Location: West Brewster, Barnstable (Cape Cod), Massachusetts
Surname/tag: Sears
Tiny URL Link to this page since copy/paste of the browser URL won't work in an email
This page is devoted to those buried in the Ancient Sears Cemetery, adjacent to Bound Brook, West Brewster, Mass. Just off the Old King's Highway (Rte 6A) and Airline Rd. Located at: Lat 41.44.39N Lon 070.08.45W
Tombstones with a star - ☆ - are Revolutionary war veterans
The 124 headstones and footstones in the Ancient Sears Cemetery, W Brewster, Barnstable co, MA are facing west. The older stones start at the NW corner of the 30 x 55 yd plot and the newest are in the SE corner. There are eight rows and the following numbering system was used as we crawled from one row to the next. All 124 people are directly related to one another.
More details at this website which will be transferred to this page as soon as possible. The plots are numbered from the oldest stones (NW corner) as you would walk down one row and then back the next row doing a cemetery transcription.
NE Corner-----------------------------------55 yds wide------------------------------------------------SE Corner |
124|123|122☆|121|120|119|118|117☆|116|115|114|113|112|112|row 8 |
95|96|97|98|99|100|101|102|103|104|105|106|107|108|109☆|110|row 7 |
94|93|92|91|90|89|88|87|86|85|84|83☆|82|81|80|79|row 6 |
60|61|62|63|64|65|66|67|68☆|69|70|71|72|73|74|75|76|77|78| row 5 |
59|58|57|56|55|54|53|52|51☆|50|49|48|47|46|45☆| row 4 |
38|39|40|41|42|43|44| row 3 |
37|36|35|34|33|32|31|30|29|28|27|26|25|24|23|22|21|20|19|18|17|16| row 2 |
1| 2| 3| 4| 5☆| 6| 7| 8| 9 |10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15| row 1 |
NW Corner-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SW Corner |
- Plot Graph
I have been dreaming of this project since my Dad first took me to the old family cemetery.
It was a secret place that only "natives" could find which added to its mystique. To see the name
SEARS on so many stones was intriguing. The cemetery is located on the east side of the boundary
brook (Quivet Creek) between Dennis and Brewster on Cape Cod, Mass. It once fronted Old County Way but when The Kings Highway, Route 6A, was straightened, it was left off the beaten path. The
burying ground is entered through an iron gate held by granite posts which are labeled 1881 on the
left and 1721 on the right. I imagine the granite/iron rail fence was erected in 1881. The quiet
knoll on which it is situated overlooks an unnamed pond which, is evidently the headwaters of
Quivett Creek.
I vividly remember my first visit to the cemetery because of the case of poison ivy which I
got there. The trail in from Airline road is about 75 yards long and has stepping stones over a
herring ladder. Local residents recently repaired this ladder to insure the herring can return to
their breeding ground. In recent years the path and the cemetery itself have been extremely well
maintained. Katherine Sears(see No. 2566)left money in her will to the town of Brewster for
maintenance and this may have helped with the care. Her father-in-law William G and brother-in-law
Samuel T. are buried there.
A brass plaque mounted on a post at the entrance used to announce this cemetery as "The
Ancient Sears Cemetery" with dates of use but all that remains is the post. A mailbox was placed at the entrance in 1999 by Ray Sears and can be used to hold the flyers that detail information about the tombstone. The earliest stone
is #38 and the last stone is #102, Knyvet Howes, who owned the house just northeast of the cemetery
on Old County Way. Some stones are missing (evidenced by the existence of a footstone but no
headstone). Other stones are unmarked. It appears there were once straight rows of stones which have probably "drifted" in the last 250 years. There are some blank areas with no stones which may be additional unmarked graves. I made up my own numbering system which is the order in which the stones were read. Some are cracked and one had broken into three pieces and was duplicated three stones further in the row. The slate stones from the 1700's have stood up the best. White marble stones have some kind of yellow lichen attacking them. It was often necessary to dig around the bottom of the stone to reveal the complete inscription.
The stones are typical for the Cape and show evidence of all the popular icons of the time.
The tympanum or curved top part of the stone usually had a carved icon. The main body contained vital statistics and possibly an epitaph. The shoulders were usually rounded and below were borders containing wreaths, vines and other carvings. I have tried to show a general outline of the stone and describe the icon. I have also reproduced as carefully as possible the layout of
letters on the stones. All of the popular icons are represented here. The winged skull, winged
cherub, sunrise, willow and urn. The winged skull may have represented that death was impossible to beat but that with God's grace, the soul may be immortalized in heaven. The fleshed out cherub's face was less gruesome than the skull and may have been the beginning of the euphemisms we use to hide death's face. The sunset (or sunrise?) possibly signifies the end of life on earth and beginning of a new day. The urn and willow represent the people left on earth with the urn as the repository of the loved one and the willow as the tree of mourning. Some stones were cenotaphs which indicated that the person had been lost at sea (stone No 97). A couple of stones showed multiple names (especially for children), which may not be proof that the individuals were actually buried there. Stones were often placed many years later, which can account for discrepancies in locations and dates.
Epitaphs are especially interesting. Some stonecutters supposedly had books full of them from
which a family could choose. Other epitaphs must have been composed by the deceased or his family. It's interesting that Sarah Sears had two tombstones within a few feet of each other- #69, #72
In any case this study of our ancestors burying ground can reveal much about the way they
lived and their hopes and fears. Work remains to be done to document the blank spots in the
burying ground. Maybe Richard the Pilgrim is even buried here under the big boulder on the west
side?
1 (Skull) Here lyes ye Body of | 2 (Skull) Here lyes Buried | 3 (Skull) Here lies buried | 4 (Cherub) To the memory of |
5 (Cherub) ☆ In memory of Mr | 6 (Cherub)
In Memory of | 7 (Willow)
Miss Mercy Sears | 8 (Skull) Here lyes Buried |
9 (Cherub) Here lies buried | 10 (Skull)
Here lyes Buried | 11 (Skull) Here lyes Buried ye Body | 12 (Skull)
In Memory of |
13 (Cherub) In Memory of | 14 (Cherub)
In Memory of | 15 (Skull) In Memory of | 16 (Cherub)
In Memory of |
17 (Cherub)
Here lies buried | 18 (Skull)
Here Lyes ye Body of | 19 (Cherub)
In Memory of Mr | 20 (Urn) In Memory of |
21 (Willow) In memory of | 22 (Urn) In Memory of | 23 (Cherub) In Memory of | 24 (Cherub) Here lies buried |
25 (Cherub) Here Lies buried | 26 (Skull) Bithiah Sears Dau | 27 (Skull) Here lyes ye Body | 28 (Skull) Heman Sears Son |
29 (Skull) Here Lyes buried ye | 30 (Skull) Here Lyes Buried | 31 (Skull) Here lyes ye Body | 32(Skull) Here lyes ye Body |
33 (Skull) Here lyes Buried | 34 (Skull) Here lyes ye | 35 (Skull) Here lyes Buried ye | 36 (Skull) Here lyes ye Body |
38 (Skull) NATHL SEARS SON | 39 (Skull) ISAAC SEARS SON | 40 (Skull) Heman Sears | 41 (Skull) Seth Sears Son |
42 (Cherub) In memory of | 43 (Urn & Willow) In memory of | 44 (Urn) In memory of | 45 (Star) ☆ In memory of |
46 (Star) In memory of | 47 (Cherub) In Memory of | 48 (Cherub) In Memory of | 49 (Cherub) In Memory of |
50 (Cherub) In Memory of | 51 ☆ In memory of | (new stone?) | 52 (Cherub) In |
53 (Cherub) Here lies buried | 54 (Cherub) Here lies ye Body of | 55 (Skull) Here lyes the body | 56 (Skull) Here lyes ye body of |
57? | 58 Here lies the Body of | 59 (Skull) Here lies ye Body of | 60 (Skull) In Memory of |
61 (Skull) In Memory of | 62 (Cherub) In Memory of Mr | 63 (Sun) In Memory of | 64 In Memory of |
65 (Urn) In memory of | 66 (Skull) In Memory of | 67 (Cherub) In Memory of | 68 (Urn & Willow) ☆ MR JOSHUA SEARS |
69 In memory of | 70 In Memory of | 72 (Cherub) In Memory of Mrs | 73 (Cherub) In Memory of Mrs |
74 (Sun) In Memory of With love divine & puer delight | 75 Urn & Willow) In Memory of | 76 In Memory of
Mr REUBEN SEARS
who died
Jun 2 1829 | 77 (Star) In memory of How sweet she sleeps in christ her |
78 (Star) In memory of | 79 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of | 81 (Star)
In Memory of | 82 VIENNA SEARS |
83 ☆ In | 84
In
Memory of | 85 (Urn) In | 86 NEAR |
87 Dau of | 88 (Cherub) Memento Mori
In Memory of | 89 (Cherub) In Memory of | 90 (Skull) Here lyes Buried |
91 (Skull)
In Memory of | 92 (Willow)
In memory of | 94 (Willow)
In memory of | 95☆ (Urn & Willow)
In memory of |
96 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of | 97 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of | 98 ALMIRA | 99 Mrs
JERUSHA
widow of |
100 LABAN
Son of Levi & | 101 LEVI SEARS | 102 (Wreath)
G KNYVET HOWES | 103
SAMUEL SEARS |
104 (Urn & Willow)
Here lies the body of | 105 (Urn) ERECTED IN MEMORY OF | 106 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of | 107 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of |
108 (Urn & Willow)
In memory of | 109☆ JOHN SEARS | 110 (Star)
KEZIAH | 111 Samuel T Sears |
112 William G Sears Mary H Thacher | 113 AZUBAH | 114 THOMAS SEARS | 115 (Willow) Miss Susan Sears |
116 (Urn & Willow) Mrs MERCY | 117 ☆ SACRED | 118 SALLIE | 119 In memory of |
120 ELKANAH SEARS | 121
In memory of | 122 (Urn & Willow) ☆ In memory of | 123 SARAH |
124 JONATHAN SEARS |
Num | Surname | Given Name | Died | Age |
---|---|---|---|---|
118 | Berry | Sallie | 18 Mar 1889 | 87 |
116 | Bray | Mercy | 09 Jul 1846 | 83 |
050 | Crowell | Anna | 26 May 1785 | 47 |
113 | Crowell | Azubah | 04 Jan 1867 | 66 |
024 | Crowell | Deborah | 18 Sep 1753 | 34 |
006 | Crowell | Hannah | 22 Jun 1802 | 77 |
099 | Foster | Jerusha | 10 Apr 1858 | 106 |
111 | Freeman | Marcy | 30 Aug 1747 | 74 |
009 | Freeman | Prissilla | 08 May 1764 | 78 |
105 | Hall | Betsey | 01 Jul 1818 | 81 |
119 | Hall | Clarissa | 11 Apr 1835 | 32 |
078 | Hall | Hipzabah | 09 Jul 1793 | 22 |
123 | Hallett | Sarah | 16 Jul 1871 | 71 |
107 | Hamblen | Keziah | 14 Dec 1838 | 75 |
035 | Hawes | Elizabeth | 08 Jan 1748 | 52 |
052 | Higgins | Margery | 01 Aug 1795 | 60 |
063 | Howes | Desiri | 06 Jan 1804 | 79 |
102 | Howes | G Knyvet | 01 Jan 1949 | 92 |
044 | Howes | Keziah | 04 Sep 1827 | 57 |
054 | Howes | Susanna- | 09 Apr 1763 | 42 |
075 | Hurd | Sally | 29 Sep 1812 | 40 |
001 | Mayo | Mercy | 20 Jan 1748 | 84 |
066 | Mayo | Rhoda | 16 Apr 1784 | 28 |
046 | Merrill | Desire | 01 Sep 1828 | 62 |
004 | Paddock | Eleſebath | 11 Jun 1772 | |
096 | Remick | Abigail | 13 Dec 1828 | 72 |
095 | Remick | Freeman | 30 Nov 1826 | 71 |
092 | Rider | Nabby | 08 Aug 1811 | 11 |
031 | Ryder | Lydia | 24 Mar 1734 | 25 |
029 | Ryder | Priscilla | 18 Jan 1743 | 36 |
097 | Ryder | Sally | 18 Sep 1828 | 51 |
087 | Sears | 12 May 1839 | ||
098 | Sears | Almira | 20 Aug 1863 | 62 |
027 | Sears | Bathsheba | 19 Apr 1735 | 24 |
104 | Sears | Benjamin | 15 Apr 1825 | 18 |
084 | Sears | Bethia | 10 Nov 1812 | 81 |
018 | Sears | Bethiah | 25 Apr 1759 | 21 |
067 | Sears | Betsy | 05 Oct 1787 | 9 |
026 | Sears | Bithiah | 08 Sep 1736 | 9 |
016 | Sears | Constant | 27 Jun 1768 | 19 |
012 | Sears | Daniel | 28 Nov 1771 | 62 |
049 | Sears | Daniel | 23 Sep 1776 | |
005 | Sears | Edmund | 12 Aug 1796 | 85 |
122 | Sears | Edmund | 16 Mar 1832 | 88 |
083 | Sears | Edward | 14 Sep 1907 | 61 |
021 | Sears | Elisha | 05 Dec 1822 | 81 |
014 | Sears | Elisha | 07 Mar 1790 | 84 |
079 | Sears | Elisha | 14 Dec 1838 | 42 |
060 | Sears | Elizabeth | 23 Oct 1798 | 34 |
117 | Sears | Elkanah | 01 Jun 1836 | 21 |
120 | Sears | Elkanah | 20 Jan 1876 | 75 |
017 | Sears | Enoch | 09 Mar 1767 | 21 |
094 | Sears | Hannah | 15 Jan 1835 | 74 |
028 | Sears | Heman | 01 Aug 1726 | 1 |
040 | Sears | Heman | 01 Jun 1734 | 3 mo |
039 | Sears | Isaac | 13 Jan 1724 | 2 |
059 | Sears | Isaac | 24 Mar 1759 | 25 |
065 | Sears | Jacob | 23 Apr 1803 | 8 mo |
008 | Sears | John | 09 Apr 1739 | 61 |
023 | Sears | John | 05 Dec 1791 | 79 |
043 | Sears | John | 24 Aug 1812 | 68 |
109 | Sears | John | 01 Jan 1817 | 72 |
033 | Sears | Jonathan | 03 Sep 1738 | 45 |
056 | Sears | Jonathan | 16 Dec 1759 | 28 |
124 | Sears | Jonathan | 18 Jul 1871 | 73 |
003 | Sears | Joseph | 25 Aug 1900 | |
058 | Sears | Joseph | 14 Mar 1758 | 30 |
088 | Sears | Joseph | 06 Aug 1779 | 72 |
108 | Sears | Joseph | 05 Jan 1846 | 82 |
068 | Sears | Joshua | 31 Mar 1825 | 73 |
047 | Sears | Keziah | 29 Jul 1787 | |
110 | Sean | Keziah | 17 Mar 1833 | 74 |
100 | Sears | Laban | 10 Aug 1819 | 13 |
090 | Sears | Larned | 11 Oct 1760 | 22 |
101 | Sears | Levi | 05 Dec 1825 | 54 |
086 | Sears | Maria | 01 Mar 1823 | |
061 | Sears | Mary | 11 Apr 1794 | 30 |
070 | Sears | Mary | 15 May 1785 | 9 |
042 | Sears | Mehitable | 19 May 1798 | 48 |
007 | Sears | Mercy | 27 Jan 1849 | 89 |
051 | Sears | Micajah | 01 Feb 1823 | 85 |
038 | Sears | Nathaniel | 04 Jan 1724 | 3 |
045 | Sears | Noah | 23 Sep 1835 | 85 |
078 | Sears | Noah | 25 Aug 1828 | 21 |
010 | Sears | Paul | 17 Feb 1740 | 71 |
106 | Sears | Prince | 25 Feb 1829 | 94 |
022 | Sears | Priscilla | 12 Apr 1819 | 89 |
048 | Sears | Priscilla | 11 Mar 1777 | 28 |
076 | Sears | Reuben | 02 Jun 1829 | 28 |
055 | Sears | Rowland | 01 May 1750 | 24 |
089 | Sears | Ruth | 27 Mar 1741 | 78 |
034 | Sears | Samuel | 22 Nov 1726 | 40 |
019 | Sears | Samuel | 18 Mar 1792 | 56 |
062 | Sears | Samuel | 13 Aug 1774 | 53 |
064 | Sears | Samuel | 31 Jul 1783 | 20 |
103 | Sears | Samuel | 29 Jan 1855 | 63 |
111 | Sears | Samuel T | 18 Sep 1928 | 52 |
036 | Sears | Sarah | 16 Dec 1749 | 19 |
069 | Sears | Sarah | 15 Jan 1792 | 33 |
072 | Sears | Sarah | 15 Jan 1792 | 33 |
077 | Sears | Sarah | 23 Jun 1834 | 29 |
030 | Sears | Seth | 05 Mar 1750 | 48 |
041 | Sears | Seth | 31 May 1733 | 2 |
074 | Sears | Seth | 05 Mar 1806 | 39 |
081 | Sears | Seth | 11 Aug 1808 | 8 |
115 | Sears | Susan | 02 Jun 1857 | 63 |
085 | Sears | Susannah | 08 Feb 1800 | |
091 | Sears | Thankful | 28 Jul 1793 | 7 |
114 | Sears | Thomas | 28 Nov 1891 | 91 |
082 | Sears | Vienna | 27 Jun 1880 | 82 |
053 | Sears | Willard | 19 Aug 1765 | 51 |
112 | Sears | William G | 19 Dec 1904 | 66 |
032 | Snow | Marcy | 08 May 1790 | 31 |
013 | Snow | Mary | 08 May 1790 | 76 |
020 | Snow | Thankful | 10 Dec 1811 | 44 |
121 | Taylor | Hannah | 08 Jul 1826 | 76 |
015 | Vincent | Sarah | 12 Apr 1783 | 75 |
025 | Webb | Betty | 01 Sep 1755 | 36 |
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