Saint Joseph County MI Archives Biographies.....Stear, William January 19, 1828 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 March 18, 2007, 8:55 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers 

WILLIAM STEAR, is a prominent and prosperous farmer of Constantine Township, 
where he has cleared and improved as good a  farm as is to be found within the 
boundaries of St. Joseph County.  He is a native of England, born in 
Lincolnshire, Jan. 19, 1828.  He was reared on a farm in his native shire, and 
was there ,arried, July 2, 1850, to Miss Frances Haylock, who was born in the 
same shire as himself, a year ans a few days later, her birth occuring Jan. 
25, 1829.  they continued to reside in their native shire until the spring of 
1861, when they came to America with the five children who had in the meantime 
been born to them.  They landed at New York and came directly to Michigan.  
For three years after that Mr. Stear worked out by the day in Constantine, and 
by prudence and wise economy he had saved up enough money to warrant him in 
purchasing land and beginning the task of building up a home.  He first bought 
a tract of forty acres, which is still included in his present farm.  It was 
then nearly all covered with woods.  In the years of toil and hardship that 
followed, in which he was aided and encouraged by his wife, he not only 
cleared his land from the forest and got it under fine cultivation, but was 
enabled to increase its area by further purchase, until he now owns ninety-
three acres of fertile and highly productive land, and he and his wife have 
built up a very pleasant and comfortable home, of which they may well be proud.

The following is recorded of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Stear;  
Maria is the wife of Manford Christian, of Constantine Township; William lives 
at home; Mary A. died when about six years old; Hattie is the wife of Jacob 
Brandal, of Constantine Village; Charles lives in MOntana; Lizzie is the wife 
of Andy Craner, of Three Rivers; Susie, who was the wife of Charles Brokaw, 
died in Constantine, July 2, 1884; George is a school teacher; Fannie is at 
home; Robert H. died in infancy, and Frank is at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Stear are people whose kind hearts generously respond to any call 
for aid or sympathy from the unfortunate or needy, and all such find in them 
true friends.  By their united labors, priodence and wise management they have 
obtained a comfortable competence, and can pass their decling years free from 
toil and anxious cares that beset their earlier life.  Their many worthy 
traits of character have gained them the respect and esteem of all in the 
community of which they have been members for so many years.  Mr. Stear takes 
a warm interest in the public affairs of his adopted country, and votes 
intelligently with the Republican party, considering its policy the safest and 
best in the guidance of National affairs.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed from the Portrait & Biographical Album of St. Joseph Co. Chapman 
Brothers 1889

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/stjoseph/bios/stear671gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/

File size: 3.5 Kb