I have often wondered about Matthew Greer, the younger. He was born in Sligo, Ireland shortly before the death of his father. I have written about his parents Matthew Greer and Ruth Allingham. Several of the Greer children had emigrated to New York and widowed Ruth Allingham Greer decided to join them taking her remaining 3 children with her. This was in 1883 and young Matthew was about 9 years old.

After that he vanished. I have been able to find records on most of the Greers in the family. In fact, on most of them I have quite a bit.

Matthew was a total mystery to me. An arrival in 1883 and then nothing. All I really had was a family story that he died sometime in the 1930s at his sister Sarah’s house in Great Neck, NY and there was a family dispute about him leaving his money with a finally result that Sarah got it all after a law suit with her niece.

Another story said Sarah had married a Mahan (first name unknown). So I was able to find a Sarah Mahan in Great Neck and figured it was Sarah Greer but could not be sure.

Then I got lucky.

Matthew H. Greer obit May 14 1936

I found this obituary. It mentioned several family members confirming that this was indeed the Matthew Greer I sought. It not only told me that Sarah Mahan was a sister but also gave his address matching the Sarah Mahan I had found in Great Neck. So this one document confirmed not only that I had the right Sarah but also that at least part of the family story was true.

To be continued …