Richard Beard

Richard Beard III
BIRTH Jan 1626, West Sussex, England
DEATH 1681 (aged 54–55), Anne Arundel County, Maryland, USA
BURIAL Burial Details Unknown, Specifically: He was a Quaker, MEMORIAL ID 105786588

Richard Beard III was born in Jan 1626 in Sussex County, England. He was the son of Richard Beard II (1604-1661) and Ann Walker Beard (1608-1662). He married Rachel Robins (1628-1681) in 1649, probably in England or Virginia. They moved to Anne Arundel County, MD in 1650. Rachel was the daughter of Edward Robins (1602-1641) and Jane Cornish Robins (1612-1674).

Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s about Richard Beard: Name: Richard Beard - Year: 1650 - Place: Maryland - Family Members: Wife Beard, Rachell - Source Publication Code: 2524.55 - Primary Immigrant: Beard, Richard - Annotation: Date and port of arrival. Extracted from Maryland Land Office records of patents and warrants. Reference to original record or transcript and microfilm number are also provided. Other historical and genealogical information may also be provided. The first - Source Bibliography: GIBB, CARSON. A Supplement to The Early Settlers of Maryland. Annapolis, MD: Maryland State Archives, 1997. 248p. - Page: 21.

From The Maryland Calendar of Wills, Jane Baldwin, p. 99. Beard, Richard, A. A. Co., 24th July, 1675; 10th Aug., 1681. To wife Rachel, execx., home plantation during life. To sons Richard and John and hrs., sd plantation at death of wife afsd , and all other lands except those mentioned below: To dau. Ruth and her sons, part of Timber Neck and sd Richard's share in event of his death without issue. To dau. Rebecca and her sons, part of Indian Range; also son John's portion in event of his death without issue. To dau. Rachel Clarke and her sons, all lands above mentioned in event of death of other child., viz. Richard, John, Ruth, and Rebecca, without issue. Overseers: Brother-in-law Wm. Burgess, and sons afsd of testator

Note: William Burgess married Richard's wife's sister Elizabeth (nee Robins). There is some uncertainty as to whether "wife Rachel" was Elizabeth's sister, or whether he had married *Ruth* Robins and Rachel was her successor (second and third wives were not uncommon during the difficult early years of colonization - as were second, third, etc. husbands). Daughter Rachel had married Neal Clarke, but had not had any sons yet (and apparently never did, despite four more marriages), while Ruth and Rebecca may not even have been married yet. Richard was counting his chickens before the eggs were laid, let alone hatched.

Richard III and Rachel Robins Beard were the parents of the following known children: Ruth, Richard, John, Rachel and Rebecca.

In the book "Colonial Families of Anne Arundel County, Maryland" written in 1996 by Robert Barnes page 59-63: Richard Beard came to MD as a free adult with his wife and two children in 1650. He was probably in Virginia in 1646 when he married Rachel, daughter of Edward Robins. Richard represented Anne Arundel County in the Lower House of the Assembly in 1662-1664. He was a Quaker and a boat builder. He owned land in Anne Arundel County, MD called "Timber Neck" and "Indian Range". He knew Walter Phelps who is listed in this book. Years later Richard Beard's descendents and Walter Phelps' descendents ended up in Barbour County, WV, so many in this area are connected to both of these families. This is a very good book for families in Barbour County, WV who have ancestors in this area of Maryland during the 1600's to read. His son, Richard Beard served as a Justice of AA Co. and made the first map of Annapolis.

This family is mentioned in this book: "Beard family history and genealogy" on page 16 where it mentions about a family by the name of Beard settleing in Virginia as early as 1668. There were Beards who settled in Massachusetts from England, then in this book, an Irish family settled in Anne Arundel County, Maryland before 1654 had the exact last name of this family who settled in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1710. "The Maryland Beards were Richard, the father, whose wife was Rachel, and their children were Richard Jr., John, Ruth, Rebecca and Rachel". This book also showed that "one Robert Beard died in Maryland in 1685 and in his will written in 1683 and proven in 1685, he left a plantation called Beard's Choice to an unknown son of his brother, Christopher Beard. Richard Beard was in Arundel County, Maryland in 1654, prominent in public affairs".

In another book: "Baird and Beard families : a genealogical, biographical, and historical collection of data" on page 60, we learn that Richard Beard may have descended from the Bairds of North Kelsy". He was a member of the Maryland Assembly 1662-1678. For many years he was justice of the peace. "He died about 1681, and his will names wife Rachel, sons Richard, John and daughters Ruth, Rebecca, Rachel". "Possibly descended from Richard, who came to the precinct of Lurg with Francis Blennerhassett. Richard had lands in County Fermanagh, Ireland in 1659".

In another book we learn more about Richard Beard. This book is called, "Ancestral Records and Portraits, Vol. I" page 247. "Richard Beard, of South River, Md, Anne Arundel County, came up from Virginia with his brother-in-law, Edward Burgess. He took up 'Beard's Habitation' on Beard's Creek and built a mill, which also bore his name". "He was a member of the Provincial Assembly of Maryland, 1662 and 1663. His death occurred in 1675. He married Rachel, the daughter of Edward Robins of Northampton, Virginia. Their daughter, Ruth married John Gaither II".

In the book "Founders of Anne Arundel and Howard Counties", there is a large article about Richard Beard on pages 106 and 107.

William Randolph Hearst(1863-1951), Newspaper magnate, 8th Great Grandson of Richard Beard (through his daughter, Rachel and granddaughter, Elizabeth).

ichard Beard III died in 1681 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, United States. He was 55 years old. He was a Quaker. Burial unknown. His will date is recorded in the Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1604-1878. Name Richard Beard Gender Male Probate Date 24 Jul 1675 Probate Place Maryland, USA Inferred Death Year Abt Inferred Death Place Maryland, USA Case Number 25 26 27 Item Description Wills, vol 1-2, 1635-1704 Household Members: Name Richard Beard Name Rachel Robins

Spouse
Rachel Robins Beard
1631–1681

Children
Rachel Beard Freeborne
1650–1724

References
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/105786588/richard-beard

Note: Information this early on Findagrave.com is often crowdsourced and not always accurate (for instance, any references to Maryland before 1635 are totally bogus).