Main Interest Getting Along In These Days

The following article was found in the book Early Pioneer Stories which I accessed in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. this summer. The book was prepared for the DAR Library by the Appanoose County [IA] Genealogical Society and featured clippings of articles from the Progress Anniversary Edition of the Centerville Daily Iowegian, which came out on 14 Jan 1934. In the article, my gr-gr-grandfather Samuel Rupley Bear discusses his parents, Samuel Lewis and Mary (Rupley) Bear, and their life as early settlers in Appanoose County.

S. R. Bear of Johns township tells of the sod schools, the hard work of the pioneers, also some of their diversions, as follows: Father and mother, Samuel and Mary Bear, came to Appanoose county the winter of 1854 or the spring of 1854 or spring of 1855, from Illinois. They got acquainted with the pioneer business men of the county and Centerville and also dealt with them. He freighted from Keokuk.

I was born in Appanoose county in the year of 1856, the first school I attended was a log house with wooden slabs for seats with round logs to rest on. We had no desks and had to hold the books in our hands. The next school which I attended was held in a room in a dwelling house with slab benches.

Father and mother were hard working people whose main interest was in getting along. They did work of all kinds. Father broke up the land and planted it in corn, millet and buckwheat. He freighted when he had time, with mother helping in any way that she could. He first raised hogs and later raised cows. The hogs were butchered and sold. Father also made a cheese press and then made the cheese. There was an abundance of wild fruit at that time viz: wild gooseberries, blackberries, grapes, redhaws, blackhaws, and wild crab apples. Now and then father and mother and we children took a day off and together with neighbors and friends took a team and wagon and would go hunting. The men folks would hunt squirrels while the women folks and children would pick the wild berries. On returning home we would have a feast of young squirrel and the berries. Sometimes the neighbors would join us and a social time was held. In those days we also had much wild game of which there were chickens, turkeys, some deer and also plenty of wolves. At first we had no mail whatsoever, but later we had a mail man who brot the mail to the houses. Also we did not have the schools in those early days, or preaching, but when the schools were built there were many different activities carried on inside, for instance there were the singing schools, meetings, and also the debates.

After the first ten years the county began to get populated and was getting well filled with inhabitants.

Source: Appanoose County Genealogy Society, Early Pioneer Stories [Articles from the Progress Anniversary Edition of the Centerville Daily Iowegian, 14 Jan 1934], (Centerville, IA: by the society, n.d.), p. 28, "Main Interest Getting Along In These Days".

BEARs in The History of Appanoose County, Iowa

The following appears on pages 575-576 of The History of Appanoose County, Iowa containing A History of the County, its Cities, Towns, &c. .. (1878, Western Historical Company, Centerville, Iowa: Appanoose County Genealogical Society, 1989), under the Johns Township section:

BEARE, ANDREW J., far., Sec. 28 ; P. O. Tranquility ; born in Mount Morris, Green Co., Penn., Aug. 30, 1829 ; located here, 1869 ; owns 240 acres of land, valued at $25 per acre. He is a member of the Methodist Church, and Republican. His wife, Annie Kleiss, was born in Lancaster City, Penn., May 25, 1830, and married May 29, 1871. Mr. Beare enlisted in Co. F, 12th Illinois Infantry ; afterward re-enlisted in Co. F, 57th Illinois Infantry, and served four years and three months ; was in the battles at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Miss., Murfrecsboro, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Allatoona, Paducah, Kenesaw Mountain, Rome, Ga., Atlanta, siege of Vicksburg, and with Gen. Sherman in his amous march to the sea, and at the review at Washington ; was mustered out June 7, 1865.

Bear, J. G. F., far., Sec. 29 ; P. O. Tranquility.

Bear, G. W., far., Sec. 28 ; P. O. Tranquility.

Bear, L. A., far., Sec. 20 ; P. O. Tranquility.

My Bear ancester from this time period, Samuel Lewis Bear, born 24 Oct 1825 in Cumberland Co., Pennsylvania, settled in Plano (Johns Township), Iowa between 1855-58, was not listed in the book. Justice G. F. Bear was born in Mount Morris, Green Co., PA, so is likely a brother or cousin of Andrew J. Beare.

Bear obituaries in Appanoose County, Iowa

These are transcribed from the book: Osee Johnson Knouf, comp., Soldiers Buried in Appanoose County, Iowa Before World War II and Some Obituaries of Early Settlers, (DAR, Illinois Society, 1976). I accessed it in the DAR library in Washington, D.C. The obituaries are typed, and include what appear to be many typos.

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Mary Jane Kirkland Bear

Mary Jane Kirkland, daughter of Hue and Nancy Kirkland was born in Wetzel county, West Virginia, April 17, 1853, and passed away June 5, 1939, at the age of 86 years, 2 months and 18 days. She is the last of a family of 11 children.
She came to Iowa with her parents at the age of 14 years. On February 17, 1880, she was united in marriage to Samuel R. Bear. She was the mother of six children. One daughter, Mrs. Ruby Wells, and her husband preceded her in death. She lived the greater part of her life in Appanoose county, Iowa.
She was converted and united with the Little Flock Baptist church in 1871. She lived a true and devoted life until the end. She has been in poor health for some time. She was making her home with her son, James A. Bear, at the time of her death. All was done that loving hands and medical science could do but to no avail. She was a loving mother, a good neighbor, and a kind friend. She is survived by 5 children: Della Squires, Seymour, Ia.,; S. L. Bear: James A. Bear; and A. A. Bear, of Plano, Iowa; and Mose W. Bear of Centerville, Iowa. 26 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren, other relatives and many friends.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday p.m. at the Little Flock church at 2 p.m. with the Rev. W. M. Cleeton of Seymour officiating. Burial was in the Little Flock cemetery.

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Adessa Jane Bear Wilson

Adesa Jane Bear, daughter of Mary and Samuel Bear, was born in Peoria, Ill., Nov. 24, 1849, and passed away at the home of her son Joseph in Minneapolis, Minn., Feb. 5, 1940, at the age of 90 years, 2 months and 18 days.
Her parents came to this country when she was small and settled on a farm near Plano where they lived until their death.
In 1871 she was united in marriage with Perry C. Wilson. They lived on a farm a few years and then moved to East Wilson street of this city where they were living at the time of Mr. Wilson’s death in May, 1930. She has spent most of the last 10 years of her life at the home of her youngest son, Joseph, at Minneapolis.
She enjoyed good health until last Friday, when Joe’s wife noticed she was ill. She was put to bed at once and tenderly cared for until she passed away early Monday morning.
She was the oldest of her family and the last to pass away of six children. Mrs. Wílson was the mother of 11 children. Elizabeth, Frank and Grover preceded her in death.
She leaved to mourn their loss; three daughters – Mrs. C. L. Gray of this city, Mrs. Mary Myers of Phoenix, Ariz. and Mrs. Zella Hurd of California. Five sons – Joseph of Minneapolis, Minn., Oscar, Robert and John of this city and William of Cincinnati, Iowa; 21 grand children 9 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren.
Mrs. Wilson was a woman of fine character and was loved and respected by a large number of friends. She loved her home and was a devoted and loving mother.
Funeral services were held from the Miller Funeral home Friday afternoon with H. E. Trimble officiating. Burial was in Oakland.

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Catherine Elizabeth Bear

Catherine Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Mary Rupely Bear, was born Feb. 7, 1858, and passed away at her home north of Plano, Feb. 17, 1939. She was united in marriage to Edwin Lyon, April 18, 1877. He preceded her in death April 18, 1921. She has spent her entire life in the community of Plano, where she was born, and 60 years at the home where she passed away.
Ten children were born to this union. Surviving are: Mrs. C.F. Kirkland, Los Angeles, Calif., Ira of Plano, Mrs. E. W. Wyrick of Centerville, Iowa, Nellie at home, C. Fred of Oklahoma City, Okla., Mrs. Walter Haines and Jay of Plano and Art of Yakama, Washington. Harry E. and Gertrude Mae preceded her in death. Twelve grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren also survive. Of a family of six, she is survived by one sister, Mrs. Dessie Wilson of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Funeral services were held at the home with Rev. George W. Swan, Jr. officiating. She was laid to rest in the family cemetery.