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By Jan Thomas 
9918 Twin Creek Circle
Anna, TX 75409
William Gabriel Biard was the third child of Andrew Jackson Biard and Delilah Finn. Andrew Jackson Biard, born in Bledsoe Co., TN, was the fourth child of John Nelson Biard and Rebecca Stone. John Nelson Biard is buried in Limestone Co., AL, and Rebecca Stone Biard is buried in the Antioch Cemetery, Biardstown, Lamar County, TX. William Gabriel was born in Limestone Co., AL 14 Oct 1838 and came to Lamar County, TX at the age of eight with his parents. He was named for William and Gabriel Finn, two brothers of his grandfather Edward Finn who was married to Martha Mullins of Limestone Co., AL.
William Biard appears in the 1860 Lamar County Census Precinct 2, Family 446-442, age 21, born about 1838 in AL.
Texas authorized the organization of militia companies for the purpose of home defense just before the War Between the States. Counties were combined into military districts and assigned a brigade number. Lamar and Hopkins counties were assigned designation of the 9th Brigade.
William Biard, Pvt., appears on a Muster Roll and Election Returns from the Texas State Archives for the Texas Militia, Company for Lamar County, Texas, Beat No. 2, 9th Brigade of the State of Texas; officers elected on 5 Aug 1861, in Lamar County; company enrolled by T. L. Click; J. J. Martin elected Captain commanding. There is also a William Biard enlisted in the Company for Beat No. 4. It is entirely possible that both men are the same since there was only one William Biard in the 1860 Lamar County Census. Most of the men who enlisted in the militia later enlisted in the regular army as the threat of hostilities became apparent. The militia companies were then disbanded or retained the older men who were unable to leave the state for battle.
William Gabriel Biard enlisted later as a Private in Co. C, 29th Texas Cavalry, Confederate States Army. Nothing is known of his war service other than enlistment at this time.
After the war, he spent the rest of his life on the farm near Biardstown which his father had given him, though he also bought other land.
William Gabriel Biard was married 7 Dec 1859 to Sarah Roach (b. 17 Aug 1836 d. 1 May 1925), daughter of Abner C. Roach and Sarah Thedford Roach. Both W. G. and Sarah Biard are buried at Antioch Cemetery in Lamar County.
William Gabriel Biard and Sarah Roach had the following children:
1. James Matthew Stephen Biard b. 2 Mar 1861 who married Maggie Archer;
2. Mary Ann Delilah Biard (b. Feb 1863 d. 29 Jan 1910) who married William E. Skidmore;
3. Susan Alice Biard b. 19 Aug 1865 never married;
4. John Abner Biard b. 23 Sep 1868, never married, ran a woodshop, garage, filling station in Biardstown with his partner W. J. Johnson;
5. William Thomas Biard b. 14 Jan 1871 married Lillie Haltom;
6. Lucinda Ellen Biard b. 13 Jun 1873 never married.
William Gabriel Biard's brothers and sisters were:
1. James Monroe Biard b. 24 Oct 1834, d. 5 May 1901, married Mary Francis Holbrook;
2. John Washington Cannon Biard b. 8 Oct 1836, d. 1862 in the Civil War, probably at Corinth Miss. He was wounded and captured there and put on a train bound North which wrecked and burned;
3. Pleasant Carroll Kendrick Biard b. 1 Oct 1840? d. 27 Jan 1882;
4. Martha Jane Elizabeth Biard b. 23 May 1842, d. 8 Aug 1845;
5. Matilda Ann Lavinia Biard b. 14 Jan 1844, d. 24 Feb 1937, married Daniel Winburn Walker;
6. Julia Texana Biard b. 16 Jan 1845, d. 24 Feb 1846;
7. Thomas Jefferson Biard b. 20 Jan 1850 d. 25 Mar 1922 married Nancy Crowder.
William Gabriel Biard died 28 Oct 1902. He and his wife are buried in the northwest section of Antioch Cemetery, in Biardstown, Lamar County, Texas.
Sources: Maud Biard Smith, The Biard Family, published 1928 and my grandmother Mrs. J. C. Biards' notes.
©Ron Brothers and Jan Thomas, All Rights Reserved, 1999.
19 Aug 1999
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