Part of an old map of the San Jacinto area from the Texas Revolution

Veteran Bio

Texian Location:  Participant

The Kemp Sketch

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BEARD, ANDREW JACKSON -- Born in Arkansas, May 29, 1814, a son of William and Martha Harris Beard. The father was born March 17, 1789 and the mother, February 22, 1793. There were seven children of this union - five boys and two girls. After the death of his wife Mr. Beard was married to Mary Bridges. There were four children born of this union. Mr. Beard died December 7, 1846 and Mrs. Beard died in 1847. They were buried in San Geronimo Cemetery.

In the Headright Certificate issued Andrew J. Beard for one-third of a league of land by the Guadalupe County Board it is stated that he came to Texas in April, 1831. Two of Mr. Beard's a brothers, William H. Beard, Jr., and Robert S. Beard, were members of the Mier Expedition and both died in Mexico. Robert S. Beard was born February 22, 1816 and died in San Louis Potasi, April 8, 1843. William H. Beard, Jr. was born December 28, 1820 and died July 23, 1843.

In Service Record No. 5522 it is certified that Mr. Andrew J. Beard served in the army from March 20 to June 30, 1836. He was a member of Captain William H. Patton's "Columbia Company" at San Jacinto and was issued Donation Certificate No. 418 for 640 acres of land, July 5, 1838 for having participated in the battle. On November 26, 1838 he was issued Bounty Certificate No. 4460 for 320 acres of land for having served in the army from July 14 to October 14, 1836.

In the Deed Records of Guadalupe County it is shown that Mr. Beard was living in Guadalupe County, June 4, 1851 when he sold his Headright Certificate. He moved back to Fort Bend County in about 1853 and on October 12, 1855 donated the land upon which the Big Creek Methodist Church was built.

Mr. Beard was married to Sallie Pentecost, who was born in June, 1818 and died in 1857. Mr. Beard died in 1866. The two in the Big Creek Cemetery twenty mile south of Richmond. The State of Texas had a joint monument erected at their graves in 1936.

Children of Mr. and Mrs. Beard were: Mary; Harriet, who married John Borber; Martha Ann, who married Walter Pharr; Sidney Andrew, who married Josephine Hogan, and Alice Madora Beard.

Alice Beard, daughter of Andrew Jackson Beard, San Jacinto veteran, was married to A. J. Brown. Mrs. Brown died in Rosenberg, April 24, 1938.



Written by Louis W. Kemp, between 1930 and 1952. Please note that typographical and factual errors have not been corrected from the original sketches. The biographies have been scanned from the original typescripts, a process that sometimes allows for mistakes in the new text. Researchers should verify the accuracy of the texts' contents through other sources before quoting in publications. Additional information on the veteran may be available in the Herzstein Library.


Battle Statistics

  • Died in Battle: No
  • Rank: Private
  • Company: Capt. David Murphree

Personal Statistics

  • Date of Birth: 1814 May 29
  • Birthplace: Arkansas; Missouri
  • Came to Texas: 1831 Apr
  • Date of Death: 1866
  • Burial Place: Old Pentecost Graveyard, aka Brown-Beard Cemetery, Big Creek, Texas
  • Donation Certificate: 418
  • Profession: Lawyer, cattleman
  • Wife: Sarah Jane Pentecost
  • Children: Mary Beard; Harriet Beard Berbert; Marth Ann Beard Pharr; Sidney Andrew Beard; Alice Madera Beard Brown