THOMAS BEARD, JR. (1836-1917)
FATHER OF JAMES THOMAS BEARD
I have here several sections of journals and excerpts that I have found while researching. This first part is taken from Thomas Beard, Jr.'s record, Volume 1
I have here several sections of journals and excerpts that I have found while researching. This first part is taken from Thomas Beard, Jr.'s record, Volume 1
More than 100 years ago, in 1862, Thomas Beard, Jr. began his journal in the following way:
(Spelling, punctuation, and grammar have been left as he wrote it in his journal)
“Although I am but a poor speller and a poor writer, yet I consider it my duty to pen down my geneology and some of the principal circumstances of my life, and I think I can perform such a duty so that it can be understood what is meant. I believe it to be a Father’s duty to pen down at least his geneology. What pleasure it afford’s a man who can read in a book concerning his progenitor’s descent. But it affords still additional pleasure to read concerning their acts, doings, and sayings.
I, Thomas Beard, Junior was born at Whaley Bridge on the 14th day of December, in the year 1836, in the Parish of Chap-en-le-firth, in the county of Derby, Old England.
I will here give, as far as I have information, a table of my Father’s geneology. I can go no farther back than my Father’s Father, and my information concerning him is very limited.
All I know concerning him is in substance as follows: He was called Aaron Beard, was a tall man—lived near Chapenlefirth—was by trade a handloom weaver—was by profession a Wesleyan Methodist—died when my Father was about 8 years of age—was buried in Chindley near Chapenlefirth, left my grandmother with two children beside my father, Mary and Merab.
Soon after the death of my grandfather, my grandmother removed to Whaley Bridge, where she kept a Traveler’s Lodging House. She used to work hard by going out to wash and char for people to obtain a livelihood. From Whaley Bridge she removed to Duckenfield, when my Aunts were able to weave at the mills. She resided at this plase from my earliest recollection with my Aunt Mary, though at times she would occasionally come and live with my father for a few months together.
She was a woman of small stature, yet very active and hard working. She was very merry and jocose. Her religion was Wesleyan Methodistosm. She died at Duckenfield on the 6th day of June in the year 1858 and she was buried at the Wesleyan Chapel in Duckenfield, Chesire.
Of my Mother’s parents, my knowledge is still more limited. Her father’s name was Thomas Clark and her mother’s name was Elizabeth Platt. They lived at Matlock Herst, Derbyshire, Old England.
My Mother’s father was a house plasterer and whitewasher. I do not know that either of them professed any religion. He died at the age of 87 years and his wife died a few months before him in the same year in her 53rd year. My mother was but eleven years of age when they died, this leaving her in the wide world without anyone to take care of her except a sister a little older than herself and who got married soon after, but died very young after bearing two children.
After thus relating all I know concerning my Grandparents, I will now give date of my parents. My Father was born on the 3rd of October, 1814, at Cauler, near Chapenlefirth, Derbyshire. My Mother was born on the 28th day of May, 1814, at Matlock Herst, Derbyshire. My Father’s name is Thomas Beard, and my Mother’s names is Ellen Elizabeth Beard. I have already given the date of my own birth. I will here record the date of my Brother’s and Sister’s. My brother Stephen was born on the 16th of March, 1839, at Duckenfield, Chesire. John was born April 23rd, 1841, at Duckenfield, Chesire. My Sister Mary Ann was born at Newton, in the parish of Mattrom, Chesire, May 23, 1846. Sarah was born April 30th, 1849 at Stone Heads, Whaley Bridge, Chesire. Elizabeth was born June 27th, 1852 at Stone Heads. George was born December 21st, 1855 at Stone Heads.
The principal part of my father’s life has been spent in getting coals, though he can turn his hand to many kinds of work. In his younger days he used to be very wild and random. He learned early to play the fiddle and to sing comic songs, and in the consequence of his being able to do such things he was often drawn to the public houses along with the rest of the colliers.
When he was about 22 years of age he married Ellen Elizabeth Clark, at Taxal Church, Whaley Bridge, on the 12th day of May, 1836. He did not alter much in his morals at the early part of his marriage, but continued to bring much sorrow and uneasiness to my mother through his foolish conduct. He did not tarry long at Whaley Bridge after his marriage, but removed to Poynton. From there he removed to Duckenfield. This turnout lasted many weeks, which caused great suffering among the working classes. I remember that we were plagued for food on that occasion. We were glad when my Mother could get a little meal to make a little porridge. At this time my brother John was a little boy, and could run about the house.
Upon one occasion my Mother had just made a kettle-full of porridge and just teemed them out into dish upon the table, when my brother John thrust his hand into the pot containing them. The consequence was, he was scalded very much. It was hunger which made him do it.
Another circumstance happened while we were at Duckenfield which was rather novel. My brother Stephen who is two years and two months younger than myself, one day when my Mother was gone out of the house for water, took the fire-poker out of the fire (for my Mother had left it in) and thrust it in between my legs. I have marks on my thigh to this day.
Towards the latter part of the time of my father’s living at Duckenfield, he was out of work, which caused us to be plagued for the necessaries of life. But after was a peise of work on the Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway. It was a tunnel through a hill three miles long, in a wild desolate country, a long way from any village or town.
What few houses there were at this place, were built by the railway Contracters for accomadations of the principle workmen, engaged at the job. The rest of the habitations are called huts, these were made of undressed stone, some of clods, thatched with clods, heath, and rushes. Some of these huts had only one room in them, others had a top room, some had two bottom rooms and two top rooms, but these were few. In these dirty places there were as many as six or eighteen persons huddled together, with some of their beds close together, some with a board between them and some without. It may easyly be imagined what the condition of the people thus associated would be.
There were plenty of meat and drink for the people, for contracters had what was termed a “Tommy Shop”, where the workmen could obtain plenty of the necessaries of life. They were payed in money once in six or eight weeks, but subbed two or three times per week in tickets which were payable at the “Tommy Shop”, and at the Alehouse.
When the pay came some of the men who were regular gluttons and slotches had nothing to draw. For two or three days there were no work done after a pay, for the men and women were occuped in drinking and falling out with one another, and fighting. I have knowen as many as twelve battles faught in one day, some of them by the women and some them by a man and women.
Such was the state of society in which I lived for about six or seven years. The majority of the workmen were outlaws and reprobates that had fled from nearly every country of England, and there were even foreigners ther, During all the six or seven years my parents resided by a gentleman who came on prupose from Manchester.
During fine weather, the time of the boys and girls were spent in running about on the moors, or climbing upon the trees, or plaing with the wagons on the line and sush things. In wet weather they used to creep under the sheds or places where they could shelter, and then it was that they tried to imitate their parents indebauchry talk, and such was the manner in which me and my brother occupied on the Saboth-day, for about six or seven years.
But my Father and Mother having been taught better things in the days of their youth at the Sunday Schools, and looking at the conditions of their children, they at length became disgusted with the immoral condition of the people, and resolved to remove to another place where their children could be sent to the Sunday School.
When they made known their intention of leaving the place to their neighbors, they called them fools, for leaving such a good place for such a simple purpose as having their children sent to Sunday School, but however, they came to the Wesleyan Sunday School. We all three were put in the A-B class. For we were all about on the same level in reading, that is we could just barely tell our letters and that was all we could do in the way of reading.
We continued to go to the Sunday School and made rapid progress in learning to read, so that in about two years we were enable to read in the testament class.
Soon after this the Christain Brethren established a Sunday School, I desired very much to go to it; but my father at first objected to such a proposel, saying that the Weslayan Sunday School was where he had been taught to read and he wanted us to go there to, though he was not in favor of Weslayanism, but rather inclined to the Christain Brethern’s doctrine. But at length consented for us to go that school. We accordingly went; after I had gone for about a year, became very much in favor of their doctrines, and I became impressed with religious motives; I felt a desire to serve God and worship him in the right way.
One of the things whish caused me to be favorabley inclined towards them, was that they taught the doctrins of baptism by immersion in water to be appliyed only to adults. From what I had read and what I had heard, my Mother read in the new Teastament, I became satisfied that to be buried in water was the only proper way of baptism. About this time my father and Mother happened to come through Whaley one Sunday night when there were a Latter-Day-Saint preaching. They stopped and listened to him and became very much in favor of the doctrine he advocated, although there was several opposing the man. As it was in the latter-end of autumn, it was getting to cold to preach out of doors, so the Morman preacher as he was called, asked if anyone would open their house for him to preach in. Nobody came forth until my Father offered his house, but it was in an outside place. This Mormon Elder had been very much opposed in Whaley and the adjacent villages by James Shirt, Moses Goodwin, William Wild, and others.
This Mormon Elder continued to preach on Sunday nights at my Father’s house. Soon after my father had opened his house for the Latter-Day-Saints to preach in, Moses Goodwin came one day to my Mother to persuade her to stop the Saints from coming there. He called the Saints for everything he could think of, but my Mother told him they preached truth at present, and when she found them preaching contrary to truth, she would then reject them….
Many of our neighbors and fellow-workmen called my father foolish for letting the Saints preach in his house. But however we heard them, until we became convinced that they taught the only true plan of salvation and that their church was the only true church upon earth that was organized by Divine Revelation. Accordingly, my father, my mother and myself, were baptized on the 10thth of February, 1852, we were confirmed at Tom Lane near Chap-en-le-firth by Elder Henry Piccup. Of course when it was known to our fellow-workmen the vulgar and unmannerly amongst them, they shouted and reviled us, and cast out all manner of insinuating speeches against the Saints; but the religious amongst them used often to argue from the scriptures to prove their doctrines to be wrong. “Mormonism” as the world call it, did make great improvement in my fahter, both as regards to his moral conduct and his spiritual condition. While he lived a life of a Latter-Day-Saint he used to have family prayer night and morning, and often did he call upon me to offer up prayer. It also taught him to be more tidier and cleaner in his habits than what he was before. of February, 1852, by Elder Henry Piccup of Macclesfeild. There was a small brook that run through my father’s garden, we made a bank across it to stop the water, and in it we were baptized. On Sunday the 11
But I am sorry to say, after he had been a faithful Saint for about three years, he began to get a little ale, and from little to much, until he was often overcome with it. Then he began to neglect his prayers, and family. He fell away from the Church through his disobedience…
About 1857, I began to court Mary Ann Simister, a good and faithful sister in the Church. She had buried her husband (James Simister) who was a good man and died in the Church, about seven years before. She was the daughter of John and Amelia Openshaw. We got married at Taxal Church, Whaley Bridge, June 5, 1859. On the 29th day of May, 1860, she gave birth to a daughter, which we called Mary Hannah. About this time there was a railroad being constructed through Shaley Bridge and it brought many strangers to the village…
Before I leave England, I will relate two circumstances where the power of God was manifested, and to show that he answers prayers in this age as well as in former times.
The first incidence occurred when I was about 17 years of age. At that time I worked in a coal mine that was 60 yards deep. At the bottom of the pit or shafe, as it was sometimes called, therewere two tunnels to go to two different mines of coal. But both brought the coal to the bottom of this shaft to put the tubs or boxes containing the coal on the cage. The boxes were then put on the carrier or cage. It held two at one trip. There runs through each corner of this cage an iron or steel rod which was fastened to a log at the bottom of the shaft, and at the top of the headshocks was screwed down tight. These rods were so tight that when struck with a piece of iron at the bottom, they conducted a loud sound at the top. They were used for signals for the engineer to start or stop by. One rap was to go on, two raps to stop, three raps be careful, men coming up.
One day I had come to the bottom of the pit and put my coal boxes on the cage and rapped for the engineer to hoist it up. I knocked several times but he did not start. No one was there to keep me company and I got weary and started climbing up one of the iron rods or conductors, as we called them. I had gone several yards up when I began to realize what a foolish thing I was doing, for if the engineer would start I would be knocked off the rod. I might have a chance of catching on the cage but it was more likely I could not catch hold of the bow of the cage and I was certain I would be killed. This came to my recollection and I felt overwhelmed with remorse as I began to think of my foolish act I was performing.
I tried to go back but to my horror and astonishment I could not reach the side with my feet like I had done in coming up. I found the rod swong more from the side and I could not scarcely reach the side with the end of my shoe toe. I was too high up the rod to slide down it, for it was quite slick with the drops of water that weesed out of the side of the shaft. I found I could not go back the way I had come and I derst not slide down the rod for it was so slickery that I could not save myuself from going too swiftly for safety. So there was no way but to keep climbing till I got to the top of the pit.
This, I realized was a very dangerous job, and as I went up I found as I climbed the rod, the rod swong and the pit was not the same. In some places inches wider than other places, so I found as I climbed the rod, the rod swong away from the side easier than it did at the bottom so I had difficult work in reaching the side in some places with my toes. This caused more motion to be used in my hands and arms.
When I got ten or fifteen feet of the top, I felt all my strength go and I could not go one move further so I called for the banksman or the engineer to come to my assistance but they were both busy trying to get the engine right and could not hear me. I hung there with my feet against the side and both my hands and feet give out. I could not get any human help so I called on God our Eternal Father for help and I promised him that if he would deliver me this time I would never do that foolish thing any more. When I earnestly offered this prayer, I felt strength come into my limbs and I climbed to the top quite easy.
There was a way to get out of the mine by going through the old workings and climbing up ladders, up the air pit, and out of an old tunnel. When I went into the engine house, they were surprised to see me and ask if I had climbed up the rod. They could scarcely believe me for it was 180 feet up it.
This was my first testimony that God does hear and answer prayer. I kept my promise with the Lord. I never fooled with those conduckters any more. I acknowledge His watch and care over me in the whole transaction; for if they had got the engine righted before I had got out, I should have been killed.
The other incident occured just a little time before I left England. In the over-ruling providence of the Lord, I obtained one of the best jobs there was in the pit for making money. My wife’s son, John W. Simister was about 14 years of age and was working with me and we were making more money than I ever had done before and I was saving all I could so I could emmigrate to Zion.
One day I was sat down to eat my dinner. There were other miners about a rod away on each side of me. As I say, something whispered to me in my ear, to move away. I got up and moved about a rod further off. I had no sooner done so, then slate fell in the very place I had been sitting. One of the miners remarked, “Tom, you just moved in time or you would have catched that.” Yes, if I had catched it, it would have killed me or crippled me up so I could not have accomplished the object of gathering to Zion.
I have known other miners saved from accidents by giving heed to these invisible promptings, which all show that God has His watch and care over His children when they put their trust in Him, though they be in the bowels of the earth.”
Conclusion by Gloria Beard Ross: Thomas and Mary Ann, Mary Ann’s son, John William Simister, and their baby girl, Mary Hannah set sail from Liverpool, England in April of 1862 on the “John J. Boyd”. There were 950 passengers plus the crew. Of these, 850 were Mormon. Also traveling with them were Thomas’ sister-in-law, Emma, and her two children. Her husband, Steven, had immigrated a year previously. Her parents were also on board.
Many people on the ship became ill and some died. Among these was Emma’s eldest child.
After seven weeks on board the crowded ship they landed in New York. They then went by railway and steam boat to St. Joseph, Missouri. During this part of their journey Mary Ann suffered a miscarriage. They had to wait at Florence, Missouri six weeks for the ox teams to come from Utah to get them.
Sometime during the long, hot, dusty trip by ox team from Missouri to Utah, Emma and her other child died. As the caravan wearily drove down the canyon into Coalville, Utah, Thomas recognized his brother Steven’s voice singing as he came to meet them. What a sad thing to have to tell Steven that his wife and two children had perished during the long journey.
The Beards settled in Coalville, and there, on November 24, 1863, James Thomas Beard was born. Another daughter, Ellen Amelia was born November 23, 1866. She died June 2, 1876.
Thomas became well known throughout this area as a florist and gardener. He often took his produce to Salt Lake City by ox wagon to market. He filled a mission to England. His parents immigrated, but his mother became ill enroute and died. She was buried at sea. Thomas entered into polygamy and took as his second wife Mahaleth Abiah Tanner. There were nine children born to this marriage. Mary Ann died November 6, 1901 at Coalville. She was 78 years old.
As James Thomas (Jim) grew to manhood, he worked along side his father and brother in the coal mines and timber and helped haul rock for the completing of the Salt Lake Temple.
In later life, after James T. married and moved to Idaho, Thomas would go and visit with him and his family. He performed ordinances for the family such as baptisms, blessings, etc. when he would pay these visits. His brother, George sometimes accompanied him and would go up South Leigh Canyon and paint.
I found this also:
Source of Trail Excerpt: |
Beard, Thomas, "Life of Thomas Beard," 39-41 in Katherine Lake Andreasen, Journal of Thomas Beard [2006]. |
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Read Trail Excerpt: |
The teams that came from Utah to meet the emigrants to take them over the plains to Utah were very late in coming to Florence on account of high water that year. We had to wait 6 weeks before we could start our journey of 1000 miles over the plains. My wife, our little girl Mary Hannah and I came with Captain Duncan about July 1, 1862. When we started on our journey across the plains, my Brother John, who had come with us from England, staid later and worked his fare over the plains by driving a cattle team in the church freight train. There were 50 wagons and there were covers over bows with white canvas and each wagon had 2 yoke of oxen too pull it and 10 persons with their bedding to each wagon after the other. When we stopped for dinner or at night, the first wagon would stop in a suitable place for camping under the orders of the Captain. Then the next wagon drove close to it, so close that the cattle wouldn't pass between the wagons and the 50 wagons did the same with their wagon tongues inside the correll this made for they were driven in such a manner to form a circle except in one place between the first and last wagon which was left open for about a rod wide to let the cattle out for feed and water. After they were unyoked, they driven in to be yoke. Where we camped at, there were hundreds of fires lighted to cook food for the people. We traveled along the Platt[e] River for some hundreds of miles and it furnished us with wood for our fires. When we left it we traveled through a country that had no trees in it. There were occasionly a few dwarf willows ranging from 2 feet to 4 feet high. As we traveled we pulled the dry ones out and put them in bundles and carried them on our backs to make fires at our camping ground. We had sacks in which we gathered the droppings of buffalos which had become dry. These we called buffalo chips. These made fires. Along this country, my Brother Stephen's wife died. She was burried on Sand Nobe in a blanket for boards couldn't be found. My Brother Stephen had been married in England to John Lee's daughter of Ashton Underlyne. He had left her with one child and came to Utah one year before us. He worked and sent her money to come with but she had another child after he left. She and her folks came in the ship we did but her oldest child had died on the sea. Soon after she died on the barren land, her other child died. When we met him on our journeys end at Hoytsville, it was hard blow for him. When we passed out of this barren country and came to where the sage brush grows, we could make better fire. We passed by large rocks which looked like an old England Castle. These were known as "Castle Rocks". A little farther on, was a narrow split in high mountains where the Sweet water [Sweetwater] runs through it. I was tempted to go through it. When I got nearly to the other end of it the water became so deep, I was obliged to turn back. The stream was low and I stepped from one rock to another. I think the canyon was ¼ mile long. I traveled over the mountain in a cold mist. I fell in with another man that belonged to the train. We could not see the train anywhere. We found the trail and followed it. It got dark, but we saw the camp fires which guided us too the camp. There was something in the air of Devils Gate or in the mountain which affected me very greatly for I was very sick next morning. I was so sick I could not raise my head nor did I, until the train got to Echo Canyon. I was told it was mountain fever that had struck me. We camped toward the upper end of it. Next day I was able to sit up in bed and as we passed Echo Rock, the teamsters cracked their whips so hard the echo shook me for they sounded like guns going off. We traveled through Coalville which consisted at that time of 12 or 15 houses in Sept. 1862. We had traveled nearly 1000 miles without seeing any houses except U.S. Mail Stations which were 10 to 15 miles apart and many days we traveled farther in the country away from them to get feed for the cattle. When the people saw Coalville, many lifted their hats and shouted for joy. It was the first settlement of the Saints in Utah the travelers had seen. After we camped at Holtsville [Hoytsville], I was able to get out of bed for the first time since I took sick at Devil's Gate. After dark while we were around the camp fire, I heard someone coming down the hill on the other side of the valley. He was singing and whistling and driving a wagon and yoke of oxen. He had been to Salt Lake City with a load of coal. As he got nearer to the camp I recognized my brother Stephen's voice. When he came to camp his joy was turned to the greatest grief and sorrow. When we told him of the death of his wife and 2 children. He sobbed and cried and went nearly crazy. Next day the train traveled to Parleys Park where the immegrants agent met us and took our names and caused us to sign notes of what we owed to the P.E. funds. The next day I traveled down Silver Creek Canyon back to Coalville where brother Stephen had taken my wife and child. He had no home of his own but lived and worked for a man named Job Franklin. I also found these links: |
