The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 825

JOHN W. GREER.

John W. Greer dates his residence in Washington from 1903 and has made his home
in Yakima county most of the time since 1905. He is now devoting his attention
to ranching interests, being owner of a place of twenty-five and three-fourths
acres about two and a half miles cast of Sunnyside. Mr. Greer is of Canadian
birth. He was born in Huron county, Ontario, December 27, 1863, a son of Moses
and Sarah (Davis) Greer, who were natives of Ireland and of Canada respectively.
The father devoted his life to the occupation of farming and in 1872 removed
with his family to Douglas county, Nebraska, where he purchased land and carried
on general agricultural pursuits throughout his remaining days. Both he and his
wife leave now passed away.

John W. Greer mastered the branches of learning taught in the public schools,
going a distance of between six and seven miles to attend school. Through
vacation periods he worked in the fields and early became familiar with the best
methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. When a young man of
twenty-two years he removed to Keyapaha county, Nebraska, where he took up
government land, and subsequently he went to Sheridan county, Nebraska, where he
took up a homestead claim, residing thereon for twelve years. He afterward spent
two years in Douglas county, Nebraska, and for a year made his home in Oklahoma.
He then returned to Douglas county, where he again lived for two years, and in
August, 1903, he arrived in Washington, making his way to Seattle. There he
worked in a mill until 1905, when he came to Yakima county and purchased forty
acres a mile west of Sunnyside. He owned that property for about a year but in
1906 sold it and bought two acres near Sunnyside, which he sold soon afterward.
He then spent a few months in California, after which he returned to Yakima
county and bought two acres south of Sunnyside. In 1915 he became the owner of
his present ranch property two and a half miles east of Sunnyside and
comprising twenty-five and three-quarters acres of land. Upon this place he is
engaged in the cultivation of sugar beets, corn and hay. He also raises chickens
and is conducting a dairy business. He likewise owns a residence in Sunnyside
that he rents.

On the 22d of December, 1891, Mr. Greer was married to Mae Burke, a native of
Indiana. They have become the parents of two children: Frank, who is engaged in
ranching near Sunnyside and is married and has two sons; and Ione, at home. Mr.
Greer's children are identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and
all of the family are members of the Christian church. Politically he maintains
an independent attitude. Whatever success he has achieved is the direct result
of his persistency of purpose and unfaltering energy. he has worked diligently
throughout his entire life and step by step has advanced until he is now one of
the substantial citizens of Yakima county.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.