Natalee GRINER

Family/Spouse: Charles MURPHY. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

GRINER, NATHANIEL G.H. (2nd Lt.) enlisted 4th Sept.1863,Co-K 9th Regiment Fla. Infantry Ocala, Fla. Name appears last on Roster 4th Dec.1864 near Petersburg, Va. Lt. Griner probably fought in Battle of Olustee Florida State Historians tell us that the 9th Regiment fought in this battle. N. G. H. Griner became the first husband of Sarah Elizabeth W. Leitner. (Researched by Fannie Belle Priest Kipp from papers obtained from the Florida and South Carolina Archives and from stories told by relatives.)

Killed by a runaway mule. His only child was born after his death.

Nathaniel married Sarah Elizabeth Waring LEITNER. Sarah (daughter of Jacob LEITNER and Charlotte SOUTER) was born in 1847; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

When Sarah E.W. Leitner was packing to migrate to Florida with her parents she was told to take only the absolute essentials. 8 year old Sarah begged so hard to bring a little rose bush (everblooming Louis Phillippe) that she was allowed to "carry it all the way on my lap". As long as Sarah lived she had a bush of this rose (also known as the Carolina Rambler) in her yard. She rooted hers under an over-turned Mason fruit jar. --told to C. Patrick Priest.

Sarah E.W. Leitner Griner Priest demonstrated the Leitner determination when the nineteenth amendment went into effect Aug.18, 1920. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. Aged 73 at this time Sarah went to the polls at the first opportunity and consulted with no one as to the most desirable candidates. (Told by her son Clarence C. Priest as he neared his 95th birthday. That same day Papa recalled that his grandpa, Jacob Leitner, Jr. ((1807-1884)) would become so wrought-up when he prayed at family prayer time, he could be heard a quarter mile away. Fan Priest Kipp)

Notes:

Buried beside his wife on the old Griner estate in Marion County, FL.

Had a son by his first wife, last name Wise, in NC. Martin and his second wife, Sarah, moved to Marion County, FL about 1843 along with Sarah's brother Hiram and his family. They settled on a farm five miles north of Ocala and became wealthy--owned much acreage and 65 slaves.

Martin married Sarah Jane ALDERMAN on 5 Jan 1843. Sarah (daughter of Samuel ALDERMAN and Sarah CHESTNUT) was born in 1822; died on 23 Jun 1869. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jacob Leitner, Jr. and Charlotte Souter were United in Holy bonds of matrimony by Rev. John P. Cook. They settled near the lines of Fairfield and Richland Counties in Richland on land given him by his Father where they lived until in the year Dec. 1855. They started to Florida on 13th of Dec. by private conveyance and landed In Florida Jan. 8 1856. They settled in Marion County, East Florida later known as Anthony, Florida. Jacob Leitner died Sunday morning, July 20,1884 at the age of 76 years, 8 months and 15 days. He had been for many years a member of the Methodist church and died in full triumph of Christian hope. He has a very prominent place in the early establishing of the Methodist Church in Florida and was the founder of the Spring Hill church and in the history of the M.E. churches in Florida says "For all of our knowledge of it's predecessors Hickory Grove and Andrew's Chapel" Quoting also, "People from the north began to come into this section after 1874, and in 1876, Mr. Leitner sold his home place to Col. Anthony from Muncie, Indiana. The railroad had been surveyed and would be built within a few years through the Leitner property." Jacob Leitner reserved land at this time for the Anthony Cemetery, where he and his wife and many, many of his descendants are buried. (Fannie P. Kipp note: Their granddaughter, Lizzie Fife was the first person to be buried there. In 1876 definite boundaries were put on the land.) Again quoting "Mr. Leitner was the class leader, the song leader and one of the most earnest and forceful of its new members. His house was always the preacher's home. All members of his family were staunch members. They could always be depended upon to hold up his hands. TRULY, METHODISM AND LOVE FOR THE CHURCH WERE THE FRUITFUL HERITAGE OF HIS MANY DESCENDANTS. (Fannie P. Kipp note: ((1971)) 94 year old Papa, Clarence C.Priest, was 8 years old when his Grandpa Leitner died. He remembers that Grandpa could be heard a quarter mile away saying family prayers.) Mrs. Charlotte Leitner of Griner Farms, Marion County passed her 82 birthday Feb. 20, 1902 [This date is disagrees with other records]. She was married at the age of 14 years. She gave birth to 10 children and reared 9 to manhood and womanhood, who like their Mother married early in life. She had 58 living grand children and fifty living great grand children. It would require time to count the number of deaths of grand and great-grand children not included in the above, which is approximately thirty. She is still physically active and mentally vigorous, reads without her glasses and does not feel too old or too learned to attend Sunday School regularly as a scholar. Her mother died at age 93 and her great grandmother at age 115. There was a family reunion Sunday, Feb. 10, 1907 at the hospitable home of Buford H. Leitner to celebrate the 87th birthday of his Mother. Many of her descendants and children were there to extend congratulations and wish Mrs. Leitner many more happy birthdays. Mrs. Charlotte Leitner not withstanding her advanced years had the use of all her faculties and is not only active but true to her ideas of thrift and industry and does not permit idle moments to wear out her mind. She died at her daughter's, Mrs. Alfred Proctors home at 11 o'clock on the night of Oct. 18, 1909 in her 89th (should this be 90th) year. She was buried at the Anthony Cemetery.

His epitaph reads, "Sleep father dear and take thy rest; God called thee home, he thought it best."

In addition to several of his sons and sons-in law, At least two of Jacob's nephews, Wesley Smith and John Weiley Leitner (both of S.C.) were killed in this war. (Researched by Fannie Belle Priest Kipp from papers obtained from the Florida and South Carolina Archives and from stories told by relatives.)

Written by Dorothy Spencer Wright (told to her by her Grandmother,Maria Proctor Leitner) "When Jacob Leitner, Jr. as a boy of 14, first saw his future wife she was a baby in a crib. He said 'I'll wait for her to be my wife' and he did!" (She was 14 and he 28 when they married-. FPK)

Jacob married Charlotte SOUTER on 1 Nov 1834 in South Carolina. Charlotte (daughter of George SOUTER and Catherine Barbary SMITH) was born on 10 Feb 1820; died on 18 Oct 1909; was buried in Anthony Cemetary, Anthony, FL. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Her epitaph reads, "None knew thee but to love thee."

The following is from a Marion Co. (Fla.) newspaper Story:
Jacob and Charlotte Souter Leitner were pioneer residents of Marion Co.,Fla. They left their home in Columbia,S.C. on Dec-13,1855 for Florida with their nine children for what is now known as Anthony.

Mr. and Mrs.Leitner and the smaller children rode In a carriage, the older children in buggies, and wagons (covered) carried personal and household goods and the Leitner slaves. On the first day the caravan traveled only 15 miles and the entire trip took over four weeks.

Eight of the Leitner's nine children settled in and around Marion Co. One daughter,Susan Anne C.Leitner married Jefferson Lever of Columbia,S.C. and she returned there to live. . . .

Notes:

Moved from Sampson County, NC to Bulloch County, GA in 1813.

Samuel married Sarah CHESTNUT in 1812 in Sampson County, NC. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

They settled up on creek between Big Cedar Creek and Horse Creek.

Jacob married Mary Eve GRADICK. Mary (daughter of GRADICK and METZ) was born in 1773; died in Jun 1847. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

George married Catherine Barbary SMITH in 1808. Catherine (daughter of Stephen SMITH and Mary Eve HAMITER) was born on 17 Apr 1788; died on 7 Sep 1881. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]