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William GREIG[1]

Male 1837 - 1922  (85 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All

  • Name William GREIG 
    Born 6 Jun 1837  Bridgeton, Glasgow Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 
    Gender Male 
    Buried 1922  Woodlawn Cemetery, Woodlawn County, Baltimore, Maryland, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Died 13 Sep 1922  South Bristol, Maine, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Person ID I5  John Cowan Family Tree
    Last Modified 2 Aug 2020 

    Father John Graham GREIG
              b. 2 Jan 1802, Monkwearmouth, Durham County, England Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 24 Nov 1847, Monkwearmouth, Sunderland, Durham, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 45 years) 
    Mother Janet MORRISON
              b. 4 Dec 1803, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 23 Sep 1882  (Age 78 years) 
    Family ID F54  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Elizabeth McGowan RODGER
              b. 1839, Greenock, Renfrew, Scotland, UK Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 1920, Baltimore, Maryland, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years) 
    Children 
     1. James GREIG
              b. 12 Jul 1862, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Abt 1862
     2. William GREIG
              b. 3 Mar 1864, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Feb 1922  (Age 57 years)
     3. John Graham GREIG
              b. 30 Mar 1866, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Abt 1866
     4. Robert GREIG
              b. 29 May 1868, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 1 Aug 1926, Queens, New York State, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 58 years)
     5. James Rodger GREIG
              b. 21 May 1870, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Jan 1941, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
     6. Professor Alexander Rodger GREIG
              b. 18 Dec 1872, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
     7. Reverend John Graham (II) GREIG
              b. 6 Jun 1875, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Bef 1949, Valleyfield, Quebec Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age < 73 years)
     8. Elizabeth McGowan Rodger GREIG
              b. 6 Jun 1875
              d. 15 Nov 1949, Vancouver Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years)
     9. Janet Morrison GREIG
     10. Margaret Rodger GREIG
              b. 13 Sep 1877, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 20 Feb 1945, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years)
     11. Wickliffe Knox Luther GREIG
              b. 14 Nov 1883, Montreal Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Abt 18 Nov 1941, Toronto Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 58 years)
    Last Modified 8 Aug 2020 
    Family ID F13  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • "A Westmount Pioneer" (see Obit in Library/William Greig/Item 7)

      Lived in Bridgeton Glasgow until 1859 when he went to Australia.

      Returned to Glasgow in 1861 to marry Oct 1 1861 and land in Montreal Nov 1, 1861.

      Served four years in the Montreal Garrison Artillery Volunteer Brigade at the time of the Trent Affair (a row between USA and Britain during the American Civil War - no actual battles).

      Excerpts about him from the Obit:
      "- Mr & Mrs Greig became considerable factors in the development of Cote St Antoine into the Westmount of today.
      - A man of vision and his work for many years will not soon be forgotten.
      - Connected with the large foundry business of Warden King for nearly half a century.
      - A sturdy Presbyterian. An early member of Melville Church, Cote St Antoine. An elder and clerk of the session for many years.
      - A member of the masonic order.
      - Typical Scottish Canadian. Upright in all his dealings, alert and vigorous, strong in opinion and of wide reading, he was a type of those of earlier days who have made for us the Canada of today."

      Due to ill health in 1910 moved to Baltimore for its more mild climate. Lived at 2000 Madison Ave, at the intersection with Presstman St (in 2018 Google Street View shows this address as the end unit of a 3 unit 3 storey brick townhouse block. Probably the original building, though maybe new in 1910).

      William Cowan found (March 19, 2020):
      "In the US Federal Census of 1920, three households are shown within 2000 Madison Avenue:
      • The Silberman family of 9 with Tonchum Silberman shown as head of house
      • The Greig family of 3
      • The Meyer family of 2
      • Someone has boarder named Charles Steen, carpenter

      William, Elizabeth and their daughter Margaret are shown as aliens with Margaret immigrating in 1907 and her parents in 1910. It states that Margaret is 42 and William and Elizabeth are 82 (John notes that William was 2 years older than Elizabeth). Margaret is listed as a music teacher and for employment as “Own Account” as opposed to employee. Presumably she gave private music lessons, perhaps to kids after school.The Greigs are shown as renters.

      Other interesting things about 2000 Madison Avenue that can be learned from the 1920 census. Tonchum Silberman (age 55) is stated as owner – presumably of their third of 2000 Madison Avenue. It states that he was born in Russia with Yiddish as his mother tongue. His wife was born in New York of Russian parents. Tonchum’s mother lives with them and is shown as 82 years of age. It says the mother is an alien having immigrated in 1890. She appears to only speak Yiddish. Tonchum is shown as a manufacturer in the dry goods business and as an employer. Their 6 children range in age from 8 years old to 27. The three sons are all shown as being in the dry goods manufacturing business, the 27 and 20 year olds shown as “employer” and the 18 year old as a wage earner. Perhaps Tonchum was intent on passing his dry goods business to his sons."

      His son Wickliffe's Marriage License (Library/Wickliffe Greig/Item 3a) lists William's 'rank or profession' in 1911 as "Gentleman." Maybe that means retired. There is no evidence he attended the wedding in Toronto, though he may have.

      Died in South Bristol where he was spending the summer.(See picture in Library Item 4)

      Justice of the Peace for the City and district of Montreal since 1890.

      Served in the Town as Councillor, Council of Westmount, for 7 years.

      Lived at 400 Cote St Antoine ("Ardchoille" gaelic for 'wooded heights') Westmount according to the 1904-05 "Dau's Society Blue Book" found at the Toronto Public Library https://archive.org/stream/daussocietyblueb00montuoft#page/68/mode/2up. Also living with him were his wife, son Wickliffe and presumably his Mother-in-law "Mrs nee Rodger". His son William Jr lived down the street at #326 with his wife.

      By 1911 he had moved to 539 Grosvenor Ave, Westmount, accoring to Dau's Society Blue Book 1911

  • Sources 
    1. [S18] Greig Family History, William Greig - Item 2., 8 Nov 2017.

    2. [S44] William Greig 1922, (Montreal Star Sept 15, 1922), Library/WIlliam Greig/Item 7., Birth Date (Reliability: 2).
      June 6, 1837
      Birth Date conflicts with the "Part History of The Greig Family," (Library/William Greig/Item 2). Being more recent this Obit is taken as correct.

    3. [S96] FindAGrave.com, Greig 157268126 (Reliability: 2), 19 Mar 2020.
      Greig, Elizabeth Rodger 1839-1920, William 1837-1922, Mother
      Woodlwan Cemetery, Woodlawn, Baltimore County, Maryland

    4. [S44] William Greig 1922, (Montreal Star Sept 15, 1922), Library/WIlliam Greig/Item 7. (Reliability: 2), 15 Sep 1922.
      Publication on Sept 15th refers to death on Wednesday. John COwan determined that Sept 15th was Friday, so death was on Sept 13