Richard Sears

   Another name for Richard was Richard Sares.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Emigration, 1630.

• Occupation: Husbandman - Farmer. ¹¹⁴

• Background Information. ¹¹⁴
Richard Sares's name is first found upon the records of Plymouth colony, in the tasx-list of 25 Mar 1633, when he was one of the forty-four, in a list of eighty-six persons, who were assessed nine shillings in corn, at six shillings per bushel.

He soon after crossed over to Marblehead, in Massachusetts Colony, and was taxed as a resident in that place, in the Salem rate-list for 1 Jan 1637/38 and on 14 Oct 1638, was granted four acres of land "where he had formerly planted." This would seem to indicate that he had then some family.

Early in the year 1639, a party under the leadership of Antony Thacher crossed over to Cape Cod and settled upon a tract of land called by the Indians, Mattakees, to which they gave the name Yarmouth. With them went Richard Sares, accompaned probably by his wife and infant son, Paul. he took up a resident on Quivet Nect between Quivet and Sesreit creeks, where in September of the same year his daughter Deborah was born, perhaps the the second white child, and first girl born there.

Richard's first house was built upon the southerly side of the bluff near the sea shore. He later built a short distance northwest from the first.

The Searses married in early life, had large families, acquired good estates, lived comfortably and were respected and honored members of society. The early settlers were engaged principally in agricultural pursuits, stock-raising and fishing. Captain Paul Sears and Lieutenant Silas Sears engages in whaling. Later on John Sears invented the method of making salt by solar evaporation and was the pioneer in an industry that added much to the wealth of the Cape.

In 1643, the name Richard Seeres appears in the list of inhabitants of Yarmouth, between the ages of 16 and 60, liable to bear arms. 3 Jun 1652, Richard Seers was "propounded to take up Freedom," and Richard Sares "took oath of Fidellyte at Plimouth," 7 Jun 1653. Richard Sares was chosen Gran Juryman, 7 Jun 1652, and Constable, 6 Jun 1660. By 3 Jun 1662, Richard Saers was chosen Representative to the General court at Plymouth.

It does not appear that Ricard Sares was at first a member of the church in Yarmouth, and from the fact that he chose to settle upon the extreme verge of the town, near what was afterward known as the "Wing neighborhood," where Quaker meetings were sometimes held, it has been inferred that he perhaps had a leaning that way; -be this as it may, we find the name Richard Seares as one of the Committee apointed 1 Mar 1658, to levy church tax, and 30.4 ni, (June) 1667, the name of Richard Sares is signed with fourteen others to a complaint against Nicholas Nicerson for slander of Rev. Thomas Thorton.

In 1664, Richard Sares, "husbandman," purchased a tract of land at Sesuit, from Allis Bradford, widow of Governor. William Brandford, for the sume of twenty pounds.

~The Descendants of Richard Sares, pp. 23 - 29

• Will. ¹¹⁴
In his will, dated 10 May 1667, with a codicil dated 3 February 1675/6, and proved 5 March 1675/6:

"Richard Sares of Yarmouth" bequeathed to "Sylas Sares my younger son ... all my land, that is all the upland upon the Neck where his house stands in which he now dwells ... after mine and my wife's decease," provided that "my son-in-law Zachery Paddock" shall have the house where he dwells and two acres within the above tract "during the life of Deborah his now wife"; also to "the said Sylas Sares" a tract of meadow and half of "my land called Robins as is undivided"; to "my elder son Paule Sares all the rest and remains of my lands whatsoever"; to "Dorothy my wife" all lands and goods during her natural life, she to be sole executrix, and "do entreat my brother Thacher with his two sons as friends in trust" as overseers; to "my son-in-law Zachery Paddock" two acres from land called Robins before it is divided between Silas and Paul Sears, and this two acres, along with the two acres mentioned above, to go to Ichabod Paddock, son of Zachary, at the death of Zachary's wife;

• witnessed by Anthony Thacher and Anthony Frey; in the codicil, dated 3 February 1675/6,
• Richard Sears bequeathed to "my eldest son Paul Sares ... the house which I now live in" and various moveables; witnessed by John Thacher and Judah Thacher; on 5 March 1675/6 deposed that he and his brother witnessed the codicil, and that when "my uncle signed this appendix," he asked him [John Thacher] to redraw the will and "to leave out of the new draft the legacy of land that is given to Ichabod Paddock, for saith he I have answered it in another way," but Thacher never did produce this new draft [3:2:53-54].
• The inventory of the estate of "Richard Sares," taken 8 October 1676 and presented at court on 15 November 1676 by "Dorethy Sares the relict of Richard Sares and Paul Sares his eldest son," was untotalled and included "his house and lands," valued at £220

• Family Background Information. ¹¹³
There has been some controversy over Richard's Background. The link to father John Bourchier is in question. This has been proven to be a false link.

Richard married Dorothy Jones, daughter of George Jones and Unknown, in 1632 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts.⁵⁶⁰ (Dorothy Jones was born in 1603-1608 in Queen Camel, Somerset, England,¹¹³ died before 19 Mar 1678-19 Mar 1679 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts ¹¹³ and was buried 19 Mar 1678 or 19 Mar 1679 in Yarmouth, Massachusetts.)

  Marriage Notes:

Dorthy's name in American Marriages Before 1699 is given as Thatcher.