Born December 11, 1827, near Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania. He was married to Miss May Hyde, daughter of Edward Hyde, July 13, 1851, at Uniontown, Pa. He was one of those solid, self-made men. In 1846 he was apprenticed to the carpenter trade with Osmond Johnson, of Brownsville, Pa., and worked three years and six months for his board and clothing. His first contract, after learning the trade, was in 1855, when he built the jail and sheriff's house at Uniontown. He moved to Iowa in the spring of 1856 and settled on a farm in Johnson county, and was a member of the board of supervisors of that county for several years. He was foreman in the building of the old capitol building at Des Moines. His brothers-in-law, Hyde and Bryan, were the contractors. In 1856-7 he built the court house in Newton, Ia. On February 22nd, 1866, he moved his family to this city and formed the contracting firm of Huskins, Davis & Beard. He built the High School building in 1866, also the First U. P. church. In 1869, with J. M. Denny, he started in the lumber business and continued with various changes in the firm. He served in the 20th general assembly in 1884, and had the honor of being about the only Democrat holding that office in largely Republican counties. He was elected alderman several times and mayor in 1875. He was made a Master Mason at Newton in 1857, was a member of Chapter 13, Royal Arch Masons in this city, and acted as secretary from 1869 to the close of 1894. When he resigned, in honor of his 25 years' service, he was presented with an engraved copy of memorial resolutions, and was also presented with a beautiful Sir Knight charm. He was a demitted Odd Fellow, also a member of the state A. O. U. W.
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