Descendants of John TOPE/Jacob DOUB
George TOPE I
Levi TOPE
Mary Catherine TOPE
Oscar Melville KEAR

     Oscar Melville KEAR was born 27 May 1878 in Van Wert, Ohio, to Mary Catherine TOPE and Robert Thomas KEAR. [1], and died 23 January 1979, in Greene County, Ohio [2]; married Florence Adella POTTS, 19 December 1900, Van Wert, Ohio, [3]. Florence was born in Van Wert, Ohio, 15 March 1881 to Benjamin Gleason POTTS, and Anna Vieta FAIR [4], and died 17 May 1953, Dayton, Ohio. [5] Both are buried in Woodland Cemetery, Van Wert, Ohio.

     Oscar recalled that his parents' house was constructed of wooden planks without siding. He was only three years old when his father died, and he helped operate the loom while his mother wove rugs to support the family.

     He quit school after the eighth grade against the wishes of his mother. He then worked at various jobs, including driving mules on the farm of his brother-in-law, Oscar Montgomery, outside of Delta, Fulton County, Ohio. He also carried the Van Wert Bulletin newspaper, and recalled that the route extended several miles from his home to the east side of Van Wert.

Children:

1. Robert KEAR born & died 9 April 1905, a blue baby.
2. Beatrice Bernice KEAR
3. Ralph Eugene KEAR
4. Evelyn Louise KEAR
5. Donald LeRoy KEAR

Source: Except for the following numbered references, the information was obtained in personal interviews with the subjects:

1. Bible, KEAR family.
2. Death Records, Greene County, Ohio, Vol. 1979, p 75,
3. Record of Marriages, Van Wert County, Ohio Vol. 10, p 256.
4. Record of Births, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol. 2, p 311, No 10
5. Death Records, Montgomery County, Ohio, State File No 1263.
6. Letter, New York Central System, To: O.M. KEAR Sept. 24th, 1941, subject: Service Records: 0. M. KEAR, Laborer, Van Wert, Ohio.
7. Early Records of Simpson, Families, by Helen a. Simpson, p 343,
8. Ibid, p 345,
9. Ibid, pp 345-6.
10. LDS Genealogical File, Batch 7621102, Sheet 93.
11. Illustrated Historical Atlas of Carroll County, p
12. Record of Marriages, Probate Court, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol. 5, p. 57, No 113.
13. Record of Marriages, Van Wert County, Ohio, Vol. 10, p 317, No 634.
14. Record of Deaths, Allen County, Ohio, File No 48065, and Van Wert Daily Bulletin, September 15, 1914, p 3.