History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties

Media file	Title: History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties Media type: story Format:
Record ID number	859d25aa-2bed-4156-932b-bbc616628f7a
OBJE:_META	<metadataxml><content><line><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">In the spring of 1834, David Shearer and Eli, his son, with Adam J. Briney, of Darke Co., Ohio, journeyed in company on horseback to Michigan for the purpose of locating land. They visited William Lemon, of Berrien township (whom they knew well), and upon asking his advice as to where they had better settle, were informed that he knew where there was land that would suit them. Thereupon he accompanied them to what is now section 19, Royalton township, and the land proving acceptable they subsequently entered upon that section, David Shearer 160, Eli Shearer 80, and Briney 160 acres. Briney and the Shearers returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1834 David Shearer started with his family for the Michigan farms. David Shearer, a widower with seven children, had married a widow with six children, so that when he started for Michigan he had a family of thirteen children to bear him company, besides Abner Shearer, a nephew, who remained in Michigan only about a year. David Shearer was originally from North Carolina, and removed thence to Kentucky, and from there to Ohio.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">The journey from Ohio to Michigan was made with four two-horse wagons, and after cutting a road from the St. Joseph road to section 19, they landed safely upon their new lands in the almost trackless forest. While the sturdy members of the family engaged in the hurried construction of a log cabin, all hands were rudely sheltered by the side of a prostrate tree, where they had their abiding-place and &quot;kept house&quot; until the more convenient cabin was prepared for them. Eli and his wife lived with the old folks until Eli completed a cabin for himself, and then they turned their attention to clearing their land and preparing for crops.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">In that portion of Royalton no settlers had preceded the Shearers, and they were as much part from communion with their own race as if they had been east adrift upon the ocean. They had no time, however, to think of the loneliness of their situation, for they had that to engage their attention which gave them no leisure for idle thought, and so they worked bravely amid the wolves and Indians, and grew contented with their lot. &quot;Going to mill&quot; was one of the unpleasant features of existence, but it was one of necessity and importance. Although there was a mill at Niles, the Shearers chose to go to Prairie Ronde, thirty-eight miles distant, and to that point the journey was often made. In those days of unbroken roads a trip of seventy-six miles was no slight affair, and that it was going to mill under difficulties may easily be understood.</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">David Shearer lived upon his farm until his death, in 1865. Of the thirteen children who came to Royalton with him, those now living are Eli Shearer, Andrew Shearer, Sarah Briney, Catharine Boughton, and Lizzie Edwards. (History of Berrien and Van Buren Counties Michigan. D.W. Ensign &amp; Co. 1880. pages 304, 305)</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Times New Roman" size="3">&nbsp;</font></p><font face="Times New Roman" size="3"> </font></line></content></metadataxml>
OBJE:_CREA	2020-01-19 07:49:08.000
OBJE:_CLON	_TID: 22671134 _PID: 1279206429 _OID: 54666022-4670-4f82-8b9e-641ea6bf7cdf
OBJE:_ORIG	u
Unique identifier	AC2FDAB77B2F44C7B968C5C978F730198891

Alive Dead Death>100 Death<=100 Birth>100 Birth<=100 Roots Leaves
Given names	Surname	Sosa	Birth		Place		Death		Age	Place	Last change
David A Shearer Father: William Christian Shearer II or III Mother: M Hannah Hoover				1787 1785	237	Wilkes, North Carolina, United States Wilkes, North Carolina, United States	0	June 22, 1855 1813	168	68	Berrien County, Michigan, USA Berrien County, Michigan, USA	Never	M	YES	YES

Both alive Widower Widow Both dead Roots Leaves Not married Marriage>100 Marriage<=100 Divorce Multiple marriages
Given names	Surname	Age	Given names	Surname	Age	Marriage		Place		Last change