Biography John A. and Tabitha Jane Sears Family, Coosa, Alabama http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/coosa/bios/jtsears.txt ================================================================================ USGENWEB NOTICE: All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed and copyrighted by: Ronald D. Bridges ================================================================================ November 1998 Biography John A. and Tabitha Jane Sears Family - Coosa Co., AL John A. Sears was born in North Carolina, probably in Rowan County, on 12 Oct 1812. John migrated into Georgia with his family while still a boy. Tabitha Jane Buckner, John’s future wife, was born in Georgia on 22 Dec 1808. Her family had come into Georgia about 1796 from Rowan County, NC. They were married in Talbot County, Georgia about 1833. While living in Georgia, they had two children, Mary Catherine (b. 23 Jan 1834 in Talbot Co., GA & d. 15 Sep 1906 in Coosa Co., AL), and Elizabeth Francis Sears (b. 14 Jan 1836 in Talbot Co., GA & d. 14 Jun 1910 in Elmore Co., AL). A few years later, they moved into eastern Alabama, residing around Loachapoka, a city that is now in Lee County, AL. There they had two children, Martha Thomas Sears (b. 12 Oct 1845 in Lee Co., AL & d. 15 Feb 1939 in Goodwater, Coosa Co., AL) and Tabitha Antonett Sears (b. 4 Nov 1847 Lee Co., AL & d. 9 Mar 1899 in Coosa Co., AL), while residing in Lee County. Their neighbors in the Loachapoka area included two families who had also previously resided in Talbot Co., GA, and the timing suggests that these households were traveling together. One of these families was Owen T. Sears and his wife Elizabeth Rush. The other family was Thomas J. Buckner and his wife Temperance Rush. John was a millwright, as was his nephew, Owen. Thomas was a wagon maker and a first cousin to Tabitha. Elizabeth and Temperance were sisters. This group resided in the Loachapoka area until 1847-1849 and were later close neighbors in the Weoka community of Coosa Co., AL. John and Tabitha were also neighbors and friends of the T. T. Wall family in Weoka. In Coosa County, John and Tabitha had one child, Joseph Wiley Sears (b. Jun 1850 in Weoka, Coosa Co., AL & d. 31 Mar 1933 in North Little Rock, AR). It should be noted that Weoka is now part of Elmore County, Alabama. On February 15, 1866, Elmore County was formed from Autauga, Coosa, Montgomery, and Tallapoosa Counties. John constructed a mill on Weoka Creek where "the trace crossed the creek".(1) He was reputed to be the best millwright in the county. John operated the Weoka mill for many years, eventually selling it to James Lykes. George E. Brewer wrote, "John Sears, a millwright who put up the Lykes mill, and was its owner for years. He built several other mills and was the best millwright of the county. He was for years the one who super- intended and changed the machinery at the large Tallassee cotton mills whenever changes were needed. He was highly esteemed by all who knew him for his integrity, piety and general worth."(2) In the late 1850’s, the family moved north to Hatchett Creek just above Rockford. About 1856 John and his son-in-law, George Washington McEwen, built and operated a mill where the Turnpike crossed Hatchett Creek.(3) Because of his excellent reputation, John built many other mills in the surrounding area as well as performing maintenance on them. Tabitha was also a leader and guiding strength in Coosa County. As a mid-wife for her community she nurtured expecting women. She carried a little black satchel and rode around the county on a gray mule. She was known to be stern in her practice, demanding that new mothers remain in their rooms for a week and off their feet for at least three weeks. Her advice on pregnancy was valued by all in the community. By 1860 there were at least six other Sears households in Coosa County. All of these households had migrated from Georgia and east Alabama and all appear to be descendants of Joseph S. Sears, the father of John. Once a Sears family was moving west and stopped at John’s and Tabitha’s home. They received a massive dresser from this Sears family, because their wagon was just too overloaded to carry it any farther. Oral family history reports that this massive dresser is still in the family. In 1860 John organized and helped to construct Sears Chapel, located about a mile north of Rockford, AL.(4) The chapel was initially of log construction. After the War Between the States, a second building was constructed and the original building was used as a school. The present building was constructed in 1897. In the vestibule of the church, a picture of John hangs. At the bottom of the picture the following is written: Worshipful Master Weogufka Dec 1871 to Jun 1873. He was an active Mason all his life. John and Tabitha were active leaders at Sears Chapel as well as servants to Christ. They are buried side-by-side in the Sears Chapel Cemetery, Coosa Co., AL. John died 13 Jan 1884 in Coosa Co., AL and Tabitha died 1 Jul 1893 in Coosa Co., AL. (1) In 1849 John A. Sears, Owen T. Sears, and Thomas J. Buckner applied to build a water saw and grist mill on the west half of section four township twenty of range eighteen in Tallapoosa land district on Weoka Creek in Coosa Co., AL. See Probate records in Coosa County Courthouse. (2)Rev. George E. Brewer, History of Coosa County, Alabama (Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1987), p. 105. (3)Ibid., 37. (4)Ibid., 174.