Bear/Jones Families

submitted by Beth

I will start with the following information. It is not my research but received it from Diane Deputy, who collected it from family members and other family researchers and did a great deal of the Wood and associate family research herself besides what she obtained from the research of her mother and other family records. I do not know when this was written. The Bear - Jones Family History In the Trinity Lutheran Church at Reading, Pa. there is a notice of the burial of Catherine Fix, nee Stull, born 1728, died in Reading Sept. 12, 1814 aged 86 years 7 months , two days. Her husband Lorenz or Lawrence Fix died in 1777 and letters of administration were granted to the widow Catherine June 2, 1777. The children of Lorenz and Catherine Fix were said to be Jacob, Orenz born 1759, Margaret and Anna, Maria, twins born 1765, George born 1768. This Jacob, who could have been born about 1755 MAY have been the father of Catherine Fix born 1789 -- the similarity of names and dates would indicate this but we have no proof. A Jacob Fix served in the Bedford Militia during the Revolutionary War but I have been unable to find any further record of him. Tradition says that the Fix and Bear families were from Pa. (were so-called "Pennsylvania Duktch" which means German - from the word Deutch) Jacob Fix was probably born in eastern Pa. about 1755, married Barbery (the spelling on her tombstone) about 1788 and emigrated to Virginia. There their daughter, Catherine Fix, was born in 1789. We have no further record of Jacob and Barbery Fix except their gravestones which are in the Maddox graveyard, Saluida Twp. Jefferson Co., Ind. This is an abandoned graveyard on a farm about two miles east of Paynesville, Ind. The inscriptions read:   
Jacob Fix, died July 25, 1825, age 82 years.  
Barbery, his wife, died Aug. 27, 1852, age 82 years. George W. Bare, Mar. 4, 1833 - Aug. 24, 1834  
Catherine Fix, the daughter of Jacob and Barbery Fix, was born in Va. in 1789 and was still living in 1856, but we do not know the date of her death. She married Henry Bear (or Bare as the old records spelled it) who was born in Va. July 16, 1787. He died July 11, 1851 and lies in Mt Zion cemetery just north of Paynesville, Saluda Twp., Jefferson Co., Ind., where many other Bears are buried. But there is no stone to mark Catherine's grave and this may mean that she was buried elsewhere or it may be that the stone has fallen over and been plowed under. Many of the markers on the old graves were field stones. Each family knew who was buried in the farm graveyard and often no stones were erected.  

Henry Bear's parents probably lived in Pa. but we do not know their names. The Philadelphia records reveal several immigrants from Germany named Bear who entered America through that city near the middle of the 18th century. Today "the woods are full of Bears, Bares, Beers, etc." in Pa. but no records have been kept and the names are so much alike that it is almost impossible to trace any one family. We know that Henry Bear's parents emigrated to VA. as he was born there in 1787. Later it seems they followed in the footsteps of numerous pioneers who migrated to Ky., then over into Indiana. There were two settlements of Bares in Jefferson Co., Ind. - one around Brooksburg in Milton Twp. and the other at Saluda Twp. It seems the Saluda Bares spelled the name Bare while those who stayed about Brooksburg spelled it Bear. 

I will now go out of order for a ways in order to stay with the Bear family line. 
"The oldest member of the Bear family that settled in Milton Twp., Jefferson Co., Ind. near Brooksburg was John Bear. Mrs. Bylvan L. Mouser of Indianapolis has compiled a genealogy of his descendants which was published in the 1945 Indiana Magazine of History. Tradition states that John Bear's parents came from Germany sometime before 1770. John was probably born before 1780 and Henry was born 1787 so they could have been brothers. The relationship was close we know - perhaps Henry was John's nephew. The tradition is that two of the Bear brothers came on ahead of the rest of the family to settle here and it seems probable that they were John and Henry. If that is true, then Henry's parents came from Germany to Pa. sometime before 1770 and emigrated to Va. prior to 1787 where Henry was born in that year. Then the family moved to Ky. where they probably remained until Mar. 4, 1814 when John purchased land in Jefferson Co., Ind. from the U. S. Govt. for $1.25 an acre. That property stayed in the direct line of descent until 1914. His name on the deed was spelled Beare, but his sons' names were spelled Bear on their deeds made later.
There is no tradition to show whether the Bear was a Revolutionary family or not. However, it would have to be the father of Henry who was in the Revolution, if any in his line. The family names show definitely an American worship, since they are for American heroes -- George Washington Bear, William Henry (Harrison) Bear, Zachary Taylor Bear, etc. This would encourage one to believe there was Revolutionary service but so far it has not been located.

Catherine Fix and Henry Bear were married in all probability about 1805 and by 1830 they had 11 children (six boys and five girls) ranging in age from two to twenty years. As shown on a deed made Aug. 10, 1853 these children were: Jacob, John, Simon, Peter, Mathilda (wife of John R. Jones), Elizabeth (wife of Joseph Giltner), Margaret (wife of Israel Urumzetter), Peggy (wife of Wm. Hern), Henry, and William. We have no record of any of these children except Mathilda who was born July 12, 1821 and married John Ray Jones on Sept. 1, 1842. They lived in Jefferson Co., Ind until sometime after 1856, then moved to Pike Co., Ind. Deeds at Petersburg, Ind. show that Jacob Bare and his wife Permelia (marriage date May 29, 1831 in Jefferson Co., Ind.) bought 200 acres of land from the Board of Trustees of the Wabash and Erie Canal in 1857. Records also show that they sold 80 acres to William Bare in 1859 and gave 1 1/2 acres for the M. E. Church in 1860. Thus we know that Mathilda's two brothers, Jacob and and William Bare, were living in Pike Co. when she and her husband, John R. Jones, and their family came to live near them. Court records show that William Bare and John R. Jones were trustees of the M. E. Church called Jacob's Chapell of Pike Co., in 1869.
John Ray Jones was born June 22, 1822, the son of John Wesley Jones and his wife Nancy. The latter couple are buried in the New Hope cemetery at Otto, Indiana in Clark Co. The inscriptions are:
Rev. John W. Jones, Dec. 9, 1797 - Jan. 19, 1882
Nancy Jones, his wife, Feb. 18, 1792 - Sept. 11, 1880
Census records reveal that he was born in Ky. and she in VA. They were probably married about 1821 and their children were:  
John Ray Jones,  
Charles Jones  
Wiley Jones 1832  
Louisa Jones 1834 
Abraham Jones 1836  
Barbara Jones 1838  
Nancy Jones 1844  

Deeds show they owned land in Jefferson Co., Ind in 1839. In 1874 we know they lived in Oldham Co., Ky. The original of the following old letter is in the possession of Judge Eldo W. Wood of Huntingburg, Ind in 1955. Jacob F. Jones, the seventh child of John Ray Jones and Mathilda Bear, was born Aug. 19, 1856 and died of tuberculosis on May 10, 1881 and is buried a Lynneville, Ind. He married Clementine Clara Payne on Aug. 10, 1880. She was born Jan. 25, 1858 and died following a paralytic stroke on Jan. 4, 1934 and was buried in Alaska. She was born in Dubois Co., Ind. and after the death of Dr. Jacob Jones, she married a Mr. Stillwell and again made her home in that county. She was a school teacher for many years and her hobby was needle-work. Monte enjoyed the same pass-time and did fancy needle-work that was very pretty for that time.

De Montus Mussette Jones, their daughter, was born July 4, 1881 and passed away at her mother's home in Dubois Co., Ind. Feb. 20, 1909. She was buried in Hobbs cemetary not far from Hillsboro church near Ireland, Ind. Her death was the result of tuberculoses. She was married to Thomas Hall Lyden on Oct. 14, 1906 and Norman Vernon Lyden, her son, was born July 5, 1907. Vernon had not seen his third birthday when his mother died. He was then taken into the home of Mr. and Mrs. John W. Ragle - his great aunt (Adella Payne Hagle) - who raised him. Vernon graduated from Oakland Cityu College in 1927 and taught one term in the Pike Co. schools before going to Lake City, Colo. where he taught in High School. In 1930 he went to Cal. where he had a govt. position, was transferred to Washington, D. C in 1931 and then to Dallas, Texas in 1937. He was called into Army training in Nov. of 1940 and was stationed at Fort Sam Houston until Oct. of 1941 when he was released because he was over 28 years of age. He returned to his job - that of an internal Revenue man. On Apr. 12, 1941 he married Freda Lee Hall of Dallas. Their home is at 1206 Woodlawn Ave. Dalles, Texas. The above biography of Dr. Jacob Jones and his family was furnished by Miss Shirley Payne of Velpen, Ind. and we hereby gratefully acknowledge her kindness. E. E. W. Pamelia L. Jones, the eighth child of John Ray Jones and Mathilda Bear, was born May 1, 1854 and died Jan. 12, 1923 and is buried beside her husband in Owensboro, Ky. On Oct. 8, 1873 she was married to Daniel Zedekiah Wood (May 22, 1853 - May 1905) and they were the parents of three children, one of whom, Annie M. Wood, died in infancy (Feb. 21, 1881 - 1883). The others follow:  
1. Willis Bernard Wood, July 27, 1874 - Oct. 4, 1952 married Suksan Ora White at Deanfield, Ky. on Sept. 16, 1896. She lived Feb. 28, 1875 - Jan. 29, 1952. Nine children were born to this union, as follows   
Arthur Cromwell Wood, June 29, 1897 - Aug. 14, 1949, Married Ida Felska. They resided in Detroit, Mich.    

Earl Childress Wood, born July 3, 1899 married Mary Falkemer. They reside in Brooklyn, Mich.     
Rosetta Wood, born July 23, 1902 who married Marion A. Douglas. They reside in Owensboro, Ky.    
Willis Daniel Wood born Jan. 7, 1904 died Sept. 30, 1946. He married Lyona Suell. Their home was in Lousiville, Ky.    
Wm. Jennings Wood, born Feb. 19, 1906 married Mary Volkner. They reside in Des Moines, Iowa.    
Rev. George Stewart Wood, born July 22, 1907 and he married Dorris Ramsey. in 1955. They resided in Henderson, Ky.    
Judge John F. Wood was born Oct. 21, 1909 and died Jan. 17, 1954. He married Josephine Bennett on Apr. 23, 1942. They have a son, James Robert Wood and a daughter Jo Ann Wood. Their home is Owensboro, Ky.    
Martha Louse Wood born Apr 30, 1912 married A. Frank Brooks Sept 19, 1933. They have two children and reside in Owensboro, Ky.    
Mary Helen Wood, born Jan. 7, 1914 who married Thomas Edwards and they reside in Richmond, Va. 2. Rosella G. Wood (Feb. 5, 1876 - Feb. 5, 1943) married Cromwell B. Thornton in June of 1890 at Owensboro, Ky. They had two children: Rosy Belle Thornton (Feb. 1900 - Aug. 1900_ and Anna (Will? abc) Thornton, born July 10, 1910 who married Phillip Zentgraph and in 1946 resided in Detroit, Mich.  
Mathilda Ann Jones, the ninth child of John Ray Jones and Mathilda Bear, was born March 6, 1858 in Jefferson Co., Ind . and died Aug. 20, 1929 in Oakland City, Ind. where she and her husband are buried. On March 9, 1876 she married John Wm. Wood (March 15, 1854 - June 1930) and they had seven children as follows: (This is as recorded in the old family Bible.) 
Henry G. Jones was born Dec. 6, 1843 Margaret E. Jones was born Feb. 23, 1845 
Henry W. Jones was born July 19, 1846 Mary J. Jones was born April 6, 1848 
David A. Jones was born Sept. 6, 1849 Eliza E. Jones was born Mar. 21, 1851 Jacob E. Jones was born Aug. 19, 1852 
Pamelia L. Jones was born May 1, 1854 Matilda A. Jones was born May 1, 1854 
Rachel L. Jones was born Sept. 4, 1857 John Thomas Jones was born Mar. 17, 1859. 
Matilda Bear Jones died Sept. 24, 1874 and was buried in the Stilwell cemetery near Pikeville, Indiana. She probably died of what we now know as acute appendicitis, but it was not called that then. Two of her daughters, Eliza E. and Pamelia L. were preparing for a double wedding which was to have been on this Sunday of her death. She asked them before she died to not put the wedding off long and so they were married two weeks later. John R. Jones and Martha A. Goodwin were married on Dec. 11, 1873 by H. O. Chapman in Warrick Cko., Ind. She preceded him in death and when his life ended on Jan. 6, 1909, he was laid to rest between his two wives in Stilwell cemetery. Both John Wesley Jones and his son, John Ray Jones, were Methodist preachers and many people still (1946) recall hearing the later preach. His favorite song was "O Beulah Land" and his grandchildren sing it in his memory at each reunion. In his later years, Rev. John R. Jones was blind but his memory was so stored with the Scriptures that he did not need to read a text.    
---- Sko this was written in 1946, wonder who wrote it?) 

When the Southern Railway was built, John R. Jones laid out the town of Jonesburg in 1872 along the right-of-way. Numerous deeds in Pike Co. show where lots in this town were sold but no town materialized. It was near Pikeville, Ind. He owned farm land and engaged in farming in Pike Co. while his first wife lived and at Lynnville where he and his second wife resided. His last years were spent in the homes of his children, especially Annie Wood and Eliza Thompson. Nancy C. Jones, the first child of John Ray Jones and Mathilda Bear, was born Dec. 6, 1843 and died Dec. 23, 1916. On Sept. 19, 1861 she was married to William R. Dearing (Aug. 11, 1840 - Dec. 18, 1898). To this union were born the following 11 children: 
W. B. Dearing Oct. 25, 1862 - Dec. 3, 1872 
Margaret Dearing June 1, 1866 - Oct. 19, 1876 
Mary E. Dearing May 20, 1867 - Feb. 26, 1869 Eshue (that is the spelling I see abc) Dearing Feb. 17, 1870 - Mar 17, 1872 
John W. Dearing Mar. 19, 1871 - Mar. 13, 1872 
Jacob Dearing Sept. 25, 1875 - Sept. 1, 1876 
Henry Dearing Sept. 25, 1875 - Jan. 5, 1927. He married Opha Smith in July of 1894 and they had one daughter, Wave Dearing, born June 13, 1903. She is now Mrs. Frank Hamwi of 6144 Etzel Ave., St. Louis, Mo. 
August Dearing Sept. 15, 1884 - Apr. 21, 1885 Anna G. Dearing May 24, 1886 - Apr. 5, 1917 
Permelia F. Dearing Feb. 5, 1872 - Jan. 16, 1939. She married Franklin A. Jones on Nov. 24, 1894 and they had five children as follows: Rukth Lee Jones born Aug. 29, 1895; Nannie Ellen Jones born Oct. 12, 1896; Gilles Jones born Aukg. 16, 1900 and died Feb. 19, 1901; Irenen Jones born Apr. 1, 1903 died Jan. 24, 1905 and Frank Jones, Jr. Leroy Dearing, born Nov. 1, 1879, married Gertie Williams on Nov. 1, 1899. This couple resided in Winslow, Ind. until their death in 1951. Margaret E. Jones, the second child of John Ray Jones and Mathilda Bear, was born Feb. 23, 1845 and died Dec. 31, 1901. She was married on Aug. 21, 1866 to Isaiah Dearing W. H. Grimm was the minister officiating. They were the parents of the following six children:   
Amelia Dearing, born Sept. 3, 1880, was married to Alvin Lee Moore on Nov. 24, 1904. Alvin Lee Moore was born Mar. 23, 1865. To this union was seven children born as follows: Roy T. Moore, born Aug. 23, 1905 was married June 16, 1927to Thelma Vale who died July 11, 1946 at Long Beach, Cal. No children.      
Ada M. Moore, born Dec. 8, 1906 was married to Luther White on Dec. 1, 1936. No children. Reside in Montrose, Co. 
Etna Amelia Moore, born Sepot. 3, 1909 was married to Leonard Simson on Dec. 12, 1940. Two children, Carol Lee Simson born Apr. 6, 1942 and Janet Gay Simson born Mar. 7, 1945. Reside in Carlsbad, N. M.      
Elba E. Moore, born Oct. 2, 1912 was married to Gordon Weese on June 23, 1935. Two children; Harold G. Weese born Mar. 1, 1921 and Howard L. Weese born Apr. 10, 1945. Reside in Montrose, Co.      
Nora Lee Moore born Feb. 17, 1915 was married to Lee Walker on Oct. 15, 1935. One child Leonard Dwaine Walker, born May 4, 1936. Reside in St. George, Utah.      
Chester A. Moore (twin) born May 6, 1918 was married to May Kay Adcock Hobb on Feb. 28, 1946      
Lester H. More (twin) born May 6, 1918 was married to Martha Miller on Mar 3, 1943 at Denver, Co.
Brazeel Wood 
Free white males 1 16+ 1 under 16
Free white females 2 16+
The Wood and Woods families were followed by:
Hugh Henry
Free white males 2 16+ 1 under 16
Free white females 2 16+
 
Ten years later in the 1800 census of Abbeville, Co., S. C. the District of Isaac Henry shows the following:
 
Zedekiah Woods
Free white males 2 -10, 1 10 - 16 1 16-26 1 45+
(2 boy born 1790 - 1800, 1 boy born 1784 - 90 and 1 boy born 1774 - 84
Free white females 1 45+
 
John Dutton (Possible father of Sarah Dutton who in 1815 married Joohn Wood in Warrick Co., Ind.)
Free white males 1 26 - 45
Free white females 1 26 - 45
 
Jonatham Wood
Free white males 1 26 - 45
 
Other Henry's listed were Francis, James and James Jr. Only James was 45+ James Jr. was 26 - 45 and Francis was 16 - 26.
 
On 17 Aug. 1797 in Abbeville Co., S. C., John Langarad and Catron, his wife, sold one hundred acres of land for 12 L Sterling to Zedekiah Wood, his heirs and assigns forever. This land was located on Vische Branch bounded by Rutchledg - ?ggtanis, William Bertens and John Langards lines of county or state aforesaid, also being part of a tract of land granted unto John Langard by patent being deated in the year 1700.
 
An early deed of 76 July 1804, Abbeville District, S. C. lists Zedekiah Wood and Elener (Nellie", his wife, as selling one hundred acres of land to William Gradyi. The land is described as liying on a branch of Johnson's Creek, bounded by John Langard, William Bukrton and Joshua Ashley. The record was signed by Zedekiah Wood, the signature being the same as the S. C. Rev. Audit record dated July 1786. Elener could not read or write so signed an X for her mark. Testors were John and David Langard.
 
The trek of the Woods and other families across Tennessee to Indiana is told in detail by a descendent of the family, Elmira Bolin German in the biographical history of Zedekiah Wood, Jr. This journey was evidently completed before 1820 because we find Zedekiah and Nellie living in Dubois Co., Ind. by that time. Their son, John, was in nearby Pike Co. by that date.  

(By the way, both Zedekiah, Jr. and John are of my direct family lines. abc)
 
The 1820 U. S. Census & Pike Co., Ind. lists the following:
 
John Woods
Free white males 1 -10, 1 16 - 25
Free white females 1 10 - 15, 1 16 - 25, 1 26 - 44
 
Edward Woods
 
Free white males 3 -10, 1 10 - 15, 1 26 - 44
Free white females 1 16 - 25
 
John Wood
 
Free white males 1 -10, 1 16 - 25
Free white females 1 -10, 1 16 - 25
Free white females 1 -10, 1 10 - 15, 1 16 - 25, 1 45+
 
Which is our John Wood or Woods? Perhaps both. The woman 45+ living with JOhn must be his wife's mother as Nellie is still living with Zedekiah Sr. in 1820 until his death 1820 - 30.
 
The 1820 U. S. Census of Duklbois Co., Ind. shows Zedekiah and Nellie living at one residence:
 
Zedekiah Woods
 
Free white males 1 45+
Free white females 1 45+
 
Zedekiah Woods Jr. and his family were listed in nearby Dubois Co. Another son, John Wood and family resided in neighboring Pike Co. near his Uncle Archibald Wood, age 40 - 50 and his family.
 
Sometime between 1820 and 1830 Zedekiah Wood Sn. died. By 1830 Nellie (Henry) Wood, age 70 - 80 is still living with her son John Woods. Archibald Woods lives nearby as well as a Reuben Wood and a John and DAniel Risley. A daughter of Zedekiah and Nellie Wood reportedly married John Risley.
 
In 1830 Census of Dukbois Co. indicated that Nathaniel Woods Jr., Zedekiah Woods, John Duktton, John Risley, William Flatt and the Boledens (Bolins) were all living in close proximity to one another. Nathaniel, Zedekiah, John and Reuben Woods were all 30 - 40. As was John Duktton, Henry Stillwell and John Risley. Archibald Woods was 40 - 50. An older John Risley was 60 -70. These families were listed as being neighbors.
 
Nellie (Henry) Wood probably died sometime between 1820 and 1830. No information is known of the place of burial of Zedekiah Sn or his wife Nellie (Henry Wood.)
 
This is a collection by Suksanna Bolin Tieman, Elmira Bolin German (Mrs. Henry German) and Edith Hoggsett Wood (Mrs. Hon. Eldo Wood) 

(There will be more information on where Zedekiah and Nellie were buried and also would like to note here that Edith Wood did a great deal of the research and recording of the Wood family history. abc.)