52 Ancestors, 52 Weeks, Week 31

Nancy Elizabeth Bearden

Nancy Bearden was my second great-grandmother. She was born on March 12, 1865 in Bennettsville, Alabama to Roland Bearden and Lucinda White. She was the 10th child of a full dozen. At least that is all I have found, which to me is quite enough.

In the 1870 Census, Nancy is found for the first time in proper records.  She is with her parents and siblings in Bennettsville, Alabama.  She is 4 years old.  Besides her parents, Roland and Lucinda, she has 5 sisters and 2 brothers in the house.  Her father is farming.

The 1880 Census has Nancy still with her family. It is taken in Attalla, Alabama, in Etowah County. She is with 4 sisters and 2 brothers. Her father is 60, and her mother is 52 years old. Nancy is 16 at the time. Though they are listed in the Attalla post office area, Roland is still farming.

On April 16, 1884, she married Charles Henry Beard.  He was called Charlie on most records, which made him hard to find.  At any rate, he was 32 years old at the time.  She was just 19.  I believe he had an earlier wife, but I have not, as of yet, confirmed that.  They married in DeKalb County, Alabama.

In 1900, in the census of Etowah County, Alabama, Charlie is listed as C. H. Barde, and Nancy as Nannie. She is 34 years old. They have 7 children: Sallie is 14, Chutley, 19, is my great-grandfather Charles Pinkney, Frank, 9, May, 8, Magey, 6, John is 4, and Joe is 5 months old.  I've gone over this several times to make sure that it is really them.  The spelling is so bad it is funny.

Charlie died on June 28, 1902 in Turkeytown, Alabama. He was 50 years old. Nancy is left alone, and never remarries.

The next time we find her in the records is 1910.  She is listed in the census as head of household and a farmer. She is 43 years old.  In the house is Roland, 18, Johnnie, 13, Joe is 11, Alma is 8, Sarah L. Farmer is 23, she is living with them now, Willie, 3, and Harvey Farmer, 2, are the grandchildren.

I've not been able to find her again in records until the 1940 Census. She is 72 at that time, and living in Attalla, Alabama. The head of household is her son Joe, age 40. His wife Cora, 39, children, Helen, 12, Edward, 10, Guy, 6, Howard, 4, and Nancy, listed as Mother.

My grandmother, Bizzie Lee Beard, talked about how much she had loved Nancy. She said she had lived with her for a while, I assumed it was after her mother died. She was a small child at the time.

Nancy died on the 28th of September, 1944. She was 76 years old.

Obituary:
Mrs. Nancy Beard Burial Rites Today - Etowah County Native Succumbs in Attalla
Mrs. Nancy Elizabeth Beard who lived at Wilson Addition, Attalla, died yesterday at 2 p.m. of a heart attack suffered a week ago. At the time of her death Mrs. Beard was at her son's home.

A native of this county, she lived for a short time in Dekalb County. Since early childhood the 78-year-old woman has been a member of the Baptist Church, having belonged to Old Bethlehem Baptist for the past several years.
Funeral services were held this afternoon at 2:30 at Carnes Cemetery near Ivalee. The Rev. Oscar Oliver officiated and Collier-Butler Funeral Home was in charge of funeral arrangements.

She is survived by four sons, Roland, John, Joe and Drew Beard, all of Attalla; three daughters, Mrs. Vester Clifton, Altoona; Mrs. Alma Duncan, Springville Route 1; and Mrs. Oma Pence, Attalla Route 2; 61 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and 11 great-great-grandchildren.

The following served as honorary pallbearers: Dr. W.W. Rowan, Dr. O.R. Sigrest, George P. Walker, Sr., Dennis McClendon, Eulice McClendon, E.G. Lee, Walker Drake, and W.W. Brackett.

Active pallbearers will be grandsons, J.R. Beard, Ed Beard, J.R. Brown, Joe Beard, Louie Beard, Monroe Beard, Thomas Beard and Johnnie B. Duncan.

Sources:
1. 1870 U.S. Census, Bennettsville PO, Etowah County, Alabama; Series: M593, Heritage Quest. 
2. 1880 U.S. Census; DeKalb, Alabama; Roll: 12; Page: 650A; Enumeration District: 058, Ancestry.com
3. Marriage Record, 16 April 1884, Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920: 401; Alabama, FamilySearch
4. 1900 US Census, 1900 US Census, Hollis Precinct, Etowah, 
Alabama, United States; HeritageQuest.
5. 1910 U.S. Census, Cox, Etowah County, Alabama, Page: 12 Dwelling 36 Family 36.
6. 1940 US Census, Election Precinct 17, Etowah, Alabama; NARA Publication: T627, FamilySearch/NARA.
7. Death certificate; Alabama, Etowah County, Attalla. Center for Health Statistics. 
9. Obituary: Gadsden Times, Gadsden, Alabama, September 1944.

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