William Reed Kear

    William Reed KEAR, son of John Cears KEAR and Mary REED, was born in Ohio on 19 May 1817 and died 6 February 1891 in Otoe Co., Nebraska. He first married Mary JOHNSON, daughter of Joel JOHNSON and Elizabeth CORNELIUS, on 29 September 1834 in Van Wert Co., Ohio. Mary was born about 1818 in Stock Township., Harrison Co., Ohio, and died in Cass Co., Nebraska. She was buried on the northwest corner of the family homestead near Elmwood, Nebraska; the grave is obscured now. After Mary's death, William married her sister, Ann JOHNSON.
   He was elected as a Trustee of the town of Van Wert, Ohio, on 13 May 1848 [note 1]. Around 1850 he and Mary moved to Bonepart, Iowa. They then moved by ox team to Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1865, but returned to Nebraska City, Nebraska in the winter of 1866-67. They homesteaded near Elmwood, Nebraska, in 1867, and lived the greater part of the lives on this homestead [note 2].
   William was six foot-two inches tall, had black hair and blue eyes that had a twinkle of fun and mischief. He was, however, rather reserved in bearing, energetic temperament, and was a good worker [note 3].

William and Mary had eleven children:

1. James Washington KEAR

2. Martha Jane KEAR married David DAVIDSON

3. Mary Eliza KEAR

4. John Wesley KEAR was born 20 Dec 1843, Van Wert, Van Wert Co., Ohio, died 15 July 1916, married Ellen Lewis, daugher of Johnathon LEWIS and Cynthia JOHNSON. Ellen was born in 1845 in Ohio

5. Joshua M. KEAR

6. Elizabeth Elen KEAR

7. Susan Emily KEAR

8.Cynthia Ann KEAR was born on 31 May 1854 in Bonapart, Van Buren Co., Iowa, and died 11 September 1930. She married --?-- Guerney [ See Photos ].

Cynthia had one child:

Etta Guerney

9. Lucy Lucretia KEAR

10. Andrew Jackson KEAR was born in February 1859, and married Julia Ann ADAMSON on 29 May 1834 in Cass Co., Nebraska [note 4].
Andrew and Julia had three children:

1. Jay A. KEAR was born in October 1889.

2. Hazel KEAR was born in January 1894.

3. Vernie KEAR was born in January 1896.

11. William Thomas KEAR, born in 1892, married Margaret Clark.

William and Margaret had seven children:

1. Alma KEAR.

2. Billy KEAR.

3. Edward KEAR.

4. Alfred KEAR.

5. Delbert KEAR.

6. Charlie KEAR.

7. Lydia Mae KEAR

Notes:

1. Records of the Town of Van Wert, Vol. 1, pp. 2 and 4. [Return to text]

2. CRANE Family History, by Lews Albert CRANE, 1939. (An undated copy of a partial page from the history was provided by Dora Kear Engleking to Donald L. Kear in 1980.) [Return to text]

3. Ibid. [Return to text]

4. Polk County, Iowa Marriages, 1871-88. County court records located at Des Moines, Iowa. Family History Library film # (1014765 - 1014767). Ancestry.com Iowa Marriages, 1851-1900. [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.