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In 2000 we followed the Mears family migration route from Maryland, to North Carolina, to middle Tennessee, to Mississippi. We have been to Kemp, TX, where George Washington Mears first came to Texas. There have been many George Washington Mears in our history. My grandfather, his grandfather were G. W. There was a G. W. in Maryland, but I have been unable to link him to our family. There were also several cousins that bore the name. The earliest family member that we have located was Zadock Mears who came to Maryland in the early 1600s. There were other Mears already in the area, but I have not linked them to Zadock. He owned land on the eastern shore of Maryland, which is connected to the eastern shore of Virginia. Accomack County, Virginia still has a large number of Mears living in the area.
Zaddock moved to Guilford County North Carolina. His son William Married there and had several children, including the first G.W. The familiy then moved to Cannon County Tennessee. G.W. then moved his family to Lee County Mississippi in the 1840s. Civil unrest was growing and the family split up. Some went to Arkansas and some stayed in Tennessee. After the Civil War, what was left of our family became shere croppers near Tupelo MS. Only two sons survived the war. About 1916, The next G.W. took the family to Texas.
There were seven boys that served in the Civil War. Goldsborough was killed at Gettysburg. He was a captain in Picketts Carge. Four others were killed during the war and the other two were wounded. My great grandfather James Allen Mears carried a minnie ballin his arm for the rest of his life. Erving J. Mears was at the surrender at Appomattox.
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