Family Background
Mary Ritter Beard was born on August 5, 1876 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the fourth of seven children, and the first daughter, born to Narcissa Lockwood and Eli Foster Ritter. Narcissa was born in Paris, Kentucky, graduated from Brookville Academy in Thornton, Kentucky and later worked there as a teacher for a short time before moving with her family to Greencastle, Indiana (home to Asbury, now DePauw University) in 1861. Born to Quaker parents, Eli grew up on a farm close to Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Northwestern Christian College for two years before enrolling in Asbury University in 1861, and made the unorthodox decision for a Quaker of joining the Union Army shortly after the outbreak of the American Civil War. He went back to Greencastle to marry Narcissa in 1863 before returning to the army where he served for the remainder of the war. Back at Asbury following his service he completed his bachelor’s degree and entered into law practice in Indianapolis. His eyes weak from exposure during the war, Eli relied on Narcissa to read to him to help him complete his studies at Asbury and in preparation for the bar exam.
Read more about this topic: Mary Ritter Beard, Early Life
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