Born Humberstone Twp., Welland Co., ON

Married May 23, 1865 in Dunnville, Haldimand Co., ON

FROM THE ATHERTON PAPERS AT OCEANA COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HART, MI:
Abraham H. son of Joseph Bearss married in Dunnville, ON on May 23, 1865 to Phebe, daughter of George and Phoebe Stoner Ott. He was born Welland Co., ON Mar. 15, 1844 and died in Shelby Oct. 24, 1933. In Aug. 1863 Mr. Bearss came to Oceana Co. working in lumber mills, both at Stoney Lake and Point Sable until the following year when he bought for the sum of $300, 80 acres of land on the north Ferry Road in Blooming Valley. His selection of this property was greatly influenced by the fact that it had a natural spring, which later on supplied water, not only for him but also for the neighbors from miles around who came with barrels and stone boats to secure water in times of draught. In the fall and winter of 1864 he assisted W. H. Churchill in cutting timber at the foot of the cemetery hill, boarding meanwhile at the Amos C. Randall home across the street from the scene of his work. During this time he put up a log house on his new property and in the following year, 1865 chopped 5 acres of land around it. That spring he returned to ON to marry and his bride was kept busy at first in the new home since it was built with rough unmatched lumber and Mrs. Bearss devoted herself to smoothing the edges by scouring them with a brick. Mr. Bearss later on remarked that he traveled over 50 miles with an ox team the first year to get his planting of seed. Being little interested in hunting he did not abandon nor neglect his farm, as many did during the pigeon hunting craze.
The first school house in the district and the second in the county was built on the Rhora corners, across the street from his land in 1864. A bark roof was used at first. This building was a social center for those times and particularly so for religious meetings, people coming from long distances to hear the services, and many of them remained overnight at the Bearss home, the women and children sleeping within the school on the floor, the men in the barn. A singing school was conducted within the school for several years, it being eagerly attended by the Randalls, Wrights, Babcocks, Lewis', Bierwerts, Jacobs and the Runners.
Their daughter, Mrs. Compton, writes "Their home was always 'open house' to everyone, friends and strangers alike. Many times my mother has gone to the bedside of a sick neighbor and nursed them back to health without any thought of pay. She was always bringing home some motherless child to care for. One child, when the baby's mother died, was kept in our home for three years until the farmer remarried. No thought of payment." "In the early days of course there were no doctors and my mother used to gather her herbs and dry them, one cure being chestnut leaves steeped and mixed with syrup for whooping cough." (The author vividly recalls an attack of this disease in about 1910 and the partaking of this remedy, the ingredients being carefully prescribed by Mrs. Bearss.) She had various remedies and people came from miles around to be helped by her, she being particularly in demand when babies arrived.
Mr. Bearss was township treasurer in 1869 and at other times as well. In the earliest days he was forced to keep these monies in the home even after a steel safe had been purchased. He was Super. In 1878 and later he held this job for many years. He was active in all civic affairs and deeply interested in the welfare of Shelby. The Bearss block, which he erected on Michigan Ave., has for some years housed the theatre and a barbershop besides apartments above.
In 1913 the family moved to Shelby village, having purchased the Cassius D. Wilson home on Sweet Ave. His farm long since cut up into two parts is now chiefly planted to fruit. The south section formerly owned by A. B. Butler is now the property of ______, while the house section is owned by Glen Blakmer. His alert mind and keen memory made him one of the authorities on Shelby pioneer days and at the time of his death he was the oldest living citizen of the town. At his request on his lot in the Mennonite Cemetery a monument in marble was erected portraying a tree trunk, Mr. Bearss remarking that since he had taken off so much timber he would like to put one tree back. He died in Shelby Feb. 3, 1940.


NEWSPAPER ARTICLE AT OCEANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HART, MI. (very hard to read)
Bearss, Abraham H., Born 17 July, 1841; Died 9 Feb, 1940 Husband of Phebe Ott
A.H. Bearss Passed away in 99th year - Paper Feb 9 - 40
Prominent Shelby Citizen was active during entire life
Abraham H. Bearss, Shelby plou__ and prominent in affairs of the community for over three-quarters of a century, passed away during last night, as bodily mechanism which had coordinated for nearly _ years failed to function further. Bearss was a remarkable character and was active until the day of his death. He was born in Humberstone, ON July 17, 1841, and came to this country when a young man of 22. He came with the ideal of working in the woods and landed from a sailing vessel at Little Pt. Sable in ___. While working throughout the territory he took occasion to look at a serious piece of land and selected ___ which could be purchased on Sect 15 in Shelby Township and which he acquired the following year. Next winter he occupied himself clearing a portion of it and erecting a home in anticipation of bringing a bride into the county. In the spring of 1865 he returned to Ontario and was married to Miss Phebe Ott in May and they immediately came to the new farm home, one mile east of the present village of Shelby, where they resided for about fifty years moving then to the residence on S. __w Avenue which has been the family home since that time. Mrs. Bearss died on Oct 23, 1933 and during the past several years Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Bearss, the former younger brother of Mr. Bearss, both shared the home with him. Mr. Bearss was one of the section's most successful farmers and fruit growers. He developed his place high state of productivity and left it when he decided that he could not give it the same degree of energetic attention, which has been the custom for a half a century. Mr. Bearss was a firm believer in the community and invested largely in its future possibilities both as regards to land and ___ ues and individual characteristic. An idea of his character may be from the statement that to seek proper seed for his first plantings traveled 50 miles with an ox team make selection of corn and grain. He maintained an active interest in township and village affairs throughout his whole lifetime. He served in numerous official capacities and at various times was supervisor, highway commissioner, justice ___ supervisor of the poor. He was authority on the early history of community and his retentive memory made it possible for him to remember names and dates with a fluency that was quite remarkable. Mr. Bearss is survived by the daughters Mrs. Clara Olson of Shelby, by, Mrs. Lettie Bennett of Grand Rapids and Mrs. W.S. Compton of Portland; five grand children Mrs. A. Butler and Max Getty of Shelby, Wayne Bennett of Lansing, Hub Bearss of Napoleon and Howard Bearss of Ellsworth. Funeral services were held on Tuesday afternoon at the Cooper Funeral Home in Shelby with Rev. Eli Near of Mennonite Church officiating. Burial was made in the Mennonite cemetery.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE AT OCEANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY, HART, MI.
Sat, Feb 3, 1940
Oceana Loses Old Resident - Abraham H. Bearss, 98, Dies at Home In Shelby
Shelby - Abraham H. Bearss, Oceana country's oldest resident died at his home Friday night. Mr. Bearss was born July 17, 1841, at Port Colborne, ON And when he was 21 moved to Michigan, stopping at Grand Rapids and Grand Haven before settling at Little Point Sable. In May 1865, he returned to Port Colborne and married Miss Phoebe Ott. The couple then moved to a farm a mile east of here. He had held all offices in Shelby Township with the exception of clerk. He was supervisor four terms. In 1914 he fell from the roof of his barn, fracturing both ankles. After that he moved into Shelby and operated a real estate agency. Mr. Bearss is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Seth Compton of Portland, Mrs. Lettie Bearss Bennett of Grand Rapids and Mrs. Corwin Cowles of Shelby; five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at 2 Tuesday at Cooper chapel. Burial will be in the Mennonite cemetery four miles east of Shelby.


From the Book "The History of Oceana County"

ABRAHAM H. BEARSS
Abraham Bearss, better known as Abe, was born July 17, 1841 in Humberstone, Co. Welland, Canada. He died in Shelby 1940, age 99. Abe was known as an astute businessman "always open for a deal. At the time of his 92nd birthday 1933, he claimed the distinction of being the oldest settler of Shelby, having come to this section 9 years before Shelby was platted.
Abe's ancestors settled in Canada because his grandfather, a Scotch-Quaker was forced to leave Massachusetts in Revolutionary times because he refused to give up his allegiance to his native land and join the Continental forces.
Six brothers and 2 sisters resided in Ontario, when at the age of 21, Abe had saved money working for an uncle at $10 a month, struck out on his own and made his way into MI He "put up" first in Grand Rapids, moved to Grand Haven and on North. Transportation, being limited, he set out along Lake Michigan shore as the easiest way to travel. He paid the Indians 25 cents to transport him by canoe across the Grand and Muskegon rivers but crossing the White River was easy due to a log boom at the mouth of the river. He arrived at Point Sauble in 1863 where he got a job making shingle bolts at Samons landing, one of the early pioneer centers in Ocean a Co. Two years later he went to Welland, Canada and married Phoebe Ott 1844 and brought her back to settle in Shelby township.
Phoebe was well loved for her neighborliness, being much in demand as a practical nurse. She died Oct. 25, 1933 at the age of 89.
In 1864 Abe had purchased an 80 acre tract, a mile east of Shelby, paying $3.00 an acre. The couple lived there for 50 years. Abe farmed in summer and worked in the lumber woods winters. He later became a buyer and seller of farm property, also serving as township supervisor and treasurer.
When Abe and Phoebe moved to Shelby there were only 4 other families in the township. The Bearss home is still on Buchanan Rd. They were of Mennonite faith and interested in community welfare and education
There were 5 children; Clara Cowles lived in Shelby; Clum E., married to Ava Gilbert, Shelby had 2 children, Hubert and Howard lived in Ellsworth, MI; Lettie Bennett, Grand Rapids, 1 son Wayne; DeLora married William Seth Compton of Portland, MI; Sara, 1st wife of Charles Getty, 2 children, Gwyneth Marie married A. Berl Butler (see A. Berl Butler) and Max Charles married to Valerie Marie Claeys (See George B. Getty)


NEWSPAPER ARTICLE, JULY 19, 1938 - BEARSS FAMILY REUNION 1938:
Mrs. E. E. Bearss was elected president of the Bearss family at the annual reunion held Sunday at Half Moon Bay Lake in Moore county park with 75 from Morley, Grant, Shelby, Bailey, New Era, Charlotte, Holland Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Whitehall and Illinois attending. Other officers were Mrs. Ray Peterson of Muskegon, vice-president, Mrs. Letti Bearss Bennett of Grand Rapids, secretary. The event also marked the celebration of the 97th birthday anniversary of Abraham H. Bearss of Shelby. Helping him celebrate were his brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. J. Wilson Bearss of Shelby, both 82 years old, and Mrs. Phoebe Bearss of Morley, 88 years old.

NEWSPAPER ARTICLE (1941) - BEARSS REUNION IS PLANNED FOR AUG. 10:
Shelby, July 28 - The annual reunion of the Bearss family will be held at the state park, Scenic Drive, near Muskegon, Sunday, Aug 10. The activities will include a pot-luck dinner, short business session and program.
Present officers are: president, Mrs. E. E. Bearss, Bailey; vice president, Mrs. Ray Peterson, Muskegon and secretary, Mrs. Lettie Bennett, grand Rapids.