The Kear Families of Wyandot County, Ohio

NATHAN KEAR, son of Moses and Gemima (Nathan) Kear, was born April 14, 1821. He resided with his parents till his marriage to Susan Turner, January 1, 1845. Her parents, Samuel and Lucy Turner, were natives of New York State. Mr. and Mrs. Kear had two children, daughters — both married — Cornelia, now the wife of William K. Nye, and Florence, wife of Robert Caldwell. Mrs. Nye has two children — Stella May and William E.; and Mrs. Caldwell has one — Ella M. Mr. Kear was educated in the common schools, and settled on his present farm in Salem Township, February 25, 1848. This farm was purchased two years previous, and has been cleared of its timber and otherwise improved by Mr. Kear, who now values it at $80 per acre. He has ben a farmer from his youth up, believes in the doctrine of Universalism, and is a liberal Republican politically.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

JAMES KEAR, son of Moses and Jemima (Nathan) Kear, was born in Tymochtee Township, this county, November 12, 1824. He was married, August 6, 1848, to Margaret S. Long, of Tymochtee Township, native of Pennsylvania. He settled in Salem Township, on a farm purchased about two years previous. It was then forest land, and much labor has been necessary to place it in its present high state of cultivation. Mr. and Mrs. Kear have two sons, Wilson H. and Ernest E., the former having married Miss Rosetta Larcomb, and now resides in Richland Township. Mr. Kear was among the early settlers of this county. He was educated in the common schools, and has made the best use of his knowledge thus acquired. His father being a gunsmith, he was largely patronized by the Indians, many of whom our subject was quite familiar with. In politics, Mr. Kear is a Republican.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MILTON KEAR was born in this county September 25, 1826. He is a son of Moses and Jemima (Nathan) Kear, natives of New York and Ohio respectively, and was married January 13, 1848, to Miss Harriet Long, a native of Pennsylvania. Their children are Alvin I. and Alice I. (twins), Henry A., Doctor F. and William G. At the age of twenty-three, Mr. Kear removed to Crawford Township, where he remained till 1854, when he located on his present farm in this township. He is a successful and enterprising farmer, and has made many improvements on his premises. In 1875, he erected a tine, lai'ge brick residence. Mr. Kear was an old-tire Whig, and now affiliates with the Republican party, having served one term as Township Treasurer. He keeps his farm well stocked with horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, and commands the respect of his entire community.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Henry Kear has resided in Wyandot county since his birth in pioneer times and has not only been a witness of the growth and progress of the section but has borne his full share in the work of general improvement and development. As the years

nogle have gone by his well directed efforts have won their natural reward of success and prosperity, so that he stands today among the substantial and wealthy citizens of Upper Sandusky, where he makes his home. Mr. Kear comes of farming stock and a great deal of his life has been spent in agricultural pursuits, although for the past twenty-one years he has concentrated his attention upon the development of his insurance business. He was born in Tymoehtee township, Wyandot county, which was then Crawford county, Ohio, May 10, 1831, and is a son of Moses and Jemima (Nathan) Kear, the former a native of Tarrytown, New York, born August 29, 1797, and the latter of Ross county, Ohio, where her birth occurred Jime 4, 1803. The father of our subject was a son of Peter and Anna (Odell) Kear and he spent his early years in Tarrytown, emigrating from that city to Ross county, Ohio, in the year 1812. There he grew to manhood and there his marriage occurred June 4, 1820. He had learned the trade of a gunsmith and followed this in Ross county until June, 1821, when, seeking a broader field of activity, he went to Tymoehtee township, this county, where he established himself in business in early pioneer times. He dealt largely with the Indians, who inhabited the section, and built up among them a successful and prosperous patronage until the tribe was removed to the west in 1843. Mr. Kear's mother was a daughter of Nicholas and Catharine (Kimball) Nathan. She grew to womanhood in her native section of Ross county and shared her husband's hard pioneer life. Both have passed away.

Henry Kear grew to manhood in Tymoehtee township amid the environments which fell to the lot of all pioneers. He attended the crude country schools of his day, studying in a little log schoolhouse with slabs for seats. He used goose quill pens and was instructed by teachers who never made it a practice to spare the rod and spoil the child. At eighteen he had advanced far enough to receive a certificate to teach and this occupation he engaged in for some twenty years, supplementing at an early period his district-school education by a few terms at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. Later, however, he tinned his attention to farming and devoted a great many years of his life to this occupation, abandoning it finally in order to engage in the insurance business in Upper Sandusky, with which he has now been connected for twenty-one years. He deals in all kinds of insur-

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Mr. Kear married, November 24, 1858, at Mexico, Ohio, Miss Susetta E. Gibbs, a daughter of J. P. and Cathaiine M. Gibbs. Mr. and Mrs. Kear became the parents of four children, John C, Laiu-a M., Mary L. and Seth Sherman, who has passed away. Fraternally Mr. Kear is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he has been a member for fifty-five years, being today in the twenty-eighth year of his service as financial and recording secretary. His religious views are in accord with the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church and, politically, he supports the man whom he considers best fitted for the position, never being influenced by party lines. He is active in public life and has served ably in various responsible positions, having; been justice of the peace for three years and a member of the board of education for more than twenty years. He is a self-made man, who, starting out in life empty-handed and handicapped by the hard conditions of pioneer life, has steadily worked his way upward, his prosperity proving his ability and industry.

Mercantile interests in Upper Sandusky find a worthy and progressive representative in Irvin R. Mankel, proprietor of one of the finest jewelry stores in the city and a young man who well deserves his growing prominence in business circles. He is a native son of the city, bom March 22, 1889, his parents being Frederick J. and Lizetta (Roszman) Mankel, the former of whom was born in Baden, Germany, in 1852 and the latter in Salem township in 1857. The father learned the shoemaking trade in his native country and came to Upper Sandusky at the age of eighteen, pursuing his chosen line of work until his death, which occurred April 5, 1893. His wife survives him and makes her home in Upper Sandusky.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

HENRY KEAR, son of Moses and Jemima (Nathan) Kear, natives of New York and Ohio respectively, was born May 10, 1831. Of a family of nine sons, eight are still living — Nathan, James, Milton, Moses O., Henry,

Doctor, George W. and Setli. Peter, the second son, died May 28, 1831. The family removed to this county in 1821. Mr. Kear obtained a fair education in common schools, supplementing this by attending the Ohio Wesley an University, from March, 1852, to August, 1853. He obtained his first certificate to teach at the age of eighteen, and subsequently taught nineteen terms. He was married, November 24, 1858, to Susan E. Gibbs, of New Jersey, and four children have been born to them — John C. August 23, 1859- Laura M., August 27, 1860; Mary L., August 26, 1862; Seth S., October 25, 1864. Mr. Kear has eighty acres of land, which he values at $100 per acre, besides considerable live-stock. He served one term as Justice of the Peace in Tymochtee Township, and is a prominent member of his community. He is a Republican, and, with his wife, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Upper Sandusky.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

MOSES KEAR is a native of this township, born November 28, 1853. He is a son of M. O. and Laura (Hulse) Kear, also natives of this county, their children being Moses, Rosetta and John R. Mrs. Kear died November 2, 1857, and Mr. Kear was again married March 4, 1860, to Miss Lydia C. Petty, and three children have been born to them — George W., Thomas B. and Effie L. Moses Kear obtained a good education, attending the Upper Sandusky Union School three terms in 1871. He obtained his first certificate to teach at the age of eighteen, beginning his work in the Lovell School, teaching three winter terms. He was married, March 23, 1875, to Hannah L. Wagel, who inherited sixty-eight acres of land, on which they located in 1876. In 1878, they removed to Kansas, residing one year, returning to his farm in 1879, since which he has engaged in agricultural pursuits. His only child is Leona Maud, born December 31, 1875. ?lr, Kear is a Republican, himself and Mrs.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

BYRON KEAR, son of Jonathan and Caroline (Porterfield) Kear, was born in this township January 24, 1832. His parents were natives of New York and Maine respectively. They married in Delaware County, Ohio, and located in this township on land entered by our subject's grandfather. Their children were Lucinda E., Anna M., Crawford J., Byron, Susan C. and Agnes J. Lucinda is deceased. The mother died in August, 1853, the father in March, 1876, aged fifty'-five and seventy-five years respectively. They were entombed upon the farm where the grandparents, each in their ninety-third year, were also interred. Byron Kear remained, from his youth up, on the home farm, which he obtained in later years. He was married, April 24, 1853, to Eliza A. Clark, who was born in Delaware County, Ohio, December 23, 1836, a daughter of John and Caroline (Fisher) Clark, natives of New York. Her parents married in Delaware County, Ohio, and moved to Wyandot in 1839, settling in Crawford Township. The children of this family were Marion A., Martha A., James B., Isaac F., Albina E., Eliza A., John S., Caroline C. and Cicero; the latter and James B. now deceased. The mother died in April, 1849, the father, February 3, 1866. Mr. and Mrs. Kear are parents of three daughters: Ada C, born April 16, 1854; Emma E., February 11, 1858; Flora E., October 2, 1860, all living and married. Ada C. was united with I. B. Gibbs October 8, 1871; Emma was married to John Slatterback, November 18, 1875; Flora E. was made the wife of J. E. Gibbs July 24, 1879. In addition to the home farm in 1874 Mr. Kear purchased twenty-five acres, now owning 215 acres of valuable land. In May, 1864, he enlisted in Company D, One

Hundred and Fortyfourth Ohio National Guards, and served till September, 1864, when he was honorably discharged. He and Mrs. Kear are members of the United Brethren Church. Mr. Kear is a member of the Masonic Lodge, a Republican and Prohibitionist.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.