Hood County Texas Genealogical Society Biographical Notes

CARRIE SEARS - A GENTEEL WOMAN

by

James Timothy (Tim) Sears

830 E. Briar Ridge Drive

Brookfield, WI 53045

1-414-789-7631

E-mail: JTSears@aol.com or NVHN35A@prodigy.com

Carrie Virginia Hubbard, daughter of James Walter Hubbard and Isabelle Jane Gregory Collins Hubbard, was born on January 13, 1878 at Bells, Crockett County, Tennessee. She came to Texas with her family in 1884 and settled in Parker County by 1885. The Hubbard family established its home at Hiner near Dennis, Texas. One note of interest: Carrie's great-great grandfather, Isaac Mason (a Revolutionary War soldier) was one of the first settlers of French Lick, Tennessee and was the first tailor in that city. That city came to be known in later years as Nashville.

George Timothy Sears and Carrie Virginia Hubbard were married at the Hubbard home in Hiner, Parker County, Texas on July 8, 1896. She moved to Lipan, Texas with her husband. Lipan was to be her home for the remainder of her life. She and her husband became the parents of eight children; one son died in infancy.

Carrie Sears joined the Baptist Church during a summer meeting in 1906; she was baptized at Crockery Creek near the Baptist Cemetery. She was also a member of the local church's Ladies Aid Society. She maintained membership in the Woodmen of the World Auxiliary Circle and was an active member of their drill team. Carrie Sears, reserved and dignified, believed in good etiquette and proper behavior which were a part of her Tennessee heritage.

Carrie Sears became ill in 1918 after severe hemorrhaging. Visits to various doctors and specialists revealed that she had cancer. She continued to care for her home and family with help until school was dismissed in the spring of 1919. After May of 1919, she was bedfast; she suffered great pain and was given shots of morphine to ease the suffering. While she was bedfast, she made her own burial clothing and made the trousseau for daughter Faye (who married three months after Carrie's death). For the last few days of her life, she was kept chloroformed. During her illness, she had visits from her aged parents and all of her brothers and sisters.

Carrie Sears died late in the evening on September 15, 1919. Her husband called a mortician to come from Granbury and embalm her remains--she was one of the first persons in the Lipan area to be embalmed after death. Her funeral was held at the Lipan tabernacle on September 16, 1919; she was buried near her infant son at Evergreen Cemetery.

Note: In 1979 Tim Sears read through many documents, clippings, etc. that belonged to his aunt, Faye Sears Gilbert. A memoriam about Carrie Virginia Hubbard Sears was found in those papers. It is reproduced here.

*****

MEMORIAM--written by Mrs. W. R. Martin (1919)

On Monday evening, Sept. 15th, the spirit of Carrie V. Sears was wafted to its eternal home.

Through days of deadly languor, through weeks of agony that was not less agony though silently borne, with clear sight and calm courage she looked into her open grave. What blight and ruin met her anguished eyes, who lips may tell what brilliant, broken plans, what baffled, high ambitions, what sundering of strong, warm friendships, what bitter rending of sweet household ties! Behind her a host of sustaining friends. The cherished husband of her youth, whose whole life lay in hers; two little ones not yet emerged from childhood's day of frolic; the fair young daughters; the sturdy young sons just springing into closest companionship, claiming every day and every day rewarding a mother's love and care; and in her heart, the eager, rejoicing power to meet demands, and her soul was not shaken.

Her friends were thrilled with insistent, profound and universal sympathy. Masterful in her mortal weakness, she became the center of the community love, enshrined in the prayers of every Christian. But all the sympathy could not share with her, her suffering. She trod the wine press alone. With unfaltering front, she faced death. With unfailing tenderness, she took her leave of life, with simple resignation she bowed to the divine decree, for she was a Christian in every sense of the word.

It was our pleasure to spend the day and a portion of the night with her shortly before she passed away, and the many words of love and confidence she bestowed upon us, we shall treasure in our heart until we see her again.

But for the present, we shall miss her sweet familiar face that has looked in past years with beaming eyes of friendship upon us. To her loved ones we would say, try to reconcile yourselves to her passing, and after awhile, when, peering through the half drawn folds of time, you will be able to say:

'Twas hard, so hard, to let her go, but ah! we'll not complain

She's past all care, in Heaven there, she'll never know a pain;

A little lock of raven hair, with tint of midnight blue,

Is all that now remains, to us, dear darling one of you.

Except precious memories and they will ever last,

Our hearts they'll fill, and linger 'till life's fitful dream is past,

God knoweth best, you're safe at rest, and so at close of day,

When night draws night we'll scan the sky and breath a prayer for you.

*****

Mrs. Sears was married in 1896 to George T. Sears and to this union eight children were born, seven of whom are living. Her husband, with the seven children survive. The children are Ross Sears of Weatherford and Misses Marie, Faye, Bessie Lea, and Esther Ruth and Vaughn and Edwin H. at home. She is also survived by her parents Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Hubbard of Dennis, sisters Mrs. H. K. Bloodworth, Mrs. J. M. Williams, Mrs. H. H. Hardin, Mrs. Cleve Doss and brothers, Walter Hubbard, O. E. Hubbard, and C. G. Hubbard.

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