SECOND GENERATION

2. Alexander Beard was born in Feb 1824. He appointed guardian of Andrew and Elizabeth Allen, both minors on 16 Feb 1852 in Jackson County, Arkansas. ⁽⁸⁾ He on was on the County tax roll in 1855 in Coryell County, Texas. He appeared on the census on 12 Jul 1860 in P. O. Station Creek, Coryell County, Texas.⁽⁹⁾ He bought 10 acres 6 miles above Austin on the south side of the Colorado River for $100 on 4 Aug 1870 in Travis County, Texas.⁽¹⁰⁾ He appeared on the census on 31 Aug 1870 in P. O. Austin, Travis County, Texas. ⁽¹¹⁾ He sold 10 acres purchased in 1870 for $25 on 18 May 1872 in Travis County, Texas.⁽¹²⁾ He appeared on the census on 21 Jun 1880 in JP #3, Travis County, Texas. ⁽¹³⁾ He died on 19 Mar 1890 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. He was buried on 20 Mar 1890 in Oakwood Cemetery, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.⁽¹⁴⁾

Alexander Beard adopted Andrew and Elizabeth Allen, minors, on February 16, 1852, in Jackson County, Arkansas. German Charboneau (spelled Charbino, a probable cousin of Mary Ann Curott) and Isaiah H. Jackson gave bond of $150.

By 1855, he had moved with his family, including his mother and siblings, to Coryell County, Texas, where they appeared on the 1860 Census. His occupation as listed on the census was Waggoner.

The Beards came from Arkansas with the Thomas J. Scott family, who lived near them in Arkansas, as well as Alexander Beard's wife's cousin, German Charboneau. The Scott's eldest son married Rebecca Beard. German Charboneau settled in Bastrop, Texas, where he died in 1870.

Alexander Beard enlisted in the Texas Army on April, 7, 1862, by T. A. Sipple, at Belton, in Allen's Regiment under Captain H. M. Bouldin. He was mustered on April 11, 1862, at Camp Terry, Austin, by R.T.P. Allen, in Company I, 17th Texas Infantry. His age was 38. He was promoted to Sergeant by January, 1864.

Alexander Beard purchased property recorded in Travis County, Texas, from H. N. Duble, instrument dated August 4, 1870, (61-301), and sold property recorded in Travis County, Texas, to P. C. Taylor, instrument dated May 18, 1872, (61-303). He was also on the census in Travis County in 1870 and 1880.

In the 1870 Cenus, the three children of Dr. James A. Forbes and his wife Margaret Crawford, Ella, age 10, Alexander age 4, and Mary, age 2, were living with the Alexander Beard family. Presumably, Dr. Forbes' wife had died, and the Beards took care of the children. Dr. Forbes died in 1878 in the Yello Fever epidemic in Memphis. His daughter Emma later married Edgar Rasbury. Mary was still living with the Beards in the 1880 census, and was listed as "hired".

Sometime after 1880 Alexander left Austin and went to Fort Worth, where he died in 1890. He is buried in the Confederate Veterans section of Oakwood cemetery in Fort Worth. He is listed there as a member of R. E. Lee Camp 158 (Fort Worth). His widow returned to Austin.

He was married to Mary Ann Curott (daughter of Charles Curott) on 10 Apr 1848 in Jackson County, Arkansas. ⁽¹⁵⁾ Mary Ann Curott was born on 16 Mar 1833 in Independence County, Arkansas. She appeared on the census on 6 Jun 1900 in Austin, Travis County, Texas.⁽¹⁶⁾ She died on 2 Nov 1904 in Austin, Travis County, Texas. ⁽¹⁷⁾


By family tradition, Mary Ann Beard was supposedly half French and half Indian. According to family folklore, her father was a French trader. We believe this was Charles Curotte, b. 1804, who lived n Lawrence County, Arkansas in 1830. He was the son of Charles Curotte b. 1765 and Angelique Janis, daughter of Anthony Janis, an early French Canadian settler.

Mary Ann Beard filed a confederate pension application #20897 from Travis County, Texas, approved September 17, 1900. William Beard, brother of Alexander Beard, verified his service.


From the pamphlet for her funeral:

IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF MRS. M. A. BEARD

Died Nov. 2, 1904 Aged 71 years 7 mon 17 days

Dearest Mother thou hast left us,
And thy loss we deeply feel;
But tis God that has bereft us,
He can all our sorrow heal.

Yet again we hope to meet thee
When the day of life is fled,
And in heaven with joy to greet thee
Where no farewell tear is shed.



From the Austin Statesman, Thursday, November 3, 1904:

DEATHS IN AUSTIN

Mrs. M. A. Beard.

The death of Mrs. M. A. Beard occurred at an early hour yesterday morning at the family residence on State Street. The deceased was 71 years of age at the time of her demise and had lived in Austin for many years. The funeral will be held this afternoon at 1 o'clock from the residence.

Alexander Beard and Mary Ann Curott had the following children:

+10 i. William Jerman Beard.
+11 ii. James Willis Beard.
12 iii. Alexander Beard was born in 1858 in Coryell County, Texas. He died before 1870 in Texas.
+13 iv. Mary Elizabeth Beard.