Beard Family

 

 

Pioneer Legacies and the Institutional Development of Pocahontas County: The Beard Family History

Executive Summary

The history of the Beard family in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, provides a comprehensive lens through which to view the socio-economic and civic evolution of the Trans-Allegheny frontier. Spanning from the mid-eighteenth century to the late twentieth century, the family's trajectory follows a distinct pattern of Appalachian development: initial pioneer settlement, the establishment of formal legal and educational institutions, a period of plantation-style agriculture supported by enslaved labor, and a successful transition into the industrial timber boom of the late nineteenth century.

Critical takeaways include:

• Institutional Leadership: Josiah Beard served as the first Clerk of the Court upon the county’s formation in 1821, establishing the administrative framework for the region.
• Economic Adaptability: The family successfully shifted from subsistence farming to large-scale livestock and grain production, and later navigated the transition to an industrial wage economy driven by timber and railroads.
• Architectural Heritage: The Richard Beard House (Highland Trace) remains a premier example of late-Victorian Queen Anne architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
• Social Connectivity: Through strategic intermarriage with other prominent lineages (Poage, McNeel, Wallace), the Beards consolidated land and political influence across generations.

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I. Eighteenth-Century Origins and Pioneer Settlement

The Beard lineage in West Virginia originated with the migration of Scotch-Irish families from the Virginia backcountry into the interior.

Progenitors: John Beard and Janet Wallace

• John Beard (1733–1808): Born in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, John Beard migrated to Renicks Valley in Greenbrier County by 1770. A veteran recognized for his service during the American Revolutionary War (DAR Ancestor #A008076), he established a homestead on fertile limestone soils that served as the family's regional foundation.
• Janet Wallace (1746–1818): Daughter of pioneer Peter Wallace, her marriage to John Beard consolidated two families with deep military and civic roots.
• Legacy of Expansion: John Beard’s 1808 will detailed significant land holdings and provided for his children, setting the stage for his youngest son, Josiah, to expand into the newly formed Pocahontas County.

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II. Civic and Institutional Foundation (1821–1860)

The family’s history shifted from wilderness conquest to the creation of administrative and social structures under Josiah Beard.

The Architect of Administration: Josiah Beard

Josiah Beard (1792–1878) moved to the Little Levels area and became a central figure in the formal establishment of Pocahontas County.

• First Clerk of the Court: Appointed on March 5, 1822, Josiah was responsible for the county’s legal integrity, recording deeds, land grants, and marriage records.
• Educational Advocacy: In 1842, he was an original incorporator of the Little Levels Academy, which provided classical education to the region's elite.
• Religious Leadership: He served as a ruling elder at the Falling Spring Presbyterian Church, reinforcing the cultural values of the Scotch-Irish settlers.

Integration with the Poage Family

Josiah’s 1821 marriage to Rachel Cameron Poage integrated the Beards with one of the region's first permanent settler families. This union produced eleven children, many of whom married into other established lineages (McNeel, Clark, Hill), creating a pervasive social network.

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III. Labor and Economic Dynamics of the Antebellum Era

The Beards’ status as prominent landowners was supported by a diversified agricultural system and the use of enslaved labor.

The 1860 Slave Schedule

By 1860, Josiah Beard managed a workforce of at least nine enslaved individuals. The demographics suggest a multi-generational workforce typical of the era's established plantations.

Age	Gender	Estimated Birth Year
75	Male	1785
66	Male	1794
57	Female	1803
44	Male	1816
33	Female	1827
20	Male	1840
17	Male	1843
11	Male	1849
4	Female	1856

Agricultural Output

The estate focused on livestock (cattle and sheep) and grain cultivation (wheat and corn). This economic base provided the capital for further land acquisition and the education of the Beard children.

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IV. The Crisis of the Civil War

The Civil War caused significant regional devastation and internal division. The Beard family largely supported the Confederacy, contributing several sons to local military units.

• The Bath Squadron: Attached to the 11th Virginia Cavalry, this unit included Edwin S. Beard (2nd Sergeant), Moffett Beard, W.W. Beard, John G. Beard, and John J. Beard.
• Battle of Droop Mountain (1863): A decisive Union victory in Pocahontas County that ended Confederate control of the region.
• Post-War Devastation: The local economy suffered from foraging by both armies and the total dismantling of the enslaved labor system upon the formation of West Virginia.

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V. Post-War Expansion and Architectural Sophistication

Following the war, the family successfully transitioned to a system of diversified agriculture and land development, epitomized by the career of James Henry "Moffett" Beard.

The Richard Beard House (Highland Trace)

Constructed in 1890 by Richard "Dick" Beard, this residence stands as the family’s most enduring architectural monument.

• Designers: Built by Howard Littlepage and his partner, Dassenville, in the Queen Anne style.
• Distinctive Features:
  • The "Bullseye" Motif: A signature routed circle within a square block found on door surrounds and porch posts.
  • Victorian Graining: Interior woodwork (poplar) painted to mimic prestigious woods like oak or walnut.
  • Grand Staircase: Features alternating black walnut and chestnut balusters with a solid black walnut newel post.
• Historic Status: Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002; it currently serves as a historic inn.

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VI. Industrialization and the Timber Boom

The arrival of the Greenbrier Division of the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway in 1900 transformed the county, leading to the emergence of the namesake community of Beard, WV.

Socioeconomic Shifts during the Boom

The timber boom replaced river log rafting with a stable railroad network, attracting a diverse, transient labor force.

Labor Group	Nationality/Origin	Primary Roles
Railroad Workers	Italian, Greek, Slovenian	Tunnelling (Droop Mountain) and track laying.
Loggers	Black Southerners, Northern Whites	Felling timber in remote camps.
Mill Workers	Local and Immigrant	Operating steam-powered sawmills and tanneries.

Impact of Industrialization

Between 1879 and 1920, nearly 30 billion board feet of timber were harvested in West Virginia. The town of Beard and the surrounding "Beard Heights" became hubs for this extraction. While the timber was largely depleted by the late 1920s, the area remained a commercial landmark, later hosting mid-century icons like the "Chic-Inn" drive-in.

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VII. Twentieth-Century Transition and Modern Legacy

In the 1900s, the family moved away from large-scale agricultural stewardship toward professional and civic roles.

• Kyle Nickell Beard (1900–1991): The last of the male line to reside at the Highland Trace house, his death marked the end of the family's direct agricultural stewardship of the original Locust Creek homestead.
• Professional Diversification: Descendants entered fields such as medicine (Dr. Samuel Christopher Beard, Dr. Harry L. Beard), politics (Brown McLauren Yeager), and the arts (Wilma Montelle Beard Harper).
• Preservation: Today, the Beard name is preserved through "Beard Heights," the Pocahontas Memorial Hospital, and the digital archives of "Preserving Pocahontas."

Conclusion

The Beard family represents the archetypal Appalachian experience of persistent upward mobility and institutional leadership. By transplanting cultural institutions like the Little Levels Academy and navigating massive economic shifts—from pioneer farming and slavery to industrial timbering and modern professionalization—the family remained a constant, stabilizing presence in the development of Pocahontas County for over two centuries.