Christine Sears

Family/Spouse: Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Birth: Oct. 14, 1813
Death: Mar. 20, 1895Medina County Gazette \endash March 28, 1895: Isaac Sears was born in Connecticut 1813, and at the early age of four years he with his parents removed to New York State. After he had reached his majority he came to the West, and for a time made his home in Wadsworth, this county, then came to Chatham. Soon after coming he purchased the farm he lived on, and was united in marriage to Miss Martha Robinson. Three children were born to them, Christina, Helen and James. Helen dying just as she was budding into womanhood, the others reside here in town (Chatham). At the age of thirty he united with the Congregational church here and has ever been an active Christian man. His life has been an active one, always ready to help a neighbor, a kind husband and indulgent father, spending his life for the good of others. He was permitted to live to a ripe old age being eighty-one years, and in the end quietly passed away without but a few days of suffering. He was taken sick Sunday the 17, and died Wednesday morning. The funeral services were at his late home Friday conducted by Rev. Chapin of Litchfield, Rev. Jones being away from home. He leaves an aged wife and two children besides a large circle of neighbors and friends to mourn their loss.

Isaac married Martha A. Robinson on 3 Jan 1842. Martha was born on 28 Mar 1822; died on 4 Apr 1901 in Chatham Twp, Medina Co, Ohio; was buried after 4 Apr 1901 in Chatham Twp, Medina Co, Ohio. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _TODO: Open

Notes:

"James Sears was present in the probate of Jehiel Sherwood's estate" - taken from a letter to Hubert Andrew Arnold from a professional genealogist identified as "Box 480, Salt Point" (Salt Point is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It lies northeast of Poughkeepsie following New York Route 115, the Salt Point Turnpike). This statement is very important with respect to establishing circumstantial evidence that Mehitible Sherwood, James Sears' wife, was the daughter of Jehiel Sherwood.

James married Mehitable Sherwood on 19 Nov 1797 in Probably South East New York. Mehitable (daughter of Jehiel Sherwood and Sarah Squire) was born about Nov 1780 in Fairfield, Fairfield Co, Connecticut; died on 12 Mar 1826 in Wayne County, New York; was buried about 14 Mar 1826 in Hunt's Corners (Briggs Cemetery), Wayne Co, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _TODO: Open

Notes:

Mehitable/Mabel Sherwood was the daughter of Jehiel Sherwood. She was born about November 1780. The first solid reference to "Mehitable" wife of James Sears, appears on the 1826 gravestone at Hunt's Corners, Wayne Co, New York. Previous references to the wife of James Sears had her name as "Mabel" Sherwood. Is the "Mabel" of South East, New York the "Mehitable", wife of James Sears, at Hunt's Corners? Circumstantially, it is convincing but no specific documentation exists to verify that Mehitable/Mabel Sherwood was the daughter of Jehiel Sherwood. She died 12 Mar 1826 in Wayne County NY aged 45 years and this inscription on Mehitable's gravestone was what I used to arrive at a birth date of approximately Nov 1780. The central problem with Mehitable is that in a Fairfield Church journal of families (not kept in real time), a list of Jehiel Sherwood's family members does not contain either Abigail or Mehitable. This has caused over a century of consternation even leading 19th century DAR applicants to falsify records (in the New York City Public Library) to enable the inclusion of these two children. In fact, Hezakiah Sherwood's name was erased from the Fairfield Church list in order to get Abigail's name in there. There's no justification for doing this. I am able to "fit" birthdates for all without erasing anyone. The burnng of Fairfield by the British in 1779 could well have prevented the recording of Abigail and Mehitable Sherwood's births. From Wikipedia: "On the morning of July 7, 1779, approximately 2,000 enemy troops landed on Fairfield Beach near Pine Creek Point and proceeded to invade the town. When they left the following evening, the entire town lay in ruins, burned to the ground as punishment for Fairfield's support of the rebel cause. Ten years later, President George Washington noted after traveling through Fairfield, that "the destructive evidences of British cruelty are yet visible both in Norwalk and Fairfield; as there are the chimneys of many burnt houses standing in them yet."
The gravestone inscription in the Hunts Corners Cemetery in Wayne County NY is "In memory of/Mehitable/wife of James Sears/ who died March 12, 1826 in the 45th/year of her age." At one time there was a dispute about the year, that it could be 1824, but I have closely examined the gravestone picture and the last digit of the year definitely has a curved top thus it could not be a four.

_TODO:
Cutter looks like he got the list that had deleted Hezekiah in favor of Mabel

Notes:

The following are extractions from various sources, especially from letters received by Hubert Andrew Arnold (HAA) when he hired professional genealogists in the early 1960s to investigate the Seases and Sherwoods of South East, New York
Thomas Sears, Capt Higgins' company, Dutchess Co NY militia - NARA Roll 2145
Thomas Sears was a captain in the Revolutionary Army, and after the peace settled in South East, Putnam [then Dutchess] County, N.Y. on land which he bought of the government, and on which his descendants still live. He was a prominent church member and trustee during many years. - Nelson Sears Journal, 1895

B Book of Wills, page 444, will dated 24 Apr 1804 To wife Deborah, one thid of the increase and profit of real estate and 1/4 from the personal estate, horse, saddle, bridle and all the furniture To son Archibald Sears $250 over and above and to have also an equal share with the rest of my sons; Thomas Baldwin Sears, Samuel Sears, and Isaac; to two grandsons, issue of son Eli, deceased, named Thomas and David, $40 each...his sons to have a double share, daughters (not named) a single share. Sons Thomas and Archibald executors to receive a reasonable compensation for their trouble in settling the estate. - Margaret H. Talbot (MHT) to HAA May 3, 1961 (no son James mentioned)
A letter from Clifford M. Buck to HAA dated April 27, 1960: "Looking over B 444 carefully I find James is there inserted above the line after the name of Thomas Baldwin Sears and before Isaac Sears very similar to the way Baldwin is inserted in third line from bottom...".Why, then, did MHT not find the inserted names when she examined page 444 of the B Book of Wills in May of 1961 about one year later?
In a letter Luedemann to Wasilik (who hired Luedemann in the early 1990s to study the Searses and Sherwoods as did HAA in the 1960s) dated 18 Jun 1991, Luedemann has examined the same book of wills page 444 (as did MHT) and found the following: "I Thomas Sears of Southeast, County of Dutchess...24 April 1804...dear wife Deborah Sears, son Archibald Sears, son Thomas Baldwin Sears, son James Sears, son Isaac Sears..." (what happened to Samuel Sears?)

Thomas married Deborah Baldwin on 9 Sep 1767. Deborah (daughter of Thomas Baldwin and Deborah Paddock) was born on 23 Nov 1749 in Mansfield, Windham Co, Connecticut; died on 13 Sep 1828 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DAR Patriot: Connecticut, Ensign, 9th Co, 4th Regt, Jan 1780
Letter of Administration, Dutchess County, New York from Surrogate Office's Records Liber C p33. Summary: Lyman Sherwood appointed executor of Jehiel Sherwood's estate; officially recorded at Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York on 24 Oct 1807 The People of the State of New-York by the Grace of God, Free and Independent. To Lymen Sherwood of the town of South East in this County of Dutchess son of Jehial Sherwood deceased. Whereas Jehial Sherwood of the Town of South East in said County as is alledged, lately died intestate, having whilst living, and at the time of his Death, Goods, Chattels, or Credits within this state...do grant unto you the said Lymen Sherwood full power by these presents, to administer, and faithfully dispose of all and singular the said Goods...And we do by these presents, depute, constitute and appoint you the said Lymen Sherwood Administrator of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits which were of the said Jehial Sherwood. IN TESTIMONY whereof, we have caused the seal of office of our said Surrogate to be hereunto affixed. Witness James Talimadge(?)...Esquire, Surrogate of the said county, at Poughkeepsie, the twenty fourth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seven and of our Independence the thirty second...James ______ Dutchess County...Recorded the preceding Letter of Administration to Lyman Sherwood this twenty fourth day of October 1807
"James Sears was present in the probate of Jehiel Sherwood's estate" - taken from a letter to Hubert Andrew Arnold from a professional genealogist identified as "Box 480, Salt Point" [Salt Point is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It lies northeast of Poughkeepsie following New York Route 115, the Salt Point Turnpike]. This statement is very important with respect to establishing circumstantial evidence that Mehitible Sherwood, James Sears' wife, was the daughter of Jehiel Sherwood.

South East, New York The first settler arrived around 1730. The area first exploited was called "The Oblong," and was outside of the land claimed by the Philipse Patent. Due to a border dispute between New York and Connecticut the area between the undisputed border of NY and the undisputed border of CT was an approximately 4-mile-wide area which ran the full north-south dimension of Dutchess County. This was called the Oblong. Land was sold in this area both by the governor of NY and the King of England for Connecticut, with conflicting deeds. The boundary was settled in New York's favor by the 1731 Treaty of Dover. A southern portion of the Oblong was alternately known as Southeast as it was the southeasternmost town in Dutchess County. It consisted of the eastern half of the current Town of Patterson, and the eastern half of the current town of Southeast. The western half of the current town of Southeast was part of the large Phillipse Patent which had not yet been divided into towns. The most heavily-settled area of the Oblong at this point was the "city" of Frederickstown, now the hamlet of Patterson. The town of Southeast, then still including its portion of the Oblong, was founded in 1788, and formed the southeast corner of Dutchess County. In 1795, the town that had been Southeast's neighbor, Frederickstown was divided into the present Carmel, Kent, and Patterson, the latter two known at first as "Frederick" and "Franklin." At that time, Southeast lost its northern half to Patterson, and expanded to the west to become the shape it is now. Putnam County split from Dutchess in 1812. The most densely populated area in the town is the village of Brewster.

Jehiel married Sarah Squire on 5 Oct 1763 in Fairfield County, Connecticut. Sarah (daughter of Daniel Squire and Abigail Osborn) was born on 23 Jan 1746/47 in Fairfield County, Connecticut; died on 6 May 1793 in Fairfield County, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]