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Sunday, July 2, 2017

Quaker Cousins - Eli W. Beard


Eli Warrington Beard was my 1st cousin 3 time removed as he was a 1st cousin of my great-grandmother, Mary Magdalene (Hockett) Albertson. Eli's mother was Margaret Hockett, the 2nd oldest sister of Mary's father Francis Hockett. Margaret was married to Enoch Beard and Eli was their 2nd child, born 22 Feb 1836 in Randolph County Indiana.

As the majority of the Hockett family did, they soon moved to Henry County, Iowa. According to a newspaper article published in September, some months after his death 8 Jan 1913, he had received an inheritance while in his teens of two oxen which he sold for $25 so he could attend school. Eli became a teacher and when he died the Des Moines newspaper stated that he was probably the oldest school teacher in Iowa at age 78 (the math doesn't quite add up) and had been teaching for 58 years. It seems he had taught many of the businessmen and other leaders in the community. His obituary also stated that he had remained a Quaker and was a regularly ordained minister of the church.

It appears Eli followed the lead of his father who was married 3 times. Eli was also married 3 times: 1st to Susan or Susanna Iola Pickett in 1857 who died in 1884; 2nd to Mary Winslow in 1885 who died in 1897; and 3rd to Mary E McNeil in 1899 who was a number of years younger than him and survived him.

Apparently all of his children were with his first wife Susan. His obituary shows 5 surviving children; a daughter and 4 sons, the daughter and 1 son were living in Alberta Canada and the other 3 were in various parts of Iowa. Quaker records show that 2 children died as infants, in 1860 and 1861. From Find a Grave it shows 2 children who died in 1879, a son age 3 and a daughter 15.

It is probable that Eli was buried in the IOOF Cemetery in Indianola, Warren County Iowa. There is a stone which reads:  
   IN MEMORIAM
ELI W. BEARD
     A TEACHER
    1836--1913
ERECTED BY HIS PUPILS

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