Mary Ellen (Saunders) Sears (1862)

Born 9 Nov 1862 in Harbour Island, Bahamas

Wife of Alfred Elbert Goodsell Sears — married 6 Nov 1883 in Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Died [date unknown] in New York City, New York, United States

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Mary (Saunders) Sears is part of a Bahamian family.

Biography

Mary Ellen Saunders was born 9 November 1862 in Harbour Island, Bahamas to Joseph Henry Saunders and Mary Ann Roberts Saunders.

A will filed in 1882 on behalf of Mary Ann's father, Benjamin Roberts, mentioned his grandchildren: ".. and the remaining fourth part shall be divided equally .. among my grandchildren Joseph Henry Saunders, Mary Ellen Saunders, Julia Lorenza Saunders, Louisa Agnes Saunders, Albert Saunders, William Henry Saunders, Alfred Howell Saunders, Florence Zenobia Roberts, Charles Benjamin Roberts, and James Roberts .."

She married Alfred Elbert Goodsell Sears, son of William Henry Sears and Amelia Ann Higgs Sears, about 1882-1883. The couple had two sons, both born in the Bahamas: Joseph A Sears and Thomas Kirtland Sears.

The Sears family moved to New London, Connecticut, home of Alfred EG Sears' uncle, Captain Alfred Elbert Goodsell, shortly after the births of their sons. Mary Ellen was widowed in 1899 and her oldest son, Joseph, died in Brooklyn, New York in 1908. She was living in the Smith Memorial Home - a residence for elderly women - by 1930.

Mary Ellen Saunders Sears died some time after 1930 - probably in New London County, Connecticut - and was buried in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with her husband and son.

Sources

"Bahamas Births, 1850-1891," (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLS9-S88 : 9 March 2018), Joseph Saunders in entry for Mary Ellen Saunders, 09 Nov 1862; citing Harbour Island, Bahamas, reference yr 1862 p 148

Dolly Mae CD - Harbour Island, Eleuthera, Bahamas.

"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6D35-9?cc=1325221&wc=9BWW-Y4G%3A1030551001%2C1032695501%2C1032768101 : 5 August 2014), Connecticut > New London > ED 465 New London city Ward 4 > image 12 of 27; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Living with her brother Albert Saunders and his wife Elenora.

"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRNR-WBV?cc=1727033&wc=QZZQ-ZLY%3A133637401%2C139222901%2C139316001%2C1589125049 : 24 June 2017), Connecticut > New London > New London Ward 2 > ED 517 > image 31 of 36; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Mary Ellen and Thomas were residing together in New London.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR4C-WMV?cc=1810731&wc=QZF9-FYZ%3A648803301%2C649961201%2C649735401%2C1589282428 : 8 December 2015), Connecticut > New London > New London > ED 28 > image 3 of 28; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002).

Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934 for Mary E Sears, Connecticut Headstone Inscriptions, Vol 35.