Thomas and Elizabeth Dicks Beard of Ireland, NC, and Indiana
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Thomas and Elizabeth Dicks Beard Family
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Thomas Beard was the eldest son of John and Martha Beard of Ireland, South Carolina, and Randolph County, North Carolina. He married (1) Elizabeth Dicks, and (2) Malinda Erwin.

Elizabeth Dicks was the daughter of James and Rachel Beals Dicks. On 5/28/1768, James and Rachel Beals Dicks were dismissed at New Garden Monthly Meeting in North Carolina, for marriage out unity. They apparently made their peace with the Quakers as their children, including Elizabeth, are given at Center Monthly Meeting in Guilford County. James Dicks was the son of Peter and Elizabeth Dicks, who are buried at Center Monthly Meeting. Peter died 1/2/1796 in the 76th year of his age and wife Elizabeth died 10/1/1799. Rachel Beals Dicks was the daughter of John and Margaret Hunt Beals. Rachel died 8/22/1827, and is bured at Center Meeting.

Elizabeth Dicks Beard died in Indiana, when her youngest child was about four to five years old. Thomas married again on 7/6/1818 to Malinda Erwin in Wayne County, Indiana. We have no further information on Malinda, but believe there were no children of this marriage, as an 1872 History of Wayne County states Thomas had only eight children.

Janeen Davis Proctor has much information on the descendants of children John, Jane, and Hannah Beard. Marlene Pointer is a descendant of Thomas's daughter Martha and Isaac Newton Miller.
Thomas Beard
born 1/14/1766 Londonderry, Ir
died 7/28/1820 Wayne Co, In
burial West Side Cemetery, Milton
Elizabeth Dicks
born 7/29/1775 Guilford Co, NC
died 9/9/1816 Wayne Co, In
burial West Side Cemetery, Milton

  Married: 3/31/1791 at Center Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina (see Guilford County Map for location)

Children:
Sarah Beard born 11/10/1792, Randolph County, North Carolina
John Beard, born 1/4/1795, Randolph County, North Carolina; married Maria Burris (Burroughs)
Martha Beard, born 11/5/1797, Randolph County, North Carolina; married Isaac Miller
Rachel Beard, born 10/21/1799 Randolph County, North Carolina; married John Frazer
Jane Beard, born 11/6/1801 Randolph County, North Carolina; married Richard Briggs (Breaks)
Hannah Beard, born 12/12/1803, Randolph County, North Carolina; married Peter Groenendike (Groendyke)
Dolly Beard, born 10/4/1806 Randolph County, North Carolina
Mary Beard, born between 12/1808 and 9/1812, Randolph County, North Carolina; married James Antrim (marriage record was as Polly Beard so we are not exactly sure whether this marriage was for Mary or for Dolly - more below)

North Carolina Records

Three of the children's birth records are at Center Monthly Meeting and all (except Mary) are at Springfield Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina. Thomas and Elizabeth and children Sarah, Martha, and John received certificates to transfer to Springfield Monthly Meeting on 6/15/ 1799. The meetings are not far apart, but Springfield was probably more convenient for them. Both meetings are just along the Guilford/Randolph County line and Thomas no doubt lived on the Randolph County side of the line as did his father, John Beard, since no land records are found for them in Guilford County.

The move to Indiana

On 12/3/1808 Thomas Beard was dismissed at Springfield Monthly Meeting with no reason given. When no reason was given it was usually for nonattendance at meeting and Thomas may have already gone to Indiana. We know he had arrived in Indiana before 1810 as he is found there in the 1810 census. The result of his dismissal was that the birthdate of his daughter Mary is not found in the Springfield records. A certificate was issued on 9/3/1812 from Springfield Monthly Meeting to Whitewater Monthly Meeting in Wayne County, Indiana for Elizabeth and the daughters. No certificate is found for son John so Thomas may have taken him with him to Indiana.

The Wayne County Indiana History, 1872 contains a sketch about Thomas Beard and also about son John. "Thomas Beard, a brother of John, Patrick, and Jesse Beard, elsewhere noticed, was born in Randolph Co., N. C., and came to this county in the fall of 1811 [we already know he came earlier than that], and settled on the west side of Whitewater river, about a mile below the mouth of Green's Fork, in what is now Washington township, on a farm now owned by Bezaleel Beeson. He was one of the first few settlers within the present limits of the township, and had a thorough experience of pioneer life. He "cut his way" for his team from where Abington now is, through the wilderness. He had not been long at his new home when the Indian alarms commenced. He received a visit from Judge Martin, Samuel Jobe, and Isaac Dyer, who came to warn him and his neighbors, who had increased to the number of about half a dozen, of their danger, and advised them to leave immediately, or to "fort." Mr. Beard, unwilling to remove his effects, or to leave them exposed, resolved to remain. Four of the six, however, determined to leave. The three men went home, and returned with ten or twelve others, with guns and rifles, to assist in building a fort. The cabin of Mr. Beard was taken into the inclosure, in which three block-houses were built. The three families were crowded into this single cabin. This fort was afterward adopted as one of those in which the government kept small garrisons. This fort was never attacked; but near the fort next below, two young men were shot down, and although but about one hundred yards from the fort, they were scalped before the Indians could be driven off by the pickets. Mr. Beard was a member of the first board of county commissioners elected in the county. They met at Salisbury in February 1817. He resided on his farm where he first settled until his death. He had eight children, the eldest of whom was an only son, John, the subject of the following notes."

Son John Beard probably accompanied his father to Indiana at a very young age as there is no Quaker record for his transfer with his mother and sisters who followed Thomas to Indiana in 1812. There is a sketch of John Beard in the 1872 Wayne County History that tells us of his career in Indiana. There is also a drawing of John Beard in the Wayne County history. Although the drawing is near the page with the story of John Beard, we have no way of knowing that the drawing is not of his uncle John Beard, who was also in Wayne County at the same time. The sketch follows: "John Beard, son of Thomas Beard, came with his father from North Carolina, where he was born Jan 4, 1795. In the spring of 1816, three months after he attained his majority, he cast his first ballot for delegates to the convention that framed the first constitution of the state. He was a few years after, though young, elected a justice of the peace. There being little litigation, his official business was chiefly the posting of stray horses, and in the absence of the minister, marrying some of the young people, with whom, being himself young, he was rather a favorite. For this service no charge was ever made nor fee received. There having been for several years an unusual amount of sickness, from which his family had greatly suffered, and hoping to find a more healthful locality, he followed some of his friends to Montgomery county, and settled, in the fall of 1823, near Crawfordsville, a new town just laid out, where he still resides. In 1827, he was elected a representative from that county in the legislature, and, with a single exception, was continued in one or the other branch, for fifteen consecutive years, most of the time in the senate. Of all the members with whom he served the first term, but one besides himself is now living; and he is a citizen of Wayne county-John Jones, of Center township. He attained a high reputation as a legislator. Bills for the abolition of imprisonment for debt; liberal exemptions of property from liability to execution; investing the governor with power to commute capital punishment for imprisonment for life, and the very effective service in the passage of the bill for the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. The most formidable opposition to this measure came from James Rariden, a representative from Wayne County; the other two members, Wm. Elliott and John Finley, being friendly to the measure. In 1833, Mr. B. being then in the senate, a bill to incorporate a state bank had passed the house, and was sent to the senate. The great loss sustained by the general government from the old State Bank at Vincennes with her branches, induced Mr. Beard and other senators to opposit it; and it was defeated by a single vote. But believing that the people were determined on having a bank, he offered a resolution, which was passed, providing for the report, at the next session, of a plan designed more effectually to secure the public against loss. The measure was a complete success. The advantages to the people of this state of that institution are well remembered by the oldest citizens of the state.

�In 1841, Mr. beard was appointed by President Harrison to the office of Receiver of Public Moneys at the land-office at Crawfordsville, in consequence of which, he resigned his office of senator two years before the expiration of the term. He held the office until after the accession of Mr. Van Buren to the presidency; and in 1846 he was returned to the senate. The remainder of his legislative career was no less successful than the former part had been. Several measures of great public importance adopted during his last term in the senate, were largely indebted for their success to the influence which he had acquired in that body. Although Mr. Beard many years ago ceased to be a resident of the county, he is remembered and esteemed by many of its old citizens-some of them his associates in the legislature. This fact, together with that of his having been one of the earliest settlers of the county, for which he still entertains a warm regard, seems to justify a compliance with the expressed wishes of his old friends that his name be given a conspicuous place in our county's history."

More on the Children of Thomas and Elizabeth Dicks Beard

John and Maria Burris/Burroughs Beard

Son John Beard married Maria Burris on 3/4/1816 in Wayne County. Other records of her are found as "Burroughs." Jan Proctor tells us she was daughter of Thomas Burroughs, born 7/16/1797 in Virginia. As mentioned in the sketch above, John and Maria sought a more healthful climate in Montgomery County, Indiana in 1823. They apparently lived out their lives there as both John (d. 9/29/1874) and Maria (d. 1/28/1882) are buried in the Masonic Cemetery in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Jan gave us information from John's will listing daughters: Elizabeth D. Tiffany, Martha Jane Terhune of Iowa, Whillie B. Engle, Mary Graham, Letty Evans (dec), Hannah Allen (dec), and son Thomas J. Beard.

Sarah Beard

We have no further information on daughter Sarah Beard after the 1799 transfer to Springfield Meeting in Guilford County. She is not with the family when they transferred to Indiana in 1812. One researcher gives her as married to Robert Payne, December 16, 1811, in Sumner County, Tennessee. The date is plausible, but the location is not. It is hardly credible that a young Quaker girl traveled half across the State of Tennessee by herself to marry a nonQuaker. We have recently heard from a Payne descendant who tells us the Sarah who married Robert Payne was a daughter of David and Isabel Carson Beard, so she was not daughter of Thomas. Another source gives her as marrying Robert Willett in Wayne County, Indiana, but that is confusing her with Sarah Beard, daughter of John and Mary Wright Beard, and we know that Sarah, daughter of Thomas, did not go to Indiana. We would still love to know what happened to Sarah since she was not on the transfer certificate to Indiana.

Martha Beard Miller

Daughter Martha Beard married Isaac Newton Miller on 10/28/1815 in Wayne County, Indiana. At present we do not have more information on this family. Marlene Pointer (email above) is descended from this family through their daughter Mary who married William Moore, then their son Isaac Miller Moore who married Louisa Jane Rodgers.

Rachel Beard Frazer

Daughter Rachel Beard married John Frazer on 4/2/1818 in Wayne County, Indiana. At present we have no further information on this family. There were a number of Fraziers in the Guilford County area in North Carolina but the name John was too common among them to identify which one this might be.

Jane Beard Briggs/Breaks

Daugher Jane Beard married Richard Briggs on 8/25/1819 in Wayne County. They too went to Montgomery County, Indiana. Jan Proctor tells us the name is carried as Breaks in the Crawfordville, Indiana records. There is no doubt it is the correct family as Richard and Jane Beard Breaks named a son John Beard Breaks. He was born December 14, 1832. Jane Beard Breaks died 2/16/1835 in Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, perhaps in childbirth. Richard married twice more and had a number of additional children. Jan has information to share on this family.

Hannah Beard Groendyke

Daughter Hannah Beard married Peter Groenendike on 6/28/1821, in Wayne County, Indiana. Jan Proctor tells us the marriage was performed by the Reverend John Beard (probably brother). The records of the family are as Peter and Hannah Groendyke and they too lived in Montgomery County, Indiana. Jan has information on their children. Peter and Hannah had a daughter Caroline Jane Groendyke who married John Beard Breaks in Montgomery County, son of Richard and Jane Beard Breaks above, her first cousin. Hannah and Peter also had sons John Beard Groendyke and Thomas Beard Groendyke, firmly establishing the connection to the Thomas Beard family of Wayne County, Indiana.

Polly Beard Antrim

There is a record of a marriage of James Antrim, 8/2/1827, in Wayne County, Indiana, to Polly Beard. This presents a slight problem for us as Polly was a common nickname for Mary, as well as for Dolly. We know that Thomas and Elizabeth Dicks Beard had two daughters, one Dolly and one Mary, as they are listed separately on their Quaker transfer certificate to Indiana. We are therefore not sure which one that James Antrim married. That he did marry one of the daughters of Thomas Beard is suggested by the fact that he was one of the administrators of Thomas Beard's estate when Thomas Beard died intestate in Wayne County, Indiana, in 1820.



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