Henry Beard-- Part 5: Sycamore's First Black Family

Continued from March 16.

I am still doing research on Henry Beard, an escaped Kentucky slave, who joined the 105th Illinois in 1863.  After the war, he went with the regiment back to DeKalb County and settled there, raising a large family.

The Sycamore Historical Museum has an exhibit called General Dutton's America and part of it is on Henry Beard.  A picture accompanies it and "Sycamore's First Colored Family."

The picture shows the Beard family (but no date given, probably 1870s).

The text reads:  "So much interest was around recently when the True Republican (Sycamore, Illinois) published a picture of Mrs. Henry Beard, widow of a Civil War veteran and who is still living in this city, that another photo of the entire Beard family has been brought to this office for publication.

--Old Secesh