NJGenWeb ~ Morris County, New Jersey

Source: History Morris County New Jersey, Volume II, Lewis Publishing Co., 1914

Isaac Web SEARING, a well known business man of Dover, Morris county, New Jersey, and one who has been active in the interests of his town and country for many years, represents a family which has been resident in this county since the early Colonial days. Many members of the family fought with valor during the Revolutionary War. Others have made their mark in professional and mercantile, as well as financial circles. In every station to which they have been called the position has been filled with credit to themselves. The name of SEARING is of French extraction, and those living in the north of France spell it as SYRINGH, SYRING, CYRINGUE, and a variety of other ways. When the form was changed to SEARING is not definitely known. They were probably Huguenots, who were exiled from France in the time of the religious persecutions which followed the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.

John SEARING, the first of whom we have record, was probably born in England about 1580, and was the progenitor of the SEARINGS who settled in Connecticut in 1642. They also lived in Long Island and New Jersey, and their descendants are numerous. John SEARING married, December 2, 1610, at St. Saviors, Southwark, England, Jane BADGER. He had a number of children.

Simeon, son of John and Jane (BADGER) SEARING, was born in England about 1613, and is first heard of in America in 1642, as a landholder in Stamford, Connecticut, where his name was spelled Cymon SEARINGE, and is reported on the list of those who went with Mr. DENTON, in 1644, to Hempstead, Long Island.

Samuel SEARING was born in Millbrook, Morris county, New Jersey, July 10, 1768, and died there February 3, 1846. He married, September 12, 1790, his cousin, Elizabeth SEARING, born July 28, 1770, died in Morristown, New Jersey, February 19, 1847. They had a large family, from whom the SEARINGs in this section are descendants.

Jacob, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (SEARING) SEARING, was born November 27, 1806, died June 24, 1875. He was a justice of the peace at Dover for many years. He married, October 5, 1831, Phoebe, born April 11, 1813, died February 4, 1895, a daughter of Isaac W. and Alice MARTIN, of Succasunna, New Jersey.

Isaac Webb, son of Jacob and Phoebe (MARTIN) SEARING, was born at Millbrook, New Jersey, April 9, 1835. Until the age of seventeen years he lived on the home farm, attending school during the winter months, and being a capable assistant to his father, during all the other months of the year. He then went to Newark, New Jersey, where he was engaged in learning the carpenter’s trade until he was twenty years of age, after which he went west, and spent about eighteen months in the State of Indiana. Upon his return to Dover he at once threw himself into all the interests of that town, and has been identified with them ever since. For a period of twenty-two years he was associated with Martin V. B. SEARING in the building and contracting business, the firm name being M. & I. SERING, and when he resigned from this he became connected with the lumber industry, in which he has been an important factor in that section of the country. At the present time he is president of the Dover Lumber Company, which handles coal, wood and building materials, and is also the general manager of this concern. He was a charter member of the board of directors of the National Union Bank, and of the Dover Trust Company, and has served as president of the last mentioned concern for a period of twelve years. Always a staunch Republican, Mr. SEARING cast his first vote for John C. FREMONT, and the beneficial interest he has taken in all public affairs has been appreciated by his fellow townsmen to the extent of electing him to a number of local offices, among them being that of mayor of the town, in which office he bore himself with the dignity which is characteristic of the man. All projects which have for their object the betterment of conditions in the community, whether of a social or financial nature, always have his hearty endorsement and support, and he has frequently served as an officer in enterprises of this nature. At the age of twenty years he joined the Methodist Episcopal church, and has always been a consistent member of that denomination.

Mr. SEARING married, December 31, 1856, Mary Jane, born August 16, 1836, a daughter of William and Mary SHARP, of Bloomfield, New Jersey. Children: Edward M., of Dover, married (first) Augusta BRANT, one child, Alice Jeannette, married (second) Sophia THOMPSON; Frederick F., of Paterson, New Jersey, married Emma D. COOKE; Olive, lives with her parents; Wilbur, died in infancy.

Transcribed by John Cresseveur (1949-2003)

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