On September 22, 1866, after serving in the Union Army during the Civil War, Albert married Lydia Ellen Rees.  She was born August 6, 1843, in Montgomery County, Ohio.  Her obituary reported she had been born in Farmersville, which is in Jackson Township.  1850 census records are unclear as to the family's location, but the 1860 census did show them living in Farmersville.

Not long after their marriage the couple came to Illinois, where most of their children were born. The obituary of David Bear, their son, reported he was born in Hancock Township, Hancock County, in 1869, but that may have been incorrect.  In 1870 the family was located in St. Mary's Township, and the next son, Lawrence, was reportedly born at St. Mary's Prairie near Plymouth, St. Mary's Township, in 1872.

In 1880 the family was again in Ohio, enumerated in German Township, Montgomery County; daughter Jennie was born there that summer.  At some point they returned to Illinois and, according to documentation gathered circa 1935, the family settled near Joetta in Hancock Township, Hancock County, when Lawrence was ten years old - about 1882.

The Bear family was active in the community and Majorville Church; numerous mentions are found in news items of the day.  See the Joetta News columns written by Ella May Long, under the pen name Hetty.

Lydia died February 10, 1903, and was laid to rest at Majorville Cemetery.  Obituary

In October of 1904, Albert was admitted, for an undetermined interval, to the Illinois Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Quincy in Adams County, Illinois.

Albert followed Lydia in death on March 15, 1910, and was interred beside Lydia.  In his will he left $100 for the perpetual care of their tombstone.  Obituary Clipping    Obituary by Hetty (The similarity of the text suggests that Hetty also wrote Lydia's obituary.)

Their children were:

i.	Myrtle E. Bear, born May 11, 1867, in Illinois.  Before marriage, Myrtle was a teacher; in 1886 she was employed at Woodville School District 105.  On July 23, 1896, she married William S. Fry, son of John and Rebecca Fry.  It was Myrtle's first marriage, William's second. The Bear siblings were a well-traveled lot, living in locations across the United States.  In addition to living in Illinois, Myrtle and her husband also lived in Missouri, Texas and Colorado.  Of note is that when William was the Superintendant of Schools in Maroa, Illinois, Myrtle was the Assistant Superintendant. Myrtle died January 11, 1956, in Denver, Colorado.
ii.	David Vanbrugh Bear, born December 8, 1869, in Hancock County, Illinois.  He died March 13, 1932, in Lewistown, Lewis County, Missouri.  Burial at Lewistown Cemetery.
iii.	Lawrence Percival Bear, born May 1, 1872, at St. Mary's Prairie near Plymouth, Hancock County, Illinois.  He died March 13, 1947, at Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Reportedly buried at Astoria, Fulton County, Illinois.
iv.	Kate Bear, born September 18, 1874, in Hancock County, Illinois, perhaps St. Mary's Township.  Found as Kate L. or K. L. in most records, known in the family as Lutie Kate. Kate devoted her life to teaching.  One of her early positions was at Woodville School District 105. She died October 27, 1955 at Summum, Fulton County, Illinois; burial at Summum Cemetery.
v.	Ira Leotis Bear, born March 2, 1877, in Hancock County, Illinois, died March 26, 1879, in Ohio, burial at State Road Cemetery (also known as Schaeffer Cemetery), German Township, Montgomery County.
vi.	Jennie Rees Bear, born August 7, 1880, in Ohio, probably in German Township, Montgomery County, where the family was counted in the 1880 Federal Census.  Like elder sister, Kate, Jennie never married and spent her life as a teacher. She died April 13, 1959, at Denver, Denver County, Colorado.  Burial at Summum Cemetery, Fulton County, Illinois.
vii.	Elva Florence Bear, born September 26, 1883, in Illinois, probably in Hancock Township near Joetta.  She died September 14, 1949, in Astoria, Fulton County, burial at Summum Cemetery.

Click on the album to view more Bear family photographs.

See also: George Lloyd Rees, Lydia's brother.

David Rees, 45, male, farmer, value of real estate 3600, born NY
Lyda, 36, female, born VA
Adaline, 20, female, born OH
Phillips, 16, male, labourer, born OH, attended school within the year
Mary, 13, female, born OH, attended school within the year
David, 9, male, born OH, attended school within the year
Lyda, 7, female, born OH, attended school within the year
Thaddeus, 7, male, born OH, attended school within the year
George, 2, male, born OH

Henry Baer, 46, male, farmer, value of real estate 12000, value of personal estate 1000, born OH
Ellen, 34, female, born VA
Catharine, 20, female, house work, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Albert, 16, male, farm laborer, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Mary F, 8, female, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Ira, 5, male, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Sarah Davis, 20, female, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Mary Links, 40, female, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]
Jenny, 15, female, born [dittoed from Ellen's birth state]

David Rees, 55, male, merchant, value of real estate 6000, value of personal estate 5000,
born NY
Lydda, 46, female, born VA
David, 18, male, clerk, born OH, attended school within the year
Lydda, 16, female, born OH, attended school within the year
Thaddius, 14, male, born OH, attended school within the year
George L, 11, male, born OH, attended school within the year
Alfred A, 5, male, born OH, attended school within the year
Florence V, 3, female, born OH

Bean [sic], Albert S, 26, male, white, farmer, value of personal estate 600, born OH, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Lydia E, 26, female, white, keeping house, born OH
Mirtle E, 3, female, white, born IL
David H V, 7/12, male, white, born IL, born Dec

Bear, Albert, white, male, 36, married, farmer, born OH, both parents born OH
Lydia, white, female, 36, wife, married, house keeping, born OH, father born NY, mother
born VA
Myrtal, white, female, 13, daughter, single, out of school, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born OH
Vane B, white, male, 10, son, single, out of school, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents born OH
Lawrence, white, male, 7, son, single, attended school within the year, born IL, both parents
born OH
Katie, white, female, 5, daughter, single, born IL, both parents born OH

Bear, Albert S, head, white, male, Mar 1844, 56, married for 34 years, born OH, both parents born OH, farmer, months unemployed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 14

Lydia E, wife, white, female, Aug 1843, 56, married for 34 years; mother of 7 children, 6 living; born OH, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English

Kate L, daughter, white, female, Sept 1874, 25, single, born IL, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English

Jennie R, daughter, white, female, Aug 1880, 19, single, born OH, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English

Elva F, daughter, white, female, Sept 1883, 16, single, born IL, both parents born OH, at school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Reece, Alfred A, nephew, white, male, June 1885, 14, single, born OH, both parents born OH, at school for 5 months, could read, write and speak English