B. F. Wissler, "Life of Patrick Beard" manuscript
Collection — Folder: S0086
Identifier: S0086
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of an onion-skin copy of a typewritten manuscript, entitled "Life of Patrick Beard" by B. F. Wissler. A penciled note reads, “Life and ancestry of Patrick Beard by B. F. Wissler, 1910.” It begins by discussing “an act of Congress, organizing the Indiana territory." Indiana’s early history is detailed, mentioning Jeremiah Cox, Joseph Holman, and Hugh Cull. The writer discusses the difficulty of obtaining information about Patrick Beard (Baird). He also mentions that the former spelling of Baird became too difficult to maintain, so Beard was made official. The history and characteristics of people who are Scotch-Irish is discussed, including their emigration to the colonies, later the United States. Their role in the American Revolution is examined. Dr. Ephraim Brevard is mentioned. Other names mentioned during his time in public service include John DePauw, Daniel Grass, John Paul, William Polka, John Templeton, Samuel Rees, John T. McKinny, and George H. Dunn
Dates
- 1910
Creator
- Wissler, B. F. (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Patrick Beard (Baird) was born in 1769, in Londonderry, Ireland. He moved to Jackson Township, Wayne County, Indiana in 1811 from eastern Tennessee, with his wife, Hannah, and three children, John, Abraham, and Patrick, Jr. They had five more children: Alice, Martha, Hannah, Elizabeth, and Rachel in Indiana. Beard was a member of the Indiana Constitutional Convention in 1816 and represented Wayne County in the Indiana Senate, from 1816 to 1823. He became chairman of a select committee on the Indiana State Library, which recommended “postponement of the subject of a state library to a subsequent session of the General Assembly.” Beard was chairman of the Committee of Public School and a member of the Committee on Runaway Slaves. In 1825, he was appointed to the Board of Canal Commission. Beard died in March of 1831, near Centerville, Indiana.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
"Beard (Baird), Patrick." In A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly, vol. 1, p. 18. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1980.
Sources:
Item in the collection.
"Beard (Baird), Patrick." In A Biographical Directory of the Indiana General Assembly, vol. 1, p. 18. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Historical Bureau, 1980.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Clark Wissler on 1938/07/12.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing and finding aid completed by Edythe Huffman during March 2013. EAD finding aid completed by Bethany Fiechter on 2018/05/10. EAD finding aid revised 2024/04/03 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Wissler, B. F. (Person)
- Title
- B. F. Wissler, "Life of Patrick Beard" manuscript
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
