“There was some sadness in the otherwise cheerful family, in that feeble-mindedness occurred in four of their children. According to Carrie Scoggin Sumpter, the source of this unfortunate problem stemmed from the Kear family, whose roots were in Scotland. Melisa, born in 1843, and Lafayette, born in 1851, died prior to 1888. William Jr., born 1848 and Jane born 1849, both died in the County Poor Farm; however, Jane was kept at home until her parents died.”299