Saline County Bios
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion Counties," 1893
WILLIAM H. BEARD. The gentleman whose
name opens this sketch is one of the farmers who have found agricultural life in the
State of Kansas both pleasant and profitable. His
fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land
is located upon sections 10 and 15, in Solomon
Township, Saline County, eleven miles east of
Salina.
The birth of Mr. Beard, of this notice, took
place in Highland County, Ohio, in the month of
April, 1828, his parents being among the pioneer
settlers of that place from Virginia. When yet a
young man, our subject made his way to Indianapolis, Ind., and began life for himself
by becoming driver of an omnibus, for which service he
received the munificent wages of $13 a month.
Later his wages were increased to $50 a month,
and about this time he was married. The date of
the wedding was March 19, 1854, and The bride
was Miss Margaret R. Mullenix, a native of Highland County, born November 6, 1833.
After marriage, the young couple settled in Indianapolis for about
nine months, and then returned to Highland County and
settled at Hillsboro, where Mr. Beard became the superintendent
of a large farm and engaged in teaming and
farming until the breaking out of the Civil War.
November 27 Mr. Beard put his name down upon
the record as a volunteer for his country's service in Company D, Eleventh Ohio Cavalry, and
The next spring the battalion to which he was attached went to Idaho under the command of
Col. Collins to guard overland mail routes from
Ft. Laramie through to Idaho.(khhp) He was located on
the route over the South Pass, but this entailed
so much exposure that he soon became sick and
was sent to a hospital. In October, 1864, he was
discharged from there and the army on account
of disability, and he returned to Ohio after an
absence of almost three years. Home comforts so
restored him that he was able to return to his
farming, and continued to be so occupied until
he moved to Kansas.
In 1879, Mr. Beard came to this State, and the
next spring made settlement upon his present
farm, which consists of one hundred and sixty acres,
for which he paid $2,800, and which now is fully
worth $40 per acre. It is fine bottom land, lying along Gypsum Creek, and Mr. Beard has fine
crops of wheat and grain. He is well pleased with
this State and thinks the failure in crops which
sometimes occurs is not more frequent than are
disasters in other portions of less favored States.
The family of our subject is a pleasant and intelligent one, as follows: Charles is in business at
Council Grove; Catherine Elizabeth is Mrs. George
Caldwell, of Ford County, Ill.; and Cary Allen is
upon the farm. A little girl named Alice May
has been with the family for the past five years.
Mr. Beard is one of the open-hearted, honest men
of Kansas, who impress the stranger at sight with
a feeling of respect and esteem. He is a Republican and in the old days was a Whig, and takes
great interest in the progress of affairs in his
chosen home.(khhp) Our subject is a member and supporter of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in
which he is highly valued.
Return to Saline Co. KHHP
|
This website created June 15, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
|