Silas Sears

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:

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]

Silas married Elizabeth O'Killy on 1 May 1707 in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co, Massachusetts. Elizabeth was born about 1672; died about 1732. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

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:

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:

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