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Facts and Events
Samuel Beard was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia
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Military Service
- American Revolutionary War Veteran
Revolutionary War Pension Information
Information from “Virginia/West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records”, Vol. 1, compiled by Patrick G. Wardell, Lt. Col. U.S. Army Ret. :
Beard, Samuel - entered service 1779 in Botetourt County, Virginia, where born in June 1755*; granted Pension 1832 in Henderson County, Tennessee. R190.
- Note: Botetourt County was formed from part of Augusta County in 1769.
Notes
Samuel Beard's wife Rebecca MAY have been a Fisher, but this appears to be unproven. Additional research is needed.
References
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Samuel Beard and his wife Rebecca
Samuel Beard was born in June of 1754 in Augusta County, Virginia, specifically in the part of Augusta that became Botetourt County in 1769. There are records of only one Beard settler in this time in this location, and he was James Beard. Two probable siblings of Samuel were Hugh Beard and John Beard, both older than he was. There is some proof that both Hugh and Samuel named their eldest son and daughter James and Jane, so chances are good that these were their parents' names. The family lived on several hundred acres along the banks of the Cowpasture River that flows through the Shenandoah Valley. When Samuel was born, there was Indian unrest in the area, and the French and Indian War officially began in 1755. The families along the Cowpasture, when alerted to imminent danger, would hurry to the nearest fort, one of several built in a long line for protection of the settlers, where they would wait out the dangers along with their closest neighbors. He grew up knowing great danger and learning how to deal with fear. No doubt he became a hunter at an early age, and in later years in Kentucky he would be known as a great hunter.
Once grown, young men began serving in militia units as protection from Indian attack, and Samuel's first official tour of service was in the spring of 1779, when he entered service of the United States as a private volunteer soldier in Colonel John Dickinson's Regiment. We learn much about his activity from his Revolutionary War Pension Application, which he filed in 1832. Colonel Dickinson's unit was formed of men from Botetourt County, and the Colonel was from an old neighbor family on the Cowpasture. The captain of the unit was Samuel's brother, John Beard, and his lieutenant was John Patterson. They were called to protect the westernmost frontier of the settlement from the "invasions and savages" of the Shawnee tribe. This frontier was between the areas of Hot Springs and Warm Springs. Samuel recounted that his unit was to guard the frontier, observe the activities of the Indians, check the invasions, and "chastise the savages". He was a scout or a "spie", one who camped out and moved constantly in the summer, spring, and fall. In the winter, they took up quarters in forts on the frontiers. He served in this unit for two years, leaving them in 1781.
A grandson of Samuel Beard wrote of his family story that Samuel gave Rebecca a gold ring when he left for the Revolutionary War. Whether this meant an engagement ring, a wedding ring, or just a gift, we do not know, but it sounds like an engagement. Rebecca was no doubt a daughter of one of the Cowpasture families of this time.
In the spring of 1781, Botetourt Militia were called upon by the Continental forces to stand ready to serve. They were "detailed off" when called upon by the companies, but did not march as a body. Samuel served about ten months in this unit as a volunteer private. His commander was Colonel George Skillern, his captain was Joseph Prior/Pryor, and his lieutenant was his brother, John Beard. His first adventure was a short, six week march "to the borders of North Carolina". This, he said, was under Captain Alexander Handley/Hanley under Colonel Skillern. It occurred a short time before the Battle of Guilford Court House. Samuel recounted that he was then with a different unit about three or four weeks after the Battle of Guilford Court House, which was March 15, 1781. He furnished a wagon and team for the purpose of conveying the provisions for the army, and he seems to say that the army continued to use his team and wagon for the march to Yorktown. They marched from Botetourt County to Bottom's Bridge, below Richmond on the James River and joined the Continental Army under the command of General Muhlenberg. General George Washington, General Rochambeau, and the Marquis de Lafayette were with their forces on the opposite side of the river. After a few days, the entire army moved on to "Little York" and "invested the town". Lord Cornwallis surrendered. Accounts of other men applying for pensions recounted that this Virginia militia was positioned on a hill overlooking the British positions, next to a French battery. They described watching the British surrender their arms to the French and American forces. What a sight this must have been! Samuel's company was discharged and they all came home to the Valley. His application is full of facts as he tried to remember the sequence of events, but does not include many stories of adventures with the forces; Samuel appeared very matter of fact about his service.
Back in the Valley, Samuel settled down to tend his acres after the war years. In 1783, he was listed next to James Beard on a tax list in the Bath County records, and the notation is made that they are "just below the Bath line", so they were still in Botetourt County, or just under that county line, in Bath. Here are some good pictures of the type of land found along the Cowpasture River, with views of the Beard Mountains: http://www.bacovaproperties.com/Inactive%20or%20Sold%20Properties/Cowpasture_10_Acres.htm
Until proven wrong, we are identifying this James as the father of Hugh, John, and Samuel Beard, who are later found with him in other places. Samuel's eldest son was named James, and he was probably born during this period and named for his paternal grandfather. This was the last record of Samuel and his probable father, James, on the Virginia tax records. The next year, 1784, Richard Mayse was appointed overseer of a road "in the room of Samuel Beard", and that is the last mention of Samuel in Virginia. In 1783, Samuel's brothers John and Hugh are both found in the records of Greene County, Tennessee and are on the 1783 Tax List for Greene County that is famously full of Revolutionary War veterans called the "Nolichuckey Boys" for the river they settled alongside. Samuel and James Beard begin appearing in Greene County records soon thereafter. James purchased land on the south bank of the Nolichuckey River, extremely close to lands of Hugh and John Beard, on August 10, 1785. In the document he was listed as "James Beard, Esquire", indicating an older, established gentleman. Samuel's eldest daughter Jane married in 1792 in this county. Life was dangerous in the "Southwest Territory", called the first wild, wild west of America. The Cherokees and other tribes were constantly at war with the settlers here, and all the Beard men were listed in militia units, with John Sevier their commander. They lived on land along Horse Creek, a tributary of the Nolichuckey River, and many of the Valley of Virginia families were with them. Samuel is shown buying lands, serving as a witness for land transactions, and serving on jury duty in early Greene County, Tennessee. See the Timeline for all documented events of this period. From a close study of both Virginia and Eastern Tennessee documents and events, it is clear that Hugh and John Beard, together with several allied families, were in Eastern Tennessee by 1783, and that Samuel and the Beard men's probable father James Beard were still on the Cowpasture River at that time but moved into Eastern Tennessee and settled close by, probably in the year of 1784, and definitely by the year 1785. In 1792, Knox County was formed from Greene County, and there is evidence that our Beard families were now living near what would become Knoxville. Details of deeds and other records can be found in the Timeline .
Throughout these turbulent years, there was Indian unrest and many battles were fought. Interestingly, our family seems to have moved up en masse to Green and Adair Counties, Kentucky, in about 1798-1800, just as the Indian wars and struggles virtually came to a close. See the Adair County 1802 Tax List for a picture of our families in that year, all assembled in Adair County. A biography of one of Samuel's sons, Josiah, notes that Samuel was a noted hunter and settled on acreage along the Green River, giving land to his relations so that they may settle nearby. This appears correct, for at least two sons in laws are also listed on the same list. This account is taken from an old Kentucky published history; see the account here.
At some point, the second generation from Samuel and his brothers appear to have started settling on lands south of Adair County, in middle Tennessee. This seems to happen from about 1810 to 1820. Much of this land was set aside for military grants, but as the Bedford County, Tennessee records burned twice during the 1800s, documentation is not there for us to know how our Beards came by land there. By 1820, Samuel himself and his elder brother Hugh Beard were both listed on the census in Bedford County, Tennessee. By the year 1830, Samuel had moved just two counties west, to Henderson County, and was enumerated on the census there, with his son James nearby. Also listed on the same page as Samuel Beard was the widow Mary "Fausatt", who was the mother of John Faucett who married Samuel's granddaughter Sarah Elizabeth, as well as "Nancy Ward", the widow of Jeremiah Ward. Two Ward men married two granddaughters of Samuel and Rebecca. All of these granddaughters were the daughters of Samuel's son James, who lived "nearby", according to the old family histories. The 1830s in Tennessee were eventful years, as an economic downturn in farm and land prices was followed by a catastrophic tornado and a cholera epidemic. The Trail of Tears went right through this area of Tennessee and Samuel, the old Indian fighter, no doubt witnessed first hand that sad affair. In these early 1830s, Samuel was tending to his estate business. In 1832, he applied for his Revolutionary War pension, received a list of questions from the War Department, and in 1834, filed a more detailed application. He was approved and began drawing his pension. Also at this time, he appears to have visited in Adair County, Kentucky, and executed a land deal with one of his sons in law, Hugh S. Beard, who was also his nephew. Hugh S., the son of Samuel's brother Hugh Beard, had married Samuel's daughter Margaret Beard in 1808 in Adair County. This land transfer would, fifteen years later, generate one of the most important documents to our family, when the son of Hugh S. Beard, John A. Beard, would begin proceedings to clear the title to this land in order to mortgage or sell it. Every heir of Samuel Beard was listed in the court proceedings, and if the heir was deceased, their heirs were listed. Samuel was listed on the court papers, filed in Adair County in 1834, as "of Henderson County, Tennessee". A member of our family discovered this document in 2009, for which we are forever grateful. See an extraction of the court papers and a complete listing of the children of Samuel and Rebecca here.
We do not know when Rebecca Beard died. She seems to be alive on the 1830 census with Samuel. Samuel died between 1835 and 1836 "while on a visit to his son's home" in Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee, the neighboring county to Henderson County. He was said to have died of a heart problem. Samuel and Rebecca are no doubt buried in Henderson County, Tennessee, but their graves are as yet unfound and unmarked. Samuel is included on many lists of the Revolutionary War veterans who lived in Tennessee.
http://thebeardfamilyhistory.wikia.com/wiki/Samuel_Beard_and_his_wife_Rebecca
- United States. 1820 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M33).
Name Samuel Beard
Home in 1820 (City, County, State) Maury, Tennessee
Enumeration Date August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25 2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture 2
Free White Persons - Over 25 4
Total Free White Persons 6
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other 6
- United States. 1830 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (National Archives Microfilm Publication M19).
Name Samuel Beard
Home in 1830 (City, County, State) Henderson, Tennessee
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14 1
Free White Persons - Males - 70 thru 79 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14 1
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69 1
Free White Persons - Under 20 2
Total Free White Persons 4
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored) 4
Note: Henderson County, Tennessee was formed in 1821 from the Western District of Tennessee.
- Graves, William T. Southern Campaign Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters.
Pension Application of Samuel Beard S2980
Transcribed and annotated by C. Leon Harris
The State of Tennessee}
Henderson County}
Court of pleas and Quarter Sessions
August Term 1832
On this 18 day of August 1832 personally appeared in open Court before the Justices of the Court of the pleas and Quarter Sessions for the County of Henderson in the State of Tennessee, Samuel Beard a Citizen and resident of the said County and State aforesaid aged seventy eight years last June who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
This Declarant entered the service of the United States about three or four weeks after the Battle of Guilford Courthouse [15 Mar 1781] as a volunteer Militia Private from the County of Bottetourt [sic:Botetourt] in the State of Virginia his place of nativity in the company of Volunteer Militia from the said County & State commanded by Captain Joe Prior [sic: Joseph Pryor] his Lieutenant was John Beard his Brother. in this Company this declarant marched from Bottetourt County to Bottom’s Bridge below Richmond on James River [sic: Bottoms Bridge on Chickahominy River] and joined the Army under the command of Brigadier General Muhlenberg – but to what Regiment he was attached or who was the immediate Commander of the same this Declarant has no distinct recollection consequently he can make no statement on oath. This Declarant declares and states that at the time he joined General Muhlenburg’s Brigade on James River that Generals Washington, Rochambeau and LaFayette with the regular army lay on the opposite side of the river – a few days after this the whole including his brigade being moved on to little York and invested the Town. So soon as Lord Cornwallis was Captured [19 Oct 1781] the Company to which he belonged was discharged and this declarent returned home. The Company to which this declarent belonged was Drafted from the Regiment commanded by Colonel Skillings [sic: George Skillern] in this Company this Declarant marched on to the borders of North Carolina this tour lasted only for about six weeks and was some short time before the Battle of Guilford, but how long this Declarant Does not now recollect. This Declarant states that he has no Documentary evidence nor does he know of any person whose testimony he can procure who can testify to his service – This declarant hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the Agency of any state
[signed] Samuel Beard
The amended Declaration of Samuel Beard in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
On this 14 day of April in the year of our Lord 1834 personally appeared in open Court it being the circuit Court held in and for the County of Henderson State of Tennessee and also a Court of Record Samuel Beard a Citizen and Resident of the County and State aforesaid aged seventy nine years in June 1832 who being first duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following amended Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 1832.
This Declarent states that in his former Declaration he Omitted to mention his previous services in the United States on the frontiers of Virginia in the neighborhood of the Warm and hot Springs and the adjacent mountains this tract of Country he believes is now embraced in the Counties of Bath and Greenbriar [sic: Greenbrier] not supposing or having been apprised that he was entitled to any thing for those services under the present act of Congress. First Tour of service. This Declarant states that in the year 1779 in the month of April or first of May of that year he entered the service of the United States as a private Militia Volunteer Soldier from the County of Bottetourt in the State of Virginia in the Regiment commanded by Colonel John Deckerson or Deckinson [sic: John Dickenson]. This Regiment was composed altogether of Volunteers from the said County of Bottetourt and the service of which was for the protection of the Frontiers of Virginia against the incursions and ravages of the Shawnee Indians who were then investing in large Bodies those Frontiers and which as before stated were in the neighborhood of the hot and warm springs and compose as he believes the Counties of Bath and Greenbriar. The Companies composing the Regiment were Detailed off on those frontiers in order to give more security and at the same time of extending the line of observation to give more Efficiency in checking those incursions and at the same time chastising those Savages. This Declarent states that he faithfully served from the month of April or first of May 1779 until the month of April or first of May 1781 as private Militia Volunteer Soldier During all of which Tour of service he acted as a Spie thus making two entire years of service in the Untied States. his Officers were Colonel John Deckerson or Deckinson the commander of the Regiment, his Captain was John Beard his Brother who afterwards served as Lieutenant under Captain Prior his Lieutenant was by the name of John Paterson his Major’s name not recollected. The companies of this Regiment acted as Scouts and were not stationary and moved wherever danger called and the exigency of the Frontiers required their services in the Summer Spring and Fall they were in continual and active service in the Winter they forted or rather took up their quarters in Forts upon those Frontiers.[The following paragraph marked “omit”] (From this Tour of sevice as thus stated This Declarent received a written discharge and which he has long since lost never supposing that it would have been of any service to him and which was signed by his Colonell John Deckerson or Dickenson Thus Ends the first Tour of Service Second Tour
This Declarent States that in the month of April in the year 1781 [several words lined through and illegible] he entered the service of the United States as volunteer Militia Private Soldier in the Regiment of Botetourt Militia commanded by Colonel Skilling or Skelling, in the company commanded by Captain Joe Prior his Lieutenant was John Beard his former Captain in the Indian Service and his Brother as before stated that in this Tour of service although the most of the Company to which he had joined were Drafted this Declarant nevertheless was a volunteer This Regiment Commanded by Colonel Skilings in a Body never marched or joined the army when called upon they respectively stood their Draft and served accordingly being detailed off which called upon by Companies. This Tour of service commencing in April the exact day of the month (1781) and ending in [two or three words lined through] 1781 of the same year making this Tour of Service from nine to ten months as the War Department in their wisdom may think [one or two illegible words] for the historical facts as to this Tour of Service and to the[illegible word] of the [end of page; one or more pages may be missing] of the Army under General Mulenburg at Bottom’s Bridge on James River when Generals Washington, La Fayette and Rochambeaulay on the other side of the River (James) he begs leave to refer to his former Declaration and of which this is prayed to be taken as part.[The following paragraph marked “omit.”] This Declarant states that no Clergyman being in his neighborhood whom he can call to testify as to his [two or three illegible words] being a soldier of the revolution he applied as under the directions of the Secretary of to two Respectable Citizens To Wit FelixW Henry Esquire an acting Justice of the Peace of Henderson County and John Cooper of the same County men of the highest respectability for the short period of service as stated in his former Declaration under the command of Captain Alexander Handley [Alexander Handly] the Department may or may not allow him. This Declarant states that at the time of his joining Captain’s Prior’s Company he furnished a waggon and Team for the purpose of conveying provisions for the Army and which waggon for eight months after conveying the provisions of Capt. Priors Company was constantly employed in conveying provisions for the combined Armies of America and France then before York Town in Virginia for which he has never received one cent
This Declarent states that he was regularly discharged by Major Wilson his Christian name not now recollected
Thus ends the third tour of service including the second Tour under Captain Joe [illegible] it being soshort (six weeks) this Declarent claims nothing for the same unless the Department thinks proper to give the same to him
[signed] Samuel Beard
Questions By the Court
Question 1 Where and in what year were you born?
In the County of Bottetourt in the State of Virginia, in the year 1755
Question 2 Have you any Record of your age and if so where is it
Answer I have the record in my mother’s Bible set down by my Father now at my son’s House ashort distance from my Residence
Question 3. Where were you living when called into service where have you lived since the Revolutionary War and were do you now live.
Answer. Whilst in the service of the United States the whole Tour being for two years and eight months and in all of which he serve as a private soldier he then lived in Virginia ad from thence to Kentucky and [illegible word] Tennessee
Question the 4 How were you called into Service were you Drafted did you volunteer or were you a substitute and if so for whom.
Answer in all my Tours of Service I was a volunteer.
Question the 5th. State the names of some of the Regular officers who were with the Troops where you served such Continental and Militia Regiments and the General Circumstances of your services
Answer. Though answered [illegible word] by the Deponent he again states that in his services in the Frontiers of Virginia including the first Tour his Colonel was John Dickson Capt. John Beard John Patterson Lieutenant in in John Dickerson of Bottetourt County and which service lasted for two years during this service I had no communication with the army contending with the British consequently knew none of the officers of the Militia, Contental or Regular Officers, but when I joined the Army under the command of General Mulenburg and which army day after the arival of our Company then lay on the opposite of James River Commanded by Generals Washington, Lafayette, Rochambeau and which crossed over to our side Colonel Scammell was the Ajudjutant General [sic: Adjutant General] of the American Army and fell before york in making a Desperate attack upon one of the Bastions of the British [Alexandria Scammell of NH, mortally wounded on 30 Sep 1781, died as a prisoner 6 Oct]
Question 6 did you ever receive a Discharge from the service and if so by whom was it giventh
Answer. In my first tour of service on the Frontiers of Virginia from April or May 1779 to April or the first of May 1781 in both those Tours I was only a private miliita Soldier and received my Discharge from Colonel Dickerson as before stated
My second Discharge was from Captain Joe Prior dated at the City of York Town Virgiginia Both of which discharges I have long since lost –
7. State the names of Persons to whom you are known in your present neighborhood and who can testify as to your character for veracity and their belief of your services as a Soldier of the Revolution Answer. As heretofore in my former Declaration I can refer to Felix W Henry Esquire an acting Justice of the peace of Henderson County in the State of Tennessee and John Cooper of the County and State aforesaid also to James Ross James Millican and Roert Davison
http://revwarapps.org/s2980.pdf
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