B-4-12
Stephen Beard JR: The oldest son of Stephen and Sally Beard, Stephen was born in Packersfield in 1797 at E-3-9. His father died from the bite of a rabid dog when Stephen was just five. He acquired 3 ½ acres here on the road to Sullivan in 1829 from his cousin Dorcas (Beard) Stiles who lived nearby at B-4-6. He, likely, built this house. Stephen may have been employed by the Greenwood’s who ran the mill nearby (B-4-7.) Stephen and his wife, Betsey Brown, had seven children before moving to Connecticut in 1838. By this time the road to Sullivan had become part of the county road from Keene to Concord.
Neighbors, Nathaniel Osgood and Nathan Taft, bought the place next, but did not live there. Elisha Davis acquired the home when he purchased an interest in the mill (then owned by Frederick Taylor) in 1841. The next year he married Laura Taylor, daughter of Danforth and Martha Taylor who lived nearby at B-4-1 and lived there until 1847 when the family moved to Wilton, NH. Their two youngest children were born here.
They were followed by Amos and Thais (Atwood) Blanchard. Thais was the daughter of Philip and Eunice Atwood (C-4-20.) They had two children here before moving to Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Calvin and Mary Wilson (1851-1857) followed and Rufus and Lucy Butler had the place for a short time afterwards. It appears on the 1877 (A.L. Kimball) and 1892 (W.A. Page) maps.
The house remains today situated between the old county road and Granite Lake Road.
