- BIRTH: 7 MAY 1750, Harwich,,MA
- DEATH: 18 FEB 1808, Ashfield,,MA
- BURIAL: ,,,383
Father: Jonathan SEARS
Mother: Priscilla SEARS
Family 1:
Abigail HALL
- MARRIAGE: 23 SEP 1773, Yarmouth,,MA
- Barnabas Clark SEARS
- Jonathan SEARS
- Freeman SEARS
- Hepsibah Swan SEARS
- Azarelah SEARS
- Nabby SEARS
- Clarinda SEARS
- Priscilla SEARS
_Jonathan SEARS __
_Jonathan SEARS __|
| |_Elizabeth HAWES _
|
|--Jonathan SEARS
|
| _Seth SEARS ______
|_Priscilla SEARS _|
|_Priscilla RYDER _
INDEX
Notes
S.P. May p.194 Jonathan Sears removed to Ashfield, MA, and lived on Cape St;
was dism. from Ch., Harwich, Nov 4, 1800, his wife having been dism. from Ch.,
Dennis, Nov 10, 1799.
He served in Capt. Thos. hamilton's Co., stationed in Barnstable county, from
Jul 10, 1775, 6 mos.7 days; was Sergt. in Capt. Abijah Bang's Co., Col. Dike's
Regt., 3 mos. to Dec 1, 1776; marched on alarm at Falmouth, 174 miles travel;
and on alarm at Falmouth and Bedford, in Capt. Benj. Berry's Co., Sep. 7, 1778,
marching 112 miles, and doing 7 days' duty. His widow drew a pension in 1840,
then aged 85, and living with her son Azarelah.
" In early life he went on whaling voyages, and incidents of hair-breadth
escapes are related among his descendants, e.g., that once his boat was thrown
so high by a whale that the men in another boat, a mile distant, could see the
horizon under it."
In 1785 he was wrecked off Harwich, and barley escaped with his life. From
an old and dilapidated paper preserved in the family I copy:
"The particulars of the Harwich Tragedy"
"Harwich, County of Barnstable, Apr 8, 1785.
" On the morning of the Lord's Day last, a most melancholy ... and Provincetown
The particulars of this unhappy and sorrowful incident are as follows, viz:
" A schooner partly owned and commanded by Mr Nathan Atwood, sailed from this
harbour about six o'clock in the morning, bound to the above place; but as they
had not been on their passage long before a plank started, as is imagined, and
she gained water so fast, that before ten o'clock the ill fated vessel, and
unfortunate Schooner sunk down to the bottom headforemost, not leaving the least
discovery of even the top of the masts, having on board Mr Nathan Atwood, and
Mrs Mary Atwood, his wife, and Mr Heman Finney, her brother. A little time
before she foundered, Mr Jonathan Sears, and Mr Cyrenius Freeman, got a raft,
which they made of some boards, and started for shore which was at the distance
of some three miles, but Mr Freeman being very bruised and chilled, (as these
unhappy Persons were on the raft almost nine hours), expired just before he
reached the shore, and Mr Sears was almost expired when he arrived, being scarce
able to extricate himselfd from the surf, which he happily effected by crawling,
(though already much bruised and exhausted with the cold), on his hands and
knees several rods, the surf breaking over his head several timnes, before he
could get clear of it, after which he was obliged to travel in that retched
manner near amile before he could discover any building. The first he met was a
barn, that fortunately for him, belonged to a good Samaritan, Mr Samuel Hopkins
of Truro, the owner of which found him in that deplorable state, bruised and
exhausted, almost to death, and had he not received immediate relief, which was
afforded to him with the utmost humanity, tenderness, and compassion, he must
have unavoidably perished in a few hours. Mr John Clark, got on another raft
but it being very windy, they parted from each other, in a short time after
they set out, and Mr Sears saw no more of him, but supposed he perished soon
after. The wreck was not seen from the shore, as it was very foggy, at the time
this sorrowful affair happened, or perhaps some assistance mght have been given
to the people. One thing we think worthy of remark, and which seems to make this
truly Tragical Scene most affecting, is, the almost unparalled conjugal
affection showed by Mr Atwood, one of the unhappy sufferers, to his equally
distressed mate, which being so rare an instance of magnanimity, fortitude and
a cheerful resignation to the divine will of the Almighty, that we cannot omit
to record it on this Sheet, as we think his conduct an honour to human nature,
and ought to be handed down to posterity, as it will seve to show that there is
remaining in this Western Hemisphere, some private virtue, founded in a regard
to the Fair Sex; as we find many instances transmitted to us in the History o
the Oriental World.
"Mr Atwood on perceiving the vessel sinking, jumped on to one of the rafts
that was prepared alongside of her, but on hearing the bitter shrieks and
piercing cries of his dear Comfort, the Friend of his bosom, and the other poor
drowning souls, which seemed to reach to heaven, and who weere on the verge of
eternity, and begging for mercy from God, he, like some of the ancient Bramist
women, when showing their affection for their departing husbands, heroickly
jumped back again into the sinking vessel, chusing rather to perish with her
who had been the Partner of his joy, and affliction, than to have the anxiety
and horror of mind in behilding so shiocking and afflicting a scene, and not
having it in his power to alleviate her distress."
A doleful poem follows, which is not remarkable except for its antiquity, and
is addressed especially to the Atwood family. "Sold at the office in Essex St,
near the Liberty Ple, 1785; where may be foundNos. I. II. III. of the 'Bloody
Register;' Cash paid for linen rags."
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