James Manning Greer

Title

James Manning Greer

Description

Manning Greer is most notable for having the town named for him. He sold right-of-way to the railroad for track and the station that would become Greer's Station.

birthday

August 7, 1827

Birthplace

Spartanburg, South Carolina

Death Date

July 2, 1900

Occupation

Bucker (wood cutter)

Biographical Text

James Manning Greer was the son of John Greer and Sarah Hawkins Greer. He married Mollie Louisa (Lueza, on her tombstone) Tarver.

In the mid-1800s, what is now Greer was part of a large estate owned by Hugh Bailey. A 190-acre tract forming the northern part of Bailey’s estate came into the possession of James T. Blakely and was farmed by him for almost two decades. In 1863, Blakely sold that property to W.F. Thackston for $4,000 in Confederate currency. Manning Greer bought the land from Thackston some time before 1871.

The Atlanta & Richmond Air-Line Railway was organized in 1870, and by mid-1871 surveyors had selected a route. Manning Greer sold right of way along that route to the Atlanta & Richmond in 1871 or ’72, giving 100 feet on each side of the track for $5 plus “benefits and advantages.” It is unclear if there was any discussion for a depot at that time, or if Manning had any knowledge or intention of it including a depot. It's likely that the railroad planned for it, because Greer's land was strategically located.

Meanwhile William Shumate, on a Greenville committee established to influence where railroad tracks would run, worked with the A&R. Upon evaluating their full surveyed route, Shumate theorized that a town would develop halfway between Greenville and Spartanburg, and identified a likely area where the tracks crossed the old State Road and several county roads. This property was that owned by Manning Greer.

Shumate purchased the 200-acre property from Greer in 1872 for $900, and hired surveyor H.P. Johnson to divide the tract into lots ranging from fractions of an acre to 40 acres.

The railroad had acquired their right-of-way from Manning Greer, so they named their depot "Greer's Depot." That station also housed a Post Office, which was designated "Greer's Depot Post Office." It's worth noting that at that moment in time there was no town and no one lived in the area that is now Greer; it was a flag station in rural farmland, located near where the tracks crossed Old State Road. There was a single uninhabited house with barn on the property, which had been James Blakely's.

Three years later, many of Shumate's lots had sold and a small town had sprung up. The 15 eligible voters all voted unanimously to incorporate the town, and they chose the name "Greer's" after Greer's Depot.

Bibliography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Greer-438