John M. Beard & Rachel Smith

John M. Beard was born in Darke Co., Ohio. With his family, he moved to Carroll Co., IN, in 1835 when he was 13 years old. Rachel Smith was born in Indiana, likely in what is now Tippecanoe Co.; she moved to Carroll Co. with her family in about 1844.

From his first wife, John acquired five dead children and a chunk of land. John's first wife inherited some land when her father died in 1856. When she died in 1858, the land went to John M. Beard.

Lydia Brackney, John's first wife, died after bearing five children and seeing four of them die before reaching 18 months old. The fifth child died at age five, less than two years after her mother died.

Sometime during John's first marriage, he went to the California Gold Rush. When his first wife died, he was left with a daughter who was three or four years old.

John M. Beard and Rachel Smith married in January 1859 in Carroll Co., IN. For John, it was a second marriage.

Rachel Smith was the 29-year-old daughter of a not-well-off cabinet maker. (Indications are that the cabinet maker had become blind.) Rachel's only claim to fame was that she was a TODD descendant and her mother was a second cousin to Mary Todd, Mrs. Abraham Lincoln.

On Nov. 4, 1859 -- nine months and nine days after John and Rachel married -- two big things happened: Rachel gave birth to their first child, a son named Franklin Kara Beard, and John's last remaining child from his first marriage died. The little girl who died was named Hulda; she had turned five years only two days before she died.

How Hulda died and whether the birth and death were related are unknown. Rachel was 29 when she married. It's likely she felt some attachment to her step-daughter. Shock from the girl's death could have forced a pending labor for Rachel. Another possibility is an accident that happened as a result of household activity from Rachel giving birth. Despite efforts, no information on the circumstances of Hulda's death has been found.

Rachel had better luck with her children; all four reached maturity and produced offspring.

In addition to having four children, John and Rachel built a two-story brick house (complete with basement) which is still serving as home for a family in Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN.

In 1885, John and Rachel suffered their biggest loss. Their only daughter, Dora, gave birth to a son three days short of her first wedding anniversary. After giving birth, she was never strong enough to hold the little boy. She died two days after he was born. In the loss, John and Rachel managed to find some solace as they helped to rear Dora's son, Guy Clauser. In family photos of their children, and in John's will, Dora's son Guy stood as her substitute.

John served as Clay Twp., trustee from 1878 to 1882. He was a Democrat.

He died in 1904 of "Catarrhal fever." In his will, John gave everything, both real and personal property, to Rachel, "to hold for her own support so long as she lives or remains my widow." The will further specified that after her death, anything left, "I want equally divided between my three boys Franklin K. and Charley and Jesse Beard and Guy D. Clauser a grandson."

John's obituary appeared in the local newspaper:

DEATH OF
WELL KNOWN CITIZEN

John M. Beard was born April 24, 1823, and departed this life at his home in Owasco [Carroll Co., IN] March 30, 1904, aged 80 years, 11 months, and 6 days. His early years were spent in Ohio, and at the age of 13 he came with his parents to Clay Twsp., Carroll Co.

When the gold excitement of 1849 was at its height, he went to Calif., driving through, and was six months on the road. He returned the next year, coming by sea by the way of Panama route. On this journey he was shipwrecked twice.

On Jan. 25, 1859, he was united in marriage to Rachel Smith, who survives him. To this union were born four children. F.K., Chas., and Jesse, who are residents of Clay Twsp., and Dora V. (wife of Chas Clauser), who died 18 years ago.

In the death of this pioneer, the community loses one of its staunchest citizens whose honor is impeached by none and whose kindness as a friend and neighbor is attested by all who knew him. His children mourn the loss of a father whose struggles gave them the many advantages they now enjoy.

The wife mourns the loss of a true devoted husband. The remains were laid to rest in the Beard Cemetery, Rev. Kleckner officiating, last Saturday morning at 10 o'clock.

Rachel died two years later at home, in the house John had built after their marriage.

[IMAGE]

John and Rachel are seated in front.
Standing from left to right are their sons
Charley, Franklin, and Jesse,
and their grandson Guy Clauser.

HUSBAND: John M. BEARD
BORN: 24 Apr 1823, Darke Co., Ohio
DIED: 30 Mar 1904, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
MARR: 25 Jan 1859, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: John BEARD
MOTHER: Sophia MORE
====================================
WIFE: Rachel SMITH
BORN: 27 Feb 1830
DIED: 19 May 1906, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: Richard H. SMITH
MOTHER: Hannah Smith JACK
====================================
CHILDREN
====================================
1) Franklin Kara BEARD
BORN: 4 Nov 1859, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 29 Sep 1937
BUR.: Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Clinton Co., IN
SPOUSE: Fairy Bell ARMSTRONG
MARR: 21 Nov 1888, IN
----------------------------------------------------
2) Dora Viola BEARD
BORN: 4 Feb 1861, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 22 Nov 1885, IN
BUR.: St. John Cemetery, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
SPOUSE: Charles E. CLAUSER
MARR: 23 Nov 1884, IN
[This child was first named Zora; quickly changed to Dora.]
----------------------------------------------------
3) Charley BEARD
BORN: 17 Sep 1862, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 25 Jan 1955, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Ball Hill Cemetery, IN
SPOUSE: Julia SQUIRES
MARR: 6 Nov 1888, IN
---------------------------------------------------
4) Jesse BEARD
BORN: 12 Jun 1867, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 19 Feb 1939, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Clinton Co., IN
SPOUSE: Sarah Catherine HOOKER
MARR: 5 Feb 1891, Carroll Co., IN

John with his first wife and their children:
====================================
HUSBAND: John M. BEARD
BORN: 24 Apr 1823, Darke Co., Ohio
DIED: 30 Mar 1904, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
MARR: 6 Jan 1846, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: John BEARD
MOTHER: Sophia MORE
====================================
WIFE: Lydia A. BRACKNEY
BORN: 16 Aug 1825, Ohio
DIED: 1858, Owasco, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
FATHER: John BRACKNEY
MOTHER: Mary ---
====================================
CHILDREN
===================================
1) Calvin BEARD
BORN: 30 Jan 1848, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 16 Mar 1848, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
--------------------------------------------------
2) Amanda J. BEARD
BORN: Jun 1849, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 17 Oct 1850, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
--------------------------------------------------
3) Marvin BEARD
BORN: 3 May 1852, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 26 Apr 1853, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
--------------------------------------------------
4) Diantha BEARD
BORN: 1853, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 4 Nov 1853, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN
---------------------------------------------------
5) Hulda BEARD
BORN: 2 Nov 1854, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
DIED: 4 Nov 1859, Clay Twp., Carroll Co., IN
BUR.: Beard Cemetery, Owasco, Carroll Co., IN

To see the list of burials at the Beard Cemetery, click here:
Beard Cemetery

To read about Owasco, IN, and its meaning, click here:
Owasco

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