George Erb, one of Greer's early prominent businessmen, was born in 1866 in Missouri, according to the Clearwater County history series written by John Bradbury. Erb's father fought for the Confederacy and then worke das an Indian scout. Following his death, his mother moved the family to Weston, OR. In 1889, young Erb snowshoed from Weston to Lewiston.

While in Lewiston Erb taught school, was elected probate judge,school superintendent and mayor, chaired the central committee of the Democratic Party and was a trustee of the Normal School.

He left all those pursuits behind for the new, busting town of Greer where he opened a hardware store. He was probably also attracted to Greer by Mary Dowd whom he married a year later. She was the daughter of Irish immigrants Michael and Elizabeth Dowd. Before homesteading at Fraser, Michael Dowd worked as a pioneer blacksmith at Pierce City during the gold rush, Bradbury writes.

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