Sears Notes

Profile manager: GeneJ X [send private message]

Alexander^1 Seers (m. Mary Lemmon) > Robert Seers (1657-1732), Alexander^2 Sears (1664-)
Unknown Sears > Joseph Sears (abt.1690-aft.1733), William Sears (1733-abt.1805), Elizabeth Sears (1763-1853)
William Sears > Joseph Sears (1711-)

X-3336--I have more notes from research into the surname; adding these notes as time permits.

Vital Records

Relevant entries appear in several New England towns--surname Sears with several variants. There are also entries about Searls and variants, but those tentatively seem unrelated.

Vital Records of Beverly

Beverly births/baptisms (date order; select entries). See Vital Records of Beverly ..., 1:290, Hathi Trust. etc.

[SEARS] William, s. Joseph and Rebecca, Sept. 17, 1733.

[SEARS] William, s. William and Eliza[beth], June 10, 1761.

[SEARS] Eliza[beth], d. Will[ia]m and Eliza[beth], Nov. 22, 1763.

[SEARS] Rebeckah, d. William and Elizabeth, Sept. ––, 1765. [bp. Sept. 15. CR2]

[SEERS] Anna, d. William and Elisabeth, Aug. 18, 1768.

[SEARS] Joseph, s. William and Eliza[beth], Mar. 6, 1771.

[SEARS] Mary, d. Will[ia]m, bp. Feb. 14, 1773. CR2

[SEARS] Abel Robinson, s. William, bp. May 14, 1775. CR2

Beverly marriages. See Vital Records of Beverly ..., 2:271 (Seairs), 272 (Sears, Seers, Seirs); Hathi Trust, etc.

[SEARS] William, of Manchester, and Elisabeth Cole, Mar. 25, 1723.

[SEARS] Joseph, and Rebecca Raymond, at Ipswich, Jan. 30, 1732

[SEARS] William, and Elizabeth Robinson, Mar. 28, 1756.

[SEAIRS] Elisabeth [Mrs. int.], and Abner Dodge, at Hamilton, Oct. 25, 1781. 2:271

[SEARS] Rebecca, and Michael Webb of Danvers, at Danvers, Aug. 25, 1784.

[SEARS] Polly, and Samuel Davis, Aug. 16, 1791

Beverly deaths.

[SEARS] Elizabeth, wid. William, late of Manchester, died at Beverly 25 December 1753, aged about 75. (Cites "PR 1 [Record of deaths made by Col. Robert Hale ...]" See Vital Records of Beverly ... 2:550. Hathi Trust.

So, the Elizabeth died 1753, was born about say 1678. IF she was the Elizabeth Cole who married William of Manchester in 1723, then that seems less likely her first marriage, but it is also possible she was a different woman, Elizabeth, who married a generation earlier to a William of Manchester.

Vital Records of Manchester

Manchester births (date order). See Vital Records of Manchester ..., 109 (Sairs), 110 (Sears, Seeares, Seirs); Hathi Trust.

[Sairs] William, s. William, bp. Apr. 23, 1738. CR

[Sears] Antony, s. William and Sarah, bp. Feb. 10, 1744-5. CR

[Sears] William, s. William, jr. and Sarah, Apr. 20, 1738.

[Seeares] John, s. William (Seares) and Sarah, June 15, 1742

[Seirs] Elizabeth, d. William and Charity, bp. Nov. 23, 1735. CR

[Seirs] Sarah, d. William, bp. July 13, 1740. CR

Manchester marriages (date order) . See Vital Records of Manchester ..., Hathi Trust.

[Sears (Cier, Seears)]

[Sears] Sarah, and Samuel Carter, Apr. 16, 1752.*

[Sears] William, and Elisabeth Cole of Beverly, at Beverly, Mar. 25, 1723.*

[Sears] William [jr. int.], and Charity Cole, Jan. 7, 1734-5.*

[Seears] William [Sears, jr. int.], and Sarah Coye [Coy. int.], Dec. 29, 1736.*

Vital Records of Salem

Salem births (date order), see Vital Records of Salem ..., vol. 2:274 (Seers); digital images, Hathi Trust.

[Seers] Robert, s. Allexander and Mary, 6: 6m: 1657. CTR

[Seers] Mary, d. Allexander and Mary, 22: 12m: 1659. CTR

[Seers] Allexander, s. Allexander and Mary, May 25, 1664. CTR

Salem deaths (date order), see Vital Records of Salem ... vol. 6, Hathi Trust, etc.

[Seers] Mary, d. Allexander and Mary, 23: 9m: 1662. CTR

[Seers] Abigaile, d. Allexander and Mary, 16: 11m: 1662. CTR

[Siers] Joseph, first mate of the ship Franklin. Issue of May 24, 1805. NR9

Beverly Town Clerk

There are notes in the old town record books made by Hale and others, regarding vital records, probate, deeds and court records. See FamilySearch

"William Sears, [baptized as] an adult, ch. 2nd ch. 4 April 1762"

"Capt. Wm Sears owned land adjoining B. Shaw in 1789."

Births and Deaths in ... Bridgton

See "Dodge" in "[Bridgton, Maine] Vital Records, 1794-1892" (ledgers), 5 (Dodge); digital images, FamilySearch, FSL film 10591, digital collection (DGS) 7592509, image 9 of 462; these are delayed entries.

To Abner [died 28 January 1833] and Eleanor Dodge,

• Abner Dodge, born 30 May 1778, Beverly
• Caleb Dodge, born 3 September 1779, Beverly

To Abner [died 28 January 1833] and Elizabeth Dodge,

• William Sears Dodge, born 30 May 1782, Beverly
• Benjamin Dodge, born 30 July 1784, Beverly
• Ellenor Dodge, born 27 May 1786, Beverly
• Betsey Dodge, born 29 February 1788, Beverly
• Charlotte Dodge, born 22 September 1790, Beverly
• Jonathan Dodge, born 24 December 1791, Beverly
• Johnson Dodge, born 7 June 1794, Bridgton
• Joseph Dodge, born 18 February, 1799, Bridgton
• George Dodge, born 7 February 1802, Bridgton

Another version of the family is recorded as "Town of Bridgton, Cumberland County, Maine, Record of Births & Deaths, 1785-1850" (typescript), 5; digital images, FamilySearch, FSL film 10591, digital collection (DGS) 7592509, image 213 of 462; among variations, William Sears Dodge recorded as "William Leavi Dodge." For continuing family information see D Index for this volume, filmed image 196 of 462.

"Town of Bridgton, Cumberland County, Maine, Record of Marriage, 1794-1865"; apparent D index at 370 of 462.

"Record of Returns of Marriages, Commenced April 1794 and 1827, Kept by the Town Clerk"; title page,

Blynn Davis ... "Bridgton Families, Index," title page at FamilySearch, image 359 of 462. Who is Joseph Sears married married 9 April 1795, Betsey Jacobs, both of Bridgton, page 1.

Church Records

Found no indication the records of Second Congregational Church have been filmed or published. An archival finding aid for the church records is available via PDF, see Historic Beverly.

Inhabitants of Bridgton, 1794

Include "William Sears" and "Abner Dodge." [Maine] https://archives.mainegenealogy.net/2008/12/inhabitants-of-bridgton-1794.html

Torrey

As reference, see WikiTree's Sources-Torrey, courtesy of Rick Pierpont.

Alexander Seers - Mary Lemon. Seers-[Lemmon] by 1657 marriage, New England Marriages prior to 1700, 3 vols. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), 2:1346 (Seers); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors. He is Alexander Seers (-1667?); she is Mary [LEMON] (1639-), who married 2, Stephen SEARLE; Seers marriage is by 1657; location reference is Salem {Salem 1:391; Treat 188; Essex Ant. 10:158; Reg. 8:51}

• Salem 1:391; Sidney Perley, The History of Salem, Massachusetts, 3 vols. (Salem, Mass., S. Perley, 1924-28), 1:392 (Robert Lemon entry); digital images, Hathi Trust, his dau. Grace m. Robert Sollas. His dau. Mary married Alexander Seers.
• Treat 188; John Harvey Treat, The Treat family: a genealogy of Trott, Tratt, and Treat for fifteen generations … (Salem, Mass., The Salem press publishing & printing company, 1893), 188; digital images, InternetArchive.
• Essex Ant. 10:158; Sidney Perley, "Stephen Haskett House" in "Salem in 1700, No. 25," The Essex Antiquarian, 10 (1906):158; digital images, Hathi Trust.
• Reg. 8:51; Joshua Coffin and others, "Early Settlers of Essex and Old Norfolk," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 6 (1852):205-208, 243-254, 339-346; 7 (1853):83-88, 357-360; 8 (1854):49-54, 163-169, at 8 (1854):51; digital images, Hathi Trust.

Robert Seers - Abigail _____. Seers-_____ 1683[/?3] marriage, New England Marriages prior to 1700, 3 vols. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), 2:1347 (Seers); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, he is Robert Seers (not William), she is Abigail _____; marriage is by 1682(3?); Boston. References {Boston, 166, 176}, saying "Boston 158 has William error."

• Boston [VR], 166; Boston (Massachusetts) Record Commissioners, Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, 1630–1699 as Boston Record Commissioners [Ninth Report], "Document 130--1883" (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1883), 166 (Births and Baptisms); digital images, Hathi Trust, for "Abigail of Robert and Abigail Seers born July 24."
• Boston [VR], 176; Boston (Massachusetts) Record Commissioners, Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, 1630–1699 as Boston Record Commissioners [Ninth Report], "Document 130--1883" (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1883), 176 (Births and Baptisms); digital images, Hathi Trust, for "Abigail of Robert and Abigail Seers born July 12."

Alexander Seers-Rebecca [Staines]. Seers-[Staines] by 1686 marriage, New England Marriages prior to 1700, 3 vols. (Boston, Mass.: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2015), 2:1346 (Seers); digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, he is Alexander Seers; she is Rebecca [Staines]; marriage is by 1686, location reference is Boston {Boston VR 171 and Treat 188}.

• Boston VR 171; Boston (Massachusetts) Record Commissioners, Boston Births, Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths, 1630–1699 as Boston Record Commissioners [Ninth Report], "Document 130--1883" (Boston: Rockwell & Churchill, 1883), 171 (Births and Baptisms); digital images, Hathi Trust, for "Rebecca of Alexander & Rebecca Seers born Aug. 12."
• Treat 188; John Harvey Treat, The Treat family: a genealogy of Trott, Tratt, and Treat for fifteen generations … (Salem, Mass., The Salem press publishing & printing company, 1893), 188; digital images, InternetArchive.

Daniel Sears - Mary ____ 1651 Boston. 2:1346 SEARS, Daniel (-9 Feb 1651/2 adm) & Mary ____; by 9 Feb 1651/2; Boston {Sears 55; Reg. 8:57} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21175/1346/426903221

• Sears 55;
• Reg. 8:57;

John Sears - Esther Howe 1677 Woburn 2:1347 SEARS, John & 2/wf Hester/Esther (HOWE) MASON (-1680), w Henry; 20 Nov 1677; Woburn {Reg. 86:349; Howe 2:5; Howe (ms) 5; Tingley-Meyers 143; EIHC 56:51; Putnam's Mag. 4:40} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21175/1347/426903223

• Reg. 86:349;
• Howe 2:5;
• Howe (ms) 5;
• Tingley-Meyers 143;
• EIHC 56:51;
• Putnam's Mag. 4:40;

John Sears - Susanna _____, 1640 Charlestown 2:1347 SEARS, John & 1/wf Susanna ____; (-1677); by 1640; Charlestown {Charlestown 852; Woburn Hist. 637; Tingley-Meyers 143; Putnam's Mag. 4:40; GDMNH 618} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21175/1347/426903222

• Charlestown 852;
• Woburn Hist. 637;
• Tingley-Meyers 143;
• Putnam's Mag. 4:40;
• GDMNH 618;

John Sears - Anna Ann _____ 1680 Woburn 2:1347 SEARS, John & 3/wf Anna/Ann (____) FARRAR, w Jacob; 2 Nov 1680; Woburn {Putnam's Mag. 4:40; Reg. 6:321; Warner-Harrington 199; Farrar 4; Newton (,4) 211; Blackman Anc. 67; Munsey-Hopkins 96; Tingley-Meyers 143; Bigelow-Howe 45; Sv.} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21175/1347/426903224

• Putnam's Mag. 4:40;
• Reg. 6:321;
• Warner-Harrington 199;
• Farrar 4;
• Newton (,4) 211;
• Blackman Anc. 67;
• Munsey-Hopkins 96;
• Tingley-Meyers 143;
• Bigelow-Howe 45;
• Sv;

Rebecca Sears - Jacob Garland 1681 Newbury 1:601 GARLAND, Jacob & Rebecca SEARS; 17 Jan 1681; Newbury/Hampton, NH {Hampton 720; Newbury Hist. 302; Garland 6; Tingley-Meyers 281; GDMNH 254}

• Hampton 720;
• Newbury Hist. 302;
• Garland 6;
• Tingley-Meyers 281;
• GDMNH 254;

Mary Sears - James Carr. 1677 Newbury 1:282 CARR, James (1650-1740) & Mary SEARS (1657-); 14 Nov 1677; Newbury {Reg. 98:284-5; Salisbury Fam. 85; Merrill 10, 199; Sv. 1:338-9; Wentworth 2:62; Chase (,1) 50; Crapo 539, 915; Carr (1894) 24} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21174/282/426917470

• Reg. 98:284-5;
• Salisbury Fam. 85;
• Merrill 10, 199;
• Sv. 1:338-9;
• Wentworth 2:62;
• Chase (,1) 50;
• Crapo 539, 915;
• Carr (1894) 24;

Mary [Hilton] Sears - Abel Huse 1663 Newbury 2:814, HUSE, Abel (1602-1690) & 2/wf Mary (HILTON) SEARS, w Thomas; 25 May 1663; Newbury {GDMNH 333; Hewes 371; Huse 10; EIHC 5:42; Sv. 2:507} https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21175/814/426929064

• GDMNH 333;
• Hewes 371;
• Huse 10;
• EIHC 5:42;
• Sv. 2:507;

Mary Sears - Edward Ting 1638 Boston 3:1561 TING, Edward (1610-1681, ae 81) & Mary [SEARS?]; by 1640, m lic 8 Jun 1638, London; Boston/Dunstable {Reg. 8:19, 67:204; Tracy (1936) 193; EIHC 28:149; Gen. Mag. 1:134; Charlestown 946; Dunstable Fam. 82; Webb Anc. 82; Winthrop-Babcock 503; Gookin 181; Willard 2:15, Moseley Anc. 18, Gen Mag 1:134, Tingley-Meyers 69, Sv. https://www.americanancestors.org/DB1568/rd/21176/1561/426945376

• Reg. 8:19, 67:204;
• Tracy (1936) 193;
• EIHC 28:149;
• Gen. Mag. 1:134;
• Charlestown 946;
• Dunstable Fam. 82;
• Webb Anc. 82;
• Winthrop-Babcock 503;
• Gookin 181;
• Willard 2:15,
• Moseley Anc. 18,
• Gen Mag 1:134,
• Tingley-Meyers 69,
• Sv;

Miscellaneous Probate

Alexander Sears 1736 probate, case 6842 (11 pp.; testate) in Suffolk County, MA: Probate File Papers; database and digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors, file dated 25 March 1736; will dated 4 October 1732; he is "Alexander Seares of Boston ... Shipwright; executors as William Phillips and Henry Atkins; inventory dated 30 March 1736 by Mr. Thos Lee, Mr. John Gothwait, and Mr. Jno Adams, sworn 20 April 1736; will mentions family members,

• my daughter Sarah Sears (also below)
• my daughter Joyce Marble (also below) and her children
• my Loving Children, namely,
  • Rebecca Hill
  • Sarah Seares
  • Mary Treat,
  • Joyce Marble
  • Ann Phillips
  • Hannah Snelling
  • Delive^r Atkins

Essex County Deeds

Essex County Deeds Grantor Index - Sears/Seares https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZZ-BXV?i=395&wc=MCBL-YM9%3A361613201%2C361828601&cc=2106411 396 of 808

Essex County Deeds Grantees Index - Sears/Seares https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89ZZ-BKH?i=153&cc=2106411&cat=209907 54 of 457

Have notes about say thirteen deeds. Some rough notes included here, subject to transcription error.

Recorded 1763, Feb 22, Nicoles Dodge to William Sears

Beverly Essex County, Massachusetts Deeds, 111:110,

007463307 image 412 of 587

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9ZZ-1Z6R?i=411&cc=2106411&cat=209907

On 1 December 1762, Nicoles (Nicholas) Dodge (wife, Experience), of Beverly, cooper, sold to William Sears of Beverly, cooper, for £213 6s 8d a messuage or Tenement in Beverly consisting of a Dwelling House, Barn, Coopers Shop and about seventeen acres and seventeen pols of land … bounded by Benja Shaw's land at the country Road … by the Barn and Cyder House … to Mr. Peter Woodbury's wall to a stake and heap of stones …; also mentions, Benj. Shaw's land … Sale also includes a parcel of swamp land, about two acres and three quarters more or less, the description mentions land of "my Brother Caleb Dodge" and "my Brother William Dodge." Reserves right of "my Brother Robert Dodge" to pass, mentions "mowing land" of about seven acres I conveyed to my Brother Caleb Dodge to the Spring

Recorded 1799, Jan 11, William Sears to John Batchelder, 164:208 Beverly.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZZ-14CX?i=214&cc=2106411&cat=209907

Deed is dated 14 February 1794.

Captain William Sears of Beverly in the County of Essex in the Province of Massachusetts Bay with consent of Elizabeth his wife sells messuage or tenement … in Beverly … by Raiments land … (mentions several Dodge land parcels).

Recorded 1796 May 20, William Sears to Samuel Blackburn et al. 159:274 Salem.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9ZZ-B8PB?i=599&cc=2106411&cat=209907

Deed is dated 13 April 1796.

I William Sears of Bridgton in the County of Cumberland & Commonwealth of Massachusetts Cooper …

Research Notes

Yarmouth branch, pedigree fraud re Richard Sears (abt.1595-abt.1676). The two references below provide information about the Sears fraud. For background on Somerby issues, see Paul C. Reed, "Two Somerby Frauds: or 'Placing the Wrong Flesh on the Wrong Bones.'" The American Genealogist 74 (Jan 1999): 15-30; digital images by subscription, AmericanAncestors. Among others, Reed cites, Robert Charles Anderson, "We Wuz Robbed! The modus operandi of Gustave Anjou," Genealogical Journal 19 (1991):47-58.

• Samuel Pearce May, "Some Doubts Concerning the Sears Pedigree," The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 40 (1886):261-268; digital images, Hathi Trust.

• Samuel P. Mays, The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass. 1638 - 1888 (Albany, N.Y.: Joel Munsell's Sons, 1890); digital images, Hathi Trust. For this text and reportedly the author's handwritten notes regarding the families, see InternetArchive and especially, "Appendix: Other Families of Sears," InternetArchive, courtesy of L. Ray Sears and Rick Pierpont.

Sources

See also--

• L. Roy Sears, Sears Genealogical Catalogue (Duncan, Ok.: the author, 1992); digital images, InternetArchive.