Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 01.djvu/261

This page needs to be proofread.

BEARD.


BEARDSLEE.


engraved by Knoedler. " Out All Night," " Our Mutual Friend," "Streets of New York," were dog pictures, which sold for from $3, 500 to $7,000. " A Peep at Growing Danger, "' "The "Widow," "The Parson's Pets," "Attorney and Clients," " There's Many a Slip," " Consultation," " Blood will Tell,"' "Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, "Don't You Know Me?" "Heirs at Law, " Which Has Pre-emption?" " You Can't Have this Pup," "My Easter's all Spoilt," "I don't Believe One Word of It," "The Detected Poacher," " Don't You Come Here," "The Mis- sissippi Flood," " A Barnyard," " 'LI Yer Gim- me Some? Say!" are the titles of some of his prominent pictures. In his eightieth year Mr. Beard painted " The Last Victim of the Deluge," which was exhibited with his portrait of General Sherman at the fall exhibition of the National academy of 1891, and attracted a great deal of attention and comment. His four sons, James Carter, Henry, Frank, and Daniel, adopted art as their profession and be- came noted artists. He died in New York city April 4, 1893.

BEARD, Richard, clergj-man. was born in Sumner county, Tenn., Nov. 27, 1799, was gradu- ated at Cumberland university, Tenn., in 1832, and was professor of Latin and Greek there until 1838, when he was elected professor of languages in Sharon college. Miss. In 1848 he was elected president of Cumberland college, remaining in that olBce until 1854, when he resigned to accept the professorship of systematic theology in the same institution. For several terms he was mod- erator of the general assembly. His principal published works were: " Lectures on Theology " (3 vols., 1870) ; and " Why I am a Cumberland Presbyterian " (1874). He was the leading theo- logical scholar of his organization. He died in Lebanon. Tenn.. Dec. 2, 1880.

BEARD, William Holbrook, painter, was born at Painesville, Ohio, April 13, 1825; son of J. H. Beard, a pioneer captain on Lake Erie, and brother of James H. Beard, the well-known artist. From his earliest childhood he showed a strong love for drawing and painting, but received little encouragement from his family. He began by drawing animals, and by persistent and intelli- gent study of nature he mastered many techni- calities which years of instriiction might not have given him. At the age of twenty-one he began to travel from place to place as a portrait-painter, and after spending a few years thus he went to New York city and took a short course of instruc- tion from his brother. He opened a studio at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1850, and became very success- ful, making a specialty of animal pictures. He remained in that citj" for ten years, meanwhile making a journey to Europe and studying in


Rome, Switzerland and Dusseldorf . In 1860 he removed to New York city, and two years later was made a National academician. He opened his studio in the Tenth street studio building. Though a painter of great versatility, Mr. Beard's hap- piest work is shown in his pictures of allegory and annuals, many of the latter being of a humorous and satirical nature. Among the better known of his pictures are: " Kittens and Guinea Pig " (1859) ; " The Astronomers," " Su- sanna and the Elders" (1860); " Bears on a Bender " (1862) ; " Bear Dance " (1865) ; " March of Silenus " (1866) ; " Raining Cats and Dogs " (1867) ; " FaUen Land-Mark " (1867) ; " Death of Chivalry," and "The Good Shepherd"; "He Leadeth Me Beside the Still Waters " (1869) ; "Pets on a Spree," and "Dickens and his Characters" (1871); "The Wreckers" (1874); "Runaway Match" (1876); "Worn Out" (1876) ; " Divorce Court " (1877) ; " BuUs and Bears in Wall Street" (1879); "Voices of the Night" (1881); "In the Glen" (1882); "Cattle Upon a Thousand Hills" (1883); "Overboard!" "A Witches' Night," "Spirit of the Storm" (1893); and "Undine," "The Coming of Day " (1894); "The Sky was FuU of Forms," "Birth of the Elf " (1895); "Banished" (1895); the the "Seasons" (1895), the "Elements" (1895). He died at the home of his son Wolcott Le Clear Beard, New York city, Feb. 20. 1900.

BEARDSLEE, Lester Anthony, naval officer, was born at Little Falls. N.Y.,Feb. 1,1836. He was warranted midshipman ^Marcli 5, 1850, and served in the East Indies until January, 1855, participated in one battle and several skirmishes with the Chinese at Shanghai, and from October, 1855. to June, 1856, was stationed at the naval academy at Annapolis. He was promoted passed midship- man June 20, 1856; master. Jan. 22, 1858, and lieutenant, July 23, 1859. From 1860 to 1863 he was on the sloop Germantoicn on the coast of Africa. He was promoted Ueutenant-commander July 16, 1862, serving until 1863 with the North Atlantic squadron. He participated in the attack on the defences of Charleston harbor, April 7, 1863, and in October, 1864, assisted in capturing the Confederate steamer Florida, of which vessel he was made commander, taking her to Hampton Roads, Va. From 1865 to 1869 he served in the West Indies, in the East India squadron, and in the Pacific squadron. On Jvme 12, 1869, he was commissioned commander. He served in the hydrograpliic office in the navy department at Washington, 1869-'70; on the steam-tug Palos, April, 1870, to January, 1871 ; in the hydrographic office, 1871-72 ; in the navy yard at Washington, 1872-'75 ; on the United Slates board for testing iron, steel and other metals, 1875-'79; commanding the sloop Jamestown, 1879-'80, He was promoted