The Biographical Dictionary of America/Beard, Daniel Carter

​BEARD, Daniel Carter, illustrator, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, June 21, 1850; son of James H. and Mary C. (Carter) Beard. His paternal grandmother was the first white woman to set foot on the land now occupied by the city of Chicago. His education was acquired in his native city and in an academy at Covington, Ky., and his first employment was as a surveyor for a New York map publishing house. His outdoor life developed in him an interest in animals, of which he submitted several drawings to a publisher. These at once attracted attention and praise, and his illustrations were accepted by St.Nicholas, Harper's Weekly, and Young People, the Youth's Companion, the Scientific American and other publications. He also contributed to these magazines articles on boys' sports and natural history. He studied for four years at the art students' league in New York city, and soon became well known to the public and to publishers through his literary and artistic work. Some of his best work is to be seen in the illustrations of Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court." He was especially fond of allegorical and symbolical drawing and delicate caricaturing. Among his many admirable pictures are: "Ghosts of the Camp Fire," "A Light for his Pipe," and The Moonshiners. Mr. Beard was made a member of several prominent art clubs and of the American natural history society. A list of his books includes: "What to Do and How to Do It-The American Boys' Handy Book" (1882); "Six Feet of Romance and Moonblight," and "American Boys' Book of Sport" (1896), He was collector of the port of Boston 1878-82, and 1890-94. He died at Boston, Mass., Aug. 28, 1900.