1816 - Born, Savannah, Chatham Co., GA
- "Travelled to England at an early age & was there educated" [Autobiographical notes - Greenhow, I. W. B. [sic- Greenhow, J. W. B.] Vita - 2 pages, Box. 1, Folder 7, Old South Miscellany collection (1792-1861), Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University, Atlanta, GA]
?10/31/1837 - ?Attended, William and Mary College, Williamsburg, VA
1830/1831 - Commenced the study of medicine with Dr. Cheesman of New York [Note: This may have been Dr. John C. Cheesman, who was born in New York about 1814.]
1834-1837 - Attended, The College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, NY
05/00/1836 - Entered the New York Hospital as Junior Assistant to the Resident Surgeon
1837 - M. D. degree, The College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York City, NY
[Note: Greenhow completed three courses of medicine at this school.]
05/00/1837 - Promoted to Resident Physician, New York Hospital
03/07/1838 - Appointed, Asst. Surgeon, United States Navy, from Georgia
1839 - Asst. Surgeon, U. S. Navy, Pensacola Naval Hospital, Escambia Co., FL
06/02/1844 - In a letter written from New York City, NY, to John Y. Mason, Secretary of the U. S. Navy, Washington, DC, "Sir, I have to report that my residence is in this city. I had thought to have report in person before this in Washington, but private business has detained me here. I have to request the indulgence of the department for the omission of not making my report sooner. I have to request to be informed whether there will be an examination of candidates for promotion at a early a period as you may find it convenient; there having already been examined several of my date, I imagine that I shall not suffer, having been absent on duty from the United States when they were examined. Very respectfully, Your obt Servt, J. W. B. Greenhow, Asst Surgn"
09/10/1844 - Resigned from the U. S. Navy
1846 - Mexican War volunteer [Note: J. W. B. Greenhow's widow's Mexican War dependent pension application number is 810, the certificate number is 6239. It mentions the U. S. S. Flirt, but doesn't specify J. W. B. Greenhow's connection with the ship.]
04/24/1847 - Reappointed, Asst. Surgeon, U. S Navy
04/26/1852 - Appointed, Passed Asst. Surgeon, U. S. Navy
1854 - Passed Asst. Surgeon, Sloop USS Marion, African Squadron
12/21/1850 - Married, Mary Pearson [or Pierson] (~1831VA-) in Escambia Co., Florida [Note: Mary was the daughter of John Peason, a sailing master in the U. S. Navy
08/00/1855 - Passed Asst. Surgeon, Brig Perry, Brazil Squadron
09/06/1855 - In a letter written from Warrington Navy Yard, Pensacola, FL, to J. C. Dobbin, Esq. Secretary of the Navy of the United States, Washington, DC, "Sir, I reported yesterday in obedience to your order of August 20th. I have to acknowledge the receipt of your order of August 28th detaching me from the Navy Yard, and ordering me to the Naval Hospital. I have reported in obedience thereto. I am respectfully, Your Obt. Servt, J. W. B. Greenhow, Pd Asst Surgn"
~1857 - Daughter, Mary Elizabeth "Bessie" was born in Escambia Co., FL
1859 - Passed Asst. Surgeon, Brig Perry, Brazil Squadron, U.S. Navy (ordered home)
05/14/1861 - Retired from the U. S. Navy
06/06/1861 - Served as a Confederate Navy Surgeon and Judge Advocate on a court of inquiry as to the circumstances connected with the loss of the ironclad sloop "Raleigh" on the Cape Fear River
06/28/1861 - In a letter written from Louisville, KY, to Gideon Wells, Secretary of the [United States] Navy, Washington, DC, "Sir, I resign my commission in the Navy of the United States. I am, Very respy, Yr, Obdt Servt, J. W. B. Greenhow"
07/05/1861 - Dismissed from the U. S. Navy
08/02/1861 - Original entry date into Confederate States Navy service as Surgeon
1861-1862 - Served on the C. S. S. Sea Bird [Note: The CSS Seabird was rammed and sunk by the USS Commodore Perry in the Battle of Elizabeth City.]
02/10/1862 - Captured by the U. S. Army, Elizabeth City, NC, during the Battle of Elizabeth City [For details of the battle, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Elizabeth_City]
02/12/1862 - Paroled at Roanoke Island, NC, by the U. S. Army
1862-1864 - Surgeon, Wilmington [NC] Station
1862 - Provided "unceasing and skillful labors during the terrible epidemic [yellow fever] of 1862, which decimated our remaining population" [Wilmington, NC - Daily Journal, May 18, 1866, p. 2]
06/00/1862 - Surgeon, C. S. S. Arctic
10/23/1862 - Appointed Surgeon, Confederate States Navy, to rank from 03/26/1861
07/00/1863 - Surgeon, C. S. S. Arctic
1864 - Fleet Surgeon, Wilmington, NC
04/00/1864-06/00/1864 - Fleet Surgeon, on C. S. S. Yadkin
06/02/1864 - Appointed Surgeon, Provisional Confederate States Navy
05/12/1866 - Died after having "been in wretched health for several years and the announcement of his death was hardly unexpected, Chapel Hill, Durham Co., NC (buried: Old Chapel Hill Cemetery, Chapel Hill, NC; FindAGrave #40374457) [Obituary: Dr. J. W. Greenhow (1866) Daily Journal, Wilmington, NC, May 18, 1866, p.2.]
00/00/1870 - Widow, Mary, school teacher in Warrington, Escambia Co., FL, with two daughters (indexed in the 1870 U. S. Census as "Mary Greenough")
1885 - Widow, Mary P. Greenhow, widow, was paid $237.50 by the U. S Treasury "on account of [U.S.] Navy"
03/22/1887 - Widow, Mary P. Greenhow, filed for a dependent's pension in Florida based on the service of J. W. B. Greenhow [Application no. 810; Certificate no. 6239]
11/11/1930 - Daughter, Mrs. Agnes Florence Greenhow Moore, died in Pima Co., AZ

Terry Foenander and Guy Hasegawa provided input to this biography.

This biographical sketch is from:
Hambrecht, F. T. & Koste, J. L., Biographical
register of physicians who served the
Confederacy in a medical capacity.
05/14/2022. Unpublished database.