Ancestors

James Bearse

James Bearse was born at Barnstable on Cape Cod about the end of July 1660. He was the youngest of the eleven children of Austin Bearse, who had come from Southampton in 1638 and was one of the first settlers of the town.

He was admitted a townsman of Barnstable in 1683, which admitted him to the rights of an inhabitant. He held land there in 1694 and 1697. By 31 May 1700 he had bought land in what became Plympton, and was calling himself "of Plymouth." By 1703 he was gone from Barnstable. Amos Otis, the Barnstable historian, wrote that he removed to Halifax, the part of Plympton set off as its own town in 1734.

His wife was Experience. None of their children's births was entered in a town book, and their order is uncertain. They were Shubael, born probably by 1688; James; John; Experience, who married an Egerton; Priscilla, who married a Bourne; Mary, who married a West; Thankful, who married Elisha Curtis in 1718; and Rebecca, who married Joseph Chard in 1727. Two of his sons married sisters. Shubael married Thankful Ford in 1709, and James married Abiah Ford in 1713. Both were daughters of Andrew Ford of Abington.

As "James Bearse Sr." of Plympton he deeded land to his son James in 1712 and to his son Shubael in 1714.

He died at Plympton before 7 October 1728, when administration of his estate was granted to his son John. His inventory mentions the hundred acre homestead and "30 acres given by deed to Shubel Bears." It notes what had already been advanced to his married daughters, Experience Egarton, Prisseliah Bourn, Mary West and Rebeckah Chard. His widow is named as "Experience Bears."

Through his son Shubael and Shubael's son Hezekiah he was a forebear of the writer Ambrose Bierce.

If James Bearse is in your family, start your own tree.

Cite: Heirology, "James Bearse (b. 1660)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/james-bearse-1660-c336af.