I have been studying our Revolutionary War ancestors. Even though a fellow's whole contribution was to march on Alarm from Yarmouth to Dartmouth for 3 days we must consider that he probably spent a lot of time drilling with the local militia! Here is my second cousin- Noah Sears- Noah Sears was born on 11 Apr 1751 in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts[i],[ii],[iii] as the seventh child of Elisha Sears and Sarah Vincent. He had six siblings, namely: Samuel, Bethiah, Elisha, John, Enoch, and Constant. He died on 23 Sep 1835. When he was 42, he entered marriage intentions 8 Feb 1794[iv][v] with Desire Merrill and married Desire Merrill on 17 Feb 1794[vi],[vii] in Yarmouth, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA by Rev. Nathan Stone. Desire was admitted to the Dennis Church, 14 Sep 1794[viii]; He was in Lieut. Micajah Sears' company, and served 3 days, alarm at Dartmouth, 6 Sep 1778[ix],[x],[xi] Noah is second cousin of Micajah- with grt-grandfather Paul Sears and Deborah Willard as their common ancestor.

Noah appears as grantor or grantee in seven deeds recorded at the Barnstable county courthouse. In his time the border between the towns of Dennis (inc. 1794 from part of Yarmouth) and Brewster (inc. 1803 the north part of Harwich) was walked every year by the selectmen of both towns to formally establish the boundaries but vital records and deeds of citizens of the area could be recorded in records of either town. They seemed to claim residence in whichever town provided the best advantage. In one case Noah sells property which is partly in both towns. The villages where Noah lived and worked are referred to as East Dennis and West Brewster. The Barnstable County Courthouse burned 22 Oct 1827 destroying 93 folios of deeds recorded since the county formed in 1685. The selectmen of the towns were charged with going door to door to re-file property deeds. It is possible Noah was part of many transactions which were never re-filed.

The Dennis Historical Society has original records of monetary notes held by Noah in which he loaned neighbors money and received interest. In 1812 he was owed by Widow Nickerson's estate $50 plus $13.12 interest. In another deed on 22 Jan 1830 when he is 79 years old he buys saltworks from Isaiah Crowell on Quivet Neck, Dennis. The saltworks were in development on Cape Cod during and after the revolutionary war operated into the 1860s. In 1831 there were 764,280 feet of saltworks. That number tripled in the next ten years. Quivet Neck was uniquely situated to take advantage of the tides and wind to manufacture salt by evaporation. So it appears Noah was quite an industrious realtor, banker and salt manufacturer.

Noah Sears was buried in Ancient Sears Cemetery, West Brewster, Brewster, Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA (#45). “In Memory of Mr NOAH SEARS who died Sep 23, 1835 in the 85th year of his age next to his wife Desire who died Sept 1, 1828 In the 62 Year of her age.

Footnotes:

[i]Dennis Vital Records- Vol I, p. 5 [Book of Records for the Town of Dennis. Begun in the year 1794 page 6 original record] Elisha and Sarah Sears of Yarmouth – Noah Sears born 11 of April 1751

[ii]Dennis Vital Records- Vol I, p. 117 [Borths and Deaths Early 1700s to Date: Part I page 1 original record Elisha Sears and his wife Sarah. A record of their children – Noah Sears born April 11 1751

[iii] May, Samuel. The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888, [https://archive.org/stream/descendantsofric00mays#page/153/mode/1up] (Joel Munsell's Sons, 1890) p. 152, No. 232

[iv] May, Samuel. The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888, [https://archive.org/stream/descendantsofric00mays#page/153/mode/1up] (Joel Munsell's Sons, 1890) p. 152, No. 232

[v]Yarmouth Vital Records-Book 4, p. 118 ent int Feb 8th 1794

[vi]Dennis Vital Records- Vol I, p. 61 [page 120 of original record] Returns of marriage made to me by the Revd Nathan Stone for the years 1794- Feb. 27. 1794 Noah Sears and Desire Merrill

[vii] May, Samuel. The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888, [https://archive.org/stream/descendantsofric00mays#page/153/mode/1up] (Joel Munsell's Sons, 1890) p. 152, No. 232

[viii] May, Samuel. The Descendants of Richard Sares (Sears) of Yarmouth, Mass., 1638-1888, [https://archive.org/stream/descendantsofric00mays#page/153/mode/1up] (Joel Munsell's Sons, 1890) p. 152, No. 232

[ix] May, Samuel. p. 153He was in Lieut. Micajah Sears' company, and served 3 days, alarm at Dartmouth, 6 Sep 1778

[x] Massachusetts, Revolutionary War, Index Cards to Muster Rolls, 1775-1783- Sea Cost Defence Muster Rolls, Vol. 35, page 237 [https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QLR5-8DLL]

[xi] United States Rosters of Revolutionary War Soldiers and Sailors, 1775-1783, p. 954 [https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QG2M-JS8Q] 3 days, Capt Micah Chapman’s Co Col Freeman’s Regt See more genealogy blogs at: [https://www.facebook.com/groups/248658478657613/]