BEALS
The Family of John & Margaret (Hunt) Beals
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From a variety of sources including the "Lineage of the Bales Family"
by Charles Elmer Bales, Jan. 22, 1931, Redfield, Dallas Co., Iowa
(recently compiled by Thomas Hamm)
First Generation
1. John BEALS III.
Son of John BEALS II & Sarah BOWATER. Born 17 Apr 1717 in Nottingham, Chester Co., Pennsylvania. Died 17 Apr 1796 in Center MM, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Buried in New Garden FBG, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Religion Quaker.
John Beals III, son of John and Sarah (Bowater) Beals, was born in Nottingham Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 2nd Mo. 17, 1717 (O.S.). He grew to adolescence in his parents' homes in Nottingham and Chester Townships in Chester County before in 1733 moving with them to the newly formed settlement of Friends in Prince George's County (now Frederick County), Maryland. There about 1738, he married Margaret Hunt. She was born in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania about 1721, the oldest child of William and Mary (Woolman) Hunt.
After their marriage, John and Margaret moved across the Potomac to the Hopewell settlement of Friends in Frederick Co., Virginia. Frederick Co. Deed Book 1, p. 58, shows that on March 1, 1743, John purchased 165 acres of land for six pounds from his brother-in-law John Mills. He remained on it at least eleven years before on November 5, 1754, selling the same tract on Middle Creek for five shillings to a fellow Friend, Benjamin Thornburgh. John sold at a considerable loss, but it may be that the rumors of the Indian war that did begin in 1755 impelled him to wish to move his family farther south and join his brothers and sisters in North Carolina.
The records of New Garden Monthly Meeting of Friends in Guilford Co., North Carolina, show that John Beals and his family were received from Hopewell Monthly Meeting, Virginia, 5th Mo. 27, 1758, on a certificate granted the month before. The same records show, however, that John was already living in the area earlier in the same year. Once at New Garden, John, like the rest of the Hunts and Bealses and their kin, became active in Quaker affairs, serving on committees and attending quarterly and yearly meetings. This did not preclude an occasional lapse from grace. The New Garden Men's Minutes for 1st Mo. 27, 1759, show that "John Beals, Sr. having some time ago drunk strong liquor to excess, now signifies his sorrow therefore in a paper produced to this meeting which is accepted for satisfaction and Hurr Mills is appointed to read it publicly at the close of a first day meeting at Deep River and make report to the next meeting."
Margaret (Hunt) Beals also was an active Friend. In 1761 she was recorded a minister. The records of Center Monthly Meeting show that John Beals died 4th Mo. 17, 1796, in his eightieth year, and was buried at New Garden. Margaret died the same year, although the Center records do not preserve the exact date, and was also buried at New Garden. Their graves are unmarked.
Surviving land records from Rowan Co., North Carolina, of which Guilford was a part until 1771, show that John Beals took up land in the vicinity of what is now Jamestown in 1756. Later it appears that John and Margaret moved a few miles east to the vicinity of Center Friends Meetinghouse. The log cabin that John built late in the 1750s was still standing and being used as a shed as late as the 1940s. A photograph is in the Friends Historical Collection at Guilford College in Greensboro.
John and Margaret apparently spent their last years in the home of their daughter Hannah (Beals) Hockett Cloud. John apparently distributed his property among his children before his death, since he left no will or estate settlement. Just before his death, however, John Beals had a remarkable experience, a record of which is preserved at Guilford College:
THE "NEAR-DEATH" EXPERIENCE OF JOHN BEALS
John Beals gave this remarkable account to a Friend shortly before his death in 1796 :
Recovering from a fit of sickness, a weak John Beals desired that his family retire for the evening sooner than was usual. The door to his room suddenly opened and a person, clothed in white raiment, drew to his bedside and bade him to arise and follow him. They went out of the room together and ascended up through the air. John was brought to Heaven by his Guide and was placed before the Great Being who was seated on a bright throne of glory. The Divine Being looked upon him and asked how he came to be there. He replied that a person in white raiment had come to him and brought him to this glorious place. The Divine Being told the Guide to take John and show him the glory of the Saints. What John saw caused his heart to be overcome with joy and he desired to remain there forever. He was informed that he must go back again to the world and remain for two and a half days. If he spent his time in faithfulness, he should return and have his inheritance among the Saints forever.
John then asked the Guide to take him where he might have a fragrant smell. He was taken to a place where a door opened and released the most delightful odor he had ever experienced. He was soon filled with the odor and then was brought back by his Guide to his chamber and the bed where he lay. The fragrant smell remained in his nostrils for many days. He recovered very quickly from his sickness and believed that what he had seen would soon be fulfilled.
IN REMEMBRANCE OF MY BROTHER, WILLIAM HUNT
by Margaret (Hunt) Beals
One of the writings of Margaret Beals has also been preserved in Memoirs of William and Nathan Hunt (Philadelphia, 1858).
It is Margaret's testimony to the memory of her young brother, the eminent minister among Friends, William Hunt:
A few words in remembrance of my brother, William Hunt, deceased:
O my brother, how lovely and pleasant thou has been to me! Thou hast forsaken all that was near and dear to thee in this world to follow the Lamb both by sea and land. Thou didst obey the heavenly voice, and preferred the Lord's work before thine own. Thou has gone to and fro in many parts of the earth to sound forth the trumpet of the Lord, and hast been able to speak a word in due season. It was thy delight to meditate on the law of the Lord. Ah, my brother, what shall I say in remembrance of thee? Surely I may lament the loss of such a friend; although I have no cause to mourn though thou art laid in the silent grave, yet lovingly speaketh in the hearts of many. Oh, the many deep baptisms, trials and exercises thou hast gone through with much meekness and patience! Thou didst improve thy talents (as if thou knewest how short thy time should be) unto the praise of Him that first did raise thy mind from earthly things to heavenly. Thou hast been a valiant soldier in the holy warfare, to promote the honor and glory of God; so, after many hard labors and travails for the promotion of truth, thou hast ended thy days in a distant land, where I believe thou hast gone to everlasting rest and peace, with glory crowned, amongst saints and angels forever blest. Oh that the Lord would be pleased to raise up many more much faithful laborers in his vineyards! Now we are left behind; let it be our daily care to keep down in humility, in patience and self-denial, in reverence and holy fear before the Lord, that, when this short and uncertain time here is at an end, we may be thought worthyof an inheritance amongst the sanctified, where we may sing praises for evermore. So saith one that wisheth well to all mankind.
- Timeline:
He married Margaret Esther HUNT, daughter of William HUNT I & Mary WOOLMAN, 13 Nov 1738 in Hopewell MM, Frederick Co., Maryland. Born 1721 in Bucks Co., Pennsylvania. Died 11 Apr 1796 in Center MM, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Buried in New Garden FBG, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Religion Quaker Minister.
- Timeline:
They had the following children:
2 i. John H. BEALS IV
3 ii. Ruth BEALS
4 iii. Hannah BEALS
5 iv. Lydia BEALS
6 v. William BEALS
7 vi. Rachel BEALS
Second Generation
2. John BEALS IV.
Son of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born About 1738 in Frederick Co., Virginia. Died 24 Apr 1804/1809 in New Garden, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Buried in New Garden FBG, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Religion Quaker. He first married Sarah DICKS, daughter of Rev. Peter DICKS II & Sarah HAYES, 29 Dec 1760 in New Garden MM (Rowan/Guilford), NC. Born 1743 in York Co., Pennsylvania. Died 26 Oct 1777 in Center, Guilford Co., North Carolina. He second married Susanna JOHNSON, daughter of James JOHNSON & Margaret COOK, 30 Dec 1778. Born 8 Jan 1752 in Chester Co., Pennsylvania. Died 20 Oct 1849 in Guilford Co., North Carolina. Buried in New Garden FBG, North Carolina.
They had the following children:
8 i. John BEALS V
9 ii. Margaret BEALS
10 iii. William BEALS
11 iv. Bowater BEALS
12 v. Caleb BEALS
13 vi. Jesse BEALS
14 vii. Peter BEALS
15 viii. Eleazor BEALS
16 ix. Hannah BEALS 17 x. Sarah BEALS
3. Ruth BEALS.
Daughter of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born About 1740 in Frederick Co., Virginia. Died 14 Jul 1801 in Spring(field) Friends, Orange Co., North Carolina. Religion Quaker Minister. She married John HOGGATT I, son of Philip HOGGATT & Mary GLENDENNINGS, 25 Nov 1758 in New Garden MM, Guilford Co., NC. Born About 1728 in Pennsylvania. Died 5 Jun 1816 in Randolph Co., North Carolina.
They had the following children:
18 i. John HOGGATT II
19 ii. Rachel HOGGATT
4. Hannah BEALS.
Daughter of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born About 1745 in Frederick Co., Virginia. Died 4 Feb 1804 in Center, Frederick Co., Virginia. Religion Quaker Minister. She first married William HOGGATT, son of Philip HOGGATT & Mary GLENDENNINGS, 30 May 1760 in New Garden MM, Guilford Co., NC ®52. Born 14 Jul 1727 in Pennsylvania. Died 27 Apr 1772 in Center, Frederick Co., Virginia.
They had the following children:
20 i. Stephen HOGGATT
21 ii. William HOGGATT
22 iii. Joseph HOGGATT
23 iv. Margaret HOGGATT
24 v. John HOGGATT
25 vi. Hannah HOGGATT
She second married Joseph CLOUD, son of Mordecai CLOUD & Abigail JOHNSON, 22 Apr 1790 in Center, Frederick Co.,Virginia. Born 1 Mar 1743 in Chester Co., Pennsylvania. Died 24 Jul 1815 in Near Waynesville, Warren Co., Ohio. Buried in Miami FBG, Waynesville, Ohio.
5. Lydia BEALS.
Daughter of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born About 1739 in Frederick Co., Virginia. Died 14 Jul 1801 in Spring MM, Alamance Co., North Carolina. She first married Christopher HIATT Sr., son of George HIATT & Martha WAKEFIELD, 23 Sep 1762 in New Garden, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Born 22 Oct 1737 in Frederick Co., Virginia. Died 12 Dec 1792 in New Garden, Guilford Co., North Carolina.
They had the following children:
26 i. Nathan HIATT
27 ii. Asher HIATT
28 iii. Jehu HIATT
29 iv. Esther HIATT
30 v. Lydia HIATT
31 vi. Amos HIATT
32 vii. Christopher HIATT Jr.
She second married Joshua HADLEY, son of Joshua HADLEY Sr. & Patience BROWN, 22 Feb 1800.
6. William BEALS.
Son of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born About 1740/1748 in Frederick Co., Maryland. Died About 1814 in Cane Creek, Orange Co., North Carolina. From Charles Elmer Bales, 1931, Lineage of the Bales Family (compiled by Thomas D. Hamm) -- William Beals, born about 1747 in Frederick Co., Virginia, died in Chatham Co., North Carolina, in the summer of 1814. He was married first, 10th Mo. 19, 1769 at New Garden to Rachel Green, daughter of James and Mary (Harry) Green. Rachel was born in Chester Co., Pennsylvania, about 1749 and died in Knox Co., Tennessee, in 1799. William and Rachel lived at Center until about 1786, when they became the founders, along with various fellow Quakers, of the Quaker community of East Tennessee. After the death of his first wife, William married in Guilford Co., Sep. 30, 1803, Rachel Johnson, daughter of Tarlton and Sarah (Mills) Johnson. She was born in Guilford Co, North Carolina on, 3rd Mo. 6, 1770 and died in Wayne Co., Indiana, 10th Mo. 20, 1837. After his second marriage, William lived in Guilford and Randolph Counties in North Carolina. By 1810 he was living in Chatham Co. Rachel (Green) Beals is probably buried in the Lost Creek Friends Burying Ground in Jefferson Co., Tennessee; William Beals at the Rocky River Friends Burying Ground in Chatham Co., North Carolina; and Rachel (Johnson) Beals in the West River Friends Cemetery in Wayne Co., Indiana ®30
Timeline:
He first married Rachel GREEN, daughter of James GREEN & Mary HARRY, 19 Oct 1769 in New Garden, Guilford Co., North Carolina. Born About 1750 in Kennett Township, Chester Co., Pennsylvania. Died 1799 in Knox Co., Tennessee ®30.
They had the following children:
33 i. John BEALS
34 ii. William BEALS
35 iii. Jacob BALES
36 iv. Rachel BEALS
37 v. Caleb BEALS
38 vi. Parnell BEALS
39 vii. Asher BEALS
40 viii. Delwin BEALS
41 ix. Lydia BEALS
42 x. Solomon BEALS
43 xi. Aaron BEALS
44 xii. Jonathan BEALS
45 xiii. Mary BEALS
He second married Rachel JOHNSON, daughter of Tarlton JOHNSON & Sarah MILLS, 30 Sep 1803 in Guilford Co., North Carolina. Born 6 Mar 1770 in Guilford Co., North Carolina ®30. Died 20 Oct 1837 in Wayne Co., Indiana. Buried in West River FBG, Dalton Twp., Wayne Co., Indiana.
They had the following children:
46 i. Nathan BALES
47 ii. Thomas BALES
48 iii. Rachel B. BALES
49 iv. Ruth BALES
7. Rachel BEALS.
Daughter of John BEALS III & Margaret Esther HUNT. Born 1745/1750. Died 22 Feb 1827 ®30 in Center.
Rachel Beals was born in Frederick Co., Virgnia, about 1750. She was married in Guilford Co., NC in 1768 to James Dicks, son of Peter and Elizabeth Dicks. He was born in York Co., Pennsylvania, about 1784, and died in Randolph Co., NC 11th Mo. 16, 1830. Rachel died at Center, 2nd Mo. 22, 1827. She is buried at Center; James at New Salem Methodist Church in Randolph County. ®30 She married James DICKS, son of Peter DICKS & Elizabeth, Before 28 May 1768 in Guilford Co., North Carolina ®30. Born About 1748 in York Co., Pennsylvania ®30. Died 16 Nov 1830 in Randolph Co., North Carolina ®30. Buried in New Salem Methodist Church, Randolph Co., NC ®30.
They had the following children:
50 i. Peter DICKS
51 ii. William DICKS
52 iii. Elizabeth DICKS
53 iv. Tamar DICKS
54 v. Deborah DICKS
55 vi. Ruth DICKS
56 vii. Rachel DICKS
Reference Note 28
Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy,
William Wade Hinshaw, 1936
Reference Note 30
Charles Elmer Bales, 1931, Lineage of the Bales Family (compiled by Thomas D. Hamm)
Reference Note 42
Elaine Rowlands, William Hunt & Sarah Mills
Reference Note 43
Don Baker, 15 Muth Dr., Orinda, CA 94563, 510-254-1088, 510-254-3721 (fax)
Reference Note 44
Letters from Thomas Hamm
PO Box 410, Spiceland, IN 47385
Reference Note 52
Cheska Wheatley, Stanton, CA (Nat. #528 Gen. Conf.)
Reference Note 95
Pennsylvania Births, Chester Co., 1682-1800, Humprey, John T.,
Humprey Publications, Washington DC 1994
(available. from Family Line Publications, Rear 63 E. Main St., Westminster, MD 21157)
Reference Note 98
Hiatt-Hiett Genealogy & Family History
Compiled & Edited by William Perry Johnson
1951, Jesse Hiatt Family Assoc.
Reprinted 1989 Larry & Tanya Anderson
c/o 1536 Ave. P., Carter Lake, Iowa 51510
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