MRS. MARY A. GREER, one of Elizabeth Township's most esteemed ladies, for fifty years a member of the Cove Spring Christian Church, is the widow of the late John M. Greer, who died on his valuable farm of fifty acres, situated in section 14, Elizabeth Township, Miami County, now owned by Mrs. Greer, on July 24, 1906. Mrs. Greer was born May 31, 1827, in Adams County, Pennsylvania, and is a daughter of William and Elizabeth (Crum) Baldwin.

William Baldwin, father of Mrs. Greer, moved from Adams County, Pennsylvania, to Holmes County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming for five years and then returned to Pennsylvania, where he subsequently died. In addition to farming he operated a shingle mill for a number of years. He was married (first) to Elizabeth Crum, who was a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Crum, and they had six children born to them, namely: Mary A., Thomas, John, Samuel, Peter and William. For his second wife he married Katherine Crum, who was also a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth Crum, and seven children were born to this union, namely: Joseph, Isabella, an infant, Ella, David, Jennie and Elizabeth. Three brothers and a half-brother of Mrs. Greer were soldiers in the Civil War and the latter was captured by the enemy and died from starvation.

The late John M. Greer was born in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, June 3, 1820. He was the youngest son of James and Susanna (Essick) Greer. James Greer was born in Ireland and came to Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, in early manhood, married there and reared five children, namely: William, Nancy, Elizabeth, Rachel and John M.

John M. Greer grew to manhood on his father's farm and later became a woolen manufacturer. After his marriage and the birth of two children, he and his wife decided to move to Ohio. Their only means of transportation was by wagon and as Mr. Greer wished to take with him his household possessions, together with farm and mill machinery, the load made very heavy toiling over the mountains and Mrs. Greer remembers very distinctly how many weary miles she walked, carrying her little son William in her arms, to ease the load to the struggling horses. It required eighteen days to make the journey. First settlement was made at New Carlisle, in Clark County, where Mr. Greer entered into woolen manufacturing; he then moved for one year to Midway, and carried on a mill for two years at Lake Branch, moving then to Indiana for a year. He then retired from the milling business and turned all his attention to farming, renting a farm in Elizabeth Township for four years, and moving from there to Lost Creek Township, where he bought eighteen acres. After selling that farm he bought forty acres on Honey Creek, but one year later sold that place also and moved to Addison, buying four acres of ground there with a house and conducting a butchering business for about eighteen months. He then resumed farming, taking charge of the Carver farm for six years and then moved to the farm now owned by Mr. Esty, purchasing seventy-two acres. On that place Mr. and Mrs. Greer resided for eleven years, when Mr. Greer bought the farm of fifty acres, situated in Section 14, Elizabeth Township, on which he died. Mrs. Greer then moved to Troy for a time, renting her farm to a good tenant, but at present she is residing with her son William, in Elizabeth Township.

To John M. Greer and wife were born four children, as follows: William, who married Elizabeth Gearhart, a daughter of Nelson and Mary Gearhart, and has three children-Thomas Emory, William John and Mary Lizzie; Thomas, who died in infancy; and Savannah and Miriam R., both of whom are now deceased. At the time of his death Mr. Greer was eighty-six years of age and he was laid to rest in the Casstown Cemetery. He was a most worthy man in every relation of life, for years a deacon in the Christian Church and a liberal supporter of its various benevolent enterprises. In his political views he was a Republican, later a Prohibitionist, and at different times he served acceptably as justice of the peace, school director and township trustee.

William, Greer, the only surviving child of John M. Greer and wife, was educated in the public schools and has devoted himself mainly to farming. He was married March 27, 1873, and for four years afterward continued to reside with his parents, later rented land and then moved on his present farm of fifty-seven acres, which is in Elizabeth Township. He resided in Troy for four years but returned to his farm on February 18, 1908. He owns an additional forty acres together with a house and lot in Troy. He put up all the buildings on his farm, on which he engages in general agriculture, including the growing of tobacco. The Greer family has long been one of the most highly respected in Elizabeth Township.