| Notes |
Notes from Walter Beall from Winston-Salem, NC:
"Samuel Beall, brother of Josiah Beall 1715-1768, designated by the will of his father as "eldest son," was born in Prince George's County ca. 1713. His parents, by gift or devise, provided him plantation property in the area of Bladensburg, Maryland, which property lay in both Prince George's County and in Frederick County after its creation in 1748. Unlike his brother Josiah who lived out his life near the now District of Columbia, Samuel and his family moved ever northward in Western Maryland, lived in Frederick County until it was subdivided into several counties, and died in Washington County in 1777.
Col. Samuel Beall, Jr., was the name Samuel was known by most of his adult life. Samuel Beall, son of John Beall, became identified as "Jr." but the reason for that designation is not clear. "Jr." was used more loosely in those days than at present. However, among the records of Maryland that make clear that Col. Samuel Beall, Jr., was the son of John and Verlinder Magruder Beall is that of a joint deed to a tract of land called Poplar Thicket, executed by Samuel Beall and Josiah Beall, being land in the estate of their father John Beall, filed in Frederick County September 16, 1757, in which Samuel is described as "Eldest son and Heir at Law" of John Beall d. 1742 and the acknowledgment to which identifies him as
"Samuel Beall, Junr. "
Samuel Beall (as was his brother Josiah and his wife's Brooke ancestry) was distinguished in the Colony of Maryland, holding a number of prominent offices and contributing much to the American Independence movement.
In 1748 Samuel Beall was "Clerk" of the Captain George Beall Troop of Horse, as a participating militiaman listed as an officer. His name appears in the same document with that of his brother Josiah Beall. Members of Captain George Beall Troop of Horse came from areas of Bladensburg, Rock Creek, Eastern Branch (now Anacostia) of the Potomac and the now District of Columbia, and were residents after formation of Frederick County in 1748 of either that county or the remaining Prince George's County. Samuel owned land in 1748 on both sides of the line dividing the two counties.
Records of Prince George's Parish before 1748 show the appointment of Samuel Beall, Jr., as one of the inspectors at Bladensburg Inspecting Warehouse. On September 10, 1750, Samuel Beall was again appointed to the same position. Both appointments were made by the Vestry of Prince George's Parish.
Records of Prince George's Parish reveal that Samuel Beall, Jr., was a member of the Vestry on December 5, 1749. "By order of his Excellency the Governor," Samuel Beall was appointed High Sheriff of Frederick County, a position of honor and reward, on November 28, 1753, to succeed his brother Josiah Beall. He filled the Sheriff's office through 1756, and is recorded as serving as Sheriff in the period November 1760 to November 1762. In the Commission issued November 17, 1761, and the discharge dated November 17, 1762, he is referred to as "Col. Samuel Beall.
Col. Samuel Beall was issued Commissions as a Justice of Frederick County Court and is recorded serving in that capacity in the years 1763, 1765, 1768 ,1769, 1772 and 1775. It was in the position of Justice that Samuel Beall was memorialized by Daughters of the American Revolution, together with Josiah Beall and others, as an Apostle of Liberty and described as one of "The Twelve Immortal Justices of the Frederick County Court who Repudiated the Stamp Act Nov. 23 1765,"
Samuel Beall is entitled Colonel in numerous Maryland documents in the period November 1761 to July 1776. One authoritative source is that of an Act of the Maryland Assembly of 1763 authorizing creation of a school in Frederick Town and appointing, among others, Col. Samuel Beall to purchase the ground. Another, is that of Maryland Convention on January 1, 1776, appointing Samuel Beall Colonel Second Battalion. There are many records of the years intervening which consistently refer to "Col. Samuel Beall.
At a Meeting of the Inhabitants of Frederick County, 24 January, 1775, Samuel Beall, Jr., was appointed on a Committee of Observation, to carry out the Resolves of the American Congress, and of the Provincial Convention. Also, he was continued as a member of the Committee of Correspondence.
Provincial Conventions, first meeting in June, 1774, assumed the
lawmaking authority of the Province of Maryland. The last session of the
Colonial General Assembly of Maryland was concluded April 19, 1774, as
Colonial unrest grew and nurtured rebellion. Thus, delegates elected to
Provincial Conventions of Maryland in the period from April 1774 to August
1776 were the supreme lawmakers in Maryland within that period of time.
Samuel Beall, Jr. was elected Representative to Provincial Conventions on January 24, 1775 to serve in the Fourth, Fifth and Ninth Conventions. Early Provincial Conventions adopted the resolves of Association of the Freemen of Maryland. Under that Association the supreme power was vested in the Provincial Convention, consisting of five delegates from each county. Executive power was entrusted to a Committee of Safety electedby the Convention, which Committee appointed all field officers and granted all military commissions.
Samuel Beall, Jr., served as a Member of the Council of Safety and as its Chairman. Documents report such service in the period from April 29, 1776 to and including July 13, 1776. Samuel Beall was elected a delegate to the first Maryland State Convention, assembled at Annapolis on August 14, 1776. That Convention appointed Samuel Beall Justice of the first County Court for Washington County.
As a member of the first Maryland State Convention, Samuel Beall, Jr., was a Framer of the first State Constitution of Maryland.
Just as John Beall had been favored by grant of a water gristmill by the Office of Governor of Maryland, so were his sons Josiah and Samuel. On November 15, 1763, while Josiah was Associate Justice and Commissioner of Frederick County and Samuel was Sheriff of Frederick County, a grant of an 80 year lease for the Seite of a Water Mill, at the mouth of the Deep Branch at the Potomac, was issued to Josiah Beall. Samuel Beall's Will reveals that the grant of the mill was for "my use," devises the 20 acre mill site to his son Basil, and charges Thaddeus Beall, son of Josiah, with the duty of executing necessary documents. Thaddeus complied. The mill site lay in Montgomery County after its formation in 1776, apparently within the now District of Columbia and on land owned by John Murdock, for "quit rents" were payable to Murdock.
"Records of the Columbia Historical Society - The Old Mills,"relates of a "Murdock Mill," situated a short distance southwest from the intersection of Murdock Mill Road and Massachusetts Avenue extended. The mill, in operation well into the 1880's in the ownership of the Murdock family, may be the water grist mill erected by Samuel Beall.
On August 26, 1763, proceedings were initiated for the grant of a second water mill to Samuel Beall, Jr. The grant was formalized July 13, 1765, to a mill site on Antietam Creek one quarter of a mile distance from the mouth of Antietam Creek at the Potomac River in Frederick County.
The mouth of Antietam Creek was also the site of Samuel Beall's forge, revealed by the following advertisement:
The Maryland Gazette
(XXII Year.) (No.1093.)
Thursday, August 21, 1766
August 16, 1766.
"A GOOD FORGE CARPENTER, and Good WORKMEN, who will undertake
the Management of One FINERY FIRE, to work Double-Handed, will meet with Good Encouragement, if they apply to the Subscriber at Frederick Forge, on the Mouth of Anti-Etam.
(44 ) Samuel Beall, junr.
Register of Maryland's Heraldic Families credits Samuel Beall,Jr., with creation of "the first Iron Forge in Maryland, If not in the United States. It cast the first Cannon for the Continental Army."
On October 15, 1774, Samuel Beall, Jr., drew his Will and signed it with witnesses. On that date, his dwelling place and most of his other land holdings were in Frederick County. In 1776, Washington and Montgomery Counties were formed from Frederick County. Samuel Beall's will, recorded in Washington County January 10, 1778, devised land laying in each of the three counties. His Will is digested:
"To my beloved wife Eleanor Beall . . . land called Kelly's Purchase . . . where on I now dwell . . .
To my daughter Verlanda Dent, twenty shillings ... as I have heretofore provided for her according to my abilities . . .
To my son Richard Beall, twenty shillings . . . as I have heretofore provided for him according to my abilities . . .
To my son Walter Beall . . . part of a tract of land called Beals Good Will . . .
To my son Brooke Beall all my land under lease to William Burges . . .
To my son Thomas Beall . . . land called Gize (?) . . .
To my daughter Amelia Beall, wife of Thaddeus Beall, . . . part of my track of land called Beall's Good Will . . .
To my son Isaac Beall (real and personal property) . . .
To my son Daniel Beall (real and personal property) . . .
To my son Samuel Beall (real and personal property) . . .
To my son Basil Beall my Water Grist Mill . . . that was condemned in the name of Josiah Beall as will appear by the lease reference there unto being had for my use and to be assigned unto me or my assigns by Thaddeus Beall, his son and heir, ... (and) the tract of land called Noise Enough . . .
To my daughter Eleanor Beall (real and personal property) . . .
To my daughter Ann Beall (real and personal property) . . .
To my daughter Rebeccah Beall (real and personal property) . . .
I hereby order and direct that my executors . . . do sell at public vendue to the highest bidder after giving three months notice in the Maryland and Pennsylvania Gazettes . .. land called Gift . . . land called Philadelphia . . . land called Berlin . . . land called Christys Folly condemned in the name of Josiah Beall as nominal Sheriff for my use, to be conveyed by Thaddeus Beall, his son and heir . . . and all my shares and stock both real and personal being one fourth part of the forge known by the name of the Frederick Forge in partnership with David Kop and Richard Henderson . . .
Sons Richard Beall, Brooke Beall and Samuel Beall executors. . .
This Will was signed and acknowledged by witnesses as that of Samuel
Beall, Jr. In addition to the bequests and devises detailed, the will distributed slaves, feather beds, bolsters, pillows and covering, livestock, and other personalty.
Samuel Beall, Jr., died in 1777, apparently some months before the recording of his will on January 10, 1778, by Alexander Clagett, who was appointed administrator of the estate. On the date of the recording, Brooke Beall, one of the executors named in the Will of Samuel, appeared and refused to act as executor.
Samuel Beall, another of the executors named in the Will of Samuel Beall, Jr., did not act as executor. The reason is undetermined.
Richard Beall, another son of Samuel Beall, Jr., named in his will as executor, died in 1777, before or soon after the death of Samuel Beall, Jr.
On March 28, 1775, after drafting of his will, Samuel Beall, Jr. sold to Richard Thompson the water grist mill and tract called Noise Enough, devised to Basil Beall. Richard Thompson had difficulty obtaining proper title to the property and on May 7,1787, filed suit. Judgment was entered in the May Court of 1790.
The pleadings and attached exhibits by Richard Thompson set forth that Thaddeus Beall had properly executed deeds to the properties as directed in the will of Samuel Beall, Jr.; that Basil Beall was insane and confined in the bettering house of Philadelphia, having a wife and son; that Brooke Beall had refused to act as executor; that Richard Beall, eldest son and heir at law of Samuel Beall, Jr., died in the year 1777 without conveying proper title to Richard Thompson; and that Samuel B. Beall, son and heir at law of Richard Beall, had refused to convey proper title. The pleadings reveal nothing of Samuel Beall, executor and son of Samuel Beall, Jr.
(Chancery Court Records, Liber 19, Folios 376-382).
Alexander Clagett was apparently a friend of the Samuel Beall, Jr., family as well as a creditor of the estate. A Clagett family had been identified with this Beall family for some decades and Alexander Clagett was probably of that family.
(Above notes from "Alexander Beall - 1649-1744" by William Hunter McLean
published 1977)
More About Samuel Beall, Jr. and Eleanor Brooke:
Marriage: May 23, 1734, Prince Georges, MD.
Children of Samuel Beall, Jr. and Eleanor Brooke are:
1. Amelia Jane Beall, b. April 19, 1747, d. Aft. January 02, 1809, Warren Co, Ga.
2. Daniel Beall, b. September 02, 1752, Frederick Co., MD, d. 1811, Franklin Co., Ga.
Thomas Beall:
My triple great grandmother Eleanor Brooke Beall married William Rees in 1789 in NC. She was born 1769 in MD and died in 1829 in Putnam Co. GA.
Her father and mother were Thaddeus BEALL and Amelia Jane BEALL. They were first cousins because their fathers were brothers. Josiah was father to Thad. and Samuel was father to Amelia. The commom [grand]parents were John BEALL and Verlinda MAGRUDER. Both born @1690 and died @1745.
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1713 - 1777 (64 years)