery Rock State Normal School, and he was one of the State trustees of that institution since the beginning.