For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 248
JEREMIAH GREINER. During almost a half century Jeremiah Greiner was identified with the agricultural interests of Muscatine county and a life of honorable labor resulted in the accumulation of extensive landholdings comprising several hundred acres, which property is still in possession of the family. Mr. Greiner was highly respected for his many sterling qualities, so that his death, which occurred on the 20th of March, 1892, was the occasion of deep regret to his numerous friends and acquaintances, as well as to the members of his own household.Mr. Greiner was born in Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1818, an only child of John and Barbara Greiner, who were likewise natives of Dauphin county. In 1843 Miss Elizabeth Hershey became his wife. She was born in Marietta, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, October 13, 1823, a daughter of Christian and Margaret (Flint) Hershey, who were likewise natives of Lancaster county. They died in the same year of typhoid fever, aged respectively twenty-five and twenty-three years, leaving two children, the brother of Mrs. Greiner being Dr. Christian Hershey, who for many years practiced medicine in Muscatine, his death ocurring at that place, March 9, 1869, at the age of forty-four years.
Seeking the broader opportunities of the west, in 1854 Mr. Greiner came to Muscatine county, settling on land which was then in its wild state. With ox teams he broke the raw prairie and prepared the fields for cultivation, which in due time yielded splendid crops. He became the owner of six hundred and forty acres, located on section 3, Bloomington township and in addition to this tract his family now owns farm land elsewhere in the county----almost one thousand acres. In 1855 he erected a fine home, built in colonial style of architecture, which still stands and is yet classed among the fine residences of the county. Mr. Greiner made many other improvement on the place and his land was brought to a fine state of productiveness, so that it is today one of the most valuable farms in the township. He was long an active factor in Muscatine county, his labors not only contributing to his individual success but also to the upbuilding and improvement of the community in which he so long made his home.
In early life Mr. Greiner gave his political support to the whig party but upon the organization of the republican party he espoused its principles and to the time of his death was one of its stanch supporters. He was a well read man, keeping thoroughly informed on the important questions of the day, so that he was not only able to support his principles by intelligent argument but was as well an entertaining companion. His religious faith was indicated by his membership in the United Brethren church, of which he was a generous supporter, and always took an active part in the various departments of church work. His death occurred March 20, 1892, when he was seventy-three years of age, and he was survived by his wife for five years, her death occurring May 12, 1897, when she was seventy-three years old.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Greiner were born the following children: Benjamin, who resides in Moscow township; William, in Bloomington township; Christian, who lives at the old home; Abram, in San Antonio, Texas; Elizabeth, who resides on the home place with her brother Christian; and Anna, who died in infancy. The family is a most prominent one of the locality and the part which the father took in the early development and progress here is still continued by the sons, who fully sustain the reputation which has always been borne by members of the Greiner family.
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