65. Bear

Outline

1. Jacob Bear (d. aft. 1698) m. ____; Adelshofen, Rhineland, Germany
2. Henry Bear (ca. 1695–1750) m. Barbara Witmer (d. bef. 1781); Adelshofen, Rhineland, Germany; Hempfield Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.
3. Rev. John Bear (1723–1778) m. 1746 Anna Eshelman (1729–1778); Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., Pa.
4. Martin Bear (1753–1795) m. Catharine Hershey (ca. 1760–1833); East Pennsborough Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa.
5. Henry Bear (d. bef. 1834) m. 1803 Anna Ober (d. aft. 1830); Hopewell Twp., Cumberland Co., Pa.
6. Magdalena/Martha Bear (1814–1868) m. David Spencer (1801–1883); Southampton Twp., Franklin Co., Pa.

Sources

An undocumented and erroneous account of the parentage of Henry Bear is shown in Regina Christman Martin and Darvin L. Martin, “Two Ober/Over Families on the Pennsylvania Frontier,” Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 25, no. 4 (Oct. 2002): 21-36, at 28. The correct lineage is suggested by Phillip E. Bedient, Descendants of Benjamin Witmer of Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania: Part 1, Pennsylvania Mennonite Heritage 14, no. 2 (April 1991): 12-28, at 20, where it is noticed that Catharine Spencer’s two children, as grandchildren of Henry, were interested in Henry’s right in the estate of Martin Bear, and also traces Martin Bear back to his grandfather. To fully document Martha’s connection to Martin, as well as Catharine’s, see Lancaster Co., PA, Deeds, D-6:457-8. The most probable account of the family’s European origin is Richard Warren Davis, Emigrants, Refugees and Prisoners (an Aid to Mennonite Family Research), 3 vols. (Provo, Utah, 1995–9), 3:17-22.

Related surnames

521. Eshelman · 261. Hershey · 131. Ober · 1. Spencer · 1041. Witmer