Real Son of Confederate Veteran Dies at 85
The following information was submitted by Thomas A. Blanks, a member of the Garland-Rodes SCV Camp # 409
SALEM, Va (AP) - A Salem man, whose father fought
in the Civil War, has died. Merriman Sears died Monday, December 31, at age 85.
It's unlikely that Sears heard many of his father's war stories, though, because
he was only 4 years old at the time of John Henry Sears' death.
The elder Sears fathered 21 children by two wives. He, wife
Minnie Palmer, and their children lived on top of Sears Mountain.
Two years after John Sears' death, a fire destroyed the
family's home and forced them to move to Salem where they took odd jobs for a
living.
"Whenever Merriman Sears spoke about his mother or those
times, there were tears in his eyes," his friend Brent Riley said.
"Sears delivered newspapers by foot because the family
couldn't afford a bicycle," his cousin Bill Palmer said. "They brought
all the money home to give it to their mother, to make ends meet."
"Sears spent several years in the Navy before returning
to the Roanoke Valley where he worked for the U.S. Postal Service and Norfolk
Southern Railway before retiring at age 65," Palmer said. "He never
married but had been engaged for 25 years."
Although his family had to leave the homestead, Sears
remained owner of the property on top of Sears Mountain. John Sears is buried
there under a Sons of Confederate Veteran marker.
The younger Sears had entertained offers from some 20
developers as homes were built around the 120-acre site. More than once,
businessmen drew up contracts, which were rejected at the last minute.
"There were just so many emotions there that he couldn't
sell it," Palmer said.
Sears will be buried in Salem.
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