Thomas B. Greer

GREER, Thomas B. – From Hon. T.B. Greer, To the People of Washington County – The health of my dear wife being very poor I can not leave her to join in the County canvass, and as I’m being somewhat maligned I ask your attention to a few words.

They say “this is just as close as I can get to the author.” They say I placed the excess of county salaries in the general school fund of the State and not in the county school fund as was petitioned for. Now I want to sat the author of that lie is a “Calamity Jane” and too far beneath the dignity of a gentleman to require notice. But they say there are more than one. The Justices of the Peace of this county all have the acts of 1891. Read the law, all read it, if words mean anything. “They say” are liars. I was the instigator and the original agitator of the special act to place the officers of Washington County on a salary. This law has been copied and adopted by many other counties since and I think we can now get a general salary law passed, putting county officers on a salary all across the State, like the law that now provides for the salaries of county judges. I have been all the time in favor of putting excess of county salaries in the general fund. I was in favor of that when I got the bill passed putting it in the school fund, but, sir, I was the great big good people’s servant and I did their bidding. I represented the voice of the people and complied with every promise and order. Who can do better? I am glad the people have the opportunity to express themselves on the question of the Roads and Railroad commission. I am satisfied that whatever their vote may be our Representatives will do their bidding. I do not know what those things could cost our people but I do know we want or need better roads. But from the way the people “kicked” when I had the county judge’s salary raise in 1891, although it did not cause any increase in taxes. I do not and can not imagine to what extent they would go if taxed to make roads. I am for the amendment. I want good roads, but I will not advise my people. I say “pay your money and take your choice.” I am just one man –a democrat. I have my faults and admit them. But I have never betrayed a trust. My life is before the people. My public acts are and of right ought to be subject to criticism. But I do want justice and would scorn an unjust act in myself, knowing, as quick as anyone else. I hope I fully appreciate my nomination and when elected will only promise to do my duty. Again, I thank my party and the people and sign myself your own most humble servant. T.B. Greer

Thomas B. Greer – Thomas Brown Greer, the subject of this sketch, was born near Warrensburg, Lafayette County, Missouri, December 4th, 1839 and died at the home of his son and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Will Cohea at Westville, Oklahoma on Sunday 4:30, May 23, 1909. In the year 1854 his father sold his possessions in Missouri and located at Wilsonville, this county, near Evansville.

November 4th, 1859, he was happily married to Mahala E. Denton, to which union were born two sons and five daughters, one son and four daughters surviving: Mrs. Florence Grant of Frederick, Oklahoma; George G. Greer of Stillwell, Oklahoma; Mrs. Effie E. Henderson of Rock Springs, Texas; Miss Nora Greer and Mrs. Will Cohea of Westville, Oklahoma. T.B. Greer at the call to arms in 1861, enlisted in the Confederate army and served to the surrender. After the surrender he returned home and entered the mercantile business at Greersburg, this county, where he continued in business until a few years ago. While yet a young man he made a profession of religion and joined the Missionary Baptist Church, of which he was an efficient and faithful member to the day of his death.

He was nominated by the Democratic party and elected a member of the lower house of the General Assembly of Arkansas in 1888, re-elected in 1890 and elected a third time in 1898, having been nominated the last time without making any canvass. About two years ago death took his dear companion, and he, it seemed, never recovered from the blow.

T.B. Greer was a devoted and loving husband and father, an ideal citizen, a man whose purse was ever open to the needy, a man to whom an appeal for a worthy cause was never made in vain. Living he was humble, never paraded his acts before the public, ever loyal at home, church, lodge, party and country. He was buried at the side of his dear wife in the Westville Cemetery with the honors of the Masonic order of which he had been for many years an honored and faithful member. While no more in this world we can look into his kindly face or listen to his gentle voice, we know that he has left to his loved ones a heritage priceless, a Godly, useful well spent life, a spotless name. He has entered into his reward. May we all so live that some sweet day we will be able to meet him at the right hand of God in the world where there are no partings, no sorrow, but where joy everlasting reigns. – By one who loved him [Fayetteville Democrat 6/10/1909]

Hon. T.B. Greer died at his home in Westville, Oklahoma, Sunday evening of heart trouble, super-induced by la grippe, at the age of 74. The remains were interred there beside his wife who preceded him to the great beyond by a year. Thomas B. Greer was for many years an honored citizen of Washington County, residing all the while in Vineyard township. In 1886 he was elected to the Legislature because of his high character and well known business ability, but he declined to further enter politics except as a private citizen. He was a Godly man and a consistent and active member of the Baptist church. He was always foremost in works of charity and enterprises for the public good and was a useful citizen and a true man in all the relations of life. [Fayetteville Democrat5/27/1909]GREER, T.B. - {from The Prairie Grove Herald} T.B. Greer died at his

home in Westville, Okla. last Sunday evening, aged 74 years. For many

years he was an honored citizen of this county, conducting a general

mercantile store at Greersburg in Vineyard township. He was an active

member of the Baptist church and a Godly man. He was an uncle of County

Judge Ben F. Greer. [The Springdale News 6/1/1909]

Thomas B. Greer, a prominent merchant of Greersburg, Ark., was born in

Lafayette County, Mo., December 4, 1839, and is one of ten children born t<>

James W. and Michel E. (Brown) Greer. The father was a native of Davidson

County, Tenn., and the mother of Williamson County, of the same State,

where they were married. They moved to Lafayette County. Mo., in 1821,

and here the father engaged quite extensively in farming. In 1854 they moved

to Washington County, and engaged in merchandising in connection with

farming, which he continued until 1863, when he was killed by the Pin Indians ..

He was fifty-eight years of age at the time of his death; was a Democrat in politics,

and he and wife were members of the Missionary Baptist Church. The

mother died at the age of seventy-seven years. Of their large family of children,

seven sons lived to be grown, but the only one now living is Thomas B.

Greer. He was educated in the common schools, also attended one term at Cane

Hill, and assisted his father on the farm until sixteen years of age, when he began

clerking for his father. Four years later he became possessor of half of

the stock, but lost it all during the war. Previous to this, in 1859, he married

Miss Mahala E. Denton, a native of Bradley County, Tenn., and six children

were the result of this union. In the spring of 1862 Mr. Greer enlisted in Company

I, Second Cherokee Regiment, Confederate Army, served throughout the

war, was taken prisoner at Boston Mountain in November, 1862, and remained

as such for five weeks, when he was exchanged. After the war he farmed until

1870, when he laid off Greers burg, built a store, and the following year began

merchandising, which he has since continued, and has a large stock. Besides

this he is interested in farming, and is the owner of 180 acres of land. He is a

Democrat in politics, has been notary public for tifteen years, and was appointed

postmaster of Tolu in 1887. He has been a Master Mason since 1869,

and he and wife are members of the Missionary Baptist Church. Mr. Greer

contributes liberally to all worthy enterprises, and has been successful as a business

man. He was nominated by the Democratic party on the 18th of August

as one of the three to be elected to represent his county in the Lower House of

the General Assembly, and was elected on the 3d o:f Beptember, 1888, 1 o that

position for two years, running ahead of the ticket.