Alameda
County
Biographies
JOHN
L. BEARD
JOHN L. BEARD. The late John L. Beard was one of the
successful, cultured and public spirited ranchers of Washington township,
Alameda county.
His death, November 19, 1903, removed from the field of activity
and usefulness a member of the first class of graduates of the University of
California, and the first graduate to hold the office of regent of that
institution, an honor which he maintained for sixteen years. He was also one of the earlier members of the
famous Bohemian Club of San Francisco, where his wit and geniality found ample
appreciation, and he was a profound believer in the moral and general benefits
of fraternal organizations, with which he was variously connected. He was a member of the Alameda
Lodge No. 167, F.&A.M., of Centerville,
and of the Mission Peak Lodge, I.O.O.F., of Irvington, Washington
township. Mr. Beard’s life began on
a farm near Lafayette, Inc., June 18, 1845, and from 1850 until his death
he profited by the educational business and agricultural advantages of the
state of California. His father, Elias
Lyman Beard, was a pioneer of 1849, and a man of such leading characteristics
and attainments that herewith is appended a description from a contemporary
periodical, of his rise and success in life:
“Elias Lyman Beard was born in Lyons,
Wayne county, New York, October 15, 1816, but when quite young was taken
by his parents to Jackson county, Mich., and the following year to Peru, Miami
county, Ind., where he assisted his father, who was a contractor, and later
took contracts for himself, among the enterprises with which he was connected
being the construction of the Wabash & Erie Canal. In 1836 he settled in Lafayette, Tippecanoe county, the same state, where he was engaged in grain
raising and sawmilling, being shipper of the first load of grain on the above
mentioned canal. Later he engaged in the
pork-packing trade, and owned a stone quarry in that place, while to him is due
the honor of having shipped the first load of corn from Indiana to the state of
New York. In 1844 he contracted to build
for the government, and saw to their completion the splendid docs of the navy
yard at Memphis, Tenn. after which he returned to his home in Lafayette, and
conducted his milling, quarrying, and mercantile pursuits, until he made up his
mind to tempt fortune on the Pacific coast.
“Leaving Indiana in February, 1849, he
proceeded to New Orleans, and there took ship for Matamoras, whence he made the
journey across Mexico, among the passengers being Samuel Martin of Oakland, and
arrived in San Francisco in May, 1849.
After passing a month traveling through portions of California, he
finally settled at the Mission San Jose in June of that year, and there became
interested with John M. Horner in land in that town. It was a bold venture at the time, this
purchase of thirty thousand acres, the Pico interest
in the Mission grant. The title of the
land was so uncertain that it was a great risk to lay out money on it. Fences had to be made of wire, and the miles
and miles required of it cost a great deal of money. Farming implements too were expensive, and
the price of labor was very high. The
interest on money was high also, and the result of the farming experiment was
considered very uncertain. All flour, as
well as other supplies, were being imported from the
east, and there were as yet no mills to grind the wheat in California, if it
could be grown. But Mr. Beard was a
man for large enterprises, and of indomitable courage, and in spite of all
obstacles and risks entered upon the business of grain and fruit raising on
what then seemed to be a magnificent scale, and the result fully justified the
soundness of his judgment, and demonstrated the agricultural capabilities of
the country. In 1852 he had six hundred
and forty acres of grain that yielded, on the average, fifty-six bushels to the
acre. His yield of potatoes was sixty
thousand bushels, averaging for the most part three hundred and thirty bushels
to the acre. According to Rev. Dr. Willey,
in the Pacific of May 19, 1880,
the size of these potatoes was something marvelous. It was common to find some of three pounds
weight, and frequently those weighing from three to five pounds. He says:
‘I remember during one day at Mr. Beard’s, when there were nine of
us grown persons at table, and a single potato, weighing four pounds, served us
all, and there was plenty left for three persons who came afterward, and both
the quality and flavor were exceptional.’
The mission orchard enclosure then comprised fifteen acres. Besides vines, fig trees, olive, peach and
quince trees, there were in this orchard three hundred and fifty full grown
pear trees. The yield of one of the
largest of these trees was fifteen hundred pounds, and the gross income from
the same was $400. The gross receipts from the vineyard in 1851 was $16,000.
“Having been joined by his wife, a son,
and stepson, Mr. Beard took up his residence on land purchased from
Thomas O. Larkin, and from the product of the old orchard acquired a
handsome competency. But such were his
sanguine hopes of the future of California, that he invested all of his means
in partial payments on ranches, and the depression in values which soon
followed swept away all of his accumulations, and left him a poor man. In 1858 he took charge of the Mariposa
estate, in connection with General Fremont, but this undertaking proved a
failure. He then contracted to purchase
a mile square of land, embracing what is now the town of Salinas, expended
largely in fencing, and put in a crop of wheat, but the season proved
unfruitful and he lost his investment.
At the beginning of the Civil war he joined General Fremont at
St. Louis and distinguished himself by his energy and force of character,
and by the rapidity and zeal with which he executed contracts for fortifying
the city – contracts which amazed people by the brief time allowed for their
fulfilment. In 1865 he and his stepson,
Henry C. Ellsworth, procured a perfected title, by patent from the United
States, to nearly four thousand acres of land on the ex-mission of San Jose,
and were again the possessors of a competency.
But not content with this, his sanguine disposition led him into sundry
enterprises, embracing an attempt to develop an oil well at Mattole, Humboldt county, and to open mines in various parts of the
country. After speculations, all of
which proved unsuccessful, he made an attempt to recuperate these losses by
dealing in mining stocks, which finally swept away his entire fortune, and he
died, May 8, 1880, a poor man, as far as worldy[sic] goods were
concerned, leaving a widow, who is beloved by all who know her – a woman
endowed with the finest social and tenderest womanly
qualities of character; and the son whose sketch is given below. Mr. Beard was the first president of the
California State Agricultural Society, organized in 1854, and the first fair
under his administration, in what was then known as the Music Hall, San
Francisco, proved most satisfactory and prosperous.”
From the public schools John L.
Beard entered the Burton School, also of San Francisco, and after preparing for
college entered the University of California, from which he was graduated in
the first class of that institution in 1868.
He then enlarged his horizon by a year of travel in Europe, after which
he returned to Alameda county and engaged in ranching on large tracts of land,
part of which comprise the homestead, where he lived until his death with the
exception of seven years spent at Warm Springs, from 1887 to 1894, when he
returned to the home place now occupied by his widow, and which his
grandfather, Captain Jesse Beard, had given him. Captain Beard came to Alameda county in 1853, and after farming many years lived in
retirement until his death.
Mr. Beard left his widow and family a valuable home of two hundred
and three acres about three and a half miles from Centerville, one hundred
acres of which is under orchard, and the balance under vegetables. Mrs. Beard
leases the ranch for cash rent, and the orchard on shares, managing the same
with the same method and painstaking care which her husband used to bestow on
his property. The home place is one of
the highly cultivated properties in Alameda county. Mrs. Beard was
formerly Lizzie Hawley, and her marriage occurred April 29, 1880. She is a daughter of James Hawley, mention of
whom may be found elsewhere in this work.
Mrs. Beard was born in Washington township, as were also her four
children, Jessie, John L., Hawley W., and Clara Hawley. Like his father, Mr. Beard was a Republican,
and represented his district in the state senate during the sessions of
1894-98. He was a man of deep
convictions and great force of character, a generous, large hearted citizen,
who looked on life through friendly eyes, seeing the good, the true, and the
beautiful in nature and his friends, and participating in the promotion of
every worthy cause dictated by reason and suggesting helpfulness. His culture and social qualities drew to him
many lasting friendships, and he was a welcome guest in the foremost homes of
the state.
[Inserted by D. Toole]
Beard
1879
Apr 14, Oakland Tribune, P3, Oakland, California
The
final account of administrator of the estate of Jesse Beard,
was accepted to-day and discharge granted by Judge Redman.
1880
May 8, Oakland Tribune, P3, Oakland, California
Beard-Hawley
Mr.
John L. Beard and Miss Lizzie Hawley, both of Alvarado, were married last
Thursday, April 29th, by Rev. W. F. B. Lynch, of Centerville, at the residence
of the bride’s parents. The relatives of
the contracting parties were the only guests, together with a very few intimate
friends. The happy couple left for
Oakland and San Francisco on their tour.
They have been members of the Centerville Literary Club for a long time,
and are followed by the best wishes of their fellow members, together with
those of their many other friends.
1880
May 10, The Record-Union, P2, Sacramento, California
Death
of a Pioneer
Mission
San Jose, May 9th – Elias L. Beard died here at noon to-day, in the
sixty-fourth year of his age. Mr. Beard
arrived in this State in 1849, and from that time has been identified with the
interests of this place. In early days
he was a large landholder here. He was a
member of the San Francisco Society of California Pioneers, and a member of the
Masonic fraternity. His funeral takes
place to-morrow, from his late residence here, at 2 o’clock p.m.
[Second
Dispatch]
Mission
San Jose, May 9th – The funeral of the late E. L. Beard took place to-day at 2
p.m. from his late residence. Over 150
vehicles, filled with friends, followed the remains to the last resting place
at Washington Corners, showing the high esteem in which he was held. Rev. Mr. Lynch officiated at the house, while his old friend Judge Crane, by special request of
deceased, delivered a very eloquent eulogy at the grave.
1880
Jun 11, Oakland Tribune, P1, Oakland, California
A
race between horses owned by Mr. John L. Beard and
Mr. J. H. Lowrie came off near Newark
last week, resulting in the defeat of Mr. Beard’s horse, “Naubee
Chief,” and the winning of the purse of $2oo by the owner of the victorious
horse, “Billy Button.”
1880
Jun 16, The Record-Union, P1, Sacramento, California
A
discussion as to the best means of carrying out the provisions of the Act
passed by the last Legislature to promote the viticultural
interests of the State was had yesterday afternoon at the rooms of the society
by John L. Beard and B. B. Redding, of the Board of Regents at the
University, and Arpad Haraszthy, Charles A. Wetmore
and Charles Krug, of the Viticultural Society. Professor Hilgard,
who was present, was directed to prepare an estimate of what money was needed
to prosecute experiments, and report to the committee of the Regents. The first subject investigated will be the phylloxera, which will be studied by both the University
and the Society.
1886
Sep 15, Oakland Tribune, P3, Oakland, California
Washington
Township
Reporter,
September 11th.
John
L. Beard’s new winery near Warm Springs, is nearly
ready for use. He has the machinery
ready for manufacturing and the tanks mostly in place. He expects to “grind out” 30,000 to 40,000
gallons of wine from his own vineyards.
1888
Jul 13, Oakland Tribune, P8, Oakland, California
W.
W. Whitman of Torrey, Whitman & Gardner, John L. Beard of Centerville, John
Ingalls of Alvarado, and others left Warm springs yesterday by teams for the
Santa Cruz mountains for a month’s camping trip.
1903
Nov 20, Oakland Tribune, P12, Oakland, California
John
L. Beard is Dead
Sudden
Summons of Ex-State Senator and Prominent Fruit-Raiser
Ex-State
Senator John L. Beard died suddenly of heart failure at his home yesterday
afternoon, about three miles from Alvarado.
The deceased was naturally a man of massive frame and enjoyed vigorous
health, until about two years ago when his constitution seemed to have become
somewhat impaired, though there was no suspicion that the impairment would have
a fatal termination. The end was
tranquil and painless and will cause regret among the thousands of people in
this county, who had known and esteemed the deceased for years.
John
L. Beard was the son of E. L. Beard, who came to this state from the East in
1849, and who was associated with John M. Horner, father of present County
Supervisors Horner, in the ownership of 30,000 acres of land in the vicinity of
Mission San Jose in this county. A part
of that immense estate descended to and was still in possession of the s__
[text blurred] who has just passed away.
The deceased was born in La Fayette, Tippecanoe county, Ind.,
June `18, 1845, and resided there until he came to California with his
parents in 1849. He resided at the home
of his parents near Mission San Jose, until 1867, when he moved to a point a
few miles from Centerville where he engaged in farming, fruit raising and
viticulture, having first, however, received a preparatory school training in
the college of California in this city and subsequently graduating from the
University of California at Berkeley. He
married the daughter of a pioneer farmer named Harvey[sic,
Hawley] and moved to a home about three miles from Alvarado. He was the father of two children, Jesse and
Eldridge L. Beard. Ten years ago the
deceased served a term in the State Senate of California, having been elected
on the Republican ticket. Senator Beard
was one of the most devoted Masons of this county, and was especially active in
securing the location, in this county, of the Home for Masonic Widows and
Orphans at Decoto. The funeral will take
place next Saturday morning at 10:30 o’clock from the late home of the
deceased.
1903
Nov 23, Oakland Tribune, P3, Oakland, California
J.
L. Beard Leaves Small Estate
Attorney
Thomas Huxley today, received the will of the late Senator John L. Beard. He will read it to the family tomorrow after
which he will file the document for probate.
The will disposes of, comparatively speaking, only a small estate. The home place in which the Senator died has,
for a number of years, been the property of the widow. This is valued at $60,000. Persons well-informed on the subject, say
that the residue of the estate will not exceed in value $15,000.
1903
Nov 27, Oakland Tribune, P12, Oakland, California
John
L. Beard’s Will Filed
The
will left by the late ex-State Senator John L. Beard, who died at his home at
Warm Springs recently was filed for probate today. He was prominently connected with the
politics of Alameda and was one of the earliest graduates of the University of
California. While he is presumed to have
left a considerable estate his will gives no idea of the real amount of his
property. The document is as follows:
“Warm
Springs, November 30, 1892. I, John L.
Beard, of Warm Springs, Alameda County, State of California, being of sound
mind and memory and understanding, do make my last will and testament in manner
and form following: I give and bequeath
to my daughter Jessie L. Beard, $500, and the same amount to each of my
remaining children that may be living at the time of my death. Said amount to be paid when
they shall have attained their majority.
All of my property excepting the before mentioned bequests both real and
personal, I bequeath to my wife, Lizzie H. Beard. I further will that my wife Lizzie H. Beard
shall have full power to manage my estate and have full power to sell, lease
and rent as she may deem best and that she shall administer on my estate
without giving any bonds and she is to be the sole executrix of this my last
will and testament. John L. Beard.”
The
petition for the probate of the will accompanying the will states that the
estate consists of 100 acres of land at Warm Springs, 300 acres of salt
marsh in this county and about 90 acres in Santa Clara county and property
which aggregates about $20,000. His
personal effects are valued at about $3,000.
The heir’s[sic] are Lizzie H. Beard, the
widow, John L. Beard, Hawley W. Beard, and Clara H. Beard,
children of the deceased.
1939
Apr 27, Oakland Tribune, P4C, Oakland, California
Rites
Set for County Pioneer
Funeral
Tomorrow for Mrs. Elizabeth Beard, Born Here in 1851
Funeral
services will be held tomorrow for Mrs. Elizabeth Hawley Beard, 83, Alameda
County pioneer and aunt of Mayor Oliver Ellsworth of Piedmont. Mrs. Beard died yesterday at a local rest
home after an illness of two months.
Born and educated in Alvarado, when it was the county seat, Mrs. Beard
had lived here all her life. Her parents
settled in the Alvarado region in 1851, after coming across the Isthmus of
Panama
Husband
Also Pioneer
Her
husband, the late John L. Beard, was a member of another pioneer family which
settled at Mission San Jose in 1848. He
graduated from the University of California in 1868. Mrs. Beard taught at the Dublin Canyon school for six years, riding to the little red schoolhouse
daily from Hayward. After Beard’s death
in 1903 she moved to San Francisco, where she lived until her illness.
Surviving
Relatives
Surviving
her are two sons, Jesse L. Beard, New York; Hawley Beard of Berkeley; and a
daughter, Mrs. Clara Helm, of Lone Pine.
She was also the sister of Mrs. May Paterson[sic],
of Oakland, and Edwin Hawley, of Centerville.
Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at2 under the direction
of the James Taylor Company, 588 15th Street, with Dr. Clarence Reed, pastor of
the First Unitarian Church, officiating.
Entombment will follow at Mountain View Mausoleum.
1961
Jul 9, Daily Review, P14, Hayward, California
South
County History
Assessment
Roll Lists 10 Largest Landholders in 1854
This
is another in a continuing series of articles on the history of Southern
Alameda County. The stories will
continue weekly in the Sunday edition of the Daily Review.
By
John S. Sandoval
The
first assessment roll for Washington Township in 1854 reveals the 10 largest
landholders and the assessed valuation for their property during the first five
years after the gold-rush.
<snipped>
James
Hawley came to California in 1849 from Brooklyn. He too, was of English descent and followed
the trade of builder and carpenter. He
first came to Mission San Jose to assist J. J. Vallejo, for whom he re-built
the Vallejo grist mills at Niles in 1851.
Built
Hotel
With
the profits from the contract Mr. Hawley built the Red Hotel in the Mission
across the street from the Vallejo home.
Next he built the John Horner residence near Centerville. When his wife and two children joined him at
the Mission in 1853 James Hawley built a home on forty acres of property across
from the Jesse Beard (father of E. L. Beard) home on the Centerville-Alvarado
Road. All of the five Hawley daughters
married local settlers in South County.
Elizabeth Hawley was born in 1856 and attended San Jose Normal
School. She taught in country schools at
Palomares, Dublin, Altamont, Decoto and Alvardo[sic]
schools before marrying John L. Beard, who later became State Senator from
Alameda County. Another Hawley daughter,
Charlotte, married Charles Whipple and raised a family of eight children. Still another daughter married John M.
Ingalls. A fourth daughter Clara, married George Patterson who farmed near present-day
Newark. Her sister, Hetty
May, married William S. Patterson. <snipped>
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1024-1025. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.
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