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

     He was offered a crossing watchman job in Dayton, Ohio. Work began there on Bolander Avenue (now Stewart Street) on 6 February 1932. He moved to the Findlay Street crossing from where he retired on 31 October 1958 after 53 years of service. [6]

     Oscar first went to Dayton without his family, and lived with Ralph and Edith Kear. The family moved to Dayton after he rented a house at 814 Bolander Avenue. They subsequently lived at 1118 Wildwood Avenue and 1534 Detzen Avenue.

     Oscar and Florence lived alone on Alwildy Avenue, and were victims of discrimination when they were forced to move because the landlord felt two crippled people could not take care of a house. Then they moved into half of a double at 147 Grant Street. Their final move was to 1706 Darst Avenue, living with Donald and Helen Kear.

     Oscar always wanted to move back to Van Wert, but circumstances prevented this in his lifetime.

     Having worked for the railroad for 53 years, he owned a New York Central System Life Time Pass, No. LT 1560. Also, he was a member of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Lodge No. 1369.

     Physically he was in good health until congestive heart failure slowed him down at the age of 98 years. He was six feet tall, and normally weighed around 190 pounds. His eyes were hazel-colored. As a boy his hair was red, but turned brown when he reached adulthood.

     After retiring, Oscar drove a car until he reached age 85, going to Van Wert at least once a Month, In Van Wert he would stay at the Park Hotel, attend the Wesley Methodist Church, and the Senior Citizen's Meetings. He continued this routine until he was 98 by riding the bus.

     The Kears were active members of the First United Brethren Church until they moved to Dayton, There, with his working seven days a week, and with Florence being crippled with arthritis, they had little opportunity to attend church, During his retirement, Oscar attended St. Luke and Community United Methodist Churches.

     When Oscar was 95-years old, he took his first and only plane ride, going to California to visit his 100-year old sister, Luella Blake.

     Oscar celebrated his 100th birthday with an open house at the Communit'3 United Methodist Church, He said, "It was the best day of y life." He received letters congratulations from President Jimmy Carter, Senators John Glenn and Howard Metzenbaum, and a personal visit from Representative Charles Whalen.

     Congestive heart failure and pneumonia ended his good life, He entered Miami Valley Hospital, Dayton, Ohio, on 18 December 1978, was ransferred to Beavercreek Care Center on 15 January 1979, where he died eight days later.

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.

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