Paul SEARS

  General Notes:

Paul Sears took the oath of "Fidellyte" in 1657, held a commission as a
captain in the militia, and made claim for a horse lost in Narragansett
war, but I find no record of his services. October 30, 1667, he was one of
the grand jury, in an inquest held on the child of Nicholas Nickerson. He
was one of the original proprietors of lands in Harwich, between Bound
and Stony brooks, known as "Wing's Purchase," as appears by deed of John
Wing et als., to Paul Seers et als., dated April 16,1677, recorded at
Plymouth. The early town records of Yarmouth were destroyed by fire at
the burning of the town clerk's house in 1674, and from the succeeding
volume the first twenty- six pages are gone, and others mutilated and
worn. The names and dates of birth of his children have been supplied
from various sources, and are believed to be correct. I annex copies of
the will and inventory of Paul Sears;- the will is signed with his mark,
as is also the inventory of John Burge's estate, rendered by him and
recorded Barns. Rec II, 1701, p130. He left property valued at L 467 03
03, to his "loving wife Deborah," and to his sons, "Samuel, Paul and John;"
that to his sons being charged with a payment to "their brothers, Richard
and Daniel, towards their purchase of lands at Manamoy;" having given to
his daughters, (whose names are unfortunately omitted) "such parts or
portions as I was able or thought fitt." In the ancient cemetery in
Yarmouth lies a stone slab, removed from its place to make room for the
granite monument to the Searses, which bears the following inscription,
surmounted by a cherub's head and scroll work: Here lyes the Body of
Paul Sears, who Departed this life February ye 20th 1707, in ye 70th
year of his age." It is the oldest dated memorial in the cemetery. His
wife was doubtless laid by his side, but there is no stone to her memory.
George Willard, the father of Paul Sears' wife, was the son of Richard
and Joane (Morebread) W., of Horsmonden, Kent, Eng., where he was bap.
Dec. 4, 1614. he settled at Scituate for a time, removing thence it is
said to Maryland or Gorgeane Maine. There is some reason to believe that
his wife was Dorothy Dunster, dau. of Henry D., of Baleholt, near Bury,
Lanc., sister to Eliz'h D., who m. his bro. Simon Willard; and to Rev. Henry
D., Pres. of Harvard College. [See Willard Mem., 1858, p. 339] Paul Sears
was the first to adopt the present spelling of SEARS. In the name of God,
Amen, the Twentieth Day of February, 1707-8. I, Paul Sears, Senr. of
yarmouth, in ye County of Barnstable, in New England, being at this time
ill and weak in body but of Disposing mind and memory,
Praised be God, Do make, Constitute, ordain and Declare this my Last
Will and Testament, in manner and form following: First, and principally.
I Comitt my soul to God, most humbly depending upon the gracious Death
and merits of Jesus Christ my only Lord and Saviour for Salvation, and to
the free pardon of all my sins. And my Body to the Earth to be buryed in
such Decent Christian manner as to my Executors hereafter named shall
be thought fitt. And as for my outward Estate, as Lands, Chattels and
Goods, I do order Give and Dispose in manner and form following; First, -
I will that all those Debts and Duties that I owe in Right or Conscience
To any perosn whatsoever shall be truly paid in convenient time, after
my Decease by my Executors hereafter named, out of my movable Estate.
Item,- I do give and bequeeath to my eldest son Samuel Sears, all that
my land and meadow in the township of Harwich upon part whereof his
house now stands as is comprehended within and between the boundaries
now following: (that is to say ,) bounded on the east by Kenelm Winslows
Land at ye known and accustomed bounds and on the west side beginning
at a remarkable rock, (lying about four Rods eastward from Yarmouth
bound Rock at bound brook,) and from the sd Remarkable Rock the line
runs Southerly over the Swamp and up ye hill to a great Pine tree marked
in sd Yarmouth line: and thence up ye same straight line Southerly to the
highway: and thence eastward as the way runs to ye said Winslows Land,
(the sd highway being the bounds on ye south side) And the beginning
again att ye sd Remarkable Rock the line runs norhterly to a stone sett in
ye ground: and thence easterly to the edge of ye marsh by a straight line
to another stone sett in to the ground, and so bounded by the marsh to
another stone sett in the ground northerly on a straight line to a bend of
ye main Creek at a stone sett in the Maresh, and on the north side tis
bounded by tyhe known and accustomed bounds and of my interest in the
undivided lands in sd Harwich, viz.: that is my sd son Saml. shall sixteen
acres to himself in ye next Division(ye proprietors make of the undivided
Lands) and the one half of all the rest of my interest there. All which sd
Lands and Meadows shall be to my sd son Samuel Sears, and to his heirs
and assigns forever, he yielding to his mother, my wife, one third part of
ye proffits thereof during her natural life, and also paying to his two
brothers Richard and Daniel, forty and two pounds in money towards the
paying their purchase at Manamoy. I do give him my Try pott and Kettle.
It.- I do give and bequeath to my son Paul Sears and to his heirs and
assigns forever, one piece of fresh meadow called the Green Meadow
which lyeth on the north side of my old house and is bounded
eastward at ye Well or Spring, then westward taking in all ye Marsh or
ground to ye old cartway (which leads into ye neck) on Joseph Sears
fence: thence northeastward as the old sd cartway and fence runs to
Zachariah Paddocks fence or line which is ye bounds on ye north side to
bound brook, the sd bound brook and well or spring being the bounds on
the east side, and also one quarter part of my interest of the undivided
Lands in sd Harwich (besides the above sd Sixteen acres given to my son
Samuel,) and for the rest of my son Pauls land is in ye neck where he
now dwells, and by me confirmed by Deed of Gift formerly, and my Will
is that he shall yield to his mother, my wife, one third of the proffits or
income of all I have given him, during her natural life, and that he shall
pay to his two brothers Richard and Daniel, forty and four pounds in
money towards the paying their purchases att Manamoy. My will further
is that the Ditch which hath been the accustomed bounds in the in the
marsh betwixt my son Paul, and my kinsman Josiah Sears shall remain
for- ever; beginning southerly att ye upland and running straight
northerly to the Creek which did run on ye north side of ye island, which
creek shall be the north bounds: And my Will is, and I do give all that slip
of meadow on the West side of ye sd ditch unto the said Josiah Sears, his
heirs and assigns forever. It.- I do give and bequeath unto my son John
Sears, and to his heirs and as- signs forever, all the rest of my
Homestead, both housings, lands and meadows, also one quarter part of
all my interest in the undivided lands in ye sd Harwich, excepting the
sixteen acres before given to my son Saml.-he my sd son John allowing
and yielding to his mother, my wife, the one third part of my Housing,
and the third of the proffits of ye lands during her natural life, and he
paying to his two brothers Richard and Daniel, forty and four pounds in
mon- ey towards their purchase att Manamoy. It.- I do give and bequeath
all my movable Estate as Cattle, sheep, horses, swine and household
stuff &c, unto my loving wife Deborah, (my Debts and Funerall charges
being first paid.) She shall have the rest for her comfort while she lives:
and what she leaves at her death to be equally divided amongst my
daughters to whom I have each of them given such parts or portions as I
was able or thought fitt. Lastly,- I do nominate and appoint my sd son
Saml Sears and my Loving Wife Deborah executors to this my last will
and testament. In witness whereof, I have hereunto sett my hand and
seal ye day and year in ye other side forst above written.

April 8th, 1708 Samuel Sears Executor to the last Will and Testament of
Paul Sears of Yarmouth his deceased father, before Barnabas Lothrop,
Esq., Judge of Probate and granting letters of Administration, within
this County of Barnstable, made oath that the above written is a true
Inventory of ye Estate of ye sd Paul Sears so far as he knows, and that if
any thing else that is material shall yt farther come to his knowledge he
will bring it to this Inventory. Attest Wm. Bassett, Reg. Peter Thacher
Kenelm Winslow, Jun. Barnstable, ss. April 14, 1883. A true copy of the
record. Attest, Freeman H. Lothrop, Register of Probate Court !MD 25,
p.49 Maj William 2 Bradford's Confirmation of his mother's deed to
Richard Sears with an autograph of John Alden. Widow Alice Bradford
sold land on 23 November 1664 to Richard Sears of Yarmouth -To all
people to whom these prnts shall come Major William Bradford of
Plimoth in the Govrment of New Plimoth in New England Esqr... in
consideration of ye sume of Twenty pounds to her in hand payd, by
Richard Seers, his heires & Assigns for ever, two Allotments, of Land
conteyning forty acres be they more, or be they lesse, lying and
being at a place, comonly called Sesuit between a brooke comonly called
& knowne, by the name of Bound Brooke,[boundary bewteen Dennis &
Brewster ed.] and a brooke called Saquetuckett brooke, as also a crtyn
tract of meadow to ye foresd Lotts appteyning, and are abutalled as p a
deed of Feofement