The Mears Journey

We trace Minnie's (my grandmother) Mears lineage back from Foard - Wilbarger Co., Texas to Coleman Co., Texas where she was born and to Hill Co., TX where her parents married.

Before the Civil war, we find G.W. Mears in Marion Co., Arkansas where he lived between 1853 to about 1865 - having been born in Woodbury, Cannon Co., TN. (We also find Cindy's Mears family here in Marion Co., AR - having migrated a few years after our Mears from the same area - SEE BELOW!)

My 'own' Mears family had come to Middle TN in the mid to late 1820's settling in what was then Warren County. (This was where they first 'intermingled' with Cindy's Mears family - SEE BELOW!)

Before this, they had lived the previous 30 years in Guilford Co., NC. The earliest records we have of my Mears branch that can be proven is in Caroline Co., MD area.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Minnie Leamer Mears - My Grandmother
   • Clara Mabel (Cox) Hopkins Ellis

   • George Caleb 'Cale' Jobe

   • Walter Lee Jobe

   • Annie Beatrice (Jobe) Spoon

   • William Thomas 'Bill' Jobe

   • Earnest Burton Jobe

   • Martha Viola 'Vi' (Jobe) Gray Ashmoore Moore

   • Mary Etta 'Marietta' (Jobe) Petty Gida Sunzeri

2. George Washington Mears and Frances Ann Theodocia 'Fanny' Boon - My Great Grandparents
   • Children of G. W. Mears and Fanny (Boon)
     • Frances Lee (Mears) Ayes

     • Mary Elizabeth 'Bessie' (Mears) Jordan

     • Mae Bell (Mears) Gunn

     • Thomas Jefferson 'Tom' Mears

     • Josie (Mears) Greenhouse

     • Ida Idora (Mears) Singleton

     • Joseph Ervin' Bud' Mears

     • Carl Sumpter Mears

     • Raymond Earl Mears

3. William F. Mears and Elizaeth Young - My 2nd Great Grandparents
   • Caroline (Mears) Gilliam

   • Martha (Mears) Doshier

   • Benjamin Franklin Mears

   • Thomas Jefferson Mears

   • Sarah Jane (Mears) Bucy Richards

   • Lizzie (Mears) Cowan

   • Lucinda (Mears) McCabe

   • Mark Mears

   • William Bluford Mears

   • Melvina (Mears) Harris

   • Mary Ann (Mears) Faulkenberry

   • Margaret (Mears) McCabe

   • Julia Ann (Mears) Williams

4. William Mears and Christina Melton - My 3rd Great Grandparents
   • Mary (Mears) Preston

   • G. W. Mears

     • Children of G. W. Mears and Melinda Adair
       ----Unmarried Sons who died in the civil war

     • Ervin Jasper Mears
       

     • James Allen Mears
       

     • George Washington Mears, Jr.
       

   • Elijah Elijah Mears

   • Goldsborough 'G. B.' 'Goldsbury' Mears

     • Children of Goldsbury Mears and Amanda Melvina Stone

5. Zadock Mears and Elizabeth 'Betty' Sharpe - My 4th Great Grandparents

6. Connections between Two Mears Families
   --William F. Mears and Joel Mears Family Intermarry
   

Though this site is mainly about my direct Mears lineage, it is almost impossible not to quickly realize that we have another very intermingled 'Mears Family' that also lived alongside them in Marion Co., AR and Warren - Cannon Co., TN. In fact they were close neighbors in both locations and obviously knew each other as we will see several crossovers and connections through the various spouses, etc. As of yet, we have not been able to prove that there is a blood connection between the two - but I'm sure with more research that this can be done.

Have Mears family in Marion Co., AR or Middle TN and not sure which one is yours, then try searching both, my gedcom or Cindy's gedcom, below! Don't forget though to bookmark this page and help us to find the link that will tie us together. It is just possible that you may be one of the 'lucky ones' as we would say to find your family in both!

My Mears Family: KEDEY/KIDDY - MEARS - MELTON - SHARP -YOUNG Cindy's Family: Joel Mears and Allied families of Nc, Va and Tn

Cindy's Mears Line

• Joel Mears (1754 Johnston Co., NC - 1835 Warren Co., TN)
• William Mears Sr (abt 1780 Henry Co., VA - 1856 Cannon Co., TN)
• William Mears Jr. (1820 Warren Co., TN - abt 1858 Cannon Co., TN)
• Gabriel Murphy Mears (1850 DeKalb Co., TN - 1910 DeKalb Co., TN)
• William Thomas Mears (1897 Warren Co., TN - 1981 Madison Co., AL)

So let's follow the trail of the Mears men through their struggles, joys, stories told by descendants, actual records (Bible, Marriage, Deeds, Census) which I'll scan and post), and pictures. I'm sure that you'll enjoy meeting these wonderful country down-to-earth folks that I got to meet personally back in late 1960's and early 1970's when I first started this as a young girl.

This section would not be complete without giving a special thanks to all those who have helped in the search for information on 'Wash' or G. W. Mears. First of all, I have to thank my gandmother, Minnie, even though she is no longer living. Without her answering my never-ending questions and still having a clear mind into her 90's, this would not even have been possible. I also have to thank Zada (Mears) who started her 'own quest' while I was still a baby. Zada really stirred my interest in the Mears genealogy and with her questions stirred my 'own questions' and a 'great desire' to actualy know these Mears ancestors and cousins of Grandma Minnie (Mears) Jobe. Plus I have to thank all Minnie's children, my father and uncles and aunts, who thankfully when I started this were still living. Today, there is only one daughter of Minnie's who is still living! Daddy died in January 1981.

since February 7, 2002