General Notes

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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 on 27 Apr 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 was in Macon Co., AL but is now
in Lee County, AL.(1)  There they had two children, Martha Thomas Sears
(b. 12 Oct 1845 in Macon Co., AL & d. 15 Feb 1939 in Goodwater, Coosa
Co., AL) and Tabitha Antonett Sears (b. 4 Nov 1847 Macon Co., AL & d. 9
Mar 1899 in Coosa Co., AL), while residing in Macon Co.
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.
These families 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".(2) 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
superintended 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."(3)  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.(4) 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's family was moving west and stopped at John 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