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Archibald Sears

Archibald Sears

Male 1802 - 1893  (91 years)

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  • Name Archibald Sears  [1] 
    Birth 23 Feb 1802  South East, Dutchess Co, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3] 
    Gender Male 
    Death 28 Oct 1893  Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 4] 
    Burial Abt Nov 1893  Little Rock Twp Cemetery, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 3, 5] 
    Person ID I127  Cooley Miller Sears Barnhouse
    Last Modified 5 Nov 2020 

    Father James Sears,   b. 24 Mar 1778, South East, Dutchess Co, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Feb 1857, Tyre, Seneca Co, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years) 
    Mother Mehitable Sherwood,   b. Abt Nov 1780, Fairfield, Fairfield Co, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 12 Mar 1826, Wayne County, New York Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 45 years) 
    Marriage 19 Nov 1797  Probably South East New York Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F35  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Susan Hadden,   b. 25 Dec 1815, New York City, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Jun 1845, Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 29 years) 
    Marriage 30 Jun 1833  Probably Westchester Co, New York Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    Children 
     1. Sarah Francis Sears,   b. 31 Jul 1834, Probably Westchester Co, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1892, Bedford, Taylor Co, Iowa Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 57 years)
     2. Caroline Matilida Sears,   b. 24 Feb 1835, New York Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 20 Oct 1843, Little Rock Twp Cemetery, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 8 years)
     3. James Morris Sears,   b. 2 Mar 1838, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Jun 1922, Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 84 years)
     4. Adeline Sears,   b. 17 Jan 1840, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 21 Apr 1851, Little Rock Twp Cemetery, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 11 years)
     5. Cordelia Eveline Sears,   b. 2 Sep 1841, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Apr 1842, Probably Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
     6. Julia Hadden Sears,   b. 6 Aug 1843, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Sep 1847, Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 4 years)
     7. Susan Sears,   b. 6 Jun 1845, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 7 Jun 1845, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 0 years)
    Family ID F34  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 18 Jan 2006 

    Family 2 Rachel Maria Carver,   b. 26 Oct 1818, Hebron, Tolland Co, Connecticut Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 10 Mar 1905, Aurora, Hamilton Co, Nebraska Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 86 years) 
    Marriage 23 Aug 1850  Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location  [7, 8] 
    • On their marriage certificate her given name spelled "Rachael"
    Children 
     1. Charles Madison Sears,   b. 10 Jun 1851, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Aug 1944, Long Beach, Los Angeles Co, California Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 93 years)
     2. Mary Emeline Sears,   b. 2 Sep 1853, Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Dec 1941, Evanston, Cook Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 88 years)
     3. Albert Hollister Sears,   b. 14 May 1856, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Apr 1917, Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years)
     4. Alice Maria Sears,   b. 14 May 1856, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Apr 1938, Aurora, Hamilton Co, Nebraska Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 81 years)
     5. Sherman Sherwood Sears,   b. 15 May 1859, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Aug 1949, Alliance, Box Butte Co, Nebraska Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)
     6. Ada Ann Sears,   b. 26 Oct 1861, Little Rock Twp, Kendall Co, Illinois Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 14 Jun 1924, Crawfordsville, Montgomery Co, Indiana Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 62 years)
    Family ID F33  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 28 Aug 2022 

  • Photos
    Archibald Sears    		Archibald Sears

  • Notes 
    • Archibald Sears, noted in the pioneer days of Kendall county, was born February 23, 1802 in Putnam County [then Dutchess County], N.Y., and for his time possessed an exceptional education as he was a successful teacher and a competent surveyor. For a period he was engaged in merchandising and in 1836 started for the West, going by way of the Canal and Great Lakes. After prospecting throughout this region he concluded that he could not find better land for farming purposes than in Kendall County. He settled on section 13 and there built a log house. He located one section of land situated on the banks of the Little Rock Creek and in 1842, when there was a land sale, he bought the six hundred and forty acres. He made a specialty of raising wheat and swine, as better prices were realized on these products than on any other farm produce at that early day and it was necessary to haul things to Chicago as the railroad was not constructed until long afterwards. There being great demand for surveyors, Mr. Sears found plenty of employment as such, and laid out farms and roads and did general government surveying throughout this portion of the state. In this way he was enabled to pay for his large landed estates and to make necessary improvements. He was the first supervisor of this township after its organization and continued to fill that office for several years. He also served as a justice of the peace and county surveyor. In 1866 he retired from active life and for twenty years dwelt in the town of Sandwich. His last years were spent in Plano where his death occurred in November, 1893 [28 Oct 1893]. The first marriage of Archibald Sears took place in the Empire state in June, 1833, his choice being Miss Susan Hadden. She was a native of the same county as her husband, a daughter of Morris and Sarah (Nelson) Hadden, both natives of New York. Susan Hadden died June 10, 1845 in Plano. On the 23d of August 1850, Archibald married Mrs. Rachel Smith, daughter of David T. and Charlotte (Tarbox) Carver. Six children were born to his union, namely, Charles M, Albert H, Sherman S, Mary E Henning, Alice M Mather and Ada A Miller. - Genealogical and Biographical Record of Kendall and Will Counties, Illinois
      SEARS, Archibald (deceased), for so many years a factor in the development of different sections of Illinois, came early to Kendall County, interested himself in its agricultural and manufacturing development and after an unusually long life, passed away at Plano in November 1893 [28 Oct 1893] when aged ninety-two years. He was born in Putnam County [then Dutchess County] N.Y. February 23, 1802, a son of James Sears and Mehetabel Sherwood and a grandson of Thomas and Mary (Baldwin) Sears. Grandfather Thomas Sears was an officer in the Revolutionary War from Massachusetts. To James Sears and wife were born: Eli, Archibald, Thomas, Isaac, Caroline, Melanchthon [Melanthe], and Sally. When twelve years old, Archibald Sears accompanied his parents in their removal to Wayne County, New York and there helped his father to clear pioneer farm, meanwhile acquiring sufficient knowledge of books to enable him to teach school at the age of 22 years. He also followed surveying which entailed considerable mathematical knowledge and at that time was a very profitable profession. In June 1833 he was married to Susan Hadden who was born in New York, December 25, 1815 daughter of a merchant at Westchester, Putnam County, New York. In 1836 with a capital of $1,500 Archibald Sears accompanied by Joab Austin, a relative, came to Illinois by way of sloops on the Hudson River as far as Albany and then by Erie Canal to Buffalo, crossing the lakes to the swampy village of Chicago. There he bought surveying tools and came on to Kendall County where he was soon engaged in assisting contractors in making surveys, working in as many as four counties laying out sections and townships. He was so engaged for about seven years, this region by that time having been covered by surveys but Mr. Sears kept his instruments and was ready to do a job of surveying even when an old man and his services in this direction were valued because of their absolute accuracy. He surveyed public and private roads and several State roads, farm lines, woodland tracts, and in fact, anything the correct dimensions of which came under the ordinary work of one of his profession. In the meanwhile, Mr. Sears invested in property as land came into the market and owned 550 acres on Big Rock Creek. Because his time was mainly occupied with surveying he rented out that land until 1863 when he sold his farm and retired to Sandwich where he resided for twenty years, moving to Plano about 1890. He became a stockholder in the Sandwich Manufacturing Company and assisted in solidly establishing what is one of the most substantial industries to Illinois, one that now has a capital stock of a half million dollars and his interest is still retained by the family. Mr. Sears was recognized to be not only a man of irreproachable life and incorruptible intergrity, but also one of sound business judgement and active public spirit. After townships were organized in Kendall County, he was elected the first Supervisor. He was also the first County Surveyor when Kendall was cut off from Kane County [1841] and served also as Commissioner and County Surveyor. He also served as a Justice of the Peace. When the old political parties broke up and the Republican party was organised, he, with other true-hearted patriots, identified himself with the new movement and gave support to the political campaign of Gen. John C. Fremont. The death of Mr. Sears' first wife occurred in June 1845 when her age was thirty years. His second marriage took place August 23, 1850, to Rachel M. Carver, born October 26, 1818 in Connecticut, daughter of David T. and Charlotte (Tarbox) Carver. To the first union a family was born one son, James M., surviving, one daughter, Mrs. Frances Beard, died at Bedford, Iowa in 1892, and others died in infancy. To the second union the following children were born: Charles M. who lives in Hamilton County, Nebr, Mary E. who lives at Plano, Ill, is the widow of Edgar Henning; Albert H. who is in the banking business at Plano; Alice M. who is the wife of Frederick Mather of Aurora, Nebr; Sherman S. also of Nebraska; and Mrs. Ada A. Miller. - Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois, History of Kendall County
      Plano was not founded on a desolate terrain as were many villages. This area had been occupied by a few early Kendall County settlers who had been here for several years. A Mr. Ball had built a saw and grist mill on the Big Rock Creek one mile south of Plano in 1835. He sold this mill to John Schneider two years later. Mr. Schneider had built the first mill at Yorkville in 1832, being an early settler there. Other mills were built nearby along the creeks and Fox River. David and Benjamin Evans were among the first settlers who claimed land where Plano is now located. Plano is the Spanish word for plain. They sold out to Marcus Steward in 1838. Archibald Sears and Cornelius Henning settled in 1836 from New York State. - http://www.cityofplanoil.com/
      Kendall County came into being on February 19, 1841, being named for Amos Kendall. The bill, at first introduced in the state legislature, provided that the county be called "Orange" County. Many early settlers here came form Orange County, New York, which undoubtedly had its in influence on that name. When the bill was finally read, the name Kendall was substituted and passed as such. The county was formed by taking six townships from LaSalle County and three from Kane. Yorkville was designated as the county seat until 1845, when it moved to Oswego. Yorkville finally became the county seat again in 1864, and no further changes were made. The first settlers in the county were Robert Beresford and his wife and two sons. They settled in what was later known as Holderman's grove in 1826. - http://www.cityofplanoil.com/history.html [9, 10]
    • (Research):E: letter Darnell to Arnold, 27 Oct 1960: "Archibald Sears was born in Putnam County [DBC note: It was still Dutchess County, Putnam formed out of Dutchess later], New York, the son of James and Mehitabel (Sherwood) Sears."


      Sears-Sherwood Timeline
      1735
      1738/9 b. Jehiel Sherwood in Fairfield CT
      1740
      1745 1745 b. Thomas Sears in Yarmouth MA?? or South East NY??

      1750

      1755

      1760 1763 m. Jehiel Sherwood (age 24/5) + Sarah Squire in Fairfield CT
      1765 1767 m. Thomas Sears (age 22) + Deborah Baldwin ?in South East NY??
      1770

      1775
      1778 b. James Sears in South East New York
      1780

      1785
      1790 1790 Census Jehiel Sherwood (age 51/2) in Fairfield CT 1790 Census Thomas Sears (age 45) in Dutchess Co NY
      1795 1797 m. James Sears (age 19) + Mehitable Sherwood where?? 1800 1800 Census James Sears (16-26) (age 22) Stanford Twp, Dutchess Co, NY 1800 Census Jehiel Sherwood (45+) (age 61/2) South East Twp, Dutchess Co, NY 1800 Census Thomas Sears (45+) (age 55) South East Twp, Dutchess Co, NY 1802 b. Archibald Sears in Carmel (Dutchess or Putnam Co?) NY
      1804 d. Thomas Sears (age 59) in South East NY
      1805 1807 d. Jehiel Sherwood (age 68) in South Eash NY 1810 1810 Census James Sears (26-45) (age 32) South East Twp, Dutchess Co, NY 1814 Moved James (age 36), Mehitable (age ?), Archibald (age 12) to Western NY (N.E. Sears notes) 1815

      1820 1820 Census James Sears (45+) (age 42) Seneca Co NY 1820 Archibald (age 18) starts school (N.E. Sears notes) 1824 Archibald (age 22) a school teacher "for a number of years" N.E. Sears notes
      1825
      1830 1830 Census James Sears (50-60) (age 52) Savannah Twp, Wayne Co, NY 1831 m. Archibald Sears (age 31) + Susan Hadden in probably Wayne Co, NY
      1835 1836 (fall) Archibald (age 34), wife, one child move to Plano IL
      1840 1841 ref Archibald Sears (age 39) County Surveyor (History of Kendall Co)
      1845 1843 d. Susan Hadden (Archibald age 43) in probably Plano IL 1850 1850 Census James Sears (age 72), Phebe, 3 children, Seneca Co 1850 Census Archibald Sears (age 48) + Elizabeth (age 30) Plano IL 1850 m. Archibald Sears (age 48) + Rachel Maria Carver in Plano IL
      1851 b. Charles Madison Sears in Plano IL
      1855 1857 d. James Sears (age 79) in Tyre, Seneca Co, NY
      1860
      1865 1865 Archibald Sears (age 63) moves to Sandwich, DeKalb Co, IL (The Voters & Taxpayers of DeKalb Co)
      1870 1874 m. Charles Madison Sears (age 23) + Katherine Evans
      1875

      1880

      1885 1887 Archibald Sears (age 85) moves back to Plano IL (N.E. Sears notes)
      1890
      1893 d. Archibald Sears (age 91)
      1895

      1900
      1905 1905 d. Rachel M. Carver 10 Mar 1905 (age 86) in Aurora NE

  • Sources 
    1. [S25] Helen L. Sears, Anne M. Sears and Barbara S. Sears, Helen Sears main, (Self-published paper by authors), pp5-6 (Reliability: 3).

    2. [S148] Ethel Alice Henning, EAH Affidavit main, (Affiant: Ethel A. Henning, 125 56th Ave S. (no city or state given, assumed to be Florida). Sworn to before me this 11th day of December 1959, Susan B. Lovelady, Notary Public (Florida) ), Born 23 Feb 1802 at South East, Dutchess Co, NY, SE15. (Reliability: 3).

    3. [S478] Gravestone, Little Rock Township (aka Plano) Cemetery: Archibald Sears Feb 28, 1802/Oct 28, 1893 (Reliability: 3).
      Little Rock Township Cemetery, Plano, Illinois      		 Little Rock Township Cemetery, Plano, Illinois


    4. [S148] Ethel Alice Henning, EAH Affidavit main, (Affiant: Ethel A. Henning, 125 56th Ave S. (no city or state given, assumed to be Florida). Sworn to before me this 11th day of December 1959, Susan B. Lovelady, Notary Public (Florida) ), Died 28 Oct 1893 at Plano, Kendall Co, Illinois, SE15. (Reliability: 3).

    5. [S425] Lucille Darnell, Clerk, Plano, Illinois, Darnell to Arnold 2, (27 Nov 1960), Gravestone inscription, Little Rock Twp Cemetery, Plano, IL; Archibald Sears/Feb 23, 1802/Oct 28, 1893 (Reliability: 3).

    6. [S197] Charles Madison Sears, Chas M Sears papers main, p4 of SE29, SE29. (Reliability: 3).

    7. [S761] Illinois Department of Public Health records. "Marriage Records, 1871, Ill marriages, Original data: Illinois State Marriage Records. Online index. Illinois State Public Record Offices. (Reliability: 3).

    8. [S148] Ethel Alice Henning, EAH Affidavit main, (Affiant: Ethel A. Henning, 125 56th Ave S. (no city or state given, assumed to be Florida). Sworn to before me this 11th day of December 1959, Susan B. Lovelady, Notary Public (Florida) ), m 23 Aug 1850, SE15. (Reliability: 3).

    9. [S559] Kendall and Will hist, (Biographical Publishing Co, Chicago, Ill., 1901), pp379-80 (Reliability: 3).

    10. [S19] Newton Bateman and Paul Selby, Kendall Co hist, (Munsell Publishing Co, Chicago Ill, 1914).


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