John Greig papers, 1794-1870.
Collection Number: 1550

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library


DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
John Greig papers, 1794-1870.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
1550
Abstract:
Correspondence; accounts of purchases, payments, and unsold lands; surveys; tax receipts, contracts, notes, bonds, deeds, powers of attorney; and maps and field notes of the New York Military Tract and city lots of Rochester and Ontario County, New York.
Creator:
Greig, John, 1779-1858.
Quanitities:
36 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

Land agent, lawyer.
John Greig was a land speculator prominent in the economic development of western New York State.

COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Correspondence; accounts of purchases, payments, and unsold lands; surveys; tax receipts, contracts, notes, bonds, deeds, powers of attorney; and maps and field notes of the New York Military Tract and city lots of Rochester and Ontario County, New York. Papers relating to Greig's land interests include material on the Chenango Triangle, the Hornby Estate, the New York Military Tract, Cottringer Tract, Ogden Tract, and Pulteney Estate. Documenting his activities as a promoter of internal improvements are materials on the Charlotte to Rochester Railroad, Erie Canal, Rochester and Carthage Railroad, Rochester and Ontario Plank Road, Sodus Canal Association, and the Sodus Land Company. Also included is miscellaneous material on local history, papers concerning the settlement of Greig's estate, and extensive correspondence and other papers of family members and friends in the United States, Scotland and England discussing American political and economic issues and internal British politics.
Also contains letters, papers, and other records of Thomas Morris, 1790-1848; John and Eunice Tryon, 1790-1819; John Phelps and John L. Phelps, 1790-1838; Joseph Fellows, 1828-1868; Elias Kane, 1791-1817; the Pulteney Estate, 1810-1821; Eliza Greig; Alexander Greig, 1825-1866; Alexander Duncan, 1830-1877; Chapins, 1791-1862; George W. Kirkland, 1784-1797; John Rankine, 1867-1879; and William Jeffrey, 1841-1870.
NOTES

Papers were filmed from the collection of George J. Skivington.


INFORMATION FOR USERS

Cite As:

John Greig Papers, #1550. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.

SUBJECTS

Names:
Duncan, Alexander.
Fellows, Joseph.
Greig, Alexander.
Greig, Eliza.
Jeffrey, William.
Kane, Elias.
Kirkland, George.
Morris, Thomas.
Phelps, John.
Phelps, John L.
Rankine, John.
Tryon, Eunice.
Tryon, John.
Charlotte to Rochester Railroad
Rochester and Carthage Railroad
Rochester and Ontario Plank Road
Sodus Canal Association
Sodus Land Company
Pulteney Estate
Places:
Sodus Canal (N.Y.)
Erie Canal (N.Y.)
Ontario County (N.Y.)
Rochester (N.Y.)
United States -- Politics and government.
Scotland -- Politics and government.
Great Britain -- Politics and government.
Subjects:
Phelps and Gorham Purchase.
Real property, Exchange of.
Real estate development -- New York (State)
Land use -- Economic aspects -- New York (State)
Land companies -- New York (State)
Land tenure -- New York (State)
Roads -- New York (State)
Railroads -- New York (State)
Canals -- New York (State)
Form and Genre Terms:
Surveys.
Maps.
Deeds.

CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Scope and Contents
All the material in the collection may not be covered by this guide.
Series I. Records of John Greig
Scope and Contents
John Greig Letters, Papers and Records 1794-1870 contained on 18 rolls microfilm (positive) and 18 rolls (negative). The microfilm copies (11 1/2 rolls) of the papers of John Greig (b. 1779 - d. 1858), a Canandaigua lawyer, land agent and speculator, prominent in the economic development of western New York, relating to his activities as land agent and land owner, to his other business activities, to his role as an internal improvements promoter, to the settlement of his estate, and to his family affairs; consist of letters from agents, clients, business associates, settlers, friends, and relatives; deeds, bonds, notes, contracts; tax receipts, surveys, powers of attorney; accounts of purchases, payments; unsold lands; and other papers. (Accompanying these papers is an index - on 3 rolls microfilm). (Index - donated by certain Cornell Alumni from Rochester, N.Y. Dec. 1954) The Card Index is actually a fairly elaborate calendar to the papers, containing references to subjects, persons, places, firms, etc. The Index is, of course, alphabetically arranged, but within a particular subject, for instance, the cards are arranged chronologically.
Microfilm Reel 1
Folder 1 through Folder 30
1803-1826
Scope and Contents
Letters, papers and records of Thomas Morris - (1790-1848)
Microfilm Reel 1
Card File Index for papers
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Index for papers, Abby - Jane Greig, Inc.
Microfilm Reel 2
Folder 31 through Folder 57
1826-1830
Microfilm Reel 2
Card File Index for papers
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Index for papers, John Greig: Sy-Sy, Inc.
Microfilm Reel 3
Folder 58 through Folder 82
1830-1835
Microfilm Reel 3
Card File Index for papers
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Index for papers, Ta-Th - Z
Microfilm Reel 4
Folder 83 through Folder 103
1835-1839
Microfilm Reel 5
Folder 104 through Folder 125
1839-1842
Microfilm Reel 6
Folder 126 through Folder 152
1842-1845
Microfilm Reel 7
Folder 153 through Folder 173
1845-1847
Microfilm Reel 8
Folder 174 through Folder 192
1847-1850
Microfilm Reel 9
Folder 193 through Folder 210
1850-1852
Microfilm Reel 10
Folder 211 through Folder 238
1852-1864
Microfilm Reel 11
Folder 239 through Folder 18A
1825-1865
Scope and Contents
Folder 239 (1865) through 18A, T. Morris (1825-1826)
Microfilm Reel 12
Folder 19A through Folder 1G
1810-1849
Scope and Contents
Folder 19A (1827 - 1849) through Folder 1G, Pulteney Estate, (1810, 1820-1821)
Microfilm Reel 13
Folder 1G through Folder 5N
1810-1873
Scope and Contents
Folder 1G Pulteney Estate, (1810, 1820-1821) through Folder 5N, John Rankine (1873)
Microfilm Reel 14
Folder 6C through Folder 140
1865-1875
Scope and Contents
Folder 6C, John Rankine (1874-1875) through Folder 140 (1865)
Microfilm Reel 15
Folder 15-0 through Folder 17-0
1866-1870
Scope and Contents
Folder 15-0, (1866) through Folder 17-0 (1867-1870)
Series II. Records of Others
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of fifteen rolls of microfilm, in addition there are the three rolls which contain the card file index to the collection. The bulk of the collection consists of letters, papers, and records of John Greig which occupy the first eleven and a half rolls. The remaining three and a half rolls (rolls 12 through 15) consist of the letters, papers and records as follows.
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Thomas Morris
1790-1848
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of John and Eunice Tryon
1790-1819
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of John Phelps and John L. Phelps
1790-1838
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Joseph Fellows
1828-1868
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Elias Kane
1791-1817
Microfilm Reel 13
Records relating to the Pulteney Estate
1810-1821
Microfilm Reel 13
Eliza Greig to John Greig
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Correspondence
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Alexander Greig
1825-1866
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Alexander Duncan
1830-1877
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of Chapins
1791-1862
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of George W. Kirkland
1784-1797
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of John Rankine
1867-1879
Microfilm Reel 13
Records of William Jeffrey
1841-1870
Microfilm Reel 13
Maps and Field Notes
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - Maps and Field Notes: military Tract, City Lots, Ontario County and Rochester
Microfilm Reel 13
Pioneer History of Sodus Point
1915
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - Pioneer History of Sodus Point by Isabella Cook
Microfilm Reel 13
Rochester Municipal Museum
1927
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - Arthur C. Parker, "Charles Williamson, Builder of the Genesee Country" Rochester Municipal Museum, Vol. VI, 1927
Microfilm Reel 13
Greig House
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - History of the Greig House: Papers relating to.
Microfilm Reel 13
History of Early Canandaigua
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - Albert Granger, A History of Early Canandaigua
Microfilm Reel 13
Memoirs of Greig Hall
1896
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - A Leaf From the Past: Some Memoirs of Greig Hall, M. H. Hamilton.
Microfilm Reel 13
Booklets on the Greig House
date unknown
Scope and Contents
Roll 13 - Booklets on the Greig House and Miscellaneous Clippings