DWIGHT H. MEARS

Dwight H. Mears, b December 1842 in Robeson County, North Carolina, died before January 23, 1928 in Brown County, Texas (the date his Estate Settlement was filed) ‑ was a son of Moses and Lucy (Taylor) Mears ‑ both natives of North Carolina who had married in Bladen County on October 1, 1828. Lucy was a daughter of Henry and Jane (Cook) Taylor of Virginia ‑ her father being a brother of General and President, Zachary Taylor.

Dwight H. Mears was married first in Robeson County, North Carolina to Martha D. Freeman, b 1847 in North Carolina, died in 1867 when, or shortly after the birth of her first child:

Henry Forrest Mears, b 1867 in Robeson County, North Carolina, d January 9, 1904 at Durango, Falls County, Texas ‑ married Mary Alice Markham, b 1878 in Cannon County, Tennessee, d 1956 in Harris County, Texas, and had three children.

Dwight H. Mears was married second in 1868, when his son was only one year old, to Mary Amanda Barnes, b April 1849 in North Carolina, d before January 3, 1937 in Brown County, Texas (the date her Estate Settlement was filed). Dwight H. and Mary Amanda were the parents of nine children, and they reared his first son by his previous marriage. Only the eldest daughter of Dwight H. and Mary Amanda Mears was born in North Carolina before the family moved into Texas in 1871. It is not known where they resided prior to 1880, but in that year, the family was residing in Bastrop County, Texas; and by 1900, the family had settled in Brown County, where Dwight owned a farm and pursued agricultural interests. It is known that three of the children of Dwight H. Mears, and his brother, Moses Mears, Jr., all resided in Falls County for a time. The nine children of Dwight H. and Mary Amanda (Barnes) Mears were:

Martha A. Mears, b 1870 in North Carolina; Francis W. Mears, b April 1872 in Texas; George Lee Mears, b November 7, 1874, d March 30, 1956 in Falls County, Texas and buried in Carolina Cemetery near Durango, where his second wife, a son, and two of his grandchildren are also buried; James T. Mears, b June 5, 1876 in Texas, d March 30, 1954 and buried in Carolina Cemetery; Unidentified Mears, b 1878 in Texas, died young; Lucy L. Mears, b October 1881 in Texas; Delany C. Mears ‑ a daughter, b February 1883 in Texas; Amanda M. Mears, b July 1887 in Texas, and Phebia J. Mears ‑ the youngest daughter, b June 1888 in Texas.

There are still families in the Falls County area bearing the name, "Mears"; however, these have not been identified as to which of the sons of Dwight H. Mears, or his brother, Moses Mears, Jr., were their ancestors.

Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for printing the biographies of these Falls County Families to this web page. “Families of Falls County”, compiled and Edited by the Falls County Historical Department, pp. 303-304