Beard claimed to be born on July 9, 1870 in Norfolk, Virginia. However, it is not supported by any record. According to the 1935 US census and the 1940 Florida State census, he was born in Florida and may have been born later, in 1872 or 1879. The oldest reliable census, from 1880, includes a Matthew Beard born 1870 in Illinois while the 1900 US census includes one with the same name born 1890 in Texas and the Georgia State census the same year includes one Mathew Beard born October 1886.