General Notes

[coosa1.ged]
VINCENT SEARS
Harry A. Nelms
This objective of this sketch of VINCENT SEARS is to provide a guide to
anyone who may be interested in doing additional research. A minimum of
records will be cited. To fully justify this account of VINCENT, citing
and
discussing numerous records would be required.
VINCENT married LUNDY KIMBALL in 1817 in Granville Co., NC. (1)  Their
marriage bond is the only record that has been found for VINCENT in that
area. Their bondsman was ANDERSON SEARS.
The next instance where VINCENT is identified by name is in 1823, in
Newton
Co., GA. (2) On 4 Nov 1823, VINCENT witnessed a deed between DEMPSEY W.
CLAYTON and WILLIAM SEARS, and on the following day, he proved that
deed.
A few years later, 1827, still in Newton Co., GA, VINCENT made a deed to
JOSEPH SEARS, "both of Newton Co., GA." (3) This was for "land in Newton
County, formerly Henry County". How VINCENT obtained this land has not
been determined.
By the year 1830, VINCENT is enumerated in the U.S. Census for Habersham
Co., GA. (4) In this census he is shown as having been born between 1790
and
1800, an apparent wife is shown whose age is between 20 and 30, and there
is
one male and one female child, both with ages less than five.
VINCENT was one of the fortunate drawers in the 1832 Gold Lots Lottery of
Georgia, and in 1835 he registered his draw. (5 & 6) In both instances,
the
residence of VINCENT is given as Brook's District of Habersham Co., GA.
How
VINCENT disposed of this property has not been determined.
In 1834, a deed was registered in Newton Co., GA, the date of the deed
being
14 Mar 1832. (7) In this deed, VINCENT, along with WYATT SEARS, BISHOP
SEARS, WILLIAM SEARS, ANDERSON SEARS, JOHN A. SEARS, and
FRANCES SEARS, all of Georgia, transferred a parcel of land to ALFRED
SEARS of Newton Co., GA. The land being transferred to ALFRED was half of
the land previously sold by VINCENT to JOSEPH SEARS.
A number of interpretations might be made of that 1834 Newton Co., GA
deed,
but it appears to be one where a group of siblings are disposing of their
share
of an estate. There are other records which do establish a sibling
relationship
between several of those grantors.
In 1840, VINCENT is again enumerated in the U.S. Census of Habersham Co.,
GA. (8) He is again shown as having been born between 1790 and 1800, his
apparent wife shown as age 30 to 40, and the household now contains four
male minors, two female minors, ages ranging between less than five and
less
than 15.
In the period between 1841 and 1843, the Deed records of  Habersham Co.,
GA
show VINCENT buying two pieces of property, and selling that same
property.  (9,10,11, & 12) Then, the Deed records of Hall Co., GA show
VINCENT purchasing land in Hall Co., GA in the year 1845. (13) This land
was to become the primary residence of VINCENT until his death.
VINCENT next appears in the U.S. Census of 1850 for Hall Co., GA, where
his
age, 60, is consistent with that in previous census records, and he is
shown as
having been born in North Carolina. (14)  In this census record, his wife
is given
simply as "M." (MARY as shown elsewhere), age 56, born in Georgia. MARY is
apparently the second wife of VINCENT, but no record of marriage has been
located for her.
The 1850 Census also reveals that one of the daughters of VINCENT (EMILY)
has departed his household, and that there are two minors who may be his
children by his second wife.
During the period between his first marriage and 1850, nothing has been
revealed to us about the activities of VINCENT.  He appears to have moved
about a good deal, but otherwise have led a quite life.
In May 1855, WILLIAM F. SEARS and MARY SEARS, son and Widow, applied
for letters of administration on the estate of VINCENT. (15)  The records
relating
to that estate administration show that VINCENT had engaged in a varied
farming operation, and had owned and oper