My Mother was a Sears and this page will be all the information and Family History that I have found so far. I shall continue to dig for more and I welcome comments and data that can help me fill in the unknown spaces.

When I was between the ages of 8 to 14, I recall my Mother telling me about her Grandfather William E. Sears. He was born in 1835 in Randolph County, AL. Sometime around the age of twelve he had an accident; (fell fom a tree is the way it was told to me by my mother), and injured his lower back. It never healed properly and over the following years, his pelvic area began to pull the tendons in his legs until they crossed. Many people would consider this a great handicap. Apparently, my Great Grandfather did not allow it to be one for him.  This is a photo of him shortly before he died.

Not only did he live to the age of 81, but became a successful farmer, married Elizabeth Ann Daniel and sired 13 children. I am not totally sure but two of them may have died at birth or in their infancy. I am sadly lacking the necessary data for this.

I was told that Elizabeth (Lizer) had more than average education and was able to help Billy keep books that made the farm profitable. And an unconfirmed story is that she taught him to read and write. Sometime after her death when he was in his seventies, it seems that he sold the farm and moved in with my grandfather Gabriel.

The 1910 US census showed that William was living with my grandfather, Gabriel Albert Sears. And it noted that he had his own income. So I speculate that he had profited from the sale of his farm. I believe, but again cannot confirm, that Elizabeth (Lizer), was responsible for the education of my grandfather Gabe. I know that he was a meticulous recorder of daily triviality. But those logs are interesting to ead. 

An addendum:

The other day I was going through a box of “memories” that came from the old ‘steamer trunk’ of my Mom’s. It’s a treasury of old Christmas cards, Valentine cards and just general cards. Some used, some never used. Plus many old letters from kin and friends. Some dating back to 1908.

One letter in particular caught my attention. It was from my Great Grandfather, William E. Sears. There is no envelope with it and it has an incomplete date. Just says July 26; Lamar, AL. As it starts out “Dear Brother and Sister”, I have no idea to whom it was sent. But he died in 1916 so it had to be written before then. Because it is addressed to a "sister and brother", I cannot be sure how it came to be in Mother’s possession. I can speculate that it passe down to her through her father, Gabe. The following is a transcript of the letter with most of the original spelling left in. So when you read it, please remember that there are no typos on my part. Nor was it simply that he was illiterate, but rather that many spellings that we use now had not been defined until years later. One of his sisters was Martha Jane Sears Beddingfield So I assume that is the Jane he refers to later in the letter. But I am not sure who the brother might be. Here is the transcript:

                                    July 26
                                    Lamar, Ala

“Dear Brother and Sister,
 
    “This is in anscher to your letter I received the other day. Was glad to here from you and glad to here you was well as common. This leaves me the same. I keep up. Well this all the family are well where I stay.
    “Well you wrote that you had wrote several letter but this is the first that have receive in some time. Well as for news that would be interesten to you I have none.
    “Well we have had some of the hottest days I every saw seem like it got in June and a little. But we are having plenty of rain now.
    “Crops is looking fine at present and I hope thay will remain so till thay are made.“Well Jane I would like to see you an talk with you once more in this life. While I hope we will meet once more in another life.
    “Well I will close for this time an I want you to write as often as you can an I will promosen you I will do the same.
    “May God Bless you an your family is my prayer so good by.”

                                    Your Brother
                                    W.E. Sears
                        Lamar, Ala

I just found the letter interesting and hope that you will also. Now... to get back to the family history.

William's father was David Sears, born 1803 in Georgia. Married to Nancy, surname unknown, and father of seven children as recorded. Before David, I have nothing. I still hope that someday, somehow I will come across more records to trace the name back farther.

My Grandfather Gabriel--better known as Gabe--was born March 1868 in Sewell, AL, the sixth of 13 children. My maternal Grandmother was Mary Margaret Farrow. Gabe was 17 when they married. They had nine girls, one of which died at birth and was never named. Mary Margaret died in 1902 when the youngest girl was 2 years old. The oldest girl, Martha Ann was 16 years old and took over as "mother" to her sisters, helping to raise them.

A few years later, Gabe remarried, this time to a spinster lady by the name of Barbara Waller. I knew her as "Aunt Bob" as she did not want to be known as "grandmother". Gabe died in March 1947 and is buried in Cedarwood Cemetary in Roanoke, Alabama.

Until several years after his first wife died, Gabe farmed and was active in the Masons, the Odd Fellows and Woodmen of the World as well as active in the community and the Baptist church.

When he left the farm, he moved to Roanoke, AL and owned or operated a small general store in the Louina community just outside Roanoke.

My first memories of him was the house he shared with Barbara and three unmarried daughters. At that time he was Justice of the Peace and also had a paper route. I recall frequently walking the route with him although I was only three or four years of age.

A couple of years ago I was given some photocopies of his daily journal that he kept. So far I only have parts of years 1943 and 1944. I am in the process of transcribing then to my computer.They are highly informational or exciting but there is much in them that sparks my childhood memories of growing up in Roanoke. Maybe some day I might download them to a website to make them available to everyone.

I remember that my Grandfather smoked pipe most of the time as well as cigars. He often bought the smoking tobacco that came in those flat, flask like tin cans. Often, he would give me the flask shaped tobacco tins when they were empty. I kept them filled with the usual items that small boys did. I carried all my marbles in one for years. Usually it was Prince Albert, but some tins were George Washington Pipe Tobacco or one called Half and Half. Half and Half was a flat can that telescoped down to half size as the tobacco was used. Shortened down that way, it fit in my overall pockets and carried just enough marbles for recess play at school. I still have one of those tins that was recently given to me by my cousin Doris. Now I have to get some marbles to carry in it as I seem to have already lost all my marbles. 

More stuff to be added later. (I hope)