Robert Thomas Kear
Robert
Thomas Kear, son of Thomas
Reed Kear and Catherine Frysinger, was
born in Van Wert, Van Wert Co., Ohio, on 17 Nov
1849 [note
1],
and died on 6 Nov 1881 in Van Wert, Ohio
[note
2].
He married Mary Catherine TOPE on 11 October 1868
in Van
Wert, Ohio [note
3]. Mary Catherine was
born 18 November 1847
in Allen County, Ohio, the second daughter and fifth child of
Levi
TOPE and Sarah DAVIS.
Robert and Catherine are
buried in Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County, Ohio. She died
11
September 1903 [note
4] at the home of her son, Oscar
Melville Kear.
Robert
worked in the Eagle stave factory in Van Wert. He
also enlisted on 24 September 1874 in the Van Wert Fire
Department No. 1 [note
5], and served as the company's
secretary in
1878 [note
6].
He resigned from the department on 3
April 1879. [note
7] The photo at right shows the pumper used when Robert was a fire fighter. His son, Oscar, is standing by the
pumper.
Prior
to Bright's Disease taking his life, the KEAR
family lived with Robert's father-in-law, Levi TOPE, in Willshire
Township [note
8]. Because of inability to
support the
family, or lack of living space, only three children were with
the family.
Catherine
wove carpets as the means of supporting her
family after Robert's death. She was a member of the First
Methodist Episcopal Church in Van Wert, Ohio [note
9].
Catherine's
death was caused by a fall [note
10].
Robert
and Catherine Kear had five children: Olive Pearl, Elsie
Leora, Eva Louella, Ernest William and Oscar Melville. See photo
Links to these children are in the left-hand column.
Notes:
1. Tombstone,
Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County,
Ohio. [Return]
2. Death
Records, Probate Court, Van Wert County,
Ohio, Vol. 1, p.188. [Return]
3. Marriage
Records, Probate Court, Van Wert County,
Ohio, Bk. 3, p. 395. [Return]
4. Tombstone,
Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert County,
Ohio. [Return]
5. Death
Records, Probate Court, Van Wert County,
Ohio, Vol. 2, p. 104. [Return]
6. Enlistment
Certificate (The company's hand-engine
and Robert's enlistment certificate are part of the Fire
Department historical display).
7. History
of Van Wert and Mercer Counties, Ohio,
(Wapakaneta, O.: 1882), p. 170. [Return]
8. 1880,
Census, Van Wert County, Ohio, 4 June 1890,
Microfilm, Reel No. 1074, Frame No. 445. [Return]
9. Church
Record for the First Church - Van Wert, O.
Methodist Church For years 1897 to 1903, Vol. 1. [Return]
10. Death
Records, Vol. 2, p. 104. [Return]
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.