Bob( Robert Allen) Whitten's Research & comments on Jonathon Whitten/1805
Descendants of John Sears
Generation No. 1
1. JOHN1 SEARS was born 24 Sep 1795 in North Carolina, and died 11 Aug 1864. He married HANNA JOHNSON 27 Dec 1817 in Warren Co, Ky.
Notes for JOHN SEARS:
From the Fayette County Geneology Society Vol 3
JOHN SEARS BORN IN NORTH CAROLINA SEPT 24, 1795 MARRIED HANNAH JOHNSON BORN DECEMBER 03, 1788 IN SOUTH CAROLINA, BOTH DIED AUGUST 11, 1864. THEY WERE SHOT DOWN IN THEIR HOME AND KILLED BY THE SAME BULLET. THE TOMBSTONE SAYS THEY WERE KILLED BY SOLDIERS OF THE 111TH REGT, 111 VOLS. THEY WERE BURIED ON THE FARM SON JOSEPH IN THE SAME PLOT, DECENDENTS SAY THAT THE SOLDIERS DEMANDED HORSES, AND SOME SAY THAT THEY DEMANDED MONEY, AND WHEN JOHN SEARS REFUSED, HE WAS SHOT, WHEN HIS WIFE TRIED TO INTERVENE WAS BEHIND HIM AND WAS KILLED BY THE SAME BULLET. FRANCIS LANDERS A YOUNG GIRL WHO LATER MARRIED JOHN SEARS JR. WAS IN THE HOUSE AT THE SAME TIME. JOHN SEARS WAS A SOLDIER IN THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS, AFTER THE INCIDENT, IT IS SAID THAT THE SOLDIERS SAT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND ATE THE FOOD THAT WAS BEING PREPARED FOR THE SEARS TO EAT, MY GREAT AUNT ANNIS HAS THE CHEST THAT THE BULLET WENT INTO. JOHN SEARS WAS ALSO A SOUTHERN SYMPATHIZER WHICH MIGHT HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS DEATH.
THIS IS A ARTICLE FROM THE UNION MONITOR, IN HILLSBORO, ILLINOIS
THE SOLDIERS OF THE 41ST REGIMENT WHO WENT INTO THE DISAFFECTED VICINITY LAST WEEK, SUCCEDED IN ARRESTING THREE OF THE PARTIES IMPLICATED. THEY CALLED UPON THE CITIZENS FOR HORSES AND SADDLES, AS THEY CAME WITHOUT THESE, THEY CAME TO THE HOUSE OF OLD MR. SEARS FATHER OF THE NOTORIOUS " TOM SEARS" IN FAYETTE COUNTY, AND REQUESTED THE USE OF A SADDLE, THE OLD MAN REPLIED BY DISCHARGING HIS GUN, IN RETURNING THE FIRE THE OLD MAN WAS KILLED AS ALSO UNFORTUNATLY WAS HIS WIFE WHO WAS AT THE HOUSE AT THE TIME. ALTHOUGH A SAD AFFAIR THE CONDUCT OT THE SOLDIERS IN THIS MATTER ACCORDING TO THE BEST ACCOUNTS WAS NOT TO BE CONDEMMED, SOME EXCESSES ARE REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN COMMITTED BY THEM IN OTHER RESPECTS, IF SO THEY SHOULD BE DEALT WITH PROMTLY.
THE FOLLOWING ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF MR AND MRS SEARS IS FROM THE PEN OF LIEUTENANT COLONEL J. N. NALE
IN RELATION TO THE INCIDENT CONNECTED WITH THE DEATH OF MR AND MRS SEARS, I AS COMMANDER OF THE FORCE WOULD STATE, THAT AT THE REQUEST OF A DEPUTY MARSHAL FROM SPRINGFIELD, IL, I ACCOMPANIED HIM WITH A DETAIL OF FIVE MEN TO AID HIM IN THE ARREST OF TOM SEARS. WE ARRIVED AT THE HOUSE SUPPOSED TO BE HIS FATHERS WHERE WE EXPECTED TO FIND HIM [ TOM ] AND SURROUNDED IT, BUT NOT BEINING RIGHT ONE MAN WENT UP TO THE BACK DOOR AND ASK FOR A SADDLE SAYING THAT HE WAS TIRED OF RIDING WITHOUT ONE. IN THE MEANTIME I APPROACHED THE FRONT DOOR. THE OLD MAN ANSWERED NO SIR BY GOD YOU CAN'T HAVE MY SADDLE, AND JUMPING UP AND SEIZING HIS GUN HE SAW ME AND FIRED BARELY MISSING ME. HE THEN SPOKE TO SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE, SAYING BAR THE DOOR AND I'LL KILL ALL THE DAMN SON'S OF BITCHES . A NUMBER OF MEN WERE SUPPOSE TO BE IN THE HOUSE, AND MY MEN ALL STOOD UP CLOSE TO IT TO KEEP FROM BEING SHOT AT THROUGH THE WINDOWS. THE DOOR WAS OPEN A LITTLE SPACE BY THE OLD MAN, WHO WAS READY TO SHOOT, WHEN ONE OF MY MEN FIRED AT HIM. I AM OF THE IMPRESSION THAT THE SAME SHOT KILLED BOTH MR. AND MRS SEARS, SHE STOOD CLOSE BEHIND AND THEY BOTH FELL TOGETHER, HAD MR SEARS BEEN LESS IMPETUOUS NO HARM WOULD HAVE BEFALLEN HIM, NO OTHER PERSONS WERE IN THE HOUSE BUT AS I APPROCHED THE HOUSE I SAW A WOMAN GET OVER THE FENCE BACK OF THE HOUSE, AND GO INTO THE WOODS, I SUPPOSE TO GIVE AN ALARM TO SOMEONE, SHE DID NOT RETURN WHILE WE WERE AT THE HOUSE
J.H. NALE
LT. COL 41ST ILL VOLS
Children of JOHN SEARS and HANNA JOHNSON are:
i. JOHNSON2 SEARS, d. Abt. 1816, kicked by a horse and killed bur with parents.
2. ii. LEVI SEARS, b. 17 Nov 1818; d. 22 Dec 1891, Fayette Co, IL Liberty Cemetery.
3. iii. ELIZABETH SEARS, b. 16 Dec 1819; d. 28 Feb 1883, Buried Casey Cemetery, unmarked grave.
4. iv. CYNTHIA SEARS, b. 01 Apr 1824, ILLINOIS; d. 19 Dec 1884, Buried Vandalia, IL.
5. v. JOHN SEARS JR, b. Oct 1825; d. 09 Dec 1878, Sharon Twp, Fayette, Co IL.
vi. JOSEPH SEARS, b. Abt. 1826.
6. vii. CAROLINE SEARS, b. Abt. 1828; d. WFT Est. 1868-1923.
7. viii. SARAH SEARS, b. 1832, Fayette Co, IL; d. 02 Feb 1898, Tulsa Oklahoma.
8. ix. THOMAS SEARS, b. 03 Mar 1832; d. 22 Dec 1903, Buried Harris Cemetery Fayette Co, IL.
