HARRY ANTHONY GREENAN was born in Camden on March 20, 1892 to Willam H. Greenan Sr. and his wife Catherine. His father and grandfather Hugh Greenan had come to Camden after the Civil War along with uncles Peter, Hugh, and John. Hugh Greenan founded patented a hair plaster used in sidewalk paving and had a manufacturing business in the 1700 block of Master Street by the late 1870.

Harry Greenan was one of at least eleven children. When the 1900 Census was taken, only eight of the Greenan children were alive, William H. Jr., John J., Peter, Hugh T., Annie, Harry, Joseph, and Mary. William Greenan Sr. worked as a teamster, as did William Jr., while John J. and Peter were by then working as rug weavers. The family lived at 1729 Master Street in Camden's Eight Ward.

The 1914 City Directory shows Harry Greenan working as a pipefitter and living at 2003 Arlington Street with other members of the Greenan family.On June 5, 1917 Harry A. Greenan registered for the draft. He was then boarding at 2005 Arlington Street, and working as a pipe fitter at the nearby New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards. He was still single at the time.

The 1920 Census shows Harry Greenan living with his father and brothers Peter and Joseph at 687 Fairview Street. On December 7, 1920 Harry A. Greenan was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He reported for duty in January 1, 1921.

By 1924 Harry A. Greenan had married. He and wife Victoria then lived at 737 Sylvan Street, just north of Morgan Street. They remained at that address through at least 1931. When the 1940 Camden City Directory was being compiled Harry and Victoria Greenan were living at 2540 Morgan Boulevard. The Greenans were still at that address as late as the spring of 1957, when, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, Harry A. Greenan left the Fire Department. The Greenans were still at 2540 Morgan Boulevard into the 1970s. By 1977 the family was gone from Morgan Boulevard.