John A. Greer, of this city, was born in Tennessee in 1827, and is the son of Alexander and Margaret (Spratt) Greer. The parents are natives of Mechlenburg County, N.C., and came to Tennessee in 1819. He lived in different counties until 1822, when he moved to Madison. He was a prosperous farmer and owned considerable real estate and slaves. Nine children were born to their union, six of whom lived to become grown, and two only are living at present. The mother died in 1841, the father following in death in 1858. Our subject spent his boyhood days on the farm, and received his education in the common country schools. At the age of seventeen he came to this city and spent two years clerking for Childs & Person; then, on account of ill health, returned to his father's farm, and after a vacation of about one year, he took a trip West, spending three months, and returned to receive a gift of 1,000 acres of land from his father, in the southwestern portion of the county, which he at once located on, remaining until 1854, when he began merchandising in the village of Denmark, this county, and continued until 1859, when he married and returned to his farm. His bride, Miss Louisa Ingram, was born in 1832, and is the daughter of Dr. John and Lydia (McMillan) Ingram. He remained on the farm until 1871, and then moved to this city, yet retaining possession and control of his farm. He is one of the directors in the First National Bank. He and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Masonic order, and also of the K. of T. In politics he is strictly Democratic.

Goodspeeds History of Tennessee