A Chance Meeting Full of History: Jasper County Sheriff Encounters Daughter of Former Sheriff in Beaumont

A routine visit turned into a meaningful walk through Jasper County history for Jasper County Sheriff Chuck Havard on Friday afternoon.

After visiting a friend recently admitted to an assisted living facility in Beaumont, Sheriff Havard was heading out through the lobby when he noticed a group of senior residents enjoying a game of bingo. He stopped to visit for a few moments — a small gesture that quickly turned into an unforgettable connection.

As he passed one of the tables, a 98-year-old resident, Ann Bishop Beaver, noticed the sheriff’s badge and introduced herself as a “young 98.” When she asked who he was and learned he served as Jasper County Sheriff, she smiled and replied, “Ain’t that something — my daddy was the Sheriff of Jasper County many years ago.”

Her father, Beaver Bishop, served as the 34th Sheriff of Jasper County from 1918 until 1929, making the encounter a rare and touching bridge between past and present leadership in the county.

Jasper County Sheriff Chuck Havard visits with 98-year-old Ann Bishop Beaver, daughter of former Jasper County Sheriff Beaver Bishop, during a stop at a Beaumont assisted living facility.

Sheriff Havard said it was an honor spending time with Ms. Beaver and the other residents.

“I was certainly amongst a lot of wisdom and history,” Havard said. “When they say it’s a small world, it really is.”

Moments like these, he said, are a reminder of why he values public service.

“Afternoons like this make this job really enjoyable,” Havard said. “It’s a privilege and an honor representing the people of our county.”

The visit left smiles all around — and offered a powerful reminder that Jasper County’s history isn’t just found in records and photographs, but in the people who lived it.