The Sears Family Since 1836

Archibald Sears, b. 23 Feb. 1802, Southeast, NY; m.30 June 1833, NY, Susan Hadden; d. 28 Oct. 1893, Plano, IL In 1836, a young man by the name of Archibald Sears decided to pack up his young family in Putnam County, New York, and move west. This is the story of Archibald and his children and their families as it relates to Plano, Illinois. Archibald had spent some of his younger years living in western New York, and had moved back to his family home in South East township, where he worked for a while as a store keeper. He also learned the surveyor's trade and even spent some time teaching school. In 1833, he married Susan Hadden, in Putnam County, and they had started a family. Two daughters had been born. Archibald and his family traveled west on the Erie Canal and through the Great Lakes to Chicago. From Chicago they moved 50 miles further west to the present site of Plano, Illinois. Archibald staked a claim on the banks of the Big Rock Creek and the family set up house in a dugout home. The "house" was actually a cave dug out of the river bank.

A. Sarah Frances Sears, b. 31 July 1831, NY; m. Charles Hiram Beard; d. 21, Sep. 1891, Taylor Co, IA, he b. 4 Jan. 1826, VT, d. 15 Jan. 1898, Ross Twp, Taylor Co, IA
B. Caroline Matilda Sears, b. 24 Feb. 1836, NY, d. 20 Oct. 1843, Kendall Co, IL

C. James Morris Sears, b. 2 Mar. 1838, Little Rock Township, Kendall Co, IL; m. 25 Feb. 1874, Emily Lucy Cox; d. 4 June 1922

1. Susan Mary Sears, b. 20 July 1876, d. 13 Aug. 1895, Little Rock Twp. Kendall Co., IL

Aug. 21, 1895 - Miss Susie Sears the oldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Sears, was born July 20, 1876 and died at half past three o'clock Tuesday afternoon, August 13, 1895 at their home near Plano. After an illness of nearly four months from consumption she has been released from her suffering. She attended the schools of Plano, graduating with the class of '92. Was conscientious and earnest in her work and was rewarded by the honors of the class. She attended school during the year of '93-94 at the Normal college of Dixon and from there entered the literary course at Knox College as a sophomore in September '94. It was there after beginning work for the spring term that her health failed, and, after an effort even then to continue her work she was finally forced to give it up and come home. She was always ambitious for a higher education and entertained plans for continuing her course even after her health failed. She has been known all through these brief years of her life, only to be loved and respected by all. She leaves father and mother, three brothers and three sisters to mourn her departure and tenderly remember her beautiful life. During her illness, through all of which she was a great sufferer, she was patient and resigned, never complaining. She deeply felt the drawing toward her Savior when quite young. During her school days she was a member of the Young Women's Christian Association and faithfully attended the church services. As she approached death and learned that it was not far away she was sustained by an "unfaltering trust" and a bright hope of heaven. Funeral, Friday afternoon at M. E. Church, Rev. W. H. Pierce officiating. - Kendall County Record

2. Delbert Sears
3.Archibald Garfield Sears, b. 24 June 1880, d. 9 Mar. 1898, Chicago, IL

Mar. 16, 1898 - The Sudden Death of Archie Garfield Sears, the second son of James M. Sears at his boarding house in Chicago, last Wednesday morning, came as a sudden shock to the large circle of his young friends in Plano. He had been home but a few days before in perfect health, but a little later had an attack of appendicitis and after a few brief days of most acute suffering his fine physique succumbed and word came back that "Archie was dead!" Deceased was born January 18, 1880, on his father's farm in this township. He attended the public schools in Plano and was among the graduates from the high school in 1897, giving the salutatory address at the commencement ceremonies. Archie was a handsome, manly young man, with a keen, active intellect and seemed to have most brilliant prospects before him. The remains were brought to Plano Thursday and the funeral was held at the M. E. church Friday: he was interred near his mother, who was laid at rest but a few weeks since. - Kendall County Record

4. Ora Sears
5. Bessie Maybelle Sears

May 22, 1901 - Daughter of James and Emily L. Sears was born Feb. 14, 1885, and died May 15, 1901, at the age of 16 years, 3 months and 1 day. As passes the morning cloud, so has passed away this young life. And as the cloud has its silver lining and its darker shades, so her brief life, made bright in so many ways, had its shades of sorrow and of suffering. She was tenderly reared in a home where she had every comfort and every care, yet she early learned to sorrow and to suffer.

Six years ago next August the death angel passed over the home and took away her eldest sister. In January 1898 her mother passed away. Two months later her oldest brother died.

Five years ago she herself lay amid the shadows, and for months she seemed to linger between this world and the next. Twice she was taken to the hospital. The last time she was there 14 weeks. Then she grew better and came home. But from that time she was not well. During the last year her health has gradually failed, and two weeks ago yesterday she was taken ill and on last Wednesday afternoon the death angel kissed her and she fell asleep.
Matthew Arnold has said:

“Youth dreams a bliss on this side death
It dreams a rest if not more deep
More grateful than this marble sleep.”

And tis true that youth lays its plans for life. We expect it so. Yet how often youth falls asleep in time and wakes in eternity. It was so with Bessie Sears.

Standing with reluctant feet,
Where the brook and river meet
Womanhood and childhood fleet
Gazing with a timid glance
At the brooklet’s wild advance
On the river’s broad expanse
Deep and still that gliding stream,
Beautiful to thee must must seem.
As the river of a dream.

How often have we thought of these words of Longfellow during these many days when the shadows seemed to play about her while her familiar face was yet seen as she rode along the street and how often his very questions have trembled on our lips.


Seest thou the shadows sailing by
As the dove with startled eye
Sees the falcon’s shadow fly
Hearest then voices on the shore
That our ears perceive no more
Deafened by the cataract’s roar.
And we have said in our hearts,

Gather, then, each flower that grows
When the young trees ...
To embalm that tent of snows.
Today her hand is as the whitened lilly as:

“May glides onward into June.”
Bessie was too well known to need any lengthy delineation of her character at this time. She was old beyond her years. She had a fixed and steady purpose and a will as strong as one in middle life. So young, and withal so frail, she sought to take her mother’s place as the comfort and companion of her father.

She will be greatly missed.

She leaves her father, two brothers, Delbert and Louis, and two sisters, Ora and Ruth, besides a host of friends to mourn her departure.

And yet we know that when the death angel came, two angels entered at the self same time. The death angel came to call her away from sickness, sorrow and earthly suffering. While the angel of light and love entered to sanctify these sacred memories and to wipe away our tears with buds of promise from the Word of God who hath said: I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. When thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers, they shall not swallow thee.

The funeral was held at the home Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock and there was a very large attendance of relatives and friends and many of her schoolmates, six of whom acted as pallbearers: Bernie Sanders, Howard and Herchall Dewey, Eddie Foster, Jesse Jay and Albert Wiggins. Rev. W. H. Pierce, of Rock Falls, conducted the funeral services assisted by Rev. E. J. Rose of the Plano M. E. church. Mr. Pierce spoke not in the formal measure of a sermon, but as a friend and comforter to the bereaved family. The singing was by Charles Tuller, Mrs. F. H. Earl, Rev. Wyott, and Glena Kendall. The floral tributes were in profusion and very beautiful. The burial was in Plano cemetery beside her mother, brother and sister, who had preceded her. - Kendall County News

6. Louis Sears 7. Ruth Sears
	Ora, Louis, and Bessie Sears

D. Adeline Sears, b. 17 Jan. 1840, Kendall County, IL, d. 21 Apr. 1851, Little Rock Township, Kendall Co, IL
E. Cordelia Eveline Sears, b. 2 Sep. 1841, Kendall Co, IL, d. 7 Apr. 1842, Kendall Co, IL
F. Julia Hadden Sears, b. 6 Aug. 1843, Kendall Co, IL, d. 24 Sep. 1847, Kendall Co, IL
G. Susan Sears, b. 6 June 1845, d. 7 June 1845, Kendall Co, IL

Archibald m-2, 23 Aug. 1850, Kendall Co, IL, Rachel Carver Smith, she b. 26 Oct. 1818, Hebron, CT, d. 10 Mar. 1905, Aurora, NE
	Rachel Carver Smith Sears

H. Charles Madison Sears
I. Mary Emeline Sears
J. Albert Hollister Sears
K. Alice Maria Sears, b. 11 May 1856, Plano, IL, m. 1 Oct. 1878, Frederick Carver Mather, d. 9 Apr. 1938 Aurora, NE
L. Sherman Sherwood Sears, b. 15 may 1859, Plano, IL, m. 16 Sep. 1882, Estella May Kennedy, d. 22 Aug. 1949, Lincoln, NE
M. Ada Ann Sears, 26 Oct. 1861, m. 4 June 1892, Walter Miller, d. 14 June 1924, Crawfordsville, IN

Anne Sears Genealogy
Updated: September 18, 2007, by Anne Sears
For documentation, contact: Anne Sears -[email protected]