William Beall (abt. 1720 - 1764)

Born about 1720 in Province of Maryland

Descendants

Died 1764 at about age 44 in Long Lookt For, Bennets Creek, Montgomery County, Province of Maryland

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Jack Day [send private message] and HB Harvey [send private message]

Disambiguation

A number of persons are easily confused and identified below for easy reference:

• William Deale-174, born 1647, married Elizabeth Stallings and died in Calvert County, Maryland. Often confused with Beall-98.
• William Bell-98, born 1647 in Scotland; while his brothers migrated to Maryland, no documentation has been found that William Bell himself did.
• William Beall-283 (1684-1756), son of Alexander born 1649
• William Beall-174 Jr, (1700-1764) son of Thomas. Lived Prince George's County, husband of Elizabeth Stockett, associated with Loving Acquaintance
• William Beall-1041 born 1710 Prince George's County
• William Beall-188 born 1720 in Maryland. Owned Long Lookt For and married Elizabeth Unknown.
• William Beall-1034 (1729-1762) of William of Alexander born in Prince George's County
• William Magruder Beall-1395 born 1738 in Prince George's County
• William Dent Beall-988 born 1752 in Prince George's County

Biography

1720 Birth

William Beall of Long Lookt For must have been born sometime in the vicinity of 1720. He had at least one son, named Alexander his "eldest son and heir." It is likely he also had a younger son John and a daughter Margaret.

His surname is shown variously as Beall and also Bell. As he is amongst a group of English and Germanic families - the Harveys, Barricks and Bergs - it is likely that he himself is descended from a Palatine Migration family that came to be known as "Beall/Bell" once it arrived in Maryland. There is no relationship to the Scottish line of Bealls from Prince George's County, Maryland.

Two facts affect estimates about his age. First, William received a warrant for land in 1753, and clearing and settling land was a task for young men. If William was born 1720, he would have been 33 in 1753; a birthdate much earlier than 1720 might make him too old for the task at hand. Secondly, his son and heir Alexander was able to transact legal business, and therefore was an adult, when William died in about 1763. To be 21 in 1763, Alexander could not have been born later than 1742, when William, if born 1720, would have been 22.

While William Beall was in Frederick County in 1753, Frederick County was only formed in 1748 from Prince George's County. William's parents are not known. He could have been born in Prince George's County, or another location in North America, or Europe.

1741 Marriage

The record so far reveals nothing about the mother of William's children, whether or not she was herself still living at the time of William's death. Based on a 1742 birth of William's oldest son Alexander, the marriage could have been in 1741, when William would have been 21. Guessing that Elizabeth was aged 18, 3 years younger, on the date of marriage, she would have been born about 1723. She may have been a sister of Thomas Harvey.

There is no mention of her at William's death: could she have predeceased him? It would appear that the children would be on their own. The later good relationships between the Beall and Harvey families next door suggests that the Harveys opened their doors to the Bealls at this time.

1752 Debtor, William Mauduit Estate

William may be the William Beall named as a debtor of the William Mauduit estate in 1752, just prior to his purchase of 'Long Lookt For:

William Mauduit 33.5 A PG £697.4.11 £383.18.0 Sep 21 1752 The amount of the accounts also included £449.8.5 in sterling, £0.17.8 in gold, & #1484.

• Received from: executors of Joseph Adams (merchant in London), John Hanbury & Co. (merchants in London), Andrew Reed (merchant in London), John Phillips, John Magruder 3rd, John Grimnip, John Baker, Col. Edward Sprigg, Joseph Walker, Nathaniel Wickam, John Beall (taylor), Thomas Evans, Joseph Chew, William Beall, Adam Miller, Jesse Warton, Charles Brook, Richard Snowden, John Talbot, Margaret Ury, Andrew Hugh, John Halsill, John Brasheers, George Gordon, John Flint, Thomas Charter, Francis Bird, Inspectors of Bladensbury Warehouse, executors of Osborn Sprigg.
• Payments to: Dr. David Ross, Jasper Mauduit, Thomas Cramphin, Dr. Ephraim Andrews per Joseph Belt, Jr., John Cooke, John Harding, Christopher Beck, Robert Buchan, John Johnson, Ignatius Digges, Edward Dorsey, Richard Dorsey, John Darnall (of Frederick County) paid to John Cooke, Daniel Dulany, Esq. paid to John Cooke, Jonas Green.
• Payments to (children, their portions, in equal amounts): Jasper Mauduit paid to his guardian Alexander Jackson, Deborah wife of Alexander Jackson. Administratrix: Mercy Chew, wife of Joseph Chew.

1753 Patent for Long Lookt For

On Oct 3 1753 William received a warrant for 10 acres of land which was surveyed Jan 10 1754 as Long Lookt For. ^[1]

For and in consideration that William Beall of Frederick County...hath due unto him 42 acres of land....ten acres part thereof by virtue of a warrant for that quantity granted him the third of October 1753...and for the remaining 32 acres has paid the sum of One Pound Twelve Shillings Sterling Caution for the same as appears in our land office and upon such conditions and terms as are expressed in our conditions of Plantation of our said Province bearing date five April 1684 remaining upon record in our Province together with such alterations as in them are made by our further Conditions bearing date Four December 1696 - together also with the alterations, etc...We do therefore grant unto William Beall... parcel of land called Long Lookt For Beginning at a white Oak standing near the head of a Branch called Mapple Branch, a draught of lower Bennetts Creek...containing forty two acres...and laid out for 42 acres of land to be held of Conigocheige Manor....William Beall his heirs and assignees for ever to be holden of us and our heirs as of our Manor of Conococheague in fee and common...by fealty only for all Manner of Services Yielding and paying therefore yearly unto us and our heirs at our Receipt at our City of Saint Mary's at the two most usual feasts in the year viz. the feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Michael Arch Angel by even and equal portions the rent of One Shilling Eight Pence Half Penny Sterling in silver or Gold and for a fine upon every alienation of the land or any part or parcel thereof one whole years rent in Silver or Gold or the full value thereof in such commodities as we and our heirs...etc....Seal Ten January 1754. [Words arranged "The Great Seal" vertically and "Horatio Sharpe" horizontally. ^[2]

• William Bealles cert 42oo
• Long Lookt For Pat
• 10 January 1754.

Frederick County: By virtue of a warrant granted out of his Lordship's land office of this province to William Bealle of the aforesaid County for 10 acres of land bearing date October 3d 1754. I therefore certify as Deputy Surveyor under his excellency Horatio Sharpe, Esq, Governor of Maryland that I have carefully laid out...that tract of land called Long Lookt For beginning at a bounded white oak standing near the head of a Branch called Mapple Branch a draught of lower Bennets Creek...and now laid out for 42 acres of land to be held of Conigocheige Manor surveyed Jan'ry 10th 1754. Isaac Brooke.

1755-1756 William Beall was listed in Frederick County Debt Books for Long Looked For, 42a and Close Tract, 34a.

On 25 Feb 1762 he was listed as grantee of Long Looked For. ^[3]

1762 Death

William died between 1762 and 1767. Taking the mid-point date of 1764, William's death left at least three children on the verge of adulthood. Alexander, born 1742, would be 22. John, born about 1744, would be 20. And Margaret, born 1751, would be 13.

1764 Appraisal

William Bealle 84.182 FR £50.12.5 1764 (also William Beale) ^[4]

• Appraisers: Jonathon Browning, Benjamin Browning.
• Creditors: Thomas Witten, Richard Whittle for Mr, Robert Walter of Whitehaven.
• Next of kin: Alexander Beale.
• Administratrix: Beale.

The Brownings were neighbors, sons of Edward Browning,who had received a grant called Resurvey on Maple Branch. Jonathan Browning was born in Prince George's County in 1726, but at the time Prince George's County included the land which later became both Montgomery and Frederick Counties. Jonathan received a land grant on Maple Branch in 1758. Benjamin Browning was a younger brother of Jonathan, born in 1744.

1767 Son Alexander makes good on sale

"Indenture...between Alexander Beall eldest son and heir at law of William Beall of Frederick Co. deceased...and Stephen West of Prince Georges Co. merchant...whereas the said William Beall father - of the said Alexander Beall...did in his lifetime on or about 21 June 1762 execute a bond or writing obligatory unto or between John Bayne...of Frederick Co. planter for a valuable consideration had and recieved of him well and truly to make over and convey unto the aforesaid John Bayne...part of a tract of land called the Resurvey On Long Looked For containing 505 acres...and whereas the said William Beall happened to die before the said deed of land be executed and the said John Bayne hath sold the said land to the above named Stephen West for a valuable consideration and hath duly assigned...bond to Stephen West and whereas the said Alexander Beall upon due notice of the said assignment...willing to...make over and convey to Stephen West the land according to his Fathers bond...doth give, grant, etc....all that tract or parcel ofland lying in Frederick Co. being part of a tract of land called the "Resurvey On Long Looked For" patented to the said William Beall 25 February 1732 [sic] beginning for said part at the end of the ninth line course of the said Resurvey...etc...containing by estimation 505 acres...</font> ^[5]

On 18 June 1767, John Bayne recorded the following bond:

• I William Beale, planter. am bound in the full sum of £250 to make over unto John Payne a part of tract called the Resurvey on Long Looked For,

M&B given for 505 acres.

• Signed William Beale by his mark before Thos Willan, Johnathan Browning

by his mark.

• Ack by John Bayne before A. Charlton, R'd Henderson. ^[6]

Children

In addition to Alexander, named above as eldest son, William is very likely to also have had a son John. John and Alexander act very much as brothers in passing family property back and forth, and both are ancestors of a substantial number of descendants who live today in the area of Long Lookt For, and around the world.

1. Alexander, b. abt 1742, eldest son. To make over property at his father's death ca 1763, Alexander must have been 21 in 1763, therefore born NLT 1742. Married Elizabeth, quite possibly Elizabeth Harvey, b. about 1740.
2. John, (probably) b. abt 1744
3. Margaret, b. Apr 1, 1751, married [[Harvey-1714|William Harvey, Jr. In 1770 Margaret Bell married William Harvey, Jr, b. Piscataway, MD 1744. ^[7]
4. Thomas, (possibly) b. abt 1754

Research Notes

Disambiguation

There are numerous different persons named William Beall in this time period and they are easily confused.

• William Beall, Jr, born 1700 in Prince George's County, is associated with Loving Acquaintance and married Elizabeth Stockett.
• William Beall, born 1720 in Maryland, is associated with Long Lookt For and married Elizabeth Unknown.

Relationship to other Maryland Bealls

William and Alexander are two of the most common names among Maryland Bealls. Surely William Beall is kin to other Bealls in Maryland! Perhaps so, but an examination of the other Williams who might have been alive at the same time leaves the distinct impression that the necessary link has not yet been found!

It should be noted, however, that Capt. Alexander Beall and his wife Elizabeth Harding are documented on Bennett's Creek a decade prior to the appearance of William^[8], and that they had a son named "William," though there are some discrepancies with the ages of the parties. ^[9]Alexander married secondly by 1757 to Sarah Winters of New Castle Co., Delaware-widow of Joseph Ogle, one of the wealthiest landowners of Frederick Co.-which may account for a continued presence in Frederick Co.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ There apparently was an earlier tract bearing the title Long Looked For. See deed 27 Nov 1700 from John Smith of Prince George's Co, Planter, to James Stoddard of Prince George's Co., gent, for £100 sterling, 50 acres of a tract called Long Looked For, in Prince George's Co. on the south main branch of Deep Creek bounding on land formerly laid out for Maj. Thomas Brooke called Little Grove and on land of Richard Marsham; also a 200 acre part of which was formerly granted to Maj. Thomas Brooke and is now in posssession of Murphey Ward, and part of which was granted to Murphy Warde called Wards Pasture; the second tract is on the west side of the Patuxent River in Prince George's Co. on Deep Creek and bounds on Little Grove and on land of George Lingan being part of Long Looked For. PGLO A:343, 24 Feb 1700, in Md Connections Queries, Vol 2 (No 1-6), 1992-1993, p. 27. From Celene Beall Butler.
2. ↑ Horatio Sharpe was Governor of Maryland at this time. Hall of Records, BC&GS#1:183; Y&S#8:704
3. ↑ Note 3. Montgomery County Land Records K:549, 19 Jul 1803; date erroneously appears as 25 Feb 1732 in Frederick County Land Records K:1310, 18 June 1767
4. ↑ Mike Marshall. Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties Alexander Beall (1713-1759) Accessed 6/2/2019 jhd
5. ↑ Frederick County Land Records K:1310 18 June 1767
6. ↑ 1765-1768 Frederick County MD Land Records, transcribed by Patricia Abelard Andersen. Displayed by Mike Marshall, Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties. Profile for Jonathan Browning Accessed 14 November 2021 jhd
7. ↑ Marshall G. Brown, The Genealogy of the Harvey Family of Garrett Co, MD. Severna Park, MD: 1975.
8. ↑ 1748-1752 Frederick County MD Land Records, p. 747-748, "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties,"Alexander
9. ↑ Mike Marshall "Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties," William
10. ↑ Jourdan, Elise Greenup, Early Families of Southern Maryland, Vol. 6, © 1998 Elise Greenup Jourdan, Heritage Books 2007, Westminster, Maryland, pp.167-170.

See also:

Marshall G. Brown, Genealogy of the Harvey Family of Garrett County, Severna Park, Maryland: 1975.

Please see pdf at http://www.wikitree.com/photo/pdf/Harvey-6588

Acknowledgements

• Jack Day writes, "Major thanks to my fifth cousin Janice Taylor who did the majority of the research looking up all the Beall wills and deeds that could be found."