John Joseph Kear, Sr.

John Joseph KEAR, son of Thomas Reed KEAR and Catherine FRYSINGER, was born 26 March 1834 in Ohio [note 1] and died 12 January 1908 in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio [note 2]. John was married twice. He first married Mahala FISHER on 18 January 1855 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio [note 3]. Mahala was born on 4 March 1835 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and died on 25 March 1897 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio [note 4]. She is buried in Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert, Ohio. John's second marriage was to Susan WEDGE, who died in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, on 9 March 1933. John and Susan are buried in Forest Cemetery, Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio [note 5].

In 1898, three roads in Van Wert were name "Kear Road," and one of those roads was named by John Kear. John purchase 3.15 acres of property, and subdivided them for home sites; the property was named "John Kear's Addition," [note 6] when it was added to the Town of Van Wert on 14 May 1892.

John worked at various trades such as, carpenter, laborer, and operated a laundry in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, at 345 Wabash and 1454 Fernwood Ave. In 1901 he lived at 706 Tecumseh [note 7].

From 26 May to 27 July 1899 John was a member of the Quaker sect [note 8].

John and Mahala had nine childreh :

Eva A. KEAR born 1856 married Wilbur B. MOORE on 16 October 1883 in Van Wert County, Ohio [note 9].
Willis Leonard KEAR.
George Elden KEAR.
Alma KEAR born 1863, married Marriot STROTHERS on 27 January 1886.
Lillian KEAR born 1868, married Charles SHOEMAKER on 12 January 1886 in Van Wert, Ohio [note 10].
Blanche Mae KEAR born 4 May 1871 in Van Wert, Ohio [note 11], married John McDARR. The family was in Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio in 1910 [note 12]. John was born about 1870 [note 13].
Susan Cecil KEAR.
Inez KEAR born 4 September 1877, Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio.
John Joseph KEAR, Jr..

Notes:

Death Record, 1880 Federal Census, State of Ohio, Town of Van Wert, Van Wert County, 18 June 1880, Microfilm Reel No. 1073, Frame 352, Ohio Historical Center, Columbus, Ohio. [Return to text]
Death Record, Lucas County, Ohio, Volume 5, p.132. [Return to text]
Marriage Record, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol. 1, p. 256. Although most records give her surname as Fisher, the marriage records gives Boles. Further, several birth records for her children give her first name as Hannah, or Hannah M. Fisher. [Return to text]
Death Record, Van Wert County, Ohio, Volume 2., p. 98. [Return to text]
Death Notice, Toledo Blade, Toledo, Ohio, March 1933. [Return to text]
Plat Book 1, Van Wert County, Ohio, pp. 106-107. The street later was renamed Shaffer Street. [Return to text]
Census and Toledo City Directories. [Return to text]
Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, by William Wade Minshaw, (Ann Arbor, Michigan: Edwards Brothers, Inc., 1946), Vol. V, p. 1004. [Return to text]
Marriage Book 6, p. 281, no. 839, Probate Court, Van Wert County, Ohio. [Return to text]

Marriage Records, Probate Court, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol 7, p. 41. [Return to text]
Record of Births, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol. 1, p. 56, No. 33 & p. 86, No. 24. (The name was not recorded but the date corresponds to family Bible records for Blanche. The birth record was duplicated, probably when the name was given to the Recorder.)
1910 Census: John W McDarr, age: 40, birth place: Ohio; residence Lucas County, Toledo. [Return to text]
Ibid. [Return to text]

Copyright

Information on this site related to the Kear family is from The John Cears Kear Family compiled, written and edited by Donald L. Kear, copyright © 1984.
Copyright © 2000 - 2006 by Donald L. Kear. All rights reserved. Portions of the pages on this site may be reproduced for nonprofit use only. Credit shall be given to the source.