Enos Beard was born Dec. 31, 1814, in Bavaria, Germany, the third of a family of five children of Thomas and Sarah (Brand) Beard. His parents being in poor circumstances, thought they could do better in America, and accordingly the father and his sons, Martin and Enos, set sail for the United States and landed in New York, Aug. 1, 1833. They obtained work on a railroad several months, each receiving $16 a month. In eleven months they were able to send for the remainder of the family. They resided in Lancaster County, Pa., until May, 1837, when they moved to Wayne County, Ind. The sons gave their father the money they had earned, with which he purchased land in Hamilton County, Ind., in 1840. In 1843, after seeing his parents comfortably settled in their new home, Enos returned to Wayne County and commenced for himself without a dollar. He learned the carpenter's trade of his father and worked at it in Jacksonburg many years. He first purchased a house and fourteen acres of land, and after a few years traded his property in the village for eighty acres of his present farm, since which has followed agricultural pursuits. He now owns 160 acres of fine farming lands. He was married in November, 1843, to Lovina, daughter of Joseph and Sarah (Stenton) Shanks, who came from York County, Pa., to Wayne County, Ind., in 1816. Mr. Shanks died in his ninetieth year. Mrs. Shanks is also deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have had no children of their own but have an adopted daughter, Maggie Stanton, now wife of Andrew Lightner, who lives with Mr. Beard and cultivates the farm. An adopted son died at the age of eleven years. They also reared James Mundle till he was seventeen years old, when he died. Mr. and Mrs. Beard and Mr. and Mrs. Lightner are members of the Disciple church. Politically Mr. Beard is a Republican. His father died aged eighty-two years and his mother died at the age of seventy years. His brother and sister are deceased, with the exception of Katie, widow of Peter Lantic, of Hamilton County. Mr. Beard has never made use of intoxicants as a beverage.

History of Wayne County, Indiana;
Volume II, (1884)
Harrison Township
p. 498 & 499