A SKETCH OF THE SEARS FAMILY

 

(Comment and note: While transcribing these notes from an unknown source, it has been noted that there are several questionable entries.  Most notably is the addition of one more John Sears than I originally had entered in the genealogical chart.  I have now added that name, but still question its accuracy on the sole note of this biography on its own merits.  Second, the author entered the names ‘Paul and Sarah Sears’ in the sixth paragraph.  According to some minor research, this name should have read ‘John and Sarah Sears’.  This has been corrected, at least temporarily.  Other than these two entries, I have transcribed the data precisely as it was originally written.  WSB)

 

“In the Sears genealogy, we find Paul Sears, probably an Englishman or of English descent, and perhaps a resident of France.  The family tradition is clear that four of his sons, Paul, Reeder, Richard, and Daniel came from France to Virginia early in life.  [Editorial note: ‘Reeder is such an unusual name, that I wonder if it is perhaps and old family name – research is needed.]

 

Paul bought land in Virginia, married Elizabeth Butler, and they were the parents of ten children.

 

Reeder went to the Indian War, returned to Virginia, stayed a while, went west again, and was not heard of afterward.

 

Daniel served in the Revolutionary War and was not heard of afterward.

 

One of Paul’s children [Paul #2, Paul #1’s son] [was] named John Sears, [and] born May 25, 1741; and when of suitable age was put to the blacksmith business.  His relation in France, being advised of the fact, sent him a complete set of tools, still preserved in the family in 1888.  He worked in his trade until middle life, then turning his attention to other trades [such] as carpenter, silversmith, tanner, shoemaker, etc.  His general health was good although afflicted for a time with cancer of the nose, which was operated on successfully.  He married Sarah Peoples.  They were the parents of nine children.

 

One of the nine children born to Paul [should read John] and Sarah Sears was John [#2], born in Prince George County Virginia, February 4, 1775 [I also have the date May 25, 1771 listed].  He married Penelope Johnson, born February 24, 1790, in Virginia.  They lived on a farm in eastern Ohio.  They were our [who is ‘our’] great-grandparents.  Four children were born to them.  Mary (or Aunt Polly Bond), Pleasant, Christopher (our grandfather), and John [#3].

 

When Christopher, our [there’s the ‘our’ again] grandfather, was three years old and John [#3] was but six months old, their father [John #2] died.  The genealogy does not tell how long great-grandmother [Sarah] kept her family together.  (Mrs. David Overman told me several years ago that [Christopher] grandfather lived in her [Sarah’s] father’s home, their names were Welsh.)  Great Grandmother came to Indiana and married a Mr. Bocock, after his [John #2] death, and her eyesight failed her.  She came to grandfather’s [Christopher] to live.  She died there June 15, 1869.

 

From the genealogy we have found record of our great, great, great, great grandfather Paul Sears [#1], the Englishman in France; great, great, great grandfather Paul Sears [Paul #2]; great, great grandfather John Sears [#1]; great grandfather John Sears [#2]; and grandfather Christopher Sears.

 

Grandfather, Christopher Sears, was born in Highland County, Ohio, August 3, 1814, and married Lydia Jeanette Craw, born in Clinton County Ohio, November 15, 1815.  She was of Welsh descent.  They were married in Clinton County, Ohio, August 24, 1837.  About 1839, they left Ohio with their possessions loaded in a wagon and leading a cow, came to Indiana.  They did not have good roads to travel upon but many times had to cut their way through underbrush.  They came to Aunt Polly Bond’s.  Grandfather selected a place about ¾ of a mile east of Aunt Polly’s and entered land from the government.  He bought land from the government until he owned 260 acres or more. 

 

He began clearing the farm, leaving a fine sugar grove where their supply of sugar and syrup was made.  He cut down large trees and rolled them into huge piles to burn.  These logs would be worth a large sum of money now.  An orchard was set out with Maiden-blush, Bell-flower, Roman-stem, and many other fruit trees.  They were not troubled with codlin moths at that time.

 

The original cabin was added to, then the rooms facing the east were built.  About the close of the Civil War, the two-story front was built.  He built his barn east of the house and when the north and south road was surveyed, it stood in the road and that is the reason the road is curved around between the house and the barn.  The present barn was built in 1880 and later the road was straightened and improved.

 

Grandmother Sears was a Methodist and Grandfather Sears was a Quaker.  There was no church of their choice nearer than the Mississinews meeting in Marion.  That being too far to attend very often, they with their neighbors organized a class and attended the Wesleyan Methodist Church.  The held meetings in a school house where number five (#5) school house is now.  In 1861, the Fairview Church was built.  They were faithful members as long as they lived.

 

Their children were taught to go to church.  Even Prince, the horse, knew when to go to church.  When he grew old, they left him in the pasture one Sunday and drove a younger horse.  When meeting was out, they saw Prince standing at the hitching post beside the younger horse.

 

All their children were born in Indiana except Amos Welch, the oldest, who was born in Montgomery County, Ohio, June 15, 1838, and was about a year old when they made the trip to Indiana.

 

Grandfather Christopher Sears was born August 3, 1814, died February 28, 1900, at the age of 85 years.  [Where did he die?]

 

Grandmother Lydia Jeanette Craw was born November 15, 1815, died January 9, 1898, at the age of 82 years.  [Their children, below…]

 

·        Isabelle Ann                                   10-7-1840, died 4-2-1877

·        Caroline                                         10-7-1842, died 9-4-1905

·        Mary                                              7-1-1845, died 3-9-1931

·        John Craw                                      9-18-1847, died 10-16-1912

·        Maria                                             6-3-1849, died 4-2-1926

·        George Adsit                                  12-20-1851, died 1-27-1875

·        Alice Jeanette                                 1-15-1855, died 4-25-1935, and lived in Alabama

with Ethel, her daughter.

 

Christopher and Lydia Sears had eight children, 28 grandchildren, 79 great-grandchildren, and 53 great, great-grandchildren, who are the ninth generation since the Paul Sears in France.”

 

Aunt Polly Bond

 

“This was taken from a newspaper article written by Benn Bond and printed in 1899:

 

Aunt Polly [Sears] was born December 22, 1809.  She was married to Moses Bond in the fall of 1834.  Later they, with their two small sons, John and Joseph, came to Indiana.  They worked hard, and in ten years from the time they came here, to a wilderness of forest trees, a self-supporting farm was their reward.  Uncle Moses raised nursery stock and all the orchards in northern Grant County were set out from his nursery.  Hard work and exposure caused his health to break and he died at the age of 49.

 

They were the parents of nine children.  Joseph, known all over Grant County, was a member of the 101 Regiment of Indiana Volunteers.

 

Amos, a member of the 54 Regiment, died in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 17 years.

 

John died at the age of 21.  He was loved by all his associates.  He was a student at Leoni College and at the time of his death was planning to enter the ministry.

 

Margaret was the wife of John Jackson, mother [of] Florence Estes and Mary Porter.

 

Aunt Polly lived to be about 90 years old and was blind the last few years of her life.  She was cared for by her daughter Elizabeth, and died there.

 

Aunt Polly was the parent of 9 children, 18 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren.”