JAMES MITCHELL BEARD

The following bio was taken from page 108 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

The Beard family put down roots in Rusk County in 1887 or thereabouts when James Mitchell and Betty Nevils Beard moved their little family here from Louisiana. He was born in Water Valley near Jackson, Mississippi, March 17, 1852 and she, in Union County, Arkansas, April 5, 1853, but had presumably migrated to Louisiana following their marriage.

East Texas, though, seemed to be to their liking, as they purchased a farm from Duncan Preston, November 9, 1888. There in the Ebenezer Community they lived out their lives and raised their children and were buried in the Ebenezer Cemetery, Betty, March 2, 1900 and James Mitchell, August 23, 1910.

We grandchildren, not having had the privilege of knowing our grandparents very long or not at all, glimpse the fabric of their lives in the inscriptions found on their tombstones:

"He followed virtue as his truest guide, Lived as a Christian; as a Christian died." And

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want."

Children in this family are shown in the accompanying photograph with the exception of the oldest, Thomas Monroe (Tommy). He married Lucy Weatherford, and they lived much of their life together in Dallas. Their children were" Preston, Lonnie, Pearl Capps, Minnie Lawrence, Mitchell T., Chester, and Clyde. All are now deceased.

The second son, James Mitchell, married Helen Wells and they had these children: Eunice Dunn, Betty Moyers, Omie Armstrong Robertson, Alma Crim, Alta Leath, and Olen. Betty, Omie, and Alma make their home in Henderson; Alta, in Kilgore. Others have passed on.

Mollie Jimerson and her husband Tom lived and raised their children in the Ebenezer Community, owning and operating a country store on their farm there for a number of years. Their children were Audie Joplin, Onie Wade, Delma, Louise Rodgers, and Norris (Dutch). Onie lives in Henderson; the others have died.

Willie married Virgie Craddock, who still lives in Henderson. They were the parents of Ora Lee McKnight of Irving, Otha of Fort Worth, Aline, who died at twelve, Norman of Amarillo, and Mary Nell Tennison of Henderson.

John married Lavonia Freeze of Rusk County in 1904 and they made their home in Henderson. Their only child is Bonnie Jean Apple of this city.

Louie Jimerson was the wife of Walter. They made their home in the Ebenezer Community and on the farm there raised their three children: Vernon, Lossie Haden, and Denver Farnell. Of these, only Denver is living, still in Ebenezer.

Allie Jimerson was the wife of Barney, brother of Tom and Walter. They, too, spent their lives together in Ebenezer. They were the parents of Linnie Joplin and Lucille Hammett, both of Nacogdoches; Lois Stribble of Longview; and Lottye Jean Adams of Dallas.

Ella Anderson was the wife of Lod and the baby of the Beard family. Their story and more details concerning the children and grandchildren will be found elsewhere in this book and also in The John Benton Anderson Family by Harry Woodbury. This book is in the Rusk County Library. Ella and Lod raised ten children: Gilbert of Henderson; Lurene Billingsley of Timpson; Arthur, deceased in 1966; Arlin of Pickton; Clifton of Shawnee, Oklahoma; Lois Rogers of Henderson; Fred of Tyler; Bertie Faye Oliver of Lufkin; J. L., Jr. of Eldorado, Kansas; and Marvis Nell Eagleton of Araras, Brazil.

Submitted by Lois, Marvis, and Lurene