The Greer Way West, the web page of the Nathaniel Hunt Greer Family Organization — This page was last updated on April 13, 2008.
Before it was discarded and lost, this document was procured in 2007 by Mr Ron Carlisle from a Matthew Simeon Greer descendant who cared little for genealogy or family history. We are deeply indebted to Ron Carlisle for saving this document and sharing it with us.
To view an image of the outside of this letter (pages 1 and 4), click here.
To view an image of the inside of this letter (pages 2 and 3), click here.
[Transcription by William N Greer who added the bracketed note and the footnotes that follow]
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March the 25 1879 Round Vallie Arrizona1 Josie2 and Ellie3, my dear sisters as it has been so long since I herd from any of you I am almost crazy to here H4 and I have writen 4 letters since we received one it has been 9 weeks since we herd from any of you the mail has been stoped so I herd the other day though I guess it has started again as Brother Phelps5 got a letter from Mike6 last week and Tom7 sent H word that he had some money for him so I gues he has a letter from Babe8 H will go down to Toms Saturday we live some 35 miles from Tom in a beautiful Vally known as Round Vallie and as prettyer stream of water through it as any one ever saw we have a nice ditch of water running in ten steps of the door which makes it verry handy plenty of pine for bilding and there is a Saw mill in one mile of us we can look out and see it at work H is cutting saw logs now we will soon have us a new house to move in we are liveing in one of Bro Phelps houses now Lucy9 mooved in her house last week they bilt her house first as she was in the house with her Pa10 and they were crowded I go to see her evry few days as she is next to you girls with me she has been a Sister to me since I left home if she has any thing that she thinks I love I am sure to get some of it, and my baby will cry to go to her when ever he sees her, her baby is not quite as old as Stansel11 quite a nice looking boy. Well Josie this is my babies12 birthday and how I do wish we could take dinner with you I know Ma13 would make Nance jump a round and fix something good and Pa14 would sit and think what a fine looking name sake he had. and we would have a good time jenerally. but never mind I expect to see you all again H is going to let me go to see you when we get all fixed up so I can leave home it will not take long to go from here in a year or too the cars are getting nearer all the time it would make you laugh to here Stansel talk Spanish he can learn any thing I am learning him to spell. Well Ellie how are you and the boys getting a long are you almost ready to marry I often think about what Ma use to say a bout you, that she was going to with her I fear she will not how did Mat15 do in marreying pretty well I hope. how is Puss16 getting a long give my love to her and Chris17 and little ones18 write soon and often tell evry thing you know kiss Ma and Pa for me we are all well and hearty I feel better than I have since I married I think Sophia19 would get stout if she was here you know I always had head ach and now I never have it to a mount to any thing love to all God bless you all is my prayer Pollie Greer20 [inverted post script follows:] Mallu21 and Sue22 sends you and Ellie & little Jack23 a chew of Pine Gum |
| 1 | In the late 1800’s Round Valley in northeastern Arizona was settled by several families. Soon the small town of Eagar and the larger town of Springerville were formed. To this day the two communities are collectively known as Round Valley. The town of Greer, named in honor of A V Greer, is about 10 miles southwest of Round Valley. | |
| 2 | Josephine Augusta Lane | (23 JAN 1861 – 9 NOV 1925) next-to-youngest child of James & Matilda Lane |
| 3 | Martha Ellen Lane | (NOV 1864 – 31 DEC 1903) youngest child of James & Matilda Lane |
| 4 | Americus Vespucius Greer | (4 MAR 1832 – 3 MAY 1896) |
| 5 | perhaps same as #10 below | |
| 6 | Micajah (Mike) Phelps | (abt 1855 – aft 1889) next-to-eldest son of Micajah Harris Phelps & Martha Ann Peebles |
| 7 | Thomas Lacy Greer | (2 SEP 1826 – 30 JUL 1881) patriarch of the Greer migration to Arizona |
| 8 | Matthew Simeon Greer | (15 APR 1845 – 21 JUN 1915) |
| 9 | Lucy Phelps | (abt 1853 – ?) likely wed in Hill Co, but courthouse records burned |
| 10 | Micajah Harris Phelps | (10 FEB 1817 – aft 1880) patriarch of the Phelps migration to Arizona |
| 11 | Robert Stansel Greer | (21 JUN 1875 – 13 MAR 1920) AV Greer's eldest son |
| 12 | James Columbus Greer | (25 MAR 1878 – 30 DEC 1910) AV Greer's youngest son (at the time) |
| 13 | Matilda Susan Wilson | (4 AUG 1819 – 21 NOV 1888) wife of James A Lane |
| 14 | James Addison Lane | (4 OCT 1814 – 14 MAR 1883) patriarch of the Lane migration to Texas |
| 15 | Matilda A Claybrook | (abt 1864 – ?) eldest child of C R Claybrook & his 2nd wife, Margaret Ann Lane |
| Matilda Claybrook wed J N Childress on 25 DEC 1878. | ||
| 16 | Sarah Ann McKissick | (OCT 1840 – aft 1900) Christopher R Claybrook's 3rd & last wife |
| Sarah Ann wed C R Claybrook on 6 NOV 1873. | ||
| 17 | Christopher (Kit) Richard Claybrook | (25 JAN 1831 – 19 NOV 1883) husband of Polly's sister, Margaret Ann Lane |
| 18 | Minnie & Mary | (only children of C R Claybrook by S A McKissick that reached adulthood) |
| 19 | Sophia Elizabeth Lane | (4 OCT 1814 – 4 AUG 1926) wife of Matthew Simeon Greer |
| 20 | Polly Ann Lane | (1 MAY 1849 – 28 NOV 1882) wife of AV Greer |
| 21 | Melvina Clay Greer | (2 SEP 1867 – 30 JUN 1934) eldest child of AV Greer & Polly Lane |
| 22 | Susan Virginia Greer | (25 JUL 1869 – 23 FEB 1951) 2nd child of AV Greer & Polly Lane |
| 23 | John H Claybrook | (abt 1871 – aft 1910) youngest child of Chris Claybrook & Margaret Lane. |
