John BEARD and Sophia MORE

John Beard, 1794-1854
Sophia More, 1801-1879
- by Alice Marie Beard

John BEARD and his wife Sophia MORE moved to Carroll Co., Indiana, in 1835 from Adams Township, Darke Co., Ohio (near Gettysburg, Ohio). They arrived with seven children: the youngest an infant, the oldest 12 years. (Two more children were born in Carroll Co.) Also moving to Carroll Co. were Sophia's brothers Samuel and Eli More and her sister Sarah who was married to Alexander Murphy. John sold his Ohio farm in 1835 to a German Baptist Brethren woman named Christina Koutz. He had bought the land in 1820.

John & Sophia settled in Pyrmont, Carroll Co., Indiana. In 1835, John rented land, and in 1836 he bought the land that became the pioneer farm. It had to be cleared; it was not so swampy as other land in that area. John built a barn from the wood of black-walnut trees; until at least 1968, the barn was still standing. He erected a log house for the family. Sophia had a loom house where she would spin flax into yarn to then weave into cloth; the loom house had been built over a small stream so she could keep her flax wet as she was spinning. Sophia was skilled with a needle; one of her quilts is on display at the Historical Museum in Delphi, IN, in the basement of the court house.

In 1839 a log school house was built on the farm of John Beard. It was located on the east side of what is now U.S. Highway 421, near the road which goes to Pyrmont. The cabin was erected "expressly for the purpose [of being a school] by the settlers whose children attended the school." The site of that cabin school was "very near the site of the district school [which in 1882 was] known as the Beard Schoolhouse." [from History of Carroll County, published in 1882 and found at the Rossville, IN, library] Several of these small school houses were built on different people's property during that era. They were known as "subscription" schools and were "sustained by a tuition fee paid by the parents whose children attended them."

For church services, "When a Methodist minister came, the adherents of that form of doctrine met at the house of Samuel Moore (Sophia's brother) or John Beard, where worship was conducted."

John supported the family by farming and by operating the still owned by Alexander Murphy (husband to Sophia's sister Sarah). During that time it was cheaper to turn the corn into whiskey and transport the whiskey, than to keep the corn as corn and transport corn for sale.

John died in 1854 and was buried in what is now known as the Beard Cemetery in Owasco, Clay Township, Carroll Co., IN, north of Rossville, east of the road that runs between Rossville and Delphi, south of Wild Cat Creek, near where the railroad tracks once crossed Wild Cat Creek. The cemetery has only about 84 burials and is in the woods, behind a corn field. The graveyard is shaped like a shoe box and is entered from from one of the narrow ends of the "shoebox," at the left side of that end. There are concrete pillars, about five feet high and a foot in diameter. (They were formed by some of John and Sophia's descedents who poored cement into a mold made with corrugated steel.) At the entrance end of the "shoebox," there are three concrete pillars. The two outer ones mark two corners of the cemetery; the third one--perhaps 12 feet to the right of the left corner-- is at the gate entrance.

John Beard's stone is near the stone of his son John M. Beard. John-the-son's stone has fallen over; his large granite stone reads, "John M. Beard, Lydia his wife, Rachel his wife." John-the-son's stone is on the right, long side of the cemetery, in about the middle of that long side. Facing John-the-son's stone, John-the-father's stone is to the left about three steps. It was lying flat on the ground in autumn 1997. It is a white, flat stone, aged from the elements, but readable still in 1997:

In memory of JOHN BEARD,
Died Sept. 23, 1854.
Aged 59 yrs 10 mo & 2 dys.
These are those which
came out of great tribulations
and have washed their robes
and made them white
in the blood of the Lamb.
Rev 7, Ch 14

No marriage record has been found for John and Sophia. Not finding marriage records is not unusual when hunting for records of Methodists. Methodist preachers kept their own record books, and took them wherever they wandered.

AHNENTAFEL CHART FOR SOPHIA
=========================================
1st GENERATION
1.) Sophia MORE: b 1 Dec 1801 Monongalia Co., VA; d 1879 Sherman, Grayson Co., TX.
--------------------------------------------------------------
2nd GENERATION
2.) John MORE II: b 1772 VA; d 13 Jun 1841 Ohio.
3.) Sarah T. GANDY: b 28 Jun 1778 Frederick Co., MD (a Quaker).
--------------------------------------------------------------
3rd GENERATION
4.) John MORE I: b 1714 Germany; d 1744 America.
5.) Sophiah CAKE: b NJ.
6.) Samuel GANDY: b 1745 England; m 9 Jan 1776 Hagerstown, Washington Co., MD; d 1828 Gladesville, Preston, WV; bur Old Gandy Cemetery, Gladesville, Preston, WV (a Quaker).
7.) Rachel COMBS: b 1752 Hagerstown, Washington, MD; d 12 Jul 1830 Gladesville, Preston, WV; bur Old Gandy Cemetery, Gladesville, Preston, WV.

There has been a persistent family rumor that John Beard was of native American (i.e., AmerIndian) descent. Despite years of research by excellent researchers, no proof has been found to substantiate that claim. Also, despite years of research, John Beard remains unattached to any relative other than his descendants and his wife's family. In the mid-1940s, someone who descended from one of Sophia More's siblings put together a self-published genealogy. Within that small genealogy was the oft-repeated claim that John Beard "was part Indian." There was no proof offered; the person writing the genealogy did not descend from John Beard; and there were many obvious errors in the genealogy.

The closest this researcher has found to anything that might argue that John Beard might have had some vague native American connection was that the Iroquois word "Owasco" was used correctly in an area where he and his children were of influence. To read about Owasco and the meaning of that Iroquois word, click here: Owasco, Indiana.

DESCENDANTS of
John BEARD and Sophia MORE
(thru their great-great grandchildren)

1-- John BEARD (1794-1854)
.sp-Sophia MORE (1801-1879)
....2-- John M. BEARD (1823-1904)
.....sp-Lydia A. BRACKNEY (1825-1858) (1st wife of John M. Beard)
........3-- Calvin BEARD (1848-1848)
........3-- Amanda J. BEARD (1849-1850)
........3-- Marvin BEARD (1852-1853)
........3-- Diantha BEARD (1853-1853)
........3-- Hulda BEARD (1854-1859)
.....sp-Rachel SMITH (1830-1906) (2nd wife of John M. Beard)
........3-- Franklin Kara BEARD (1859-1937)
.........sp-Fairy Bell ARMSTRONG (1866-1929)
............4-- Elga M. BEARD (1889-1978)
.............sp-Claude CRIPE (1887-1975)
................5-- Maurice CRIPE (1914-2002)
.................sp-Iona Mae "Tony" WEAVER (1916-1978)
............4-- Ward James BEARD (1891-1967)
.............sp-Flora VICE
................5-- Lois BEARD (1920-1920)
............4-- Rachel Fern BEARD (1895-1986)
.............sp-Jesse T. SWARTZ (1886-1953)
................5-- Kathryn SWARTZ (1918-1993)
.................sp-Wayne HIATT (1912-1992)
........3-- Dora Viola BEARD (1861-1885)
.........sp-Charles E. CLAUSER (1858-1909)
............4-- Guy DeWitt CLAUSER (1885-1970)
.............sp-Anna Ellen CARSON
................5-- Alvin C. CLAUSER (1908-1991)
................5-- Caroline Anne CLAUSER (1909-1977)
.................sp-Henry CHOPSON (1906-2001)
................5-- Mary Lou CLAUSER (1915-1999)
.................sp-WISE (1st husband of Mary Lou Clauser)
.................sp-FIGGS (2nd husband of Mary Lou Clauser)
........3-- Charley BEARD (1862-1955)
..........sp-Julia SQUIRES (1855-1931)
............4-- Lloyd DeWitt BEARD (1890-1961)
.............sp-Ruth Ellen SHANKLIN (1891-)
................5-- Dwight BEARD (1916-1995)
.................sp-[wife #1]
.................sp-[wife #2]
........3-- Jesse BEARD (1867-1939)
.........sp-Sarah Catherine HOOKER (1871-1952)
............4-- John Moore BEARD (1891-1979)
.............sp-Pearl BALKEMA (1898-1962) (1st wife)
.............sp-Anna A. QUINN (the widow McCARTY) (1896-1982) (2nd wife)
............4-- Marvin Earl BEARD (1893-1972)
.............sp-Ethel Viola REEF (1893-1989)
................5-- Russell Edward BEARD, 1915-2006
.................sp-Esther LaVonne SCHEIRER (1914-1999)
................5-- Glen Earl "Dutch" BEARD (1917-1947)
.................sp-Barbara NELSON (1921-2000)
................5-- Roberta Fern Beard (twin) (1920-2003)
.................sp-James Joseph SHEPARD (1920-1998)
................5-- [living male, b. 1920]
.................sp-Ruth Agnes PADGETT (1921-2000)
............4-- George Irvin BEARD (1897-1965)
.............sp-Bernice GRIFFITH (twin) (1891-1955)
................5-- Miles Griffith BEARD (1918-2006)
.................sp-Elizabeth Ann DOYLE (1921-)
................5-- Max Irvin BEARD (1920-1988)
.................sp-Mabel Ellen BENNITT (1919-2000)
................5-- Bruce Williard BEARD (1921-1990)
.................sp-[living] (1927-)
............4-- Edith Eve BEARD (1902-1978)
.............sp-Edward GRIFFITH (1903-1978)
................5-- [living male, b. 1943]
....2-- Sarah BEARD (1825-1912)
.....sp-William NICE (1821-1897)
........3-- Sylvester NICE (1844-1915)
.........sp-Mary E. SEWARD (1849-1909)
............4-- George O. NICE
.............sp-Roxie A. DILLON
............4-- Martha A. NICE
.............sp-David P. CHAPMAN
............4-- William C. NICE
.............sp-Cora V. CAMPBELL
........3-- Elizabeth Rachel NICE (1846-1893)
.........sp-George William GROVES (1839-1912)
............4-- Aura Amy GROVES (1870-1943)
............4-- William Oscar GROVES (1872-1955)
............4-- Charles Henry GROVES (1875)
............4-- George Bertie GROVES (1878-1916)
............4-- Nellie May GROVES
.............sp-___ TRUMMEL
............4-- Harley Oren GROVES (1885-1964)
.............sp-Florence HEIL
........3-- John E. NICE (1848-1929)
.........sp-Lydia DOUGLAS
........3-- Philander NICE (1850-1924)
.........sp-Eliza Ellen SEE (1852-1923)
............4-- Edgar Otis NICE (1880-1955)
.............sp-Julia Hilda OLAFSON
............4-- Mary Jane NICE (1883-1949)
.............sp-John SWOPE (1st husband)
.............sp-Louis CLEMENT (2nd husband)
............4-- Charles Evert NICE (1887)
.............sp-Maria Juana IGIELSKY
........3-- Martha J. NICE (1852-1879)
.........sp-George T. SEWARD
........3-- Amanda NICE (1857-1949)
.........sp-William BELL
........3-- William NICE (1861)
.........sp-Dona BAKER
........3-- George Franklin NICE (1865-1888)
....2-- Permilla Ann BEARD (1826-bef 1850)
.....sp-John WELDEY ( -aft 1850)
........3-- Alex WELDEY (1841)
........3-- Moses WELDEY (1843)
....2-- Mary Jane BEARD (1827-1868)
.....sp-John Edmond MOONEY
........3-- Flora Bell MOONEY (1861-1863)
....2-- Rachel BEARD (1829-1854)
.....sp-James ST. JOHN
........3-- Josephine ST. JOHN (1854-1869)
....2-- William Andrew BEARD (1832)
.....sp-Phoebe Agnes MICHAELS (abt 1837) (1st wife of William Andrew Beard)
........3-- James Arden BEARD (1855)
........3-- Ardella J. BEARD (abt 1858)
........3-- Alva BEARD (abt 1861)
........3-- Harriet Roena BEARD (abt 1864)
........3-- Edith BEARD (abt 1869)
.....sp-Florella Jane HENDRICKSON (2nd wife of William Andrew Beard)
........3-- Jessie G. BEARD (1880)
........3-- Aaron John BEARD (1882)
.........sp-Erma
........3-- Josephine BEARD (1884)
........3-- Loyd BEARD (1886-1927)
.........sp-E. Callie BROWNFIELD (1888-1938)
............4-- Ina BEARD (aft 1904)
............4-- Ernest Edward BEARD (1905)
............4-- James Leonard BEARD (1907)
............4-- Edgar W. BEARD (1911)
............4-- Clema BEARD (abt 1914)
............4-- Theo C. BEARD (1916)
............4-- Homer BEARD (1918)
........3-- William Ray BEARD (1892-1954)
.........sp-Bessie Mae HAYS (1896-1979)
............4-- Verlie BEARD (abt 1915)
............4-- William BEARD (abt 1919)
............4-- Nora BEARD (abt 1922)
............4-- Ted R. BEARD (abt 1925)
............4-- Imogene BEARD (abt 1928)
........3-- Eli Edward BEARD (1894-1979)
.........sp-unknown (-1926)
.........sp-Christina PRUITT (1901-1973)
....2-- Eli BEARD (1835-1925)
.....sp-Mary Jane HUGHES (1837)
........3-- Minerva Jane BEARD (1862-1865)
........3-- John L. BEARD (1864-1945)
............4-- Walter BEARD (1892-bef 1984)
............4-- Clarence BEARD (1893-bef 1984)
........3-- Edward Theodore BEARD (1867-1947)
.........sp-Virginia Viola (Oda) BLIN (1871-1958)
............4-- Millard Edward BEARD (1897-1981)
.............sp-Annis JAMES (1901-1994)
................5-- Edward Lee BEARD (1921-1993)
................5-- Russell A. BEARD (1922-2004)
................5-- [living female] (1925)
............4-- Russell Chester BEARD (1901-1987)
.............sp-Vera (1905-1977)
................5-- Bernard BEARD (1925-)
................5-- Russell Chester BEARD, Jr. (1925-2006)
................5-- Virginia Ruth BEARD (1927)
............4-- Ruth BEARD (1904-2000)
.............sp-Robert WHITE
........3-- David O. BEARD (1874-1951)
....2-- Jermima BEARD (1838-1907)
.....sp-Uriah BATES
........3-- Emily Alice BATES (1859-1868)
........3-- Sanford Eldridge BATES (1861-)
........3-- Adam Willard BATES (1863)
....2-- Alexander BEARD (1840-1928)
.....sp-Katherine A. BURKHALTER (1842)
........3-- William Francis BEARD (1865)
............4-- Floyd BEARD (abt 1895)
............4-- Sidney BEARD ( -bef 1975)
............4-- Alvin (or Alan) Alex BEARD (1901-1949)
............4-- Woodrow BEARD (1914-bef 1975)
............4-- Roy Taylor BEARD ( -bef 1975)
........3-- Laura BEARD (1868-)
........3-- Maud BEARD (1873-)
........3-- Josephine BEARD ()1874)
........3-- Perry A. BEARD (1878-1954)
........3-- Alton (or Allen) Clifton BEARD (1883-1965)
............4-- Virgil Les BEARD (1916-aft 1975)
............4-- Imogene Ona BEARD (1918-)
............4-- Roy Clifton BEARD (1920-)
............4-- Eva May BEARD (1923-)
............4-- Henry Lowe BEARD (1925-1925)
............4-- Fay BEARD (1927-)
............4-- James Leon BEARD (1937-)

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|front page|*|contents|*|Owasco, IN|*|Beard Cemetery|*|outhouse poem|*|witch list|*|Civil War poem|*|12th Illinois|*|8th Illinois|*|Co. K, 8th IL|*|149th Illinois|*|Shiloh|*|Donelson|*|Oregon Trail|*|G.I. Beard|*|Jesse Beard|*|John Beard|*|John M Beard|*|Lizzie Borden|*|David Cripe |*|Sarah Cripe|*|Cripe descendants|*|Itha Elmer Doyle |*|Tom Doyle/Frank Reed|*|Hannah Earle|*|Alice Griffith|*|Bernice Griffith|*|Henry Griffith|*|John Hockard|*|George Hooker|*|Kate Hooker|*|Abraham Hufford|*|Andrew Hufford|*|Casper Hufford|*|Christian Hufford|*|Elizabeth Hufford|*|Hufford descendants|*|Eveline Hukill|*|Henry B Hukill|*|Henry H Hukill|*|Hannah Jack |*|Alice Lake|*|Lake descendants|*|Cilinda Lane |*|Sophiah More|*|Elizabeth Oliver|*|William O'Neal |*|John Payne Jr|*|John Payne Sr|*|Mary Payne |*|Permelia Payne|*William Payne|*|Paynes of Vermilion Co.|*|Cornelius Peterson |*|Lucy Peterson|*|Rachel Smith|*|Richard Smith |*|Todd connection |*|Mary Ann Wise|

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Bethesda, MD