Re: BEARD, George TN c. 1816

My wife, Deanne, has posted earlier here.
There is a book titled "The Biard Family"compiled by Maud Biard Smith of Paris TX in 1954.It starts off with an early couple of paragraphs that many accept as sufficient to establish my Francis Beard's ancestry.Maud says:

"In 1781 Henry Biard bought land in Halifax Co., Va., and moved there on Difficult Creek.He bought more on Bradley Creek, but he sold it all in 1794. and moved away.He signed the deed "Henry Baird" and his wife "Keranhappuch Baird."(In the Bible Keranhappuch was the name of one of Job's daughters).I am convinced he is our ancestor because my grandfather said his name was Henry, and that he lived on the Va.--Carolina border, and there were granddaughters named Keranhappuch or "Happy."

"They went by way of Surry Co., and the Yadkin River in North Carolina to Blount Co., Tenn., where in 1799 Henry (e) signed a marriage license as bondsman, and his daughter Frances married Thomas Morrison (d), Aug 23, 1799,George Beard bondsman.From there Henry and part of his family went to Kentucky, but John Nelson Biard had married Rebecca Stone of Sevier Co., Tenn., and he and his family went with the Stones to Bledsoe Co., Tenn., in about 1813, and in 1819 to Limestone Co., Alabama.John Nelson Biard died in 1839, and his family came to Lamar Co., Texas in 1846."

The spelling of the last name [Biard, Beard and Baird] in this post are as they appear in Maud's book.I have personnaly checked the marriage records in Marysville, Blount Co. TN and copied the entry showing the issuance of a marriage license to Thomas and Frances, dated 13 Aug 1799 with Bondsmanshown as "Geo. Beard."There was no "return" of the license found in the record to show when and if the marriage took place--but considering the family that they had, I am not too concerned!!Maud's book is available from a company in the east.I may still have the name and address if any are interested in it.Good Hunting!