Thomas Sears

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]

1. Eli Sears was born on 16 Oct 1768 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; and died.
2. Thomas Baldwin Sears was born on 21 Feb 1773 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; and died.
3. Elizabeth Sears was born on 3 Sep 1775 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; died on 23 Sep 1790 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York.
4. James Sears was born on 24 Mar 1778 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; died on 28 Feb 1857 in Tyre, Seneca Co, New York.
5. Archibald Sears was born on 8 Aug 1780 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; died on 27 Oct 1864 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; was buried in Old Southeast Church Cemetery, Dutchess Co, NY.
6. Sophia C. Sears was born on 12 May 1784 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; died on 12 Apr 1869.
7. Isaac Sears was born on 23 Jul 1786 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; and died.
8. Deborah Sears was born on 18 Oct 1789 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; and died.
9. Sally B. Sears was born on 26 Jun 1792 in South East, Dutchess Co, New York; and died.

Notes:

Oscar Weed, who lives in the old Sears homestead at Mill Plains Connecticut has a deed dated July 10, 1739, from Robert Hebard, Jr and Ruth, his wife, of the town and county of Windham Ct to James Sears, late of Yarmouth, county Barnstable, Province of Massachusetts Bay, of a tract of land in Windham, near the Shautucket river, containing 52 acres, the consideration being

James married Desire Tobey on 28 May 1730 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Desire (daughter of Thomas Tobey and Rebeckah Knowles) was born about 1707 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts; died on 28 Jul 1781 in Ridgefield, Fairfield Co, Connecticut. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Marriage intention: James Sears & Desiar Toby were published march ye 14 1729/30.

Notes:

Silas Sears, Yeoman, resided in the East precinct of Yarmouth, now Dennis, and was a prominent man there. His will, dated July 28, 1727, "in ill health", was proved Nov 29, 1732, by Judah Paddock and Eleazar Sears, Exec and was witnessed by Peter Thacher, Joseph Hall, and Edward Sturges. He left real estate valued at

(Research): On 13 Jan 1630 (NS) The Council for New England (chartered to establish colonies between 40 degrees and 48 degrees north latitude) issued a new land patent (the "Old Charter") that granted land title and trading rights, but no powers of government, to New Plymouth Colony for the area east of Narragansett Bay and south of a line from the Pawtucket (now Blackstone) River to the mouth of the Cohasset River. New Plymouth Colony included part of present Rhode Island. On 8 Jul 1663 New Plymouth Colony lost territory when King Charles II granted Rhode Island a charter as a self-governing corporate colony. New Plymouth Colony still included part of present Rhode Island. On 02 Jun 1685 New Plymouth Colony created three original counties: Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth to cover all non-county area in New Plymouth. On 07 Oct 1691 Barnstable continued under the new Massachusetts Bay provincial charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II; Massachusetts Bay absorbed New Plymouth Colony.

Silas married Sarah Crosby about 1692 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Sarah (daughter of Thomas Crosby and Sarah (wife of Thomas Crosby) [?]) was born on 24 Mar 1666/67 in Eastham, New Plymouth Colony; died on 20 Mar 1705/06 in Probably Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Eastham In November of 1620 a hunting expedition from the Mayflower landed in the area on Cape Cod that became known as Eastham. This led to the "First Encounter": the Pilgrims and the local Nauset Native American tribe. However, the area, then known as Nauset, would not be settled by Europeans until 1644. By that time the settlers had become disenchanted with Plymouth with William Bradford writing of "the straightness and barrenness of the land" and commenting on the desire of many colonists to find a better location. A committee of seven freemen, led by Thomas Prence, was sent to evaluate Nauset and it was determined it was too small and remote to accommodate the entire population of Plymouth. Nonetheless, those seven men and their families, 49 hardy souls in all, remained and formed the new settlement with a strip by the harbor at the east side reserved for the Nausets to grow corn. Nauset continued as a settlement until 1646, when the General Court of Plymouth incorporated it as a town. The name of the town was changed to Eastham in 1661.

Notes:

Married:
On 02 Jun 1685 Barnstable County was created as one of three original counties in New Plymouth Colony (also Bristol and Plymouth).

Notes:

In agreement with the Tobey Genealogy, I have designated Thomas Tobey, father of Desire Tobey, to be the third but note, his Findagrave memorial and possibly his gravestone designate him as Junior.
He resided in that part of Yarmouth which later became the town of Dennis.

Thomas Tobey III Will proved 15 March 1757 (condensed)
In the Name of God Amen I Thomas Toby of Yarmouth in the County of Barnstable In the Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, Yeoman, being week & sick of Body but of sound mind and memory Blessed be God for it & calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Dye do make & ordain this my last will & Testament.
Imprimis I give and bequeath unto Rebecca Tobey my dearly beloved wife the Liberty to Live in the East room of my dwelling house and sufficient firewood for her to burn cut fit for the fire at the door during her widowhood and I give her likewise sixty pounds of meat pork and beef in proportion yearly and eight bushels of Indian corn and four bushels of Rye yearly and I Give her one cow and to be kept for her summer and winter on my estate during her widowhood and I Give her one Iron pot and skillet to use and a Linnen Spining wheel & one third part of the beading that hath been made by her since we married together To her own disposal and my will is my wife shall have liberty to pass and repass to fetch water out of my well and to use the cellar to put in beer & soap &c during her widow hood. I Give the abovesaid articles to my said wife as her Dowry and my will is my said wife shall have all the moveable Estate that she brought with her when we came togeather to be at her own disposal forever.
Item I give unto my Daughter Mehetable Taylor Twenty shillings lawful money. Item I give unto my second Daughter Rebecca Parker Twenty shillings lawful money. Item I give unto my Daughter Desire Sears Twenty shillings lawful] money as Legacies. Item I give unto my Son Thomases Three sons each of them a small Bible all these above said Legacies to be paid out of my moveable Estate. Item I give unto my son Thomas Tobey the West end of my Dwelling house [and one-half several properties and moveable estate]. Item. I Give unto my son Seth Tobey the Eastward end of my Dwelling house and [and one-half several properties and moveable estate]. I ordain constitute and appoint my said two sons Thomas and Seth Tobey to be my Executors. My hand and seal this twenty second Day of October one thousand seven hundred & fifty one. Signed sealed & published Thomas Tobye [l. s.] in presence of John Vincent., Samll Vincent., Joseph Staple. Proved March 15, 1757. [Barns. Prob. Bk. 9, p. 274.]

Thomas married Rebeckah Knowles on 18 Nov 1700 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Rebeckah was born on 2 Mar 1674/75 in Eastham, New Plymouth Colony; died on 4 Mar 1758 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts; was buried about Mar 1758 in Woodside Cemetery, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• _TODO: Open

Notes:

Lt Silas Sears' birthdate is not given in Sares (May) but elder brother Paul's birth year is 1637-8 (p32) and sister Deborah was b. Sep 1639 in Yarmouth. Lient. Silas Sears lived in that part of Yarmouth known as the East precinct, now East Dennis; he was "propounded to take up Freedom" June 6, 1682; com(missioned) Ensign, Oct. 28, 1681; Lieut. July 7, 1682; chosen Representative to the General Court at Plymouth, 1685-91; Selectman, 1680-94; and Juryman, 1680-82. 25 Dec 1689 "Silace Sears and others fined 20(s) for not appearing and attending at Court or disorderly departing therefrom; ' \emdash fines remitted later' it being first offense of the kind." 1694, "Lt Silas Sears was on a Com(mittee) to seat men, women, and others in the meetinghouse" (an onerous duty in those day). 1 Nov 1676, Emott Bursell and Silas Sears appointed administrators of the Estate of James Bursell of Yarmouth. [Strong circumstantial evidence that his wife's surname was Bursell]. He left no will so letters of administration were granted to his widow Anna, May 1, 1698. The settlement of his estate was made May 5, 1698...mentions sons Silas, Richard, Joseph and Josiah; and daughters, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Dorrity.

(Research): On 13 Jan 1630 (NS) The Council for New England (chartered to establish colonies between 40 degrees and 48 degrees north latitude) issued a new land patent (the "Old Charter") that granted land title and trading rights, but no powers of government, to New Plymouth Colony for the area east of Narragansett Bay and south of a line from the Pawtucket (now Blackstone) River to the mouth of the Cohasset River. New Plymouth Colony included part of present Rhode Island. On 8 Jul 1663 New Plymouth Colony lost territory when King Charles II granted Rhode Island a charter as a self-governing corporate colony. New Plymouth Colony still included part of present Rhode Island. On 02 Jun 1685 New Plymouth Colony created three original counties: Barnstable, Bristol, and Plymouth to cover all non-county area in New Plymouth. On 07 Oct 1691 Barnstable continued under the new Massachusetts Bay provincial charter issued by King William III and Queen Mary II; Massachusetts Bay absorbed New Plymouth Colony.

_TODO:
SE 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 32, 37, 38, 40, 43, 44 (evidence for Mehitable, dau of Jehiel?), census data, 54 (Savage), 61, 67 (back, DAR)

Silas married Anna Bursell about 1659 in Yarmouth, New Plymouth Colony. Anna was born about 1642 in Yarmouth, New Plymouth Colony; died on 4 Mar 1725/26 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Surname of Lt Silas Sears wife Anna In Descendants of Richard Sares, May says "perhaps Bursell" indicating that only the first letter of the last name ("B") is known for sure. Great Migration Begins states "...Anna, probably daughter of James Bursell of Yarmouth". The source for this was Records of the Colony of New Plymouth in New England by Shurtleff and Pulsiver, 1855. Since there appears to be no solid source for Anna's surname, one must rely on secondary sources. With regard to Mr James Bursell's will: On 1 Nov 1676 Emott Bursell and Silas Sears were appointed administrators of the Estate of James Bursell of Yarmouth. This is clearcut circumstantial evidence that Silas Sears Sr's wife's surname was Bursell.

Notes:

Simon Crosby and Anne (Brigham) Crosby brought [Thomas Crosby] to New England, arriving in "The Susan & Ellen" which put into Boston in the month of July, 1635. They settled in Cambridge...

(Research):Boston was founded on September 17, 1630, by Puritan colonists from England. The Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay Colony are sometimes confused with the Pilgrims, who founded Plymouth Colony ten years earlier in what is today Bristol County, Plymouth County, and Barnstable County, Massachusetts. The two groups, which differed in religious practice, are historically distinct. The separate colonies were not united until the formation of the Province of Massachusetts Bay in 1691.
On 10 May 1643 Suffolk County was created as one of four original counties in Massachusetts; It included territory in the northeast corner of present Rhode Island. (Mass. Recs., 2:38)

Thomas married Sarah (wife of Thomas Crosby) [?] before 1663 in Eastham, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Sarah and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

May p233: "...it is possible that [Thomas Crosby] returned to England to select his bride. Or she may have come from one of the neighboring colonies. Many people have tried to identify her, but without success. We know that her name was Sarah ------- and that she bore her first child in 1663."