Genealogy Record For
Capt. Paul Sears - (Sam's G8 Grandfather)
Capt. Paul Sears, I (02/20/1637 Est.-02/20/1708 Est.)
  • Spouse: Deborah Willard (Sears) (Before 09/14/1645-05/13/1721)
  • Children:
    1. Daughter: Mercy Sears (3 JUL 1659 - ?) B:Yarmouth, MA)
    2. Daughter: Bethia Sears (Crowell) (3 Jan 1662 - 5 Jul 1724) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:Chatham, MA; Married John Crowell (1662-1728) on 27 MAY 1684 in Chatham,,MA and they had 9 children)
    3. Son: Capt. Samuel Sears (Jan 1664 - 8 Jan 1742) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:West Brewster, MA; Married Mercy Mayo (1664-1749) on 15 JUN 1701 in Harwich, MA; they had 11 children)
    4. Son: Lydia Sears (Hamblen, Snow) (Oct. 24, 1666 - 1748) B:Yarmouth, MA; Married (1) Thomas Snow and they had 3 children; then married Eleazer Hamblen and they had one child)
    5. Son: Paul Sears, II (06/15/1669 Est.-02/14/1740 Est.)
    6. Daughter: Mary Sears (Knowles) (Oct. 24, 1672 - Nov. 7, 1745) B:Yarmoth, MA, D:Eastham, MA; Married John Knowles, Jr., (1673-1757) and they had 8 children)
    7. Daughter: Ann Sears (Merrick) (27 MAR 1675 - 14 NOV 1745) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:Truro,,MA; Married John Merrick (1680 - 1753) they had no children)
    8. : John Sears (1677/1678 - 9 APR 1738) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:West Brewster, MA, married  Priscilla Freeman (1686 - 1764) and they had 10 children)
    9. Son: Richard Sears (1680 - 24 MAY 1718) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:Chatham,MA; Married Hope Howes on 15 MAY 1706 in Yarmouth, MA and they had 4 children )
    10. Son: Capt. Daniel Sears (1682 - 10 AUG 1756) B:Yarmouth, MA, D:Chatham,MA; Married  Sarah Howes (?-1748) on 12 FEB 1708/1709, Yarmouth, MA and they had 7 children)
  • Parents
    1. Father: Richard Sears (01/01/1590 Est.-08/26/1676)
    2. Mother: Dorothy Jones (Sears) (01/01/1595-03/01/1678)
  • Siblings
    1. Sister: Deborah Sears (Sep 1639 - 17 Aug 1732 (B:Yarmouth,Plymouth Colony D:Yarmouth,Barnstable Co., MA)
    2. Brother: Lieutenant Silas Sears (? - 13 Jan 1697 (Yarmouth,Barnstable Co., MA)
Paul's Personal Information
Born in Marblehead, Essex Co., Plymouth, Massacusetts (MA), USA on Monday, February 20, 1637 (Estimated)
Died in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts (MA), USA on Friday, February 20, 1708 (Estimated) (Age 71)
Cemetery: Ancient Cemetery in Yarmouth, Barnstable Co., Massachusetts (MA), USA
Marriage to:
    Deborah Willard (Sears) (Before 09/14/1645-05/13/1721) on Friday, January 1, 1658 (Age 21)
     - in Yarmouth, Massachusetts (MA), USA
     - Married in 1658
Comments: A picture of Paul's grave marker can be seen at - Find a Grave entry for Paul Sears

Born - 20 FEB 1637/1638, Died - 20 FEB 1707/1708

Paul Sears took the oath of "Fidellyte" in 1657, held a commission as a captain in the militia, and made claim for a horse lost in Narragansett war, but I find no record of his services. October 30, 1667, he was one of the grand jury, in an inquest held on the child of Nicholas Nickerson. He was one of the original proprietors of lands in Harwich, between Bound and Stony brooks, known as "Wing's Purchase," as appears by deed of John Wing et als., to Paul Seers et als., dated April 16,1677, recorded at Plymouth. The early town records of Yarmouth were destroyed by fire at the burning of the town clerk's house in 1674, and from the succeeding volume the first twenty- six pages are gone, and others mutilated and worn. The names and dates of birth of his children have been supplied from various sources, and are believed to be correct. I annex copies of the will and inventory of Paul Sears;- the will is signed with his mark, as is also the inventory of John Burge's estate, rendered by him and recorded Barns. Rec II, 1701, p130. He left property valued at L 467 03 03, to his "loving wife Deborah," and to his sons, "Samuel, Paul and John;" that to his sons being charged with a payment to "their brothers, Richard and Daniel, towards their purchase of lands at Manamoy;" having given to his daughters, (whose names are unfortunately omitted) "such parts or portions as I was able or thought fitt." In the ancient cemetery in Yarmouth lies a stone slab, removed from its place to make room for the granite monument to the Searses, which bears the following inscription, surmounted by a cherub's head and scroll work: Here lyes the Body of Paul Sears, who Departed this life February ye 20th 1707, in ye 70th year of his age." It is the oldest dated memorial in the cemetery. His wife was doubtless laid by his side, but there is no stone to her memory. George Willard, the father of Paul Sears' wife, was the son of Richard and Joane (Morebread) W., of Horsmonden, Kent, Eng., where he was bap. Dec. 4, 1614. he settled at Scituate for a time, removing thence it is said to Maryland or Gorgeane Maine. There is some reason to believe that his wife was Dorothy Dunster, dau. of Henry D., of Baleholt, near Bury, Lanc., sister to Eliz'h D., who m. his bro. Simon Willard; and to Rev. Henry D., Pres. of Harvard College. [See Willard Mem., 1858, p. 339] Paul Sears was the first to adopt the present spelling of SEARS.

Last Will and testament omitted but can be found on the Sears Family Association Website
Source: Sears Family Association and
MacKay Family Site and
Find a Grave entry for Paul Sears

[-----Continued from Previous column------]

 April 8th, 1708 Samuel Sears Executor to the last Will and Testament of Paul Sears of Yarmouth his deceased father, before Barnabas Lothrop, Esq., Judge of Probate and granting letters of Administration, within this County of Barnstable, made oath that the above written is a true Inventory of ye Estate of ye sd Paul Sears so far as he knows, and that if any thing else that is material shall yt farther come to his knowledge he will bring it to this Inventory. Attest Wm. Bassett, Reg. Peter Thacher Kenelm Winslow, Jun. Barnstable, ss. April 14, 1883. A true copy of the record. Attest, Freeman H. Lothrop, Register of Probate Court !MD 25, p.49 Maj William 2 Bradford's Confirmation of his mother's deed to Richard Sears with an autograph of John Alden. Widow Alice Bradford sold land on 23 November 1664 to Richard Sears of Yarmouth -To all people to whom these prnts shall come Major William Bradford of Plimoth in the Govrment of New Plimoth in New England Esqr... in consideration of ye sume of Twenty pounds to her in hand payd, by Richard Seers, his heires & Assigns for ever, two Allotments, of Land conteyning forty acres be they more, or be they lesse, lying and being at a place, comonly called Sesuit between a brooke comonly called & knowne, by the name of Bound Brooke,[boundary bewteen Dennis & Brewster ed.] and a brooke called Saquetuckett brooke, as also a crtyn tract of meadow to ye foresd Lotts appteyning, and are abutalled as p a deed of Feofement
Family Lines: Paul is listed in the following family line report: Sears
Search this website:
Family Tree Home | The Stickel(s) Website
Comments to Mark Stickels Return to Home Page
Last Modified on: March 31, 2012
Record Created:   November 7, 2003

URL: http://www.Mark.Stickels.org/FamilyTree2/Sears-Paul-Capt.html