Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-09-22
From the Brookline, (Msss.) Chronicle. Sep 4ti
Edward II. Sears.


Edward H. Sears, Co d. Second Rhode Island
Vols. was born at Newton Centre, Mass. Octo-
Der f. 1910. He was son of 3 Sc trs, ID. D., l..
L. d.. President of Mes ton Theological Inst
tuition, successor to Hon. Horace Mann, Sec
retary of Board of Educ alton, -tate OF Mass !;
successor OF Francis Was land. ID d President
Of Brown University; later. for II years. gene
raj agent for the South for George Peabody OF
London. His mother was Elizabeth Grisgs
Corey, of Corey Hill. Brookline, Mass. Capt
Edward II. Sears was a student in Brown Uni
versity in 1860 a noted athlete. the stroke oar
In the Brown University boat Grub during the
exciting regattas of 1859 and 1861 He had
at President Sears residence at Brown Uni
versity, Providence, r. l. Gov. Willism
Sprague OF Rhode Island. commissioned two
OF President sears sons ~. B. Sears and Edw
b. Sears. first lieutenaniS in the Second Rhode
Island Regt., Vol. Infantry. for THREE years.
Both sons were present at the disastrous battle
of First Bull Run. Sunday, July 2lst, 1861 First.
lieutenant Edward HI. Sears was commissioned
captain Of Go. D.. Second Rhode Island Regt.
July 2lst, 1861. He resigned his commission as
captain to accept commission as irst-lieu-
tenant OF Battery G., First Regiment, Rhode
iSland ysi Light Artillery, dated Dec End. ISL
action at Yorktown, Va, Fair Oaks, Malvern
Hill. Second Bull Run, Antietam. and Fred
ericksburg, Va. August %, 1883 he was aP
pointed acting assistant paymsster U. 8. Navy.
ordered to report to the gunboat Underwater
at Newberne, N. c. The crew of the gunboat
Y nderwrfter were killed or captured by the
Oonfederates. and Paymaster E. H. Sears and
the survivors were closely confined as prison.
ers sc OF d war y at Kingston. n. c., Danville. Va,
Macon, Ga, and Roper Buildings at Charles
ton, 8. c., under the artillery fire night and
day of the heaviest guns OF the Northern army
beseiging Charleston. Released from prison by
the exchange of Confederate prisoners under
flag of truce after nine months imprisonment,
he was ordered to report to Napoleon Collins,
commanding the U. s. steamer Wachusett,
subsequent to the capture of the Confederate
steamer Florida. While under the command
OF Capt. Townsend the steamer Wachusett
touched at Martinique. Cape Verde, spending
three months at Rio Janeiro. thence to Cape
Town. Cape of Good Hope, Batavia, Manila,
Shanghai, Macao Canton, Swatou, Hankow,
ana followed by special trip to Corea thence
to the Japanese ports of Yokohama and Ma
gasaki to recruit the health of the officers and
crew. From China station stopping at St.
Helena, Cape To sn, uia st. Thomas to New
York. under the command of Commander
Shuffelt. Captain Sears resigned June End,
1868. his commission in the U. =. Navy as AS
sistant Paymaster. He was appointed post
master I1I at Staunton, Augusta Co. Va, by
President Grant for two successive terms 10
special recognition of his services in the Army
and Navy of the U. 8. He served in this posi-
tion for six years. April 2O 1862 during his first
term of office as postmaster at Stsunton. Au-
gusta county. Va, Capt. Edward H Sears mar
ried Miss Amelia Lockwood Wiley, formerly
formed by Rev. DR.. Garfield, rector of Christ
Church. at the residence of Geo. Rusher, No.
352 Clinton street. Brooklyn. N. Y. 1t proved
happy marriage. His wife by her untiring
devotion rendered the last II years of his life
his happiest, comforting him and caring for
u.
knowledged her care and watchfulness.
DIR. B. Sears made Staunton, Va, the head.
quarters of the Peabody Education Fund for
the South. In 1873 Capt. Sears resigned his
position as postmaster of Staunton, Va, and
entered the employ of Sears & Bowers Insur-
ance Agency at No. 7 Exchange Place. Boston,
Mass, agents for the following companies:
The Guardian Assurance of London, German
American Ins. Co. of N. Y, North British and
merciai ms Co of Edn6urn Fom Fond
Ins: Co. Of San Francisco, Hoffman Ins. Co. OF
n. Y. Fairfield Ins. Co. of Norwalk, Conn.,,
Enterprise Ins. Co. of Cincinnati O. Commerce
Ins. Co of N. Y, Equitable Ins. Co of Nash
willie. Tennessee, and other insurance COM
pan1es, commanding an extensive fire insur-
The sudden death of Mr.. Carter, American
manager of the Guardian Assurance Company
of London, led to the appointment of Henry f.
Bowers Esq, (of the firm of Sears & Bowers J..
as Mr.. Carter's successor, which involved the
dissolution of the firm of Sears & Bowers Capt,
Edward H. Sears became at this time the asso.
ciate and confidential clerk in the old estab-
ished business of his brother, Capt W. B.
Sears. The connection of the brothers contin-
ued for ten or fifteen years with the happiest
results. Every one thrown in contact with
Capt. Edward 81. Sears respected him for his
sound Judgment, sterling good sense and in
tegrity. He was very quiet and reserved in
his manner, but when engaged in converse
tiOn he developed his great ability to discuss
with the ablest business men on topics of cur.
rent interest, financial matters, foreign affairs
matters of national policy and naval affairs
His great eDjoyments were in sketching, draw
x,
He possessed keen sense Of the ludicrous and
was full of wit and humOr. He had the fullest
knowledge for many years previous of all the
liabilities OF his heart disease Of which he died
on Sunday, Aug. o. 1886, at 1890 A. M. He left
his office July Is. 1886. as usual at P. M, in
company with his brother, full Of hope, and
very cheerfully bade him good night at the
Boston postoffice, but taken sick that
night at his residence and never returned. In
March, 1873 he was elected a member of the
first-class of the Massachusetts Commandery
of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion OF
the United States. He took his Masonic de-
grees in 1874, and became member of the Mas
sachusetts Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons
in Boston. He was initiated in 1875, member
of the Grand Army of the Republic. Post 26. at
Boston Highlands. He was confined to his
residence. No. 2l Monadnock street, at Dudley
street station, n. Y. and N. E. railroad. Dor
the day of his death. Monday. August 2s, at
P. NJ, simple services were held at his resi-
dence. DR.. Heman Lincoln of Newton Centre,
lifelong friend OF Capt. Sears and his parents,
officiating. Only his immediate personal
friends attended the services. A song by Mr..
Robinson, followed by a benediction, closed
the impressive ceremony. On Tuesday, August
"a. his widow, Mrs. Amelia l.. Sears. her sister,
Miss Wiley, and Capt. w. b. Sears and wife fol-
railroad depot. and thence by the New York
express train at 10 A. NJ. to Providence. Here
the body was met by exMayor Jabez Knight
and wife, Miss Emma Taft Miss May Rusher,
Mrs. Christopher Wiley. Gen. E. 81. Rhodes of
the Second Regt. R. l. Vols. and wife, Senator
George n; Bliss fthe First Regt R. |; Cavalry,
Sanger, ESQ.,, l. H. Southwick ESQ.,, Mrs. Eliza
beth Mitchell Ia member of DIR. Sears family
for years, who took sole care of him when sick
for six weeks with smallpox, and children.
and Chaplain Rev. Samuel H. Webb. rector of
Christ's Church. Providence. Under the charge
of Horace B. Knowles the remains were re-
moved from the depot in Providence to Swan
Point Cemetery, Providence. Tuesday noon.-
The body was deposited in grave in the Wiley
family lot near and overlooking the Pawtuck ct
River. 1t was Capt. Sears expressed wish to
be buried here. The day was beautiful, the
place was retired spot that was very pleasant
by nature, rendered more lovely through the
efforts of Mr.. 7. McCarty, Superintendent of
the Swan Point Cemetery formerly of the
Forest Hills Cemetery. Boston). After rem
dering of the Episcopal service by his warm
friend, Chaplain Rev. Samuel H. Webb. the
body was lowered into the newly made grave
and all that remained of the late Capt. Edward
H. Sears was left to repose in this lovely. quiet
spot, free from all pain amid the singing of
the birds. the beautiful flowers and the full
rich green foliage Capt. Edward H. Sears was
As years, 10 months and days old. He leaves
wife, two brothers. Capt. W. B. Sears, and
Lieutenant Robert d. Sears, and one sister,
Mrs. Lizzie G. Fultz, wife of DIR. ]. 81 Fultz.-
His father. mother and a brother have died
within few years. Surely good man is
gone from our midst to meet his parents he
loved SO well.