09/17/2026
By the time of the American Revolution, Joseph Greer lived in the Watauga Settlement, present-day Carter County, Tennessee. In 1780, Greer fought in the Patriot forces at the Battle of Kings Mountain under the command of Colonel John Sevier. They defeated British Loyalists in this critical conflict, a turning point in the war in the South. According to tradition, Greer carried news of this victory to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
Following the war, Greer lived for a time in Knoxville, working as a court clerk and operating a store. For his military service, Greer received a land grant in Lincoln County. In 1804, he moved to Petersburg with his family and lived in a log cabin featuring an open passageway, called a dogtrot, in the center. Greer lived in this house with his family until constructing a larger frame home nearby in 1810.
In the Museum's "Tennessee Voices, American Stories" exhibition, visitors can learn more and see Greer's overcoat, surveyor's compass, and corner log section from his cabin on display.
