The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-22
TRIBUTE TO JOHN BEARD
PUBLIC-MIyDED CITIZEN TO
WHOSE MEMORY HONOR Is DUE.
To Him More Than to Any other
should He Given Credit for Exist
ence OF Indiana's school Fund.

Very few OF her citizens know how large
a debt the State Of Indiana owes TO the
Hon John Beard. In truth. IL is so great
that it is a matter OF reproach that we
have let fall into obscurity the name OF
our gentle benefactor. II is rarely men,
toned when the development OF our mag
nificant public school system is made the
subject of laudation. Yet without this
plain, quiet man it would have lacked the
stable foundation which is the direct re-
suit of his wisdom and foresight and which
is equaled by that OF no other State in the
Union in security and value.
John Beard was a lad Of sixteen when
his father, Thomas Beard. braved the
dangers of passage through the wilder
ness, literally cutting his way in places.
through the original forest for his team.
in coming from NORTH Carolina. There
John was born Jan. 4, 1875. The family
settled in Wayne county, in the fan Of ISL
No sooner had they reached there. selected
their land, raised their cabin. COM
menced "deadening' for the clearing. than
they were visited by three neighbors who
lived some distance from them. They came
to warn the half dozen families who
formed the new neighborhood that they
were in great danger from hostile Indians.
and that they must either flee, or prepare
TO resist, ito fort" as IL was called In
the vernacular Four OF the families left.
but Mr.. Beard unwilling TO so and
leave behind his effects. which TO US OF
this generation were pitifully small. There
fore he and the heads OF the four other
families remaining. decided TO build shree
block houses, and Mr.. Boards cabin was
left within the Enclosure. So stoutly did
they build. with the help of pioneers who
came from far and wide, that they could
have successfully resisted the Indians had
they been attacked, which however did not
happen. The government afterwards used
their structure as a fort for some time.
The three remaining families lived in this
cabin somehow until the danger was
passed. and one can imagine the horrible
fear of the savage. the loneliness and home-
sickness that harassed them while prison.
ers therein. to which the physical discom-
fort was as nothing.
For the five years preceding his majority
John Beard passed his time as every pio-
neer boy did. in doing a good deal of hard
work, and with little pleasure other than
his rude surroundings afforded: yet his
must have been a life OF savage charm
from its very hardships and dangers. At
one-and-twenty he may be said TO have en-
tered on his political career, in which for
the term of his life he was more or less
engaged, and in which he was vitality in
terested. His coming of age was coinci-
dent with the admission Of Indiana TO
statehood, and his first ballot was cast for
delegates to the convention which framed
the first Constitution Of the State: and
from that time his death he was par
ticipant I'm most Of the great events IT, the
internal developments of the common
wealth. When very young man, yet UNI
der twenty-five, he was elected to justice
of the peace. The legal business of his
office was not very arduous; he was chief
ly employed in performing the marriage
ceremony for his young friends. and be-
came very popular in the exercise of this
his prerogative for which ne never accep-
ted fee. There was no rivalry between
him and the preachers. for they were few.
IL any, and the circuit rider. came rarely.
He. himself. was born in the Society OF
Friends, and, while not actively identified
with them, he never lost his 'birthright,"
though he married out OF the sect
In the autumn OF 1923 he went with some
friends to the new town OF Charlottesville.
in the hope of finding a more healthful
location He purchased a large tract OF
land to the east OF the town and lived
there to the end of his life. His death
occurred Sept. % 1874. at the age OF seven
ty-nine years.
IN THE PUBLIC SERVICE
From the commencement of his residence
in Montgomery county John Beard was a
power in public affairs After only three
years sojourn within its borders he was
elected to represent the county in the
Legislature and with the exception OF but
one term. was kept by his constituents in
one or the other branch OF the House for
fifteen consecutive years. il was period
OF erninently important legislation. lie was
strong supporter OF the measure for the
abolition OF imprisonment for debt, intro
duced the bill himself. and worked faith
fully for its passage. Bills for the liberal
exemption OF property from liability 20
execution, and for investing the Gov
ernor with power TO commute capital pun
ishment to Imprisonment for life he pro-
NOTED TO the best of his ability. He heart
lily furthered the cause of the Wabash
and Erie canal. then the great highway
to-be for the eastward shin nent OF the
bountiful harvests OF Indiana In the
State Bank" embodiment, warned by tho
failure and loss from the bank at Vim
cennes. he voted against the bill TO in
corporate a State bank as II stood, and IL
was defeated by a single vote In It's place
he offered resolution for the report Of a
plan which would secure the public against
loss. and in this matter succeeded 10 the
advantage of the people and the honor
OF the State. In 1884 the State chartered
such an institution and received de-
posit 100000 from the general govern
ment. with the proviso that IL was 10 be
returned when called for by the secretary
of the United States treasury. The State
owned a large number of shares. and IL
| proved a paying institution. when wound
| up twenty-five years later. and the surplus
went TO the school fund.
Hon John Coburn. in ar address he
made in 1873. said: II venture 10 say that
not one man in a hundred in our State