Mary Catherine (Waits) Beard was the second wife of Abner Hamilton Beard, Sr. Catherine was the sister of Abner's good friend, Lee B. Waits. Catherine was 18 when she married Abner in 1860 and four years later a daughter was born to them named Ethel Abner. Catherine and Abner owned a large plantation, which included two cotton gins near Gill, Arkansas. During the Civil War, Abner fought for the Confederacy and offered his slaves to the cause to work in the arms factories for the South in Arkadelphia. He had two sons by his first wife who fought in the war (James Nelson & Levi Spinks Beard). Levi was killed at the battle of Sharpsburg, Maryland. Abner rose to the rank of Captain and fought at the battle of Helena. While he was away, northern soldiers raided the plantation. The story goes that Catherine confronted some soldiers trying to make off with hams hanging in the smokehouse. Catherine pulled a revolver from her skirt and told the soldiers "Don't take the hams." Needless to say, the hams were left.
Courtesy of Ed Beard, [email protected].
Courtesy of Ed Beard, [email protected].
Mary Catherine (Waits) Beard was the second wife of Abner Hamilton Beard, Sr. Catherine was the sister of Abner's good friend, Lee B. Waits. Catherine was 18 when she married Abner in 1860 and four years later a daughter was born to them named Ethel Abner. Catherine and Abner owned a large plantation, which included two cotton gins near Gill, Arkansas. During the Civil War, Abner fought for the Confederacy and offered his slaves to the cause to work in the arms factories for the South in Arkadelphia. He had two sons by his first wife who fought in the war (James Nelson & Levi Spinks Beard). Levi was killed at the battle of Sharpsburg, Maryland. Abner rose to the rank of Captain and fought at the battle of Helena. While he was away, northern soldiers raided the plantation. The story goes that Catherine confronted some soldiers trying to make off with hams hanging in the smokehouse. Catherine pulled a revolver from her skirt and told the soldiers "Don't take the hams." Needless to say, the hams were left.
Courtesy of Ed Beard, [email protected].
Courtesy of Ed Beard, [email protected].
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