Stephen Heard was born in Hanover County, Virginia on November 1, 1740 to John Heard Jr. and Bridgett Carol Heard, wealthy tobacco farmers. Heard’s paternal grandfather, John Sr., arrived in America from Ireland around 1720. Stephen was brought up in Virginia and received his primary education there; this would be the highest level of education Heard would receive.

With the outbreak of the French and Indian War in 1754 Heard left school in search of honor and adventure in the army. Along with some of his brothers, Heard enlisted in the Virginia colonial regiment under the command of Colonel (at the time) George Washington. This experience gave Heard a thorough understanding of warfare in the frontier which he would go on to use later in his life. During the war, Heard fought valiantly and was promoted by Washington to the rank of Captain. This military collaboration led to a lifetime friendship between George Washington and Stephen Heard. Heard would even go on to name his son George Washington Heard.

After the French and Indian War the Heard family received a land grant of 150 acres for their service in what is today Wilkes County, Georgia, so Stephen, his brother Barnard, and their father John, moved their families here. This land was near the mouth of the Little River in an area that had not yet been secured from the Creek and Cherokee Indians. Because of this, the family constructed Heard’s Fort as a refuge for travelers from Native American attacks and the wilderness. Heard’s Fort was completely finished in 1774 and in 1780 would become the city of Washington, Georgia. For a time during the Revolutionary War Heard’s Fort would serve as the temporary capitol of Georgia.