NORTHERN NEW YORK
Genealogical and family history of northern New York: a record of the achievements of her people and the making of a commonwealth and the founding of a nation.
New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co. 1910.
SPEARS
The surname Spears is of ancient English origin, though the family seems never to have been very numerous. The name is also spelled Spere and Spears.
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George Spear or Spears, immigrant ancestor of all of this surname in the country, came from England to Massachusetts in 1642 and settled in Braintree. He was admitted a freeman May 29, 1644. For a time he lived at Dorchester, but in old age removed to New Dartmouth, now Pennaquid, Maine, and is said to have been killed by the Indians.
He married Mary _____, who died at Braintree, Dec. 7, 1674.
Children:
1. George, married, April 2, 1669, Mary, born Jan. 16, 1642-53, daughter of Samuel Deering of Braintree; children: Hannah, Mary, Eleanor, given by some writers as of his parents.
2. Sarah, born Jan. 3, 1644-45, married June 19, 1672, George Witty.
3. Richard, had seven children, baptized April 11, 1698.
4. Samuel, Oct. 15, 1652; died young.
5. Ebenezer, Aug. 3, 1654; married Rachel Deering.
6. Hannah, March 30, 1656-67; died 1668.
7. Samuel, Jan. 16, 1658-59.
8. Nathaniel, May 15, 1660; married Hannah Holman.
George Spears, a descendant of George Spears, was born March 27, 1822, in Shoreham, Vermont, died April 26, 1892. He settled at Colton, New York. He had brothers Charles, James, Edwin, Alonzo, Samuel and Marshall A. Spears.
He married, Sept. 30, 1848, in Colton, N.Y., Clarissa Jane, born June 11, 1825, in West Potsdam, N.Y., died June 8. 1896, daughter of James S. and Melinda (Wilson) Ellis. Her father was born ata New Bedford, Mass., Dec. 15, 1801, died March 9, 1868; her mother, May 20, 1805, at Shoreham, died June 7, 1871. James S. Ellis is the son of Ziba Ellis, born Jan. 29, 1774, and Rhoda (Nickerson) Ellis, born Sept. 27, 1777.
Children of George Spears:
Henry, died March 17, 1901.
James.
Fred.
Frank, died March 27, 1900.
George.
Addie.
James, son of George Spears, was born in Colton, New York, Aug. 27, 1853. He was educated in the public schools of his native town. He engaged in the drug business at Colton in 1871, and also dealt in lumber and grocieries. He was a partner in the firm of Hepburn & Spears. He continued in business until 1887, when he removed to Canton. He owned timber lands in this section and continued in the lumber business of this town. He aslo has sawmills at Bucks Bridge. The business is carried on by the Bucks Bridge Lumber Company, of which he is the sole owner.
He became president of the St. Lawrence County Bank, Aug. 22, 1905, and soon afterward, through his efforts, it became a national bank, and the name became the St. Lawrence County National Bank, and he has continued as president of the institution. [this was pub in 1910].
In politics he is a Republican, and was supervisor of the town for two terms. He is a prominent member of the Protestant Episcopal church, of which he is a warden. He is one of the best known and most successful business men of the town.
Mr. Spears married (first) Dec. 14, 1882, Nettie Richards, of Canton, N.Y., daughter of Darius J. and Emily (Phelps) Richards; she died July 31, 1887. He married (second) Aug. 17, 1891, Jessie Ellis, daughter of James W. and Mary (Hampton) Ellis; she died Oct. 21, 1898. He married (third) Dec. 9, 1903, Mamie Rawson, daughter of Julius and Mary E. (Sheldon) Rawson.
Child of first wife:
Nettie, born Nov. 13, 1886.
Children of second wife:
Katherine, born Aug. 19, 1894.
James Jr., born Nov. 11, 1896.
Child of third wife:
Stanley, born Oct. 28, 1905.
[Transcriber's note: since this material was published in 1910, any subsequent children are not on the list, if indeed there were any].
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