Hi Cousin Don,
The Bearss family that came to Ohio through New York from New Fairfield, Connecticut, was prior to that the Bearse family of Cape Cod. It was probably Joseph T. Bearss that changed the spelling from Bearse. This family comes from one progenitor who was Augustine BeArce who landed in Cape Cod in 1638. There are many spelling variations of the name that have come down the line since then, but they all come from the same guy. He was presumably married to "Mary Hyanno" AKA "Little Dove" Princess of the Wampanoags and granddaughter of the great Chief Sachem Highiyannough.

Please join us at both our sites for this family at Yahoo Groups and meet your cousins! There at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BEARCE/
and
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Bearce-Banter/