John Jasper SEARS

1. The father of J.J. Sears was P.M. Sears and the mother was Mary

Wayland; both were of Chariton county, MO.

2. John Jasper Sears' first wife was Mary E. Fawks. She was born 24 Aug

1867 and she died 23 Mar 1894. Their daughter, Grace, was about two

years old when her mother died.

3. J.J. Sears was a retail merchant--grocery and dry goods in Aledo, TX.

He also was the town mortician.

4. J.J. Sears was 67y-7m-6d of age when he died.

5. He married Johnnie Brockman about 1895-96? where? No records found in

either Chariton county, MO or Parker county, TX.

6. Brown Cemetery is about 2 miles south of Aledo.

7. Johnnie (Brockman) Sears was living at the home of her daughter, Grace

(Sears) Jones in Austin when she died of abdominal cancer at the age of

90y-3m-23d.

8. Texas death certificate #25961.

9. Some confusion exists about the J.J. Sears family because of the 1880

Fannin county, TX census. It is possible that J.J. Sears actually had

three marriages? The first to M.A. The second to Mary E. Fawks. The

third to Johnnie Brockman. The first is questionable but the other two

are certain.

10. 1880 Fannin county, TX, Justice Pct. 3:

J.J. Sears 28 TX

M.A. (wife) 23 MO

C.L. (dau) 5 TX

J.A. (son) 3 TX

Grace (dau) 2/12 TX

11. One of J.J.'s sons died in 1890 and was buried in the Brown Cemetery.

12. Copied from the Weatherford Weekly Herald of 3 May 1928:

"J.J. Sears, one of the most prominent and highly esteemed citizens of

Parker county, died at his home in Aledo Monday night at nine o'clock

following an illness lasting only since last Saturday when he became

afflicted with a bowel complaint. Funeral services will be held at the

Aledo Baptist Church Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock and burial will

then be made in the Brown cemetery, two miles south of Aledo. Funeral

services will be conducted by his pastor, B.H. Moore, assisted by Rev.

H.A. Thompson of Aledo, and Rev. C.H. Ray of Weatherford. He is sur-

vived by his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Martin Jones of Aledo. He is

also survived by his father, two brothers, and three sisters, all of

whom live in Missouri.

Mr. Sears was born in Chariton county, Missoui on September 25, 1861

and came to Texas in 1888, settling in Aledo, where he has continuously

made his home for the past forty years. He was engaged in the

merchantile business, lumber trade and banking and interested in other

business in and around Aledo since his coming to that place. He has

long been an active member of the Baptist church, and also took a great

interest and leading part in Baptist church work in the county and

state. He was a man whom everybody admired and honored as a leader

among men. Upright in character, he was always on the side of right and

found his greatest pleasure in offering a helping hand to the unfortu-

nate and those in distress. It is with genuine sorrow that people of

this entire county and the city of Weatherford learn of his passing."

13. Copied from the Weatherford Democrat of 4 May 1928:

"It is genuine sorrow that we chronicle the death of J.J. Sears at his

home here Monday night. Although Mr. Sears had not been in good health

for several months he had been up and about until last Saturday when he

was stricken while walking to the highway, a mile distance, as he often

did. At the time of his death even some of his intimate friends and

neighbors han not heard of his illness and of course were shocked and

grieved beyond expression. Mr. Sears had spent the best years of his

life here doing probably more than any one man for the upbuilding of

this little town which he was proud to call home. He is survived by his

wife and one daughter, Mrs. Martin Jones, and three grand-daughters,

Verlea, Helen and Frances Jones of this place and by his aged father and

other relatives who live in Missouri, his native state. The funeral

services were held Wednesday afternoon at 2 o'clock at the Baptist

Church where he had been a faithful member and attendant for many years."

14. Copied from pages 12-13 of the "Aledo" section of the History of Parker

County, TX published in the late 1980's---

"Another of the old buildings was a two-story structure built by J.J.

Sears. Mr. McConnell was the contractor and built it in 1893. The

second story was to house the Masonic Lodge and the Order of the Eastern

Star. Mr. Sears handled all kinds of merchandise and performed many

services, one of which was to act as mortician. The driver for Sear's

horse drawn hearse was R.W. Gray and Emerson White worked for Mr. Sear's

for some years. A shed in back of the store housed the coffins, some of

which Mr. White acquired when he went into the merchandising business.

Next to Sear's store, Newt Markham built a one-story building that

housed a drugstore-------

The Bank building was down the street from Overmier's Mercantile

store. It had been built by J.J. Sears and was privately owned,

unchartered bank. It served the people well for many years until the

owner's son embezzled some of the funds [this was Martin S. Jones, J.J.

Sears son-in-law]. Properties around Aledo were sold off to pay the

depositors and the bank "went broke" in 1925. The next bank did not

arrive in Aledo until 1978.

-----Two cotton gins were located on the old Bear Creek road. J.J.

Sears and C.G. Emmons built one in 1903, next to the Dick Glover place,

later Emmons bought out Sears' share."

SOURCES INCLUDE:

Marriage records of Parker county, TX.

1880 Fannin county, TX census [ED 25, page 385].

1900 Parker co., TX census [ED 78, Sheet 6].

1910 Parker co., TX census [ED 84, Sheet 13A].

1920 Parker co., TX census [ED 76, Sheet 2A].

Texas death certificate #237756 (J.J. Sears).

Weatherford Weekly Herald 3 May 1928.

Weatherford Democrat 4 May 1928.

The Austin American, 3 and 4 May 1955.

World Family Tree, Vol. 27, Pedigree 1

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