A LOOK AT JAMES BEVERLY WARD, AGENT OF THE BEALE PAPERS

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James Beverly Ward, born January 27, 1822, the son of Giles Ward and Adeline Risqué, daughter of James Beverly Risqué who had the duel with Thomas Beale.
Risque's other daughter, Harriet married George Hutter, and Ed ward S Hutter, and Fernand C Hutter were J B Ward's cousins with which he grew up.
At age 16, James Beverly Ward was accepted to the US Military Academy, but after 18 months , decided it was not much to his liking, and resigned in 1840.
Leaving New York, he went to St Louis , Missouri and work as an assistant to the military pay clerk in St Charles.
The Hutter family also served in St Louis, as well as his other Kennerly cousins who had a mercantile store there.
1843, Ward married Harriet Emmaline Buford Otey and moved back to Virginia, working on his mother
s farm in Campbell county, inherited from her father James Beverly Risqué, who died in 1843. Ward inherited his grandfathers library.
Harriet Ward's uncle was Pascal Buford and she was born and raised 4 miles from Buford's Tavern, where Thomas Beale was said to stay in the Beale letters, and her Otey family had vast land holdings in the GOOSE CREEK VALLEY, 2 miles from Buford's Tavern.
In 1852, Ward and his brother in law ,John W Otey, purchased a sawmill in Bedford county, but later sold it in 1856.
What in obvious is the contact Ward had with the Oteys, and Bufords during this time period.

Harriet had known the Morriss's since childhood, since her father, John B Otey and Robert Morriss were business partners in the 1820's, and Morriss was Ward's uncle by marriage, and Ward's daughter, Ann's middle names was Morriss.
Sarah Morris died at Ward's house, May 11,1861 and Robert Morriss, January 3, 1863, the 2nd Year of the Confederate War at his nieces house.
What did James Beverly Ward do during the Confederate War and up to the point of his applying for copyright as agent for the Beale Papers in 1884 on borrowed letterhead of ADAMS BROS. & PAYNES were his son -in-law, William D Johns was employed?
Let us examine one of "authentic statements" that could have been resolved before the job pamphlet publication, that being an eyewitness account of Beale's stay at Buford's Tavern by Pascal wife Francis.
They were NEVER consulted or asked about Beale by Ward or his wife.
Pascal Buford died July 23, 1875, ten years after the Confederate War, and his wife, Francis, March 26, 1884, a few moths before Ward applied for the copyright. No witnesses alive who could confirm of deny the treasure story of the BEALE PAPERS.
After the publication in 1885 and advertised for sale in THE LYNCHBURG VIRGINIAN, the descendants of Withcher, Coles & Clay, who were mentioned in the job pamphlet treasure story complained about the use of their ancestors names as being used to legitimize this dime novel treasure tale. Max Guggenheimer, well known Lynchburg businessman contemporary to the 1885 publication and also mentioned in the pamphlet, did not complain, and sold copies at his store.
Pressure was brought upon Rowland Buford (1827-February 3. 1921) son of Pascal, and Bedford County Clerk to either verify this story or have Ward remove it from publication.
Sisters, Margaret L Buford who lived on the site of Buford's Tavern, and Mrs Ann Buford Hall were also bothered with complaints.
...and what did Ward do with the unsold copies after all this pressure brought down upon him?
The games may be worth the candle, but the flames took all the rest, and would have been forgotten if the Harts didn't bring it again to light from the ashes.
Unsold copies of the Beale PAPERS Pamphlet WERE destroyed by FIRE... in pot-bellied stoves, etc... it was a VERY cold Winter. AND! Maybe, Capt. James Beverly Ward provided the DOI for the Beale PAPERS Pamphlet, as a SARCASTIC humor "thing"...? Gotta read the DOI "decoded thing"; was it James Beverly Ward as "I" DEPOSITED, etc...? "In a VAULT"... newspaper vault...? Hmmm...
 

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OR... Maybe, "JB" DEPOSITED "it" in the VAULT of PB's grave, in the Buford's Cemetery; read somewhere that PB's headstone had two "Crossed Cannons" as if to say... "X" marks the "spot". NEVER seen it, so I don't know. Paschal Buford was CAPTAIN of his Artillery in the War of 1812... COULD have known Thomas Buford, Sr., James Beverly Risque, Andrew Jackson, etc. "PB" DID know Gen. Robert E. Lee (CSA), as Lee & family "over-nighted" with him. Gen. Lee & one of his daughters even rode their horses up to SHARP TOP, where Lee looked around, as if scanning the area...
 

...and still there is that behind the scene involvement of members of the Otey family- from Morriss to J B Ward to Clayton Hart and onto Pauline Innis.
 

... it was "JB"'s father (Giles) who got the library (including LAW BOOKS) from James Beverly Risque's will. "JB" Ward got a few things, & I will have to get back to you on that... I CAN tell ya that Giles' wife (Risque's daughter) got HUNTER'S HILL in Campbell/Bedford County near TJ's Poplar Forest
James Beverly Risqué was Aide de Camp to Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
Also at the Battle of New Orleans was Jean Lafitte, Pascal Buford (Buford's Tavern) and Thomas Beale of the duel with Risqué.
Risqué knew and was related to Buford, but it is very possible that he encountered Lafitte and Beale during or after the Battle-
"Whiskey for my men, and beer for my horses".
Grandson, James Beverly Ward probably heard stories from his grandfather Risqué about Jackson and the War of 1812, as well as his duel with Thomas Beale.
 

James Beverly Risqué was Aide de Camp to Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans.
Also at the Battle of New Orleans was Jean Lafitte, Pascal Buford (Buford's Tavern) and Thomas Beale of the duel with Risqué.
Risqué knew and was related to Buford, but it is very possible that he encountered Lafitte and Beale during or after the Battle-
"Whiskey for my men, and beer for my horses".
Grandson, James Beverly Ward probably heard stories from his grandfather Risqué about Jackson and the War of 1812, as well as his duel with Thomas Beale.

Or, it could just as easily be that some of it was more then just stories?
 

After serving in Florida under Andrew Jackson as Aide-de-Camp,James Beverly Risqué held a strong interest in the acquired Florida Territory after the Adams-Onis Treaty.
He requested an appointment in the newly forming Florida government, which he never received.
What was his interest in Florida that remained until his death 20 years later?

All these correspondences were contained in Risque's library, which inherited by Giles Ward, and eventually went to his son, James Beverly Ward.
 

It is very curious that James Beverly Ward made a point of including himself in the dime novel, but stating that he was "chosen" by the "unknown author" to act as copyright "agent".
Did Ward do this to make sure he wasn't sued if someone wasted a fortune looking for a fictional treasure?
Ward and Max Guggenheimer were the names mentioned that were alive at time of the 1885 publication.
Copies of the Beale Papers were sold at Guggenheimer's store and advertised in THE LYNCHBURG VIRGINIAN, where printer JW Sherman worked.
Remember, when descendants of Cole, Clay, and Witcher objected to the use of their forebears names in this dime novel job pamphlet, the unsold copies suspiciously were burned in a fire.
Were Sherman, Guggenheimer, and newspaper owner, Charles W Button, also contacted by these families along with Ward?
The whole Beale treasure matter remained dormant until N H Hazelwood got the Hart brothers interested and involved.
 

Is it possible that the Beale publication served its purpose and brought the "unintelligible piece of paper" to light? No more need for the remainder of the printed copies, so they were burned?
 

Is it possible that the Beale publication served its purpose and brought the "unintelligible piece of paper" to light? No more need for the remainder of the printed copies, so they were burned?

I don't why or where the "unintelligible piece of paper" story came from? What they were looking for was the June, 1832 letter that was to be delivered to Robert Morris from St. Louis, MO. If you want to call the "KEY" an "unintelligible piece of paper" then that is what was contained in the June, 1832 letter to Robert Morriss. The paper or letter would tell him the "KEY" to the other two cipher codes. Now there were unintelligible pieces of paper removed from the iron box because it was sheets of paper with ciphers on them for C1, C2 & C3.
 

Is it possible that the Beale publication served its purpose and brought the "unintelligible piece of paper" to light? No more need for the remainder of the printed copies, so they were burned?
CSA Lt Col Vincent A Witcher, CSA 34th Virginia Battalion (RET) was the first to complain about the use of his ancestors name.
Witcher first contacted Rowland Buford, son of Pascal Buford whose Tavern was also mentioned in the Beale Papers, Rowland being the Bedford county clerk, and he now owned the estate of John B Otey, who once was in business with Robert Morriss.
Remember, Ward's wife was a Buford Otey who was born and raised 4 miles from Buford's Tavern, a location mentioned in the Beale Papers, and Witcher knew the heart of the Beale story was centered at Buford's in Bedford county.
Rowland Buford told Witcher that he and his two sisters had no knowledge of the Beale story or the treasure.
It was after this meeting that the remaining unsold copies were burned.
 

CSA Lt Col Vincent A Witcher, CSA 34th Virginia Battalion (RET) was the first to complain about the use of his ancestors name.
Witcher first contacted Rowland Buford, son of Pascal Buford whose Tavern was also mentioned in the Beale Papers, Rowland being the Bedford county clerk, and he now owned the estate of John B Otey, who once was in business with Robert Morriss.
Remember, Ward's wife was a Buford Otey who was born and raised 4 miles from Buford's Tavern, a location mentioned in the Beale Papers, and Witcher knew the heart of the Beale story was centered at Buford's in Bedford county.
Rowland Buford told Witcher that he and his two sisters had no knowledge of the Beale story or the treasure.
It was after this meeting that the remaining unsold copies were burned.

Do you have a link where that information can be found about Lt. Col. Vincent Witcher? Is that in a newspaper article in Lynchburg? I have read a lot about Rowland Buford. James Beverly Ward was also in the sawmill business about five years with Paschal Buford's son. I was reading about Rowland Buford when I found information about the safe of Buford Tavern's still having business letters in it but I have been unable to locate that article again. At the time my puter would not print.
 

I don't why or where the "unintelligible piece of paper" story came from? What they were looking for was the June, 1832 letter that was to be delivered to Robert Morris from St. Louis, MO. If you want to call the "KEY" an "unintelligible piece of paper" then that is what was contained in the June, 1832 letter to Robert Morriss. The paper or letter would tell him the "KEY" to the other two cipher codes. Now there were unintelligible pieces of paper removed from the iron box because it was sheets of paper with ciphers on them for C1, C2 & C3.

Your author, in 1885, tells his readers that it is his hope that his publication "will bring to light the missing piece of paper" and he further describes that missing piece of paper as something that will appear as an "unintelligible writing." This is all clearly detailed in that 1885 narration. Morriss "DID NOT", according to that narration, ever receive the described letter from St. Louis. Your author clearly details what is still required and what he is still lacking. Only one way in which he could know this.

But Morriss never received the alleged letter, "because his services were never required." This should clearly tell you something. And no, they didn't all get killed as is so typical in an endless stream of fairy tale treasure stories.
 

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Your author, in 1885, tells his readers that it is his hope that his publication "will bring to light the missing piece of paper" and he further describes that missing piece of paper as something that will appear as an "unintelligible writing." This is all clearly detailed in that 1885 narration. Morriss "DID NOT", according to that narration, ever receive the described letter from St. Louis. Your author clearly details what is still required and what he is still lacking. Only one way in which he could know this.

But Morriss never received the alleged letter, "because his services were never required." This should clearly tell you something. And no, they didn't all get killed as is so typical in an endless stream of fairy tale treasure stories.

So you think you know who members of the party were can you confirm that statement. And yes the missing piece of paper was the letter that had never been delivered.
 

So you think you know who members of the party were can you confirm that statement. And yes the missing piece of paper was the letter that had never been delivered.

There is a lot I could tell you, and was going to, but you didn't want that.
 

Have you guys ever seen the name Robert Ward in your research before?
 

Do you have a link where that information can be found about Lt. Col. Vincent Witcher? Is that in a newspaper article in Lynchburg? I have read a lot about Rowland Buford. James Beverly Ward was also in the sawmill business about five years with Paschal Buford's son. I was reading about Rowland Buford when I found information about the safe of Buford Tavern's still having business letters in it but I have been unable to locate that article again...
Not sure because all my notes are hand written on several yellow legal pads, but it may have come from "Historical Sketches Of Bedford County" by Rowland D Buford and N D Hawkins.
It is interesting to note that during Reconstruction, Rowland D Buford was removed as Bedford County Clerk by US Gen Stoneman, because by an Act of Congress, Buford could not take the oath having served the Confederacy.
"Til Stoneman's cavalry came, and tore up the tracks again"- The Band
 

... Morriss never received the alleged letter, "because his services were never required." This should clearly tell you something. And no, they didn't all get killed as is so typical in an endless stream of fairy tale treasure stories.
Just another element that make the Beale Papers fiction believable.
 

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