Remembering John Harris Greer

L-R back row: Nat, Orpha, Myrtle, Harris with Lillian
L-R front row: Sabina, John

Memories of Father

by Catherine Ellen Greer 

John Harris Greer (also known as Harris) was the sixth child of a family of twelve children. He spent his early childhood in Texas where he was born. His parents had Negro slaves (or colored help) at this time who had refused to leave the family when they were freed and had come with them to Texas. They often spoke of Jeff and Mammy.

Father migrated with his family and about twenty-five other families to Arizona and reached St. Johns in 1877, then went on to Woodruff and lived there until 1878 when his parents purchased a ranch from Don DeBoise for $500. This ranch was located nine miles north of Concho (or Erastus) and about eighteen miles northwest of St. Johns and from then on was known as Greer Ranch. Harris grew up here as a cowboy since his parents owned many hundred head of cattle and horses at this time.

Jeff and an Irishman named Patrick Donahue helped on the ranch. Father was an excellent hand with horses and an all-round good stockman. During his youth here he had close association with many leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. At one time, President Wilford Woodruff stayed with them for three weeks. The ranch had three good fresh water springs and a good meadow. It was located on the freight road between St. Johns and Holbrook. Many travelers stopped here and received the hospitality of the Greer family for themselves as well as their horses as all travel at that time was by horse-drawn vehicle.

Father and his sister Oasis (or “A”) were sent to St. Johns to stay with their brother Gilbert and his wife Julia to attend school. Here he met Julia’s sister Orpha Elzetta Nicoll. They were married on 29 March 1885 by Stake President David K. Udall. My parents’ early married life was spent at St. Johns and Concho. At Concho Father was in the mercantile business with his brother-in-law LeRoy Gibbons who had married Mother’s sister Armitta. (At the time of Father's death, LeRoy Gibbons made the statement that he “felt to blame for Harris not being more active in the Church as he was always so willing to carry on the work and say that LeRoy was more capable of doing the Church work.”)

Father had two homes destroyed by fire while living in Concho, the last one in 1895. At this time his mother (Ellen C. Greer) asked him to come to the ranch and take over for her as her husband had died the year before from a leg injury received in the Spanish American War. He and his family lived here during the summer months, moving into St. Johns so the children could go to school in the winter months. We were a family of fourteen children (six girls and eight boys), all of whom were living at the time of his death on 10 May 1926.

Some of my father’s friends I remember: Thomas Phelps, Fred Colter, Gustave Becker, and Dick Grigsby. He also had many friends among the Mexican people. He was a man who liked to read and keep up on current events. We always had a newspaper and also books and magazines to read.

My father was a good father—kind, honest, and generous with his family as well as his neighbors and friends. He had the respect and love of his family and I know of no enemies among his acquaintances. I remember the many things he did to make our home happy. We had a phonograph with a large chrome horn and a picture of a dog on the box and many good records. Some stand out in my memory: “Washington Post March,” “Whistler and His Dog,” and “Blue Danube Waltz.” He also had a new piano brought to the ranch when I was very small. It had “Cornish” printed on it and a pedal for the string music sound. My father was fond of music, particularly the music of Stephen Foster.

Father wanted us to have all of the advantages he could give us. When he would go into town or to Holbrook or Kansas City to ship the cattle, he would always bring back a special treat. He brought home pineapple, coconut, oranges, and most of the things on the market that many children did not have in those days. We had good clothes and good food. Father always raised a large vegetable garden and a fruit orchard. We raised our own beef and pork and also had plenty of milk and butter and cheese, which was stored for winter use too. About all the food that Father had to buy was flour and sugar. We had a good living and a happy home life.

Harris Greer             Bud Greer

My Father: John Harris Greer

by Jim Greer

I think that he was one of the finest men I ever knew. As a young man I admired him. I don’t think that I understood him, however. Father was a very independent man. I only wish that he had expressed his wishes a little more clearly.

Mother and Father bore and raised fourteen children. I am the ninth in the family. We lived on a ranch near Hunt, Arizona, known as Greer’s Ranch. Many happy days we had there—some a little trying, but we all worked hard. I would give anything in the world if we were living there now.

I am wondering if we are really aware of the wonderful things that our parents do for us. It seems that when we get to the age where we could really help them that we lose sight of that responsibility. I know that was true in my case. My father told me once that he didn’t want me to think that he couldn’t get along without me. I wish that he had told me that he needed me.

I remember when he came to California to visit me, how much I enjoyed having him. I wasn’t active in the Church then and he talked to me about the good things there were in store for me if I would become interested and work in it and what a wonderful man the Prophet Joseph Smith was. I will always remember and love the counsel he gave me then.

Father was a man of his word; his word was his bond. He had many friends. I only hope and pray that I will never do anything to mar his good name. I am grateful to him for teaching me to work and not expect something for nothing.

John Harris Greer Obituary