Lillie Paulina's World Cruise

Lillie Paulina (Beard) Sherrod buried her husband in 1927 and two years later embarked on a 4-month around-the-world cruise aboard the Red Star Line's SS Belgenland.

Postcard of the SS Belgenland; courtesy of Wikipedia

I wanted to know more. Where did the ship stop? What did Lillie see and do?

I learned about how the cruise was marketed from the cruise itinerary folder for an earlier cruise available for sale on Amazon.com:

SS Belgenland 1924-25 cruise itinerary folder; courtesy of Amazon.com

Carl Kay[1] sailed on the Belgenland the year after Lillie. His printed itinerary was identical to several others I found for other years. So I assume the itinerary is the same as Lillie's.

Itinerary of the 1930-31 world cruise; courtesy of
Internet Archive.

Thirty stops and over 29,000 miles in a little over five months!

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Lillie Paulina Beard was born 22 March 1870 in Bedford County, Virginia, to Charles Edward Beard and Ann Elizabeth Key, my three times great uncle and aunt. She was their youngest known child. She lived with her parents until their deaths in 1900 and 1902. She trained as a nurse and moved to Richmond where she worked as a nurse for a private family. In 1920 she lived in the home of John Mayo Sherrod and worked as a nurse in a domestic practice. Lillie and John married on 22 July 1922; they were both in their 50s. John died in 1927 and was interred in Tarboro, North Carolina, his native state. Lillie died on 22 July 1938 and was interred at Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Virginia.

[1] Carl Kay maintained a diary of his cruise, which is available on Internet Archive.

Lily Paulina (Beard) Sherrod (1870-1938): World Traveler
Albert Einstein and the Charlie Fischer Orchestra

Nine Sons Wore the Suit of Gray

My three times great grandparents, James Harvey Beard and Mary McMullin (or McMullen) had four known sons:

• David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878), my great great grandfather
• Granville Lacy Beard (1813-after 1873)
• Robert M Beard (about 1818-after 1880)
• Charles Edward Beard (1827-1900)

Charles Edward Beard married Ann Elizabeth Key, daughter of John Bernard Key and Paulina Overstreet, on 21 November 1849 in Bedford County, Virginia, and two of his nieces married younger brothers of his wife, Ann.

Beard-Key marriages; created using Microsoft PowerPoint

Apparently the Beard and Key families were quite close as evidenced by the fact that my great great grandparents, David Fleming Beard and Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard are buried in the Key Family Cemetery in Bedford County.

According to a book about the Key family, John Bernard Key, was born in Petersburg, Virginia, to Thomas and Nancy Keys. He moved to Bedford County, Virginia, when he was 17 or 18 years old. Also living in the southern part of the county was a family with the same surname. The mail frequently was delivered incorrectly so John Keys dropped the "s" from his surname.

Ann Elizabeth Key, wife of Charles Edward Beard, was one of thirteen children. Nine of her brothers served in the Confederate States Army (CSA):

• Thomas Henry Key, born 3 September 1821; enlisted in Company C, 28th Virginia Regiment on 10 August 1863; mustered out on 30 March 1864 at a hospital in Richmond, Virginia; according to Find A Grave he died on 30 March 1865 and was interred in Texas so there is some mystery about the end of Thomas' life. 
• Robert N. Key, born 17 February 1823; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment; died on 10 April 1862 in the Confederate army (according to his brother). His company muster rolls stated that he was "supposed to be dead since April 1862." 
• Charles Hopkins Key, born 29 November 1825; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment on 3 March 1862; captured on 6 April 1865 in Farmville, Virginia; died in prison in 1865 in Newport News, Virginia. 
• Yelverton Peterson Key, born 29 October 1829; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment on 3 March 1862; wounded and sent to a hospital in Petersburg, Virginia, on 18 May 1864; died 2 April 1911.
• Edward Willoughby Key, born 17 January 1835; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Infantry on 3 March 1862; captured on 6 April 1865 in Farmville.
• John Singleton Key, born 6 May 1839; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment on 1 May 1863; died 4 June 1864 at a hospital in Petersburg.
• Joseph Cephas Key, born 7 May 1841; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment on 3 March 1862; transferred from a hospital in Farmville to a hospital in Bedford County on 29 March 1865; died 21 January 1884 according to his widow from a lung illness contracted during the war.
• Benjamin Franklin Key, born 17 January 1844; enlisted in Company G, 34th Virginia Regiment on 3 March 1862; transferred to a hospital in Farmville on 2 April 1865; died 1 May 1925.
• William Alfred Key, enlisted in Company E, 34th Virginia Infantry in 1864 at Petersburg.

As stated earlier, Thomas Henry Key's death is a bit of a mystery. In Key and Allied Families, written by Mrs. Julian C. Lane, his brother wrote in a letter, "Thomas Henry, b. Sept. 3, 1821, d. in Confederate Army Mar 1865; m. Cecilia A. Owens." Yet, his military records indicated he mustered out of the Army on 30 March 1864. He was interred Pilot Grove Cemetery in Yoakum, Texas, and the inscription on his headstone says, "Thomas Henry Key PVT 2 Co C 28 VA INF Confederate States Army Sept 3 1821, Mar 30 1865." His widow lived in Pike County, Missouri, in 1870 with their children.

Benjamin Franklin Key wrote to a grandson of his brother, Charles Hopkins Key about the experiences of the nine brothers during the Civil War:

"You asked me to tell you something about your grandfather. He belonged to Company E, 34th Virginia Regiment[1], Capt. William Jordan's company, Wise Brigade, Infantry, and was taken prisoner not very long before Gen. Lee's surrender at Appomattox and was kept in prison at Newport News, Va., until June 25, 1865, he passed out and went home to be with his Redeemer. I can say this, that a more devout Christian ever lived or died. He was imprisoned about three months and buried at Newport News. Your papa scarcely remembers ever seeing him. He was born Nov. 29th, 1826. Besides him I had seven other brothers in Civil War, namely: Thomas H., who was born Sept. 3, 1821, and died at a hospital in Richmond, Va., March, 1865. Robert N. was born Feb. 17, 1823, was put on a boat in Yorktown very, very ill with double pneumonia enroute to hospital in Richmond, but never landed, supposed to have died and was thrown overboard. Yelverton P., Edward W., Joseph C., William A., and myself were the only ones to return and I came from a hospital in June at Farmville after the surrender, minus a foot I lost on our retreat the 29th of March, 1865, and John S. Keys was born May 6th, 1839, and died June 4th, 1864, in a hospital in Petersburg."

Benjamin Franklin Key is credited as the author of this verse:

Nine sons wore the suit of gray,
Four sons passed o'er the way --
And their deeds, proud deeds shall remain for us,
And their names, dear names without stain for us,
And the glories they won shall not wane for us,
     In legend and lay
     Our heroes in gray
Though dead, shall live over again for us.

The 34th Virginia Infantry Regiment was formed in May 1862 from men from Norfolk, Richmond, and Yorktown and the counties of Gloucester, Mecklenburg, Bedford, Greene, and King and Queen. For almost two years the unit served as heavy artillery. During that time it was known as the 4th Heavy Artillery and was assigned to the Department of Richmond. In May 1864 it was assigned to Wise's Brigade as an infantry unit. It participated in the Siege of Petersburg and saw action in various conflicts around Appomattox.

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[1] According to muster rolls Charles Hopkins Key served in Company G, not Company E.

Lane, Mrs. Julian C. Key and Allied Families, (Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Co., Inc., 2003), pages 275-280.

Lillie Paulina (Beard) Sherrod (1870-1938): World Traveler

Lillie Paulina (Beard) Sherrod grew up on a farm in Bedford County, Virginia, and trained as a nurse. After her parents died, she moved to Richmond, the capital of the commonwealth and worked as a private nurse. By 1920 shed lived in the household of John Mayo Sherrod as his caretaker. Mr. Sherrod suffered from Tabes dorsalis, which had afflicted him about 8 years before. The condition causes a loss of coordination and movement as a result of a syphilitic infection of the spinal cord. Lillie married her patient in 1922 according to Key and Allied Families by Mrs. Julian C. Lane.

Lillie buried her husband, John Mayo Sherrod, on 21 May 1927. Nine months later, she and her widowed sister, Elmira Lorena "Rena" (Beard) Sublette boarded the White Star Line's USS Calgaric in New York City for a three-week cruise. They returned to the metropolis on 27 February. I like to think of it as Lillie's test cruise for her big adventure in 1929 and this time she traveled alone.

On 20 December 1929, Lillie boarded the Red Star Line's SS Belgenland in New York City and embarked on an around-the-world cruise. She returned to New York on 1 May 1930.

Inside pages of the Belgenland's world cruise; courtesy of Amazon.com

How glorious the adventure could we have sailed that first voyage around the world with Magellan! But one of terrifying hardships, too; of crushing days of disappointment that would have dimmed much of that glory.

In this wonder age of today all the best that Magellan knew and saw -- and vastly more -- of the Seven Seas and lands and peoples of the earth may be experienced in supreme comfort and luxury by following the sun around the globe...World Cruise of the Belgenland, Red Star Liner de luxe, largest steamship ever to circle the globe.

This super-tour will be conducted by the International Mercantile Marine Company and the Travel Department of the American Express Company.

The uniting of these two vast organizations of proved efficiency and long experience in world travel assures the highest standards of tourist service.

Not only will living conditions aboard ship, as to convenience, cleanliness, entertainment and cuisine, be on par with the best in one's home life, but the American Express Travel Department, with offices in all ports visited on the cruise, will provide the very best service for land excursions, with highly experienced and trustworthy conductors in charge.

Just to look at the Belgenland, Red Star liner de luxe, is to inspire confidence and trust and the feeling that if one is to choose any ship for a home during a 133 days' sail around the globe, this is the ship!

One of the steadiest steamships afloat -- the kind that seasons mariners and travelers fondly dub "a good sea-boat" -- she is homelike to a degree, luxuriously appointed, immaculately kept.

Her decks are exceptionally broad, with generous space for open-air sports and pastimes. Splendid public rooms, staterooms with running hot and cold water (except a few rooms on the F deck) and beds in place of berths, one of the finest orchestras, exclusively a la carte dining-room service, without extra charge; excellent cuisine, directed by a famous European hotel chef, a superlative steward service, and a completely furnished laundry -- these are just a few of the Belganland's World Cruise advantages!

An oil burner, of 27,000 tons register, 697 feet long, 78 feet in breadth, having turbine engines and triple screws, the Belgenland is the eighth largest steamship in the world.

The itinerary included twenty-six ports of call, including:

Cuba: Havana
Panama: Colon and Balboa
USA (California): Los Angeles and San Francisco
Hawaii Island: Hilo and Honolulu
Japan (and Korea): Yokohama, Kobe and Inland Sea
China: Shanghai and Hong Kong
Philippines: Manila
Java: Batavia (now Jakarta)
Malay: Singapore
India: Diamond Harbour, Calcutta and Diamond Harbour
Ceylon: Colombo
India: Bombay
Egypt and Palestine: Port Sudan, Port Tewfik and Alexandria
Europe: Naples, Monaco, and Gibraltar

If Lillie left a journal or photograph album of her trip, I've not seen them, but Mr. Roland C. Fenner kept a log book of his 1927-1928 cruise, which included this photograph of transiting the Panama Canal. Ahead of the ship is one of the canal locks.

From the cruise log book of Roland C. Fenner; courtesy of Florida
International University

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Lillie Paulina was my first cousin three times removed and the youngest child of Charles Edward Beard and Ann Elizabeth Key. She was born on 22 March 1870 in Bedford County, Virginia, and died on 22 July 1938 in Richmond, Virginia. She married John Mayo Sherrod on 22 July 1922. He was the son of Dr. John W. Sherrod and Louisa Tabitha Mayo, of Hamilton, North Carolina. Lillie was interred in Evergreen Burial Park in Roanoke, Virginia.

52 Ancestors #24: Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard (1841-1890): Widowed Early

Ancestor: Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard, two times great grandmother

Barbara Ann Mitchell was born in 1841, according to her headstone, in Bedford County, Virginia, to Daniel Mitchell, Jr. and Sarah "Sally" Wood. She was their youngest known child. In 1850 Barbara was enumerated as a 14-year-old girl living with her parents in Bedford County. Her father worked as a miller and indicated he could not read or write, which was a change from his grandfather, whose estate inventory included several books on religious topics. No value was assigned to real estate, so it is possible Daniel did not own land but rather rented the mill where the family lived.

In 1860 Barbara was enumerated as a 21-year-old woman living with her parents in Bedford County. Her father worked as a cooper and farmer. The value of his personal property was listed as $105. Barbara was the only person in the family who could read and write.

The Virginia and Tennessee Railroad came to Bedford County in 1852 with a depot in Liberty[1], the county seat. Across the street from the train station, a new hotel was constructed. The hotel was called Hopkins House and it was reputed to be one of the most well appointed hotels of its time. The railroad would bring the Civil War to Bedford County.

The Civil War Years

When the Civil War began, the ladies of Liberty began feeding the soldiers traveling by rail through Liberty to their duty stations. Many soldiers were invited into resident's home for a meal. A diary of Letitia McCreary Burwell[2], who wrote it through much of the war, describes the daily life of upper-class women in Liberty. When the town ran low on food to feed the traveling soldiers, a call for assistance was sent to the outlying farms in the county. Care packages of food, clothing, quilts and bandages were also prepared and sent to hospitals in Virginia. I wonder if Barbara Ann lived close enough to Liberty to assist in these efforts. Two of her brothers served in the 2nd Virginia Cavalry so I assume the family would pitch in to aid the Confederate war efforts.

On 1 May 1862 the Confederate government established a hospital unit in Liberty. The unit primarily served as a convalescence hospital for soldiers recovering from wounds or disease. As many as 800 to 1,000 soldiers were sent to Liberty to recover throughout the war. The ladies of Liberty expanded their efforts to include ministering to the patients of the new hospital.

In June 1864 Union General David Hunter, with 12,500, men burned Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and planned to attack Lynchburg, a Confederate rail hub and city of hospitals. On the way Hunter's troops march past the Peaks of Otter near Liberty where the Beard and Mitchell families had settled generations ago.

Gen. Hunter and 700 cavalry soldiers raid Liberty in a small action that became known as Hunter's Raid. They destroyed miles of railroad tracks, burned the station depot, and sacked several buildings. Hunter and his aides had lunch at a hotel in Liberty, which I am sure did not please the citizens of the county seat much at all!

As Confederate Jubal A. Early prepared to attack, Gen. Hunter began to worry he was outmanned and decided to retreat. His troops burned bridges over the Big and Little Otter rivers but Confederate sharpshooters picked off Union troops as they retreated out of Bedford County.

Marriage and Family Life

Barbara Ann Mitchell married David Fleming Beard, Sr., on 6 December 1866 in Bedford County. He was the son of James Harvey Beard and Mary McMullin and a widower who had lost his wife in 1861 and perhaps two sons during the Civil War. His daughter, by his first marriage, Martha Virginia Beard, married Barbara's older brother, Burwell David Mitchell in 1864. Barbara and David were second cousins as he was the grandson of Samuel Beard and Mary Mitchell. Barbara's new husband was nearly 30 years her senior. David died in 1878 at the age of 65. His widow, Barbara, was left with four children ranging in age from 10 years old to two.

After her husband's death, Barbara continued to live at their plantation with her children until her death on 1 May 1890. She was interred with her husband at the Key Family Cemetery.[3]

The year after her death, Barbara's brother (and stepson-in-law), Burwell David Mitchell, and his wife, Martha Virginia Beard (her stepdaughter), sued Barbara's children in order to force them to sell land on which they had lived with their mother. From this Chancery Court cause we learned David Beard owned about 210 acres at the time of his death. And that his children went to live with other relatives after their mother's death. The case was settled in 1901.

Snippet of the Chancery cause between the Beard half siblings
after Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard's death; courtesy of the
Library of Virginia

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. The theme for this week was "Father's Day," which I did not follow.

Using the Ancestral Reference Numbering System, Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard, is Ancestor number 19 on my family tree:

19 Barbara Ann Mitchell, born in 1841 in Bedford County, Virginia; died on 1 May 1890; married widower David Fleming Beard, Sr., son of James Harvey Beard and Mary McMullin, on 6 December 1866.

19.1 Albert Monroe Beard, born 23 February 1868 in Bedford County; died on 16 September 1937 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Emily Key, daughter of John David Key and Ella Garvin, on 31 January 1893 in Bedford County.

9 Effie Beard, born 1 October 1871 in Bedford County; died 4 May 1906 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Charles Edward Jennings in June 1895, son of Powhatan Perrow Jennings and Catherine Jewell, his second wife.

19.2 Sarah Birdelle "Berta" Beard, born 7 January 1874 in Bedford County; died 26 March 1940 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Sidney Samuel Mays, son of Elijah Fletcher Mays and Nancy Jones before 1906, his second wife.

19.3 David Fleming Beard, Jr., born 1 December 1876 in Bedford County; died 14 December 1915 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Anna Buford St. Clair, daughter of Buford William St. Clair and Virginia Ann Secrest, before 1903.

________________
[1] Liberty is now Bedford, Virginia.

[2] Letitia McCreary Burwell was 25 years old when the Civil War began; therefore, she was of a similar age to Barbara Ann Mitchell when she began writing her diary.

[3] David Fleming Beard, Sr.'s brother, Charles Edward Beard, married Ann Elizabeth Key; and he and his wife were also interred in the Key Family Cemetery.

Sources:

1850 US Census (database and images), FamilySearch, Ann Mitchell in the household of Daniel Mitchell, Bedford county, Bedford, Virginia, United States; citing p. 182B, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, roll 935; FHL microfilm image 364 (accessed 25 July 2016).
1860 US Census (database and images), Ancestry, Barbary A Mitchell in the household of David Mitchell, Northern District, Bedford County, Virginia, United States; citing p. 393, NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington DC: National Archives and Records Administration), roll 1335; FHL microfilm 805335 (accessed 25 July 2016).
Bedford County Marriages, The Mitchell Family Magazine, David F. Beard and Barbara Ann Mitchell, 6 Dec 1866; citing Volumes One and Two, January 1916 to April 1917 (accessed 25 Apr 2015).
David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878): A Man of His Times, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 30 May 2018)
Effie Beard (1871-1906): A Brief Life, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 30 May 2018).
Find A Grave Memorials (database and images), Find A Grave, Barbara Ann Mitchell Beard, 1841-1890; citing Memorial No. 164139770 (accessed 30 May 2018).
Goode, June B. Our War: An Account of the Civil War in Bedford, Virginia (Lynchburg, VA: Warwick House Publishing, 2003), page 30-51.
James Harvey Beard (1780-1869): A Long Life Lived, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 30 May 2018).
Samuel Beard (1750-1814): Revolutionary War Veteran, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 30 May 2018).
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 30 May 2018).
US, Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 (database), Ancestry, Barbara A. Mitchell as mother of Albert Monroe Beard (accessed 17 Jun 2017).
Virginia Chancery Court Records, 1761-1969, (database and images), Library of Virginia, E M Beard, B D Mitchell and wife v. Effie Beard, etc., 1901-117 (accessed 15 Nov 2014).
Virginia Death and Burial Index, 1853-1917 (database), FamilySearch, Ann Beard, 1 May 1890; citing Bedford County, Virginia, reference p 153, line 55, FHL microfilm 30600 (accessed 11 Feb 2018).
Virginia Death Records, 1912-2014 (database and images), Ancestry, Barbara A Mitchell as mother of Albert Monroe Beard; citing Virginia Department of Health, Death Certificate No. 601 (accessed 5 Aug 2016).
Virginia Death Records, 1912-2014 (database and images), Ancestry, Ann Mitchell as mother of David F Beard; citing Virginia Department of Health, Death Certificate No. 580 (accessed 5 Aug 2016).
Virginia Death Records, 1912-2014 (database and images), Ancestry, Barbara Ann Mitchell in entry of Sarah Birdiell Mays 26 Mar 1940, Roanoke, Virginia; citing Virginia Department of Health, Death Certificate No. 219 (accessed 5 Aug 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Albert M. Beard and Emily F. Key, 31 Jan 1893, Bedford, Virginia, page 224, FHL microfilm 30,597 (accessed 12 Feb 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard and Barbara A. Mitchell, 6 Dec 1866, Bedford, Virginia, page 6, FHL microfilm 30597 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry, David F. Beard List of Sales, 1 May 1891, Will Books 28-29, page 73 (accessed 18 Mar 2018).
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry, Administrator's Account for David F. Beard, 26 Apr 1892, Bedford County, Virginia, Will Books 28-29, page 314 (accessed 18 Mar 2018).

Burwell David Mitchell (1828-1905); Brother and Son-in-Law

Daniel Mitchell, Jr. (c1786-1821): Miller, Cooper, Farmer
Daniel Mitchell, Sr. (c1750-c1821): Tavern Keeper
Mary (Mitchell) Beard (c1755-1843: Another Court Success 
Robert "the Elder" Mitchell (c1714-1799): A Devoted Presbyterian
Robert Mitchell (bef 1689-?): The Immigrant
Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Land

Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Petition

Why John and Mary (Boyd) Mitchell Are Not the Parents of Robert Mitchell (c1714-1799)

Robert Mitchel, the Elder

Revisiting Daniel Mitchell, Patriot

Kidnapped by Indians
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree

Daniel Mitchell, Patriot

Burwell David Mitchell (1828-1905): Brother and Son-in-Law

Burwell David Mitchell is one of the reasons I call my blog Tangled Roots and Trees.

He was born on 5 November 1828 in Bedford County, Virginia, to Daniel Mitchell, Jr. and Sarah "Sally" Wood. Daniel and Sally's youngest child, Barbara Ann Mitchell, was one of my great great grandmothers, so her brother, Burwell, was my three times great uncle.

Burwell first married Susan Mildred Powell on 28 October 1856. When they were enumerated in the 1860 census, they had two children. Their youngest child followed in 1861.

Burwell enlisted in the 2nd Virginia Cavalry in Liberty, the county seat, on 26 March 1862 and was away from home for most of the war. Sometime during that period, his wife, Susan, died. Burwell returned home 29 June 1864 to recover from a gunshot wound in his leg, and likely found himself responsible for three small children, ranging in age from 7 to 3 years old. So he quickly found a new wife.

On 15 December 1864 Burwell married Martha Virginia Beard. She was the daughter of David Fleming Beard, Sr., and Ann Dooley. Two years later, Burwell's sister, Barbara Ann, married Burwell's father-in-law, David Fleming Beard, Sr.!

Tangled Mitchell-Beard marriages; created using Microsoft PowerPoint

So when David and Barbara (Mitchell) Beard married, Burwell became step son-in-law as well as her brother.

And if that wasn't enough of a tangle, there is one more related to Burwell. He and his first wife, Susan, had a daughter named Sarah "Sally" Mitchell, who married her first cousin, George Washington Andrews, daughter of Burwell's sister, Margaret, and Chesley Andrews. When I discovered this, I got curious about when Virginia made marriage between first cousins illegal. I was surpised to learn that first cousin marriages are legal in Virginia with no age or other restrictions.

52 Ancestors #21: Mary (Mitchell) Beard: Another Chancery Court Success

Ancestor: Mary (Beard) Mitchell, four times great grandfather
Haplogroup: N/A

Mary Mitchell was born about 1755 in Bedford County, Virginia, to Robert "the Immigrant" Mitchell and Mary Enos. Her parents had moved from Pequea, Pennsylvania, with a group of fellow Presbyterians sometime before 1748, which was the year her father first appeared in a deed book for the area that became Bedford County.

Her father was a ruling elder of the Peaks of Otter Church, which had been established in 1761. He and her future husband, Samuel Beard, signed a marriage bond on 5 September 1778.

Samuel Beard and Mary Mitchell Marriage Bond; courtesy of Alison Woodard

The Beards were one of the founding families of the church, and Samuel was one of 102 men who signed a petition asking the House of Burgesses for permission to buy slaves to support the maintenance of a full-time minister. Mary's father and John Erwine purchased over 100 acres of land for the church.

Samuel Beard had recently returned from serving as a private for two years in the company led by Captain George (or Gross) Scrugg's company. His military service included wintering at Valley Forge between 1777 and 1778.

Mary and Samuel had their first child on 26 September 1779 but that baby died the same date. Their next child, James Harvey Beard, was born on 7 September 1780.

Two weeks after the birth of their second child, Samuel was sworn in as a captain in the Bedford County Militia.  He was called into emergency service in 1781 and fought at the Battle of Guildford Courthouse. When he returned home, six more children were born, though the one born in 1789 died shortly after birth.

Mary's husband died in October 1814 and she continued to live on his plantation. She was enumerated as the head of the household in 1830, living with a free white male between 30 and 39 years of age and five enslaved people. The free white male would not have been one of her children.

On 27 January 1840, Mary applied for a Revolutionary War pension due to her husband's military service. Her application was approved later that year, granting her a widow's pension for her husband's two years of service as a private with the Continental Army. When the 1840 census was taken, Mary was listed as a Revolutionary War pensioner and was blind.

She died on 28 July 1843. At the time of her death, the estate owned four slaves held in dower. Mary's eldest son, James Harvey Beard, wanted to sell them and distribute the proceeds among the heirs. However, he had lost track of two of his mother's heirs due to their move to Missouri. Harvey filed a bill of complaint with the Bedford County Chancery Court in an effort of locate the missing heirs.

A sale was held on 23 December 1843 of the personal property included in the estate of Mary (Mitchell) Beard.

Record of the estate sale of Mary (Mitchell) Beard in the Bedford County
Will Books; courtesy of Ancestry.com

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. The theme for this week was "Military," which I did not follow.

Using the Ancestral Reference Numbering System, Mary (Mitchell) Beard is Ancestor numbers 73 on my family tree:

73 Mary Mitchell born about 1755 in Bedford County, Virginia, to Robert "the Elder" Mitchell and Mary Enos; died 28 July 1843 in Bedford County; married Samuel Beard, son of Adam and Elizabeth Beard and Revolutionary War veteran, on 5 September 1778 in Bedford County.

72.1 Unnamed son, born and died on 26 September 1779 (mentioned in his mother's pension application).

36 James Harvey Beard, born 7 September 1780 in Bedford County; died in October 1869; married 1) Mary "Polly" or "Molly" McMullen/McMullin, daughter of Matthew McMullen and Margaret, maiden name unknown, on 21 June 1811 in Bedford County, and 2) Rhoda Parker, daughter of James Parker, on 24 October 1850 in Bedford County. Veteran of the War of 1812.

72.2 Elizabeth "Betsy" Beard, born 22 Jun 1782 in Bedford County; died in 1863; married Rufus Thomas on 18 May 1815 in Bedford County.

72.3 Robert Mitchell Beard, born 17 Jul 1784 in Bedford County; died 19 January 1837 in Franklin County, Virginia; married Nancy C. Webb, daughter of Theodorick Fitzgerald Webb, Sr., and Sarah Huff.

72.4 Nancy A. Beard, born 24 Jul 1786 in Bedford County; died 4 February 1864; married Mitchell Ewing, a widower previously married to Phoebe Cox, on 25 March 1805 in Bedford County.

72.5 Frances G. Beard, born about 1788 in Bedford County; died before 1850; married William Claytor Mitchell, son of Samuel Mitchell and Margaret "Peggy" Claytor.

72.6 Unnamed daughter, born and died on 9 March 1789 (mentioned in her mother's pension application).

72.7 Mary "Polly" E. Beard, born 1795 in Virginia; died 7 November 1863 in Holliday, Missouri; married Bird S. Webb, son of Theodorick Fitzgerald Webb, Sr., and Sarah Huff. Removed to Missouri after 1837.

In her pension application, Mary (Mitchell) Beard only named six children: unnamed son, Harvey, Betsy, Robert, Nancy, and unnamed daughter. However, as proved by Bedford County Chancery court case 1852-049, Mary and Samuel had two additional daughters: Frances G. (Beard) Mitchell and Mary "Polly" E. (Beard) Webb.

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Sources:

1810 US Census (database with images), FamilySearch, Samuel Beard, Bedford, Virginia; citing p. 3, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration), roll 67, FHL microfilm 181427 (accessed 16 Apr 2016).
Ackerly, Mary Denham and Parker, Lula Eastman Jeter. Our Kin: The genealogies of some of the early families who made history in the founding and Development of Bedford County, Virginia, (Lynchburg, VA: J. P. Bell Company, Inc., 1930), page 14.
Bedford County Court Order Books, Bedford County, Virginia, Samuel Beard, Ensign, 1780, citing Order Book 9, transcribed by Earle S. Dennis, Deputy Clerk.
Bedford County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 15 Mar 2018).
Clemens, William Montgomery (editor). The Mitchell Family Magazine, (New York, NY: William M. Clemens), Vols. 1-2, January 1916 to April 1917.
Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War, 1775-1784 (database and images), Fold3.com, Samuel Beard 5th Virginia Regiment, citing NARA microfilm publication M881 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration), roll 0979, 30 images (accessed 25 May 2014).
Court Case Involving the Slaves of Mary (Mitchell) Beard, The, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 15 Mar 2018).
Daughters of the American Revolution, Genealogical Research Service database, Ancestor A008084, Samuel Beard, 
Capt. Gross Scruggs Line, Virginia (accessed 23 May 2014).
Dennis, Earle S. and Smith, Jane E. (compilers). Marriage Bonds of Bedford County, Virginia, 1755-1800, (Bedford, VA: Earle S. Dennis and Jane E. Smith, 1932), page 3.
Ewing, Presley Kittredge and Ewing, Mary Ellen (Williams). The Ewing Genealogy and Cognate Branches: A Survey of the Ewings and their Kin in America, (Houston, TX: Presley K. Ewing, 1919), pages 8-9, 40-41.
George Washington Spoke to Him, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 15 Mar 2018).
James Harvey Beard (1780-1869): A Long Life Lived, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 7 May 2018).
Johnston, Sarah Hall (editor and compiler. Lineage Book National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, (Washington, DC: NSDAR, 1916), page 44.
Proving James Harvey Beard's Father, Tangled Roots and Trees (access 15 Mar 2018).
Rider, Fremont (editor). The American genealogical-biographical index American genealogical, biographical and local history materials, (Middletown, CT: The Godfrey Memorial Library, 1952), volume 11, page 300.
Samuel Beard (1750-1814): Revolutionary War Veteran, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 7 May 2018).
Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements and Rosters (transcription), RevWarApps.org, Pension Application of of Samuel Beard, W4131, transcribed and annotated by Leon C. Harris (access 24 May 2014).
Viemeister, Peter. From Slaves to Satellites: 250 Years of Changing Times on a Virginia Farm, (Bedford, VA: Hamilton's, 1999), pages 14-15, 20-24.
Viemeister, Peter. Historical Diary of Bedford, Virginia, USA from Ancient Times to U.S. Bicentennial, (Bedford, VA: Hamilton's, 1993), page 9.
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry.com, Mary Beard, 3 Nov 1843, Bedford County, Virginia (accessed 15 Mar 2018).
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry.com, Samuel Beard, 3 Nov 1843, Bedford County, Virginia (accessed 15 Mar 2018).

Robert "the Elder" Mitchell (c1714-1799): A Devoted Presbyterian

Robert Mitchell (bef 1689-?): The Immigrant
James Harvey Beard (1780-1869): A Long Life Lived
Samuel Beard (1750-1814): Revolutionary War Veteran
Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Land

Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Petition

Why John and Mary (Boyd) Mitchell Are Not the Parents of Robert Mitchell (c1714-1799)

Robert Mitchel, the Elder

Revisiting Daniel Mitchell, Patriot

Kidnapped by Indians

Daniel Mitchell, Patriot

52 Ancestors #17: Effie (Beard) Jennings (1871-1906): A Brief Life

Ancestor: Effie (Beard) Jennings, great grandmother

The first time I wrote about my great grandmother, Effie (Beard) Jennings, I titled the post, The Mother Nobody Knew, because she died when her children were still quite young, very few source documents referenced her, and my father had just learned her maiden name shortly before his health no longer permitted him to research his family tree.

A second cousin and friend emailed a photograph of Effie after reading that post.

Effie (Beard) Jennings; courtesy of Janie Darby

She was born on 1 October 1871 in Bedford County to David Fleming Beard, Sr., and his second wife, Barbara Ann Mitchell. She was their second child although her father had one or two surviving adult children from his first marriage. Dad believed Effie's middle name was Davis though I have not seen that name on any document.

Effie's father was nearly 30 years older than his second wife and he died when Effie was soon to turn seven years old. She and her three siblings grew up on their father, David's 210-acre farm with their widowed mother but I have not been able to find them in the 1870 or 1880 census. Her mother, Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard, died on 28 September 1890, two days before Effie's 19th birthday. After her death, Effie and her sister, "Berta," and brother, David, Jr., went to live with relatives.

In 1891 she and her other minor siblings became defendants in a bill of complaint filed with the Bedford County Chancery Court. The plaintiffs were Effie's half sister, Martha, and Martha's husband Burwell David Mitchell[1], and an E. M. Beard, who may have been a half-brother or perhaps her brother, Albert. The plainiffs sued them in order to force the sale of their father's farm so the proceeds could be distributed among his heirs. The land was eventually sold for $441.00. The final decree in the case was not filed with the court clerk until 1901.

Albert, her older brother got a job with Norfolk & Western Railway, moved to Roanoke and married. He became the administrator of his father's estate and sold off his father's personal property. The list of sales filed with the county stated the sale netted $52.00.

According, to my second cousin, her grandmother (and Effie's only daughter), found a marriage license for Effie and Charles Edward Jennings dated June 1895. In an echo of her mother's life, Effie married a widower with children who was 28 years her senior. He had recently moved from Amherst County, Virginia, to Roanoke and started a grocery business. I'm not really sure how Effie and Charles met. Perhaps she lived with her brother in Roanoke and shopped in Charles' grocery store?

In 1900 the population of the city was just over 21,000 and had grown 33% in 10 years. The cotton mills, railroads, and coal industries were major reasons for Roanoke's growth. When the census was enumerated Effie and Charles lived at 1203 -- 3rd Avenue NW. They told the census taker they were married in 1896. Four of Charles' children by his first wife lived with them and Effie had two children named Daisy and Leo. She had my grandfather, Marvin Edward, in 1901 or 1902[2]. In December 1905 she had a fourth child they named Clyde Graham Jennings. Effie died on 4 May 1906 at the age of 34 of heart disease in Roanoke. She was interred in Fair View Cemetery. Her infant son, Clyde died the following June and was buried beside his mother.

Graves of Charles, Effie and Clyde Jennings; photograph courtesy of John
Shuck

By 1911 Effie's widower could no longer care for their children. Daisy was sent to live with Effie's sister, Berta (Beard) Mays; Leo was sent to live with his half-sister, Leta (Jennings) Womack in Tennessee; and Marvin was placed in the Lutheran Orphanage in Salem, Virginia. In 1913 Charles Jennings joined his son Leo in Tennessee and lived with his daughter until his death in 1917. He was interred beside his wife at Fair View Cemetery in Roanoke.

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. The theme for this week was "Cemetery." If not for the Find A Grave memorial and photograph, I would not know the birth or death dates of my great grandmother.

Using the Ancestral Reference Numbering System, Effie (Beard) Jennings is Ancestor number 9 on my family tree:

9 Effie Beard, born 1 October 1871 in Bedford County, Virginia, daughter of David Fleming Beard, Sr. and Barbara Ann Mitchell; died 4 May 1906 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Charles Edward Jennings about 1895 in Virginia, his second wife.

9.1 Daisy Birdelle Jennings, born 14 November 1896 in Roanoke; died 28 April 1947 in Statesville, North Carolina; married William Luckey Moore, Sr., son of Jay Luckey Moore and Jane Elisabeth Steele, on 20 September 1916 in Johnson City, Tennessee.

9.2 Leo James Jennings, born 31 October 1898 in Roanoke; died 3 October 1973 in Pacific Palisades, California; married three times: 1) Bonnie Sue Wolfe, daughter of James H. Wolfe and Mollie Jane Shell, on 27 November 1919 in Iredell County, North Carolina, 2) Kathleen O'Gorman, daughter of William and Margaret O'Gorman on 14 March 1933 in Yuma County, Arizona; and 3) Marcella G. (maiden name unknown) sometime before 1958.

4 Marvin Edward Jennings, Sr., born 16 November 1901 in Roanoke; died 1 May 1961 in Arlington County, Virginia; married Alice Muir, daughter of Robert Muir and Ida Mae Riggin, on 13 May 1924 in East St. Louis, Illinois. (See Marvin Edward Jennings, Sr. (1901-1961): A Railroad Man)

9.3 Clyde Graham Jennings, born 29 December 1905 in Roanoke; died 12 June 1906 in Roanoke.

_______________
[1] Burwell David Mitchell was the brother of Effie's mother; so he was her uncle and her half brother-in-law.
[2] Marvin Edward Jennings' delayed birth certificated listed 1902 as his birth year but he used 1901 throughout his life.

Sources:

1900 US Census (database and images), FamilySearch, Etha B Jennings in household of Charles E Jennings, Roanoke city Ward 5, Roanoke, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 102, sheet 7B, family 135, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972); FHL microfilm 1241739 (accessed 17 Dec 2012).
Charles Edward Jennings (1843-1917): First to Leave the Farm, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878): A Man of His Times, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Apr 2018).
Discover Roanoke History and Heritage: 1900-1925, The Roanoke Times (accessed 25 Apr 2018).
Jennings, Daniel, Letter and application to Lutheran Orphanage, Salem, Virginia, 12 Aug 1911
Lutheran Orphanage in Salem, Virginia, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 12 Feb 2018)
Marvin Edward Jennings (1901-1961), Robert Muir Family Blog (accessed 12 Feb 2018)
My Grandfather and the Orphanage, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 12 Feb 2018)
Marvin Edward Jennings, Sr. (1901-1961): A Railroad Man, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
North Carolina Death Certificates, 1909-1975 (database and images), Ancestry, Effie Beard mother of Mrs. Daisy Jennings Moore, citing North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Registration District 49-8, Certificate 105 (accessed Mar 16 2013).
North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011 (database and images), Ancestry, E B Jennings mother of Leo James Jennings groom, Iredell County, 15 Nov 1919 (accessed 3 Jun 2016).
Roanoke, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed (25 Apr 2018).
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
The Mother Nobody Knew, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
US Find A Grave (database and images), Find A Grave, Effie Beard Jennings, Memorial 55849385 (accessed 17 Dec 2012).
US Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 (database), Ancestry, Effie Beard mother of Daisy Jennings Moore (accessed 29 Nov 2015).
Virginia Birth Records, 1864-1999 (database and images), Ancestry, Effie Beard Jennings mother of Leo James Jennings; citing Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Certificate 2793 (accessed 3 Jan 2015).
Virginia Chancery Court Records, 1761-1969, (database and images), Library of Virginia, E M Beard, B D Mitchell and wife v. Effie Beard, etc., 1901-117 (accessed 15 Nov 2014).
Virginia Death Records, 1912-2014 (database and images), Ancestry, Effie Beard mother of Marvin E Jennings Sr; citing Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, Registration Area 106, Certificate 285 (accessed 3 Jan 2015).

Did These Beard Brothers Die in the Civil War?
David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878): A Man of His Times
Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Land
Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Petition
The Elizabeth Beard First Cousins: Which Is Which?
Samuel Beard (1750-1814): Revolutionary War Veteran
The Several Elizabeth Beards
Adam Beard (c1727-1777): Constable of Bedford County
John Beard (c1705-1780): A Man of Means
Marvin Edward Jennings, Sr. (1901-1961): A Railroad Man
Who's Your Daddy, Adam Beard?
Beard and Jennings: More Interconnected than I Thought
The Court Case Regarding the Slaves of Mary (Mitchell) Beard
Proving James Harvey Beard's Father
Slaves of John Beard (1705-1780) of Bedford County, Virginia
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree
The Mother Nobody Knew
George Washington Spoke to Him
Ancestry DNA and Finding a New Cousin

Did These Beard Brothers Die in the Civil War?

As I began researching my great great grandfather, David Fleming Beard, Sr., for the umpteenth time, I realized the fate of two of his sons by his first marriage is clouded in mystery...at least to me.

David was married twice and it is the two sons he had with his first wife, Ann Dooley, I am questioning.

The wives and children of David Fleming Beard, Sr.; created using
Microsoft PowerPoint

Edward M. Beard

David's eldest known child was Edward M. Beard was born about 1843 in Bedford County, Virginia. Edward appeared in the 1850 and 1860 census with his parents and younger siblings. Those are the only records I have collected that I know belong to "my" Edward M. Beard. My questions begin with the Civil War and end with when did Edward die.

Report of Sick and Wounded; courtesy of Fold3.com

I have at least three possibilities for his death date:

1. A Virginia Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917, indicated an E. M. Beard died in 1862 in Bedford County. No approximate birth year or location was included.
2. A 14-page military file for an E. M. Beard, born in Bedford County, died on 16 June 1863 in Richmond General Hospital No. 20 of typhoid fever. One page of this record indicated his name was Edward M. Beard.
3. A Bedford County 1901 Chancery Court file indicated an E. M Beard was a plaintiff, along with his sister and her husband, in a case initiated in 1891 when the bill of complaint was filed.

The military service file raises additional questions about why his enlistment date and location changed. Please note the name of the attorney who filed a death claim with the War Department. James F. Johnson well known to Edward's grandfather, James Harvey Beard. He was the executor of his will and James Beard entered into a contractual relationship with Mr. Johnson in order to secure his second wife's financial independence. This is a strong indication that the E. M. Beard who died in 1863 of typhoid fever was the son of David Fleming Beard.

Click image to enlarge.
Analysis of the 14-page military service file for E. M. Beard (click on the
image to enlarge); created using Microsoft Excel

Based on the three conflicting records -- 1862 death index, 1863 military service death, 1901 Chancery court case -- I thought I would find at least three men named E. M. Beard in the 1860 Bedford County census. But I did not. There were 25 men with the surname Beard but other than the Edward M. Beard, who lived with his parents, none of the other 24 look remotely like possibilities for the two men who died in 1862 and 1863.

The bill of complaint filed with the Bedford County Chancery court stipulates the relationship between the parties:

"B. D. Mitchell and Martha V., his wife[1], and E. M. Beard, complainants, respectfully represent that David F. Beard departed this life several years ago, intestate, leaving surviving him his widow. Beard had the following children to wit: Martha V. Mitchell, E. M. Beard, Effie Beard, Berta Beard, and David Beard. The last three of whom are infants[2]. At the time of his death the said David F. Beard was [illegible] and possessed of a tract of land containing 210 acres, mostly mountainous and of little value. The widow and infant children occupied this place until last September when she, the widow, died."

It seems pretty straightforward. E. M. Beard did not die in 1862 or 1863 as he was alive in 1891 when the bill of complaint was filed until you realize that one of David F. Beard's children by his second wife was not mentioned. Albert M. Beard was over 21 years of age at the time the case was initiated and had an interest in the disposition of the land.  Therefore, he should have been named in the case as plaintiff or defendant. Could it be that E. M. Beard was really Albert? If Edward and William died during the Civil War, then the order in which David Beard's child were listed in the bill of complaint was in the correct birth order if E. M. Beard was Albert M. Beard. If Edward M. Beard died in 1862 or 1863, he died unmarried and without issue, meaning he left no heirs who would have an interest in their grandfather's estate.

Albert M. Beard was assigned by the court as administrator of his father's estate in 1891 after his mother died and filed a list of sales of personal property and an administrator's account with the county clerk. 

In 1895 David Fleming Beard, Jr., asked the court to make E. M. Beard his guardian. This could be another sign that E. M. Beard in this case was Albert.

What do you think?

William H. Beard

I do not have source information for William H. Beard's death date and location. Every public tree I have seen contains a death date and location but not a single tree includes any source information. He was born about 1847 so could have joined the Confederate States Army (CSA) in 1864 or 1865.

I have found a W. H. Beard who was conscripted into the CSA on October 16, 1863. The muster card indicated he was 20 years old, making five years older than he actually was. It is possible William lied about his age. This W. H. Beard served in Company C, 6th Battalion (Tredegar's), Virginia Local Defense Troops. In September 1864 the 6th Battalion and the 2nd Infantry Battalion were consolidated. W. H. Beard was assigned to Company F, 2nd Virginia Infantry, Local Defense.

I have a note for William H. Beard, which states he died on 31 May 1865 at Point Lookout Military Prison in Maryland. However, I can find no record of his death and there is no notation of his death in the service record of W. H. Beard, which is unusual. The Saint Mary's County Historical Society began publishing the Chronicles of Saint Mary's in 1953. The publication includes information about the Civil War and the prison. I have contacted the society to learn if they have the definitive information about William's fate.

Last muster roll record for William H. Beard; courtesy
of Fold3.com

So did David Fleming Beard, Sr., lose two sons in the Civil War? One son? No sons? And if not, what happened to Edward M. and William H. Beard after the war? I would very much appreciate readers' thoughts on the next steps for my research to solve this conundrum.

_______________
[1] B. D. Mitchell was Burwell David Mitchell and Martha V., his wife, was Martha Virginia (Beard) Mitchell. Interestingly, Burwell was the older brother of Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard, the defendants' mother.
[2] Infants in legal terms of the day meant the children were under 21 years of age.

David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878): A Man of His Times
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree

52 Ancestors #16: David Fleming Beard, Sr. (1812-1878): A Man of His Times

Ancestor: David Fleming Beard, Sr., great great grandfather
DNA Haplogroup: I-M253

David Fleming Beard, Sr., was born on 24 December 1812 in Bedford County, Virginia, to James Harvey Beard and his first wife, Mary McMullin (or McMullen). He was the eldest known child. When David was not quite a year old his father joined the Virginia Militia and served with a battalion of artillery during the War of 1812.

David signed a marriage bond, promising to marry Ann Dooley, daughter of Moses Dooley and Hulda Sharp, on 16 February 1842. Surety was provided by Joshua Sharp, a relative on David's mother's side of the family. David and Ann married sometime after the bond was signed.

When the 1850 census was enumerated David and Ann lived in Bedford County with their three children. David's occupation is listed but it is not legible and it is not farmer. They had their fourth child in 1853. His name was Moses F. Beard but he died 15 July 1858 in Bedford County. In 1860 David, Ann and their three children continued to live in Bedford County. David's occupation was listed as planter and his real estate was valued at $2,700 and his personal property at $700.

David's wife, Ann (Dooley) Beard died at the age of 50 in September 1861.

The Civil War

David and Ann had two sons who were of age to serve in the Civil War. Edward M. Beard, born about 1843 and William H. Beard, born about 1847. Many public trees indicate these sons were killed during the war but I have not found compelling evidence to support that tragedy. Their names are not listed in Linda B. Nezbeth's Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Bedford County, Virginia. An E. M. Beard died at Richmond Hospital on 13 June 1863; he served as a private in Company H of the 34th Regiment Virginia Heavy Artillery.

David was a supporter of the Confederate cause. On 12 June 1862 he delivered to the Confederate States Army 142 pounds of bacon he sold to Major Andrew Vaughn in Liberty (now Bedford, Virginia). He was paid $42.60.

Receipt for 142 pounds of bacon sold by David F. Beard to the Confederate
States Army; courtesy of Fold3.com

Some 3,500 men from Bedford County fought for the Confederacy, including three of David's nephews -- Robert L. Beard, was taken prisoner but eventually returned home; John W. Beard, was killed in action while serving in the 28th Virginia Infantry; and James F. Beard served in the 38th Virginia Light Artillery Battalion. John W. Beard was one of the over 400 men from Bedford County who died during the war.

News about the conflict surely was a popular topic of conversation as county citizens tried to learn about friends, family and how the war was progressing. In June 1864 the war came to Bedford County. Union General David Hunter, with 12,500, men burned Virginia Military Institute in Lexington and planned to attack Lynchburg, a Confederate rail hub and city of hospitals. On the way Hunter's troops march past the Peaks of Otter near Liberty.

Gen. Hunter and 700 cavalry soldiers raid Liberty in a small action that became known as Hunter's Raid. They destroyed miles of railroad tracks, burned the station depot, and sacked several buildings. Hunter and his aides had lunch at a hotel in Liberty, which I am sure did not please the citizens of the county seat much at all!

As Confederate Jubal A. Early prepared to attack, Gen. Hunter began to worry he was outmanned and decided to retreat. His troops burned bridges over the Big and Little Otter rivers but Confederate sharpshooters picked off Union troops as they retreated out of Bedford County.

Second Marriage

David Fleming Beard had been a widower since the first few months of the war. On 6 December 1866 he married Barbara Ann Mitchell, daughter of Daniel Mitchell and Sarah "Sally" Wood and 29 years David's junior. They were married by Rev. George P. Luck. David and Barbara Ann had four children between 1868 and 1876.

David died 4 July 1878 in Bedford County. He was interred in the Key Family Cemetery. His brother, Charles Edward Beard, had married a Key, and his daughter-in-law was a Key. His widow, Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard died on 28 September 1890 and was also interred in the Key Family Cemetery.

During his lifetime, David Fleming Beard, Sr., experienced the War of 1812, which confirmed the independence of the United States; saw his country expand in size, adding twenty states; likely read about the Mexican-American war in the newspaper, and witnessed the invention of the railroads, which transformed transportation, and photography and many others. But likely the most impactful event was the Civil War -- a war largely fought in Virginia and in which he may have lost two sons.

The Virginia economy was destroyed by the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation. We will never know, if David continued farming after the war or how he was able to work the land as I have been unable to find his family in the 1870 census. Unlike many other Virginians, his sons and daughters remained in Virginia; however, they all moved away from Bedford County into the city of Roanoke, forsaking a way of lived by generations of Beard families since coming to America.

Probate

I have not found a last will and testament for David Fleming Beard, Sr., but have found a list of sales and an administrator's account. David's eldest son by his second marriage, Albert Monroe Beard, was the administrator of his estate. On 1 May 1891, he filed a list of his father's property that had been sold:

List and sale of the property of D. F. Beard, deceased
1 May 1891

From Bedford County, Virginia, Will Books Volume 28,
page 73; courtesy of Ancestry.com

A. M. Beard, Administrator David F. Beard

Commissioner's Office
Bedford City, Va., 26 April 1892

The foregoing list of sales of the personal property belonging to the estate of David F. Beard, deceased, was this day returned, and being in proper form was approved.

W. W. Berry, Commissioner of Account
Per W. M. Quarles

In Bedford County Court Clerk's Office 26 April 1892
This list of sales of the personal property belonging to the estate of David F. Beard, deceased was produced in said office and together with the certificate thereto annexed admitted to record.

Teste,

Robert Quarles

The Estate of David F. Beard, deceased, In account with Albert Beard, His Administrator

Bedford County, Virginia, Will Book Vol. 28, page 314; courtesy
Ancestry.com

Commissioner's Office
Bedford City, Va., 2 Jun 1892
The foregoing account is a final settlement of the estate of David F. Beard with Albert M. Beard Administrator, the statement was laid before me on the 26th day of April 1892, and the balance found due the said Albert M. Beard Administrator as aforesaid seventeen and 30/100 dollars the voucher was satisfactory and the bond sufficient, the name of the administrator was embraced in the list of fiduciaries posted at the front door of the court house May term 1892 (ten days having elapsed) said account is herewith returned. Given under my hand, as Commissioner of Accounts of Bedford County Court.

W. W. Berry, Commissioner

In Bedford County Clerk's Office, June 2nd 1892
This settlement of the account current of Albert M. Beard Administrator of David F. Beard deceased, was this day filed said office for exceptions.

Teste,

Robert S. Quarles, CBC

At Bedford County Court, February 2nd 1893
This settlement of the account current of Albert M. Beard Administrator of David F. Beard deceased, having lain in the clerk's office of this court more than one month, was produced in court, and no exceptions having been taken thereto, it was examined, confirmed and ordered to be recorded.

Teste,

Robert S. Quarles, CBC

Land Squabble

David owned 210 acres of land in Bedford County when he died. His widow, Barbara Ann (Mitchell) Beard continued to live on the property until her death in 1890. When she died her three youngest children were still minors and went to live with relatives.

Snippet of the original bill of complaint from Bedford County Chancery
Court cause 1901-117, which proved Effie Beard was the daughter of
David Fleming Beard, Sr.; courtesy of Library of Virginia

Albert's half siblings E. M. Beard and Martha Virginia (Beard) Mitchell and her husband, Burwell David Mitchell filed a bill of complaint in the Bedford County Chancery Court against their minor half siblings by their father's second wife: Effie, Sarah and David Fleming Beard, Jr. I'm not entirely sure why Albert was not a party in the suit. The plaintiffs wanted to sell the 210 acres of land their father had owned and distribute the proceeds among his heirs as they did not believe it could conveniently divided and retain its value. The court found for the plaintiffs and ordered the land to be sold. Albert bought the tract but defaulted on the first bond payment. So the court appointed a new administrator and required him to hold a second sale. The land was eventually sold and a final decree in the case was filed in 1901, ten years after the suit began.

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. The theme for this week was "Storms," which I did not follow.

Using the Ancestral Reference Numbering System, David Fleming Beard, Sr., is Ancestor number 18 on my family tree:

18 David Fleming Beard, Sr., born on 24 December 1812 in Bedford County, Virginia, to James Harvey Beard and Mary McMullin/McMullen; died 4 July 1878 in Bedford County; married 1) Ann Dooley, daughter of Moses Dooley and Hulda Sharp, on 16 Feb 1842 in Bedford County and 2) Barbara Ann Mitchell, daughter of Daniel Mitchell and Sarah "Sally" Wood, on 6 December 1866.

18.1 Edward M. Beard, son of Ann Dooley, born about 1843 in Bedford County, died on an unknown date.

18.2 Martha Virginia Beard, daughter of Ann Dooley, born 10 December 1844 in Bedford County; died in January 1892 in Bedford County; married Burwell David Mitchell on 15 December 1864 in Bedford County.

18.3 William H. Beard, son of Ann Dooley,  born 6 December 1846 in Bedford County; died on an unknown date, but possibly on 31 May 1865 at Point Lookout Military Prison.

18.4 Moses Fleming Beard, son of Ann Dooley, born 8 October 1853 in Bedford County; died 15 July 1858 in Bedford County.

18.5 Albert Monroe Beard, son of Barbara Ann Mitchell, born 23 February 1868 in Bedford County; died 16 September 1937 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Emily Key, daughter of John David Key and Ella Garvin, on 31 January 1893 in Bedford County.

9 Effie Beard, daughter of Barbara Ann Mitchell, born 1 October 1871 in Bedford County; died 4 May 1906 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Charles Edward Jennings in June 1895, son of Powhatan Perrow Jennings and Catherine Jewell, his second wife.

18.6 Sarah Birdelle "Berta" Beard, daughter of Barbara Ann Mitchell, born 7 January 1874 in Bedford County; died 26 March 1940 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Sidney Samuel Mays, son of Elijah Fletcher Mays and Nancy Jones before 1906, his second wife.

18.7 David Fleming Beard, Jr., son of Barbara Ann Mitchell, born 1 December 1876 in Bedford County; died 14 December 1915 in Roanoke, Virginia; married Anna Buford St. Clair, daughter of Buford William St. Clair and Virginia Ann Secrest, before 1903.

_______________
Sources:

1850 US Census (database and images), David S Beard, Bedford county, Virginia; citing family 918, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration), page 272B (accessed 12 Apr 2016).
34th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate), Wikipedia (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
1860 US Census (database and images), David F Beard, Northern District, Bedford County, Virginia; citing NARA microfilm publication M654 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, page 312, FHL microfilm 805335 (accessed 13 Dec 2017).
34th Regiment, Virginia Infantry, National Park Service, Soldiers and Sailors Database (accessed 20 Mar 2018).
Amendment XIII, Constitute (accessed 21 Mar 2018).
Clemens, William Montgomery. The Mitchell Family Magazine, Vols. I and II, 1916-1917, (New York, NY: William M. Clemens, 1916), page 77.
Confederal Citizens File, 1861-1865 (database and images), Fold3, David F. Beard, 142 pounds of bacon, 12 Jun 1862, citing NARA microfilm publication M346 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, roll 0051 (accessed 28 Dec 2018).
Find A Grave, 1600s-Current (database and images), FindAGrave, David Fleming Beard (1812-1878), Memorial No. 164139793 (accessed 13 Apr 2016).
Hinshaw, William Wade. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. VI, (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1973), page 878.
List of U.S. States by Dated of Admission to Union, Wikipedia (accessed 21 Mar 2018).
Nezabeth, Linda B. Roster of Confederate Soldiers of Bedford County, Virginia, (Goodview, VA: Linda B. Nezbeth, 2016), page 4.
Timeline of Historic Inventions, Wikipedia (accessed 21 Mar 2018).
US, Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 (database), Ancestry, David F Beard father of Albert Monroe Beard (accessed 18 Dec 2018).
Viemeister, Peter. Historical Diary of Bedford, Virginia, U.S.A.: From Ancient Times to U.S. Bicentennial, (Bedford, VA: Hamilton's, 1993), pages 16-33.
Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Henry Beard, 1 Dec 1876, Bedford, Virginia, reference V1, page 136, FHL microfilm 30599 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 (database), FamilySearch, David F Beard in entry for Moses Fleming Beard, 9 Oct 1853, Bedford County, Virginia, reference V1, page 1, FHL microfilm 30599 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Sarah B. Brard, 7 Jan 1874, Bedford, Virginia, V1, page 98, FHL microfilm 30599 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Moses F. Beard, 15 Jul 1858, Bedford County, Virginia, page 247, line 15, FHL microfilm 30600 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard and Barbara A. Mitchell, 6 Dec 1866, Bedford, Virginia, page 6, FHL microlim 30597 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F Beard and Ann Dooly, 15 Feb 1842, Bedford, Virginia, page 75, FHL microfilm 30591 (accessed 11 Feb 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Albert M. Beard and Emily F. Key, 31 Jan 1893, Bedford, Virginia, page 224, FHL microfilm 30,597 (accessed 12 Feb 2016).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch, David F. Beard in entry for Burwell D. Mitchell and Martha V. Beard, 15 Dec 1864, Bedford, Virginia, page 38, FHL microfilm 30597 (accessed 12 Feb 2016).
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry, David F. Beard List of Sales, 1 May 1891, Will Books 28-29, page 73 (accessed 18 Mar 2018).
Virginia Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983 (database and images), Ancestry, Administrator's Account for David F. Beard, 26 Apr 1892, Bedford County, Virginia, Will Books 28-29, page 314 (accessed 18 Mar 2018).

Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Land
Peaks of Otter Presbyterian Church Petition
The Elizabeth Beard First Cousins: Which Is Which?
Samuel Beard (1750-1814): Revolutionary War Veteran
The Several Elizabeth Beards
Adam Beard (c1727-1777): Constable of Bedford County
John Beard (c1705-1780): A Man of Means
Who's Your Daddy, Adam Beard?
Beard and Jennings: More Interconnected than I Thought
The Court Case Regarding the Slaves of Mary (Mitchell) Beard
Proving James Harvey Beard's Father
Slaves of John Beard (1705-1780) of Bedford County, Virginia
The Court Doth Adjudge, Order and Decree
The Mother Nobody Knew
George Washington Spoke to Him
Ancestry DNA and Finding a New Cousin