William Sears (1808 - 1896)

Born 4 Apr 1808 in East Dennis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Son of Elkanah Sears and Mercy (Bray) Sears

Husband of Ruth (Berry) Sears — married 21 Jan 1836 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 16 Oct 1896 at age 88 in East Dennis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: L. Ray Sears [send private message]

Descendant of Elkanah Sears, a Revolutionary War Patriot.

Biography

William Sears, son of Elkanah Sears and Mercy (Bray) Sears, was born on 4 April 1808 at East Dennis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, USA.^[1]

He married Ruth Berry on 21 Jan. 1836 at South Yarmouth, Massachusetts.^[1]

William died on 16 Oct. 1896 at East Dennis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts and was buried at Quivet Neck Cemetery, ^[2] East Dennis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts. His memorial has photos and links to those of family members.^[3]

Children of William and Ruth

1. William G. b. 1838.
2. Isaac B. b. 1841.
3. Elkanah H. b. 1849.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Samuel P. May. The descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888 : With an appendix, containing some notices of other families by name of Sears 1890. Albany, NY. An Archive.org book. Richard Sares (Sears)
2. ↑ Cemetery Inscriptions of Dennis, MA p. 155 aged 88 y's 6 m's 12 d's
3. ↑ Find A Grave Memorial# 22992123 William Sears
4. ↑ Children page 239 Mays

• Dennis VR p 36, b April 4th 1808; p 152; p 301 d.; p. 658 m. int. 24 Dec 1835

• Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2495 Name:Mr William Sears Event Type:Marriage Intention (Marriage)

Marriage Date:24 Dec 1835 Marriage Place: Yarmouth, Massachusetts Spouse Name: Ruthy Berry

• NEHGS 1954 Vol 108 p. 265 Church Records of West Yarmouth m. Mr William Sears of Dennis to Miss Ruth Berry

• Barnstable County Massachusetts 1855 Census http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4815 Given Name:William Surname:Sears

Town:N. Dennis Line:31 Dwelling/order:55 Sex:M (Male) Age:47 Occupation:Farmer Born:Dennis

• 1860 Census - Dennis, MA salt manufr, enum with wife Ruth 52, William G 21, Isaac B 19 and Elkanah H 11 next door to Edmund Sears 68 farmer and Betsy 63

Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915 http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=2101 Name:William Sears Gender:Male Birth Date:abt 1808 Birth Place:Dennis Death Date:16 Oct 1896 Death Place:Dennis, Massachusetts, USA Age at Death:88 Father:Elkanah Sears Mother:Mercy Bray

• Find A Grave: Memorial #22992123

• Barnstable Patriot, Monday, February 15, 1897; Section: Front page, Page: 1

FEBRUARY, 1897. Will- of William Sears of East Dennis Admitted to Probate. An interesting contested will case was tried In the Probate Court at Barnstable Tuesday. William Sears of East Dennis died last October, at the ripe old age of 88 years. He was a cooper by trade, and had amassed a comfortable competence for his old age. (his wife died 20 years ago, and his son, Isaac B. Sears, went to live with him. For a time they had a housekeeper, but soon Isaac was married and brought his wife to the old homestead. A little girl was born, and Miss Ruth became a favorite of her grandfather. There were two other sons, William G. Sears and Elkanah Sears, who were married and had lived close by. In the winter of 1886 Isaac B. Sears was evicted by process of law, and set up housekeeping of his own. He claimed that William G. and Elkanah had turned the old man against him. William G. Sears and his wife then went to live with the father, and continued to do so until his death. In July, 1886, the father, accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. William G. Sears, drove to Yarmouth. They stopped on the way to get two relatives as witnesses, and then went to Judge Swift's house to ask him to draw up the old gentleman's will. Mr. Swift was not at home, and they requested his father, Editor Charles F. Swift, of the Yarmouth Register, to draw the will. "I don't know anything about drawing wills," said Editor Swift, "but if you will run the risk I will do so," and the will was drawn. This will practically gives the property to William G. Sears and Elkanah Sears, cuts Miss Ruthie off without a cent, and leaves Isaac only the 'life use of some salt works. Isaac contests on the ground of undue influence. The principal witness for the contestant was Mrs. Thomas Sears of East Dennis, who testified that she was the widow of the testator's brother, and had known the testator all his life. The testator used to constantly visit her, almost daily for years. He was a quiet, weakminded man, of a retiring disposition. He made a confident of her. He told her the will was in William G. Sears's possession in his bed room; that he wanted Isaac and Ruthie to have a share; that Isaac was the most affectionate of his boys; that he didn't will his property as he wanted to; that he couldn't do what he wished; that he was treated shamefully by Mr. and Mrs. William G. Sears, Who didn't supply him with proper nourishment, wouldn't give him any money, tried to make him believe his property was all gone, and even made him wash his clothes in cold water. Isaac B. Sears testified to conversations with his father, and that his father was ill-treated in his last sickness, and Dr. Cummings of Brewster, whom he called to attend him, not allowed in the house. There was other testimony of conversations in which the old man spoke affectionately of Isaac. In rebuttal, Dr. Maude E. S. Powell, who attended the old gentleman in his last sickness, testified that he had proper medical treatment. Judge Harriman sustained the will, and the contestant appealed. H. H. Baker, Jr., appeared for Isaac B. Sears, and Smith K. Hopkins and T. C. Day for the executors.

• Paternal relationship is confirmed through Y-chromosome DNA testing. Leslie Ray Sears, FTDNA kit #71407, and his 8th cousin once removed, S Sears, FTDNA kit #288941, match at a Genetic Distance of 3 on 37 markers thereby confirming their direct paternal lines back to their MRCA Richard Sears. FTDNA indicates that the probability the two share a common ancestor within the last 10 generations is 98.89% and within the last 8 generations is 97.28%. S¹¹ Sears - Almond Keith¹⁰ Sears - Robert Percy ⁹ Sears - Orange Almoin⁸ Sears - Lysander⁷ Sears - Zachariah⁶ Sears - Rowland⁵ Sears - Zachariah⁴ Sears - Joseph³ Sears - Silas² Sears - Richard¹ Sears