Advertisement

George Jacob Sears

Advertisement

George Jacob Sears

Birth
Rowan County, North Carolina, USA
Death
20 Sep 1857 (aged 68)
Harrison County, Indiana, USA
Burial
Bradford, Harrison County, Indiana, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
George Jacob Sears was born on 5 Mar 1789 Rowan County, North Carolina just 5 days before his future wife Catherine (Katie) Hon was born 10 Mar 1789 in Fayette County, Kentucky near Lexington to Jonas Hon and Mary Keithley. George's parents were John Sears and Catherine Conrad. George was seven years old when his parents left North Carolina for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Jonas Hon and his wife and family including daughter Catherine moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky by 6th Aug 1800.

On the 26th Aug 1811 Jonas Hon and his wife made the following statement: " Be it known to the Honorable County Clerk of Bourbon that we the parents of our daughter Catherine have no objections for honor George Sears to receive license and be united by the marriage covenant given under our hands August 26th 1811 (signed) Jonas Hon and Mary his wife Att Abraham Kern" Also on 26th of Aug 1811 a bond was taken out by Henry Sears and George Sears for this marriage with the state of Kentucky. Henry was George's older brother. The marriage book has a missing page but most of the marriages were performed a day or so after the Bond and at this time, this marriage was performed by Richard Thomas.

In 1813 George was a farmer of 160 acres on the Sommerset Waters of Bourbon County. In this same year on Oct 12th his first child was born named Levina Leona Sears. In 1815 George and his family including his father and Step-mother moved to Nicholas County, Kentucky. They only remained there two years and then George bought land in Harrison County, Indiana, 160 acres in the SW 1/4 of township 2 Section 13 Range 4 on 17 Nov 1817. This land was in Morgan township and his father bought land next to him.

Another daughter Julia Ann is born 12 Jul 1815 in Nicholas County, Kentucky. The next child was a son named Emanuel born 12 Jul 1817 in Nicholas county, Kentucky.

Enoch William Sears was the first child born in Indiana. By the time of his birth 3 Jul 1819 the area where his parents lived had been formed into a new county called Floyd. On 5 Nov 1822 another brother named Peter Hon Sears was born. Then sister Penelope 18 Aug 1825 and Susan about 1830. Marion Clinton Sears was born 22 Jan 1830. The youngest member of the family was Anderson Sears born 29 Dec 1832 in Floyd County, Indiana.

George Jacob Sears and his wife Catherine were members of the Dunkard church. In Indiana this was Bethel Meething House located in Bradford, Indiana. 1 Feb 1840 George is listed in the membership list and again 1st Jan 1851. His wife Catherine is listed on the Charter membership list 5 Jul 1833, this is a partial list. She is also on the church lists in 1840, 1851, and 1854. They were very devout members of the Dunkard church which was group of German Baptist nickname Dunkard because of their practice of tri-immersion Baptism, So English speaking people called them Dunkers. Bethel Meeting House was call a Church of Christ which what the local people called the unity of the Dunkards with new lights and reformed baptists. In the 1850's Bethel Meetinghouse families built more churches close to their communities and some joined other churches so, church membership began to decline and change.

On the 23 of Jan 1856 George wrote his will which follows:

#589 #591 "Page 122 George Sears WilI in the name of the Benevolent Father of all I George Sears ofthe County of Floyd and state of Indiana whereby publish this my last will and testament Item 1st I Give and bequeath my love wife Catherine Sears after paying my just debts and funeral expenses all my real and personal estate of which I shall d____except the bequeaths here after named Item 2nd I devise andbequeath to Leona Bufford my oldest daughter one dollar Item 3rdI devise and bequeath Julia Trobridge my second daughter one dollar.item 4th I devise and bequeath to my son Emanuel Sears onedollar.Item 5th I devise and bequeath to my son Enoch Sears one dollar.Item 6th I devise and bequeath to my son Peter H Sears one dollarItem 7th I devise and bequeath to my son Marion C. Sears one dollarItem 8th I devise and bequeath to my son Anderson Sears one dollarI do hereby nominate and appoint my son Enoch Sears my Executorto C___ this my last will and testament into execution. Witnessmy hand and seal this 23rd day of January 1856 George his mark Sears (seal)Signed sealed and acknowledged in our presence and we signed this last will in his presence and in the presence of each otherJohn D. Daniel , Peril his mark Sappinfield state of Indiana Harrison County, Set Be it remembered that in this day personally appeared before me George W. Denbo Clerk of the Harrison Court of Common PLeas Peril Sappinfield of lawful age one of the subscribing witnessesto the foregoing last will and testament of George Sears last ofsaid County deceased who being by me duly swoon to state all heknows concerning the execution subscribing and attesting of said will diposes and says that the said George Sears signed sealed acknowledged published declared the foregoing instrument of writing to his last will and testament in his presence and inthe presence of Peril Sappinfield the other subscribing witnesses to said last will and that he the said Sappinfield together with said Daniel Witnesssess as aforesaid attested thesame in the presence of testator and in the presence of eachother and that the said George Sears at the time of executing said last will was of lawful age to devise his property of sound and disposing mind & memory and not under coercion or restrain tand further says not Peril his mark Sappenfield pg 123 George Sears will continued State of Indiana Harrison CountyI George W Denbo clerk of Harrison county Common Pleas do hereby certify that the above named Peril Sappenfield personally appeared before me and took and subscribed within oath in due form of law. Witness my hand and the seal of said ccourt atCorydon this the 29th day of October 1857 Geo. W. Denbo Clk.State of Indiana Harrison County : setI George W. Denbo clerk of the Harrison Court of Common Please hereby certify that the foregoing late will and testament of George Sears deceased has been duly admitted to probate thats its due execution was this day proven by Peril Sappenfield whom proof together with said will has been duly recorded in my office in recorded of will Volume C at page 122 & 123. Witness my hand and seal of said Court at Corydon October 29th 185 Geo W. Denbo Clk."

Both George Jacob Sears and Catherine (Katie) Hon his wife are buried at Reep Cemetery. This is Bethel Meeting House Dunkard Cemetery. George died 20 Sep 1857 and his wife Catherine Hon died 23 Sep 1880.

The Children of George Jacob Sears and Catherine Hon are:
1. Lavina Leona Sears b. 2 Oct 1813 born married Hezekiah Burford
2. Julia Ann Sears b. 12 Jul 1815 married Joseph Trowbridge
3. Emamuel Sears b. 12 Jul 1817 married Elizabeth Hostetler
4. Enoch William Sears b. 3 Jul 1819 Margaret Hostetler
5. Peter Hon Sears b. 5 Nov 1822 Susan Jane Kern
6. Penelope Sears b.18 Aug 1825 Did not marry
7. Susan Sears b. abt 1830 Did not marry
8. Marion Clinton Sears b. 22 Jan 1830 married Amanda Cronk
9. Anderson Sears b. 29 Jan 1832 married Louisa Eliza Sappenfield
George Jacob Sears was born on 5 Mar 1789 Rowan County, North Carolina just 5 days before his future wife Catherine (Katie) Hon was born 10 Mar 1789 in Fayette County, Kentucky near Lexington to Jonas Hon and Mary Keithley. George's parents were John Sears and Catherine Conrad. George was seven years old when his parents left North Carolina for Bourbon County, Kentucky. Jonas Hon and his wife and family including daughter Catherine moved to Bourbon County, Kentucky by 6th Aug 1800.

On the 26th Aug 1811 Jonas Hon and his wife made the following statement: " Be it known to the Honorable County Clerk of Bourbon that we the parents of our daughter Catherine have no objections for honor George Sears to receive license and be united by the marriage covenant given under our hands August 26th 1811 (signed) Jonas Hon and Mary his wife Att Abraham Kern" Also on 26th of Aug 1811 a bond was taken out by Henry Sears and George Sears for this marriage with the state of Kentucky. Henry was George's older brother. The marriage book has a missing page but most of the marriages were performed a day or so after the Bond and at this time, this marriage was performed by Richard Thomas.

In 1813 George was a farmer of 160 acres on the Sommerset Waters of Bourbon County. In this same year on Oct 12th his first child was born named Levina Leona Sears. In 1815 George and his family including his father and Step-mother moved to Nicholas County, Kentucky. They only remained there two years and then George bought land in Harrison County, Indiana, 160 acres in the SW 1/4 of township 2 Section 13 Range 4 on 17 Nov 1817. This land was in Morgan township and his father bought land next to him.

Another daughter Julia Ann is born 12 Jul 1815 in Nicholas County, Kentucky. The next child was a son named Emanuel born 12 Jul 1817 in Nicholas county, Kentucky.

Enoch William Sears was the first child born in Indiana. By the time of his birth 3 Jul 1819 the area where his parents lived had been formed into a new county called Floyd. On 5 Nov 1822 another brother named Peter Hon Sears was born. Then sister Penelope 18 Aug 1825 and Susan about 1830. Marion Clinton Sears was born 22 Jan 1830. The youngest member of the family was Anderson Sears born 29 Dec 1832 in Floyd County, Indiana.

George Jacob Sears and his wife Catherine were members of the Dunkard church. In Indiana this was Bethel Meething House located in Bradford, Indiana. 1 Feb 1840 George is listed in the membership list and again 1st Jan 1851. His wife Catherine is listed on the Charter membership list 5 Jul 1833, this is a partial list. She is also on the church lists in 1840, 1851, and 1854. They were very devout members of the Dunkard church which was group of German Baptist nickname Dunkard because of their practice of tri-immersion Baptism, So English speaking people called them Dunkers. Bethel Meeting House was call a Church of Christ which what the local people called the unity of the Dunkards with new lights and reformed baptists. In the 1850's Bethel Meetinghouse families built more churches close to their communities and some joined other churches so, church membership began to decline and change.

On the 23 of Jan 1856 George wrote his will which follows:

#589 #591 "Page 122 George Sears WilI in the name of the Benevolent Father of all I George Sears ofthe County of Floyd and state of Indiana whereby publish this my last will and testament Item 1st I Give and bequeath my love wife Catherine Sears after paying my just debts and funeral expenses all my real and personal estate of which I shall d____except the bequeaths here after named Item 2nd I devise andbequeath to Leona Bufford my oldest daughter one dollar Item 3rdI devise and bequeath Julia Trobridge my second daughter one dollar.item 4th I devise and bequeath to my son Emanuel Sears onedollar.Item 5th I devise and bequeath to my son Enoch Sears one dollar.Item 6th I devise and bequeath to my son Peter H Sears one dollarItem 7th I devise and bequeath to my son Marion C. Sears one dollarItem 8th I devise and bequeath to my son Anderson Sears one dollarI do hereby nominate and appoint my son Enoch Sears my Executorto C___ this my last will and testament into execution. Witnessmy hand and seal this 23rd day of January 1856 George his mark Sears (seal)Signed sealed and acknowledged in our presence and we signed this last will in his presence and in the presence of each otherJohn D. Daniel , Peril his mark Sappinfield state of Indiana Harrison County, Set Be it remembered that in this day personally appeared before me George W. Denbo Clerk of the Harrison Court of Common PLeas Peril Sappinfield of lawful age one of the subscribing witnessesto the foregoing last will and testament of George Sears last ofsaid County deceased who being by me duly swoon to state all heknows concerning the execution subscribing and attesting of said will diposes and says that the said George Sears signed sealed acknowledged published declared the foregoing instrument of writing to his last will and testament in his presence and inthe presence of Peril Sappinfield the other subscribing witnesses to said last will and that he the said Sappinfield together with said Daniel Witnesssess as aforesaid attested thesame in the presence of testator and in the presence of eachother and that the said George Sears at the time of executing said last will was of lawful age to devise his property of sound and disposing mind & memory and not under coercion or restrain tand further says not Peril his mark Sappenfield pg 123 George Sears will continued State of Indiana Harrison CountyI George W Denbo clerk of Harrison county Common Pleas do hereby certify that the above named Peril Sappenfield personally appeared before me and took and subscribed within oath in due form of law. Witness my hand and the seal of said ccourt atCorydon this the 29th day of October 1857 Geo. W. Denbo Clk.State of Indiana Harrison County : setI George W. Denbo clerk of the Harrison Court of Common Please hereby certify that the foregoing late will and testament of George Sears deceased has been duly admitted to probate thats its due execution was this day proven by Peril Sappenfield whom proof together with said will has been duly recorded in my office in recorded of will Volume C at page 122 & 123. Witness my hand and seal of said Court at Corydon October 29th 185 Geo W. Denbo Clk."

Both George Jacob Sears and Catherine (Katie) Hon his wife are buried at Reep Cemetery. This is Bethel Meeting House Dunkard Cemetery. George died 20 Sep 1857 and his wife Catherine Hon died 23 Sep 1880.

The Children of George Jacob Sears and Catherine Hon are:
1. Lavina Leona Sears b. 2 Oct 1813 born married Hezekiah Burford
2. Julia Ann Sears b. 12 Jul 1815 married Joseph Trowbridge
3. Emamuel Sears b. 12 Jul 1817 married Elizabeth Hostetler
4. Enoch William Sears b. 3 Jul 1819 Margaret Hostetler
5. Peter Hon Sears b. 5 Nov 1822 Susan Jane Kern
6. Penelope Sears b.18 Aug 1825 Did not marry
7. Susan Sears b. abt 1830 Did not marry
8. Marion Clinton Sears b. 22 Jan 1830 married Amanda Cronk
9. Anderson Sears b. 29 Jan 1832 married Louisa Eliza Sappenfield


Advertisement