Barnas Sears [SEP] educated at
Barnas Sears
Barnas Sears (November 19, 1802 – July 6, 1880) graduated from Brown University in 1825. Sears was the general agent of the Peabody Education Fund who was sent to Staunton, Virginia, by George Peabody to offer leadership in Public Education. Sears was General Agent of the fund from 1867 until February 1880. He settled in Staunton because of the easy access to the railroad.
Sears travelled extensively throughout the south promoting Southern education, "free schools for the whole people". Sears "inspired
Calvin Tubbs, a sea captain. Tubbs told Oncken's story to the (American Baptist) Triennial Convention. In 1833, Barnas Sears, a professor at Hamilton College, visited Germany for studies. Having heard the story, he made it a point to find and speak to Oncken. By 1834, Oncken had made a final decision. Sears traveled from Halle, where he was studying, to Hamburg, and baptized Oncken, his wife and five others in the Elbe on 22 April. The baptism was performed at night