George Lear

{{infobox officeholder

|name = George Lear

|image = George Lear, 1818-1884.jpg

|caption = Aged 60

|office = Attorney General of Pennsylvania

|governor = John F. Hartranft

|predecessor = Samuel E. Dimmick

|successor = Henry Wilbur Palmer

|term_start = December 7, 1875

|term_end = February 26, 1879

|birth_date = February 16, 1818

|birth_place = Warwick Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

|death_date = May 23, 1884 (aged 66)

|death_place = Doylestown, Pennsylvania

|party =

|spouse = Sydney White

|children = 3

|birthname =

|religion =

|residence =

|alma_mater =

|profession = Attorney, banker

|signature = Signature of George Lear.png

}}

George Lear (February 16, 1818{{snd}}May 23, 1884) was a Doylestown, Pennsylvania lawyer and banker, who served as state attorney general.

Life and career

Image:Doylestown National Bank 1865.jpg

Lear was the son of Robert Lear, a farmer, and his wife Mary (Meloy) Lear, both from Bucks County. He initially worked as a teacher and store clerk, but also studied law, mostly on his own, and was admitted to Bucks County bar in 1844. He stumped for Polk-Dallas in the 1844 election.{{sfn|Davis|1905a|p=315}} He was appointed the county's Deputy Attorney General in 1848, which he stayed at until the position was superseded by an elected District Attorney.{{sfn|Battle|1887|p=860}}

In 1845 Lear married Sydney White. They had three children, Henry, Cordelia and Mary.{{sfn|Battle|1887|p=861}} Henry would become a lawyer.

In 1865, Lear was appointed president of the Doylestown National Bank, which position he kept until his death.{{sfn|National Cyclopaedia|1895|p=172}} His son Henry was his successor.{{sfn|Battle|1887|p=861}}

Lear was a leading participant in the state's 1872–73 constitutional convention. In 1875, he was appointed state attorney general, which he served until 1879.

Lear died at home in 1884,{{sfn|Davis|1905b|p=385}} and was buried in the Doylestown cemetery.