Generation 1

RICHARD SEARS

Parents:

Richard Sears married Dorothy Unknown.

Children of Richard Sears and Dorothy Unknown:

1. Paul Sears died on 20 Feb 1707 in Marblehead, MA. He married Deborah Willard.
2. Lieut. Silas Sears [Ref] died in 1697. He married Anne Unknown. He was of Yarmouth. [Ref]
   some descendants of Silas Sears
   
3. Deborah Sears was born in 1639. She married Zachary Paddock in 1659.

Generation 2

PAUL SEARS (d. 1707)

Parents: Richard Sears and Dorothy Unknown

Paul Sears, Sr. died on 20 Feb 1707 in Marblehead, MA. He married Deborah Willard in 1658 in Yarmouth.

Children of Paul Sears, Sr. and Deborah Willard:

1. Mery Sears was born on 3 Jul 1659.
2. Bethiah Sears was born on 3 Jan 1661 in Yarmouth. She died on 5 Jul 1724 in Chatham. She married John Crowell.
   
3. Samuel Sears was born on Jan 1663. He married Mercy Mayo.
   some descendants of Samuel Sears
4. Unknown Sears was born on 24 Oct 1667. She married Eleazer Hamblin.
5. Pauls Sears was born on 15 Jan 1669 in Yarmouth. He died on 14 Feb 1739 in Yarmouth. He married Mercy Freeman.
6. Mary Sears was born on 24 Oct 1672 in Yarmouth. She died on 7 Nov 1745 in Eastham. She married Col. John Knowles.
7. Ann Sears was born on 27 Mar 1675. She married John Merrick.
8. John Sears was born in 1677. John Sears of Yarmouth married Priscilla Freeman on 1 Jun 1704 in Eastham. [Ref, 3;229]
9. Richard Sears was born in 1682. He married Hope Howes in 1706.
10. Capt. Daniel Sears was born in 1683. He married Sarah Howes on 12 Feb 1708.
    some descendants of Daniel Sears

Generation 3

BETHIA SEARS (1661 - 1724)

Parents: Paul Sears and Deborah Willard [Ref, p. 9]

Bethiah Sears was born on 3 Jan 1661 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She died on 5 Jul 1724 in Chatham. [Ref] She married John Crowell [Ref, p. 9] on 27 May 1684 in Chatham. [Ref]

PAUL SEARS (1669-1740) of Yarmouth and West Brewster

Parents: Paul Sears and Deborah Willard [Ref]

Pauls Sears, Jr. was born on 15 Jun 1669 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] He died on 14 or 17 Feb 1739/40 [Ref] in West Brewster. [Ref, p. 55] He married Mercy Freeman [Ref][Ref] in 1693 in Harwich. [Ref, p. 55] Paul and Mercy are buried in the old family burying ground at Bound Brook in West Brewster. [Ref, p. 56]

Children of Paul Sears, Jr. and Mercy Freeman:

1. Ebenezer Sears was born on 15 Aug 1694 in Yarmouth. He died after 1744 in East Hampton, CT. He married Sarah Howes.
2. Paul Sears was born on 21 Dec 1695 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] He died in early 1771 in Rochester. [Ref, p. 81] He married Charity Whittredge on 30 May 1721 in Rochester. [Ref, p. 81] Charity was the daughter of William and Mary Whittredge. [Ref, p. 81] She was born about 1702. [Ref, p. 81] She died betweeen 1760 and 1767. [Ref, p. 81]
3. Elizabeth Sears was born on 27 Aug 1697 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] She died on 28 Feb Feb 1728/9. [Ref, p. 55] She married Nathaniel Crosby of Harwich on 10 Feb 1725/6. [Ref, p. 55] He married second Esther Young. [Ref, p. 55]
4. Thomas Sears was born on 6 Jun 1699 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] He died in 1755 in Plymouth. [Ref, p. 82] He married first Elizabeth Bartlett in 1734 in Plymouth. [Ref, p. 82] Sarah was the daughter of Robert and Sarah (Bartlett) Bartlett. [Ref, p. 82] She was born in 1707 in Plymouth. [Ref, p. 82] Thomas married second Mehitable Fish after 1752 (int.). [Ref, p. 82] Mehitable may be the daughter of Seth Fish and Mary Turner.
5. Rebecca Sears was born on 2 Apr 1701 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] She died in 1791. [Ref, p. 55] She married John Hall, Jr. on 15 Oct 1719. [Ref, p. 55] He was born on 6 Aug 1697. [Ref, p. 55] He died on 22 Feb 1772. [Ref, p. 55]
6. Mercy Sears was born on 7 Feb 1702/3 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55] She married Joseph Blackmore of Rochester on 9 Jan 1724/5 in Rochester. [Ref, p. 55]
7. Deborah Sears was born on 11 Mar 1705/6 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] She married Thomas Howes of East Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] Thomas was the son of Ebenezer and Sarah (Joyce) Howes. [Ref, p. 56] [Or, was Thomas the brother of Sarah Howes?] He was born on 22 Jan 1699. [Ref, p. 55]
   Deborah was admitted to the second church of Yarmouth on 5 May 1728. [Ref, p. 56]
   
8. Ann Sears was born on 27 Dec 1706 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] She married Ebenezer Bangs on 18 Dec 1727 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] Ebenezer was the son of Capt. Edward Bangs of Harwich. [Ref, p. 56][Perhaps Ebenezer was the grandson of Capt. Jonathan Bangs and greatgrandson of Edward Bangs.]
   Perhaps Ebenezer and Ann moved to Gorham, ME. [Ref, p. 56]
   
9. Joshua Sears was born on 20 Nov 1708 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] He died on 27 Sep 1753 in Middletown, CT. [Ref, p. 83-84] He married Rebecca Mayo on 10 Feb 1731/2 in Eastham. [Ref, p. 83-84] Rebecca was the daughter of John and Susannah (Freeman) Mayo. [Ref, p. 83-84] She was born on 10 Oct 1713. [Ref, p. 83-84] Rebecca may be the granddaughter of John Freeman and great-granddaugher of John Freeman and Mercy Prence.
   Joshua was the constable of Harwich in 1745. [Ref, p. 83-84] He and Rebecca were dismissed from the church at Harwich to the East Church in Middletown on 5 Feb 1748. [Ref, p. 83-84]
   
10. Daniel Sears was born on 16 Jul 1710 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] He died on 28 Nov 1771 in West Brewster. [Ref, p. 85] He married Mercy Snow on 13 Jan 1736/7. [Ref, p. 85] Mercy was the daughter of Micajah Snow of Eastham. [Ref, p. 85] She may be the granddaughter of Stephen Snow and great-granddaughter of Nicholas Snow and Constance Hopkins. She was born on 16 Sep 1713 and died on 8 May 1790. [Ref, p. 85]
11. Capt. Edmund Sears was born on 6 Aug 1712 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56][Ref] He died on 12 Aug 1796. [Ref, p. 86-69][Ref] He married Hannah Crowell on 7 Apr 7 1743 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 86-69][Ref] Hannah was the daughter of Christopher and Sarah (Matthews) Crowell. [Ref, p. 86-69][Ref] She was born on 9 Sep 1725. [Ref, p. 86-69][Ref] She died on 22 Jun 1802. [Ref, p. 86-69][Ref] Sarah was Edmund's first cousin once removed. Her father was the son of Bethia Sears and John Crowell.
    Edward and Sarah were admitted to the church in East Yarmouth on 12 May 1745. [Ref, p. 86-69] Edward signed his will on 20 Jun 1796. [Ref, p. 86-69]
    
12. Hannah Sears was born on 6 Mar 1714/5 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] She married Thomas Howes on 4 Jul 1734 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 56] Thomas was the son of Prince and Dorcas (Joyce) Howes. [Ref, p. 56][Perhaps Thomas was the first cousin of Sarah Howes.] He was born on 27 Jun 1706. [Ref, p. 56] Thomas married second Hannah's second cousin Bethia Sears on 15 Oct 1741. [Ref, p. 56, 67] Bethia was the daughter of Capt. Joseph and Hannah (Hall) Sears, the granddaughter of Silas Sears and great-granddaughter of Richard Sears. [Ref, p. 67] She was born on 20 Mar 1718/9 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 67]

MARY SEARS

Parents: Paul Sears and Deborah Willard [Ref, 79;380][Ref, p. 9]

Mary Sears was born on 24 Oct 1672 in Yarmouth. [Ref, 79;380] She died on 7 Nov 1745 in Eastham. [Ref, 79;380][Ref, p. 14] She married Col. John Knowles. [Ref, 79;380][Ref, p. 14]

Generation 4

EBENEZER SEARS (b. 1694) of Yarmouth and Middletown

Parents: Paul Sears [Ref] and Mercy Freeman [Ref, p. 55]

Ebenezer Sears was born on 15 Aug 1694 in Yarmouth. [Ref, p. 55][Ref] He died after 1744 in East Hampton, CT. He married Sarah Howes on 26 May 1720 in Yarmouth. [Ref]

Ebenezer moved to Middletown [Ref] about 1748 and settled on the east side of the river in the section that later became Chatham. [Ref]

Children of Ebenezer Sears and Sarah Howes:

1. Sarah Sears was born on 10 or 6 Mar 1720/1 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She married James Higgins on 6 Oct 1742 in Yarmouth. [Ref]
2. Desire Sears was born on 23 Apr 1722 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She died on 6 Jul 1722 or 1723. [Ref]
3. Ebenezer Sears 2 was born on 13 Jun 1723 in Yarmouth. He died in 1814 in Chatham. He married first Elizabeth Cook. He married second Dorcas Beebe.
4. Desire Sears was born on 15 Aug 1725 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She was baptised on 16 Feb 1725/6 in Harwich [?]. [Ref] She died on 19 Nov 1786. [Ref] She married John Markham on 3 Nov 1748. [Ref] He died on 3 Mar 1788, age 83. [Ref] John and Desire lived in Chatham. [Ref]
5. Hezekiah Sears was born in May 1727 in Yarmouth. [Ref] He was baptised on 25 Jun 1727 in East Yarmouth. [Ref] He died in Dec 1727. [Ref]
6. Hezekiah Sears was born on 30 Dec 1728 in Yarmouth. [Ref] He was baptised on 26 Jan 1728/9. [Ref] He died in Haddam. [Ref] He married Deborah Spencer on 25 Dec 1755 in Middletown. [Ref] Deborah, the daughter of Nathaniel and Abigail (Hurlbut) Spencer, was born on 9 Apr 1736. [Ref]
7. Thomas Sears was born on 22 Sep 1731 in Yarmouth. [Ref] He was baptised on 2 Oct 1731. [Ref]
8. Betsey Sears was born on 27 Aug 1733 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She married William Norcutt on 5 Oct 1753 in Middletown. [Ref]
9. Dinah Sears was born on 1 Dec 1735 in Yarmouth. [Ref]
10. Mercy Sears 11 Feb 1738/9 in Yarmouth. [Ref][Ref] She married Thomas Shepard on 10 Jan 1760. [Ref][Ref] Thomas, the son of John Shepard, was born on 20 Jul 1731 in Middletown. [Ref]
11. Hannah Sears was born on 23 Nov 1739 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She died on 26 Apr 1742. [Ref]
12. Ann Sears was born on 5 Feb 1741 in Yarmouth. [Ref] She died on 18 Apr 1741. [Ref]
13. Son Sears was born in Mar 1742/3 in Yarmouth. [Ref] He died in Apr 1743. [Ref]
14. Paul Sears was born on 29 Nov 1744. He died on 30 Jan 1810. [Ref] He married an unknown first wife. [Ref] He married second Mercy Stevens on 27 Jan 1778. [Ref] Mercy, the daughter of James Stevens, died on 17 Jan 1829, age 76. [Ref]

Generation 5

EBENEZER SEARS (1723-1814) of Chatham

Parents: Ebenezer Sears and Sarah Howes

Ebenezer Sears was born on 13 Jun 1723 in Yarmouth. [Ref] He died in 1814 in Chatham. [Ref] He married Elizabeth Cook on 25 Jan 1753 [Ref] in Chatham. [Ref] He married second on 25 Apr 1798 Dorcas Beebe. [Ref]

Children of Ebenezer Sears and Elizabeth Cook:

1. Anna Sears was born on 17 Feb 1755 in Chatham. She died on 7 Jul 1835 in East Hampton, CT. She married Amos Clark.
2. David Sears was born on 27 Nov 1757 in Chatham. [Ref]
3. Sarah Sears was born in Chatham. [Ref] She died on 2 Feb 1819. [Ref] She married Seth Alvord on 5 Sep 1793 as his second wife. [Ref] Seth, the son of Seth and Elizabeth (Spencer) Alvord was born on 18 Jul 1754 and died on 14 Jul 1836. [Ref]
4. Hannah Sears was born on 3 Jun 1760 in Chatham. [Ref] She married Capt. Timothy Ruggles of Cape Cod. [Ref] Timothy died on 27 Sep 1796, age 39. [Ref] Timothy was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. [Ref] He taught school in Middletown. [Ref] He was a Representative to the General Assembly from Chatham 1793-4. [Ref] Hannah married second, as his third wife, Nathaniel Markham on 7 Dec 1803. [Ref] Nathaniel, the son of John and Desire (Sears) Markham, married first Margaret Hall on 2 Sep 1780 and second Mary Strong. [Ref]
5. Betsey Sears was born in Chatham. [Ref] She married John Willey, Jr. of Chatham on 5 Aug 1794. [Ref] They moved to Granby, CT. [Ref] They left no children. [Ref]

Generation 6

ANNA SEARS (1755-1835)

Parents: Ebenezer Sears and Elizabeth Cook

Anna Sears was born on 17 Feb 1755 in Chatham. [Ref][Ref] She died on 7 Jul 1835 [Ref says 8 Jul] in East Hampton, CT. [Ref] She married Amos Clark on 12 Jul 1781 in Chatham. [Ref][Ref says East Hampton]

References

Adams, Arthur, "Mrs. Fritz Carleton Hyde (Harriet Virginia Baker)", memoirs section, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 109, 1955, 219-220.

Brainard, Homer Worthington, "Prence Freeman of East Hampton, Conn.," The American Genealogist 17, 1940, 87-95.

Clarenbach, Laura McGaffey and Ford, Loretta Broadwell (1972), "Joshua³ Cook (Josiah², Josiah¹) of Eastham, Mass." New England Historical and Genealogical Register 126, 81.

Cutter, William Richard, Genealogical and Family History of the State of Connecticut: A Record of the Achievements of Her People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation, New York: Lewis Publishing co., 1911.

Libby, Charles Thornton, "The Knowles Family of Eastham, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 79, 1925, 379-392, 286-297; 80, 1926, 6-24.

May, Samuel Pearce, The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888: With an appendix containing some notices of other families by the name of Sears, Albany, J. Munsell, 1890.

McPherson, Gladys Redfield, Ancestry of Addie Clark Harding: Daughter of Abner Clark Harding, Jr., and Maud McCain, Chicago: unknown, 196-?.

Massachusetts Vital Records to 1850

No author, "Memorandum from Barnstable County, Cape Cod, or Pilgrim Cape, Mass.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 8, 1854, 214.

White, Lorraine Cook, ed., The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, Vol. 1-55, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.