VIRGINIA-

1)- Virginia- The Nansemond / Southampton connection- Charles W. Beale (1845-1932) of Arden, NC ( brother of my great grandfather Edw. F. Beale of Phila) and his wife Maria did some Beale research circa 1901 in Virginia. Maria states to EFB “the family tradition being that this branch of the family came from Nansemond”.
She writes EFB on 15 August 1901: “I have lately discovered the Boswell family who are connected with the Beales, and who went to see your Aunt Eliza ( Mary Elizabeth Beale 1828 - 1905) to see if she would not cooperate to recover a fortune in England- Mrs Boswell told her she knew all about the Murdoch connection, etc. (George Beale the 1st married Mary Murdoch 1756 in Phila), and if so some of them live at Remington, VA.-near Warrenton- and this confirms my previous conclusions- as that is where I found the Beales who heard their father often say that Truxtun Beale in Washington was their cousin”.
In another note she mentions a John E. Beale who had a Nansemond will dated 1856.

This information suggests:
1)- The Boswell / Beale families are connected in some fashion- possibly in England.
2)- The fact Boswells knew of the Murdoch connection means that they were specifically aware of the “St. Croix George Beale” / Mary Murdoch marriage in 1756.
3)- Early Beales were from Nansemond.

FINDINGS NANSEMOND / SOUTHAMPTON BEALES:
1)- We located a John Beale (1700E-1769) & family who lived in the Nottoway Swamp / Beaver Dam Swamp area of Southampton County. Old maps seem to indicate this was once the area of Nansemond (prior to being called Southampton). John bought land in 1721, and married Patience Mayo.

John Beale / Patience Mayo had a son John Beale (1730E-1777) who married Liddie Johnson. My guess is that they also had a son ancestor George Beale (1730E-1769).

John Beale / Liddie Johnson had sons that included John Beale (born 1760E), Burwell Beale (1760E-1828) who had a grandson John E. Beale who may have had a will dated 1856, and Drewry Beale (1760E-1818) who married Mary Spencer and produced a son Boswell Beale (b1785E)---CLEARLY THE BOSWELLS WERE GOOD FRIENDS OF DREWRY BEALE IN THE 1760-1785 TIME FRAME IN ORDER TO HAVE A SON NAMED AFTER THEM.

Another of Drewry Beale & Mary Spencer’s sons was Jesse Drew Beale who married in 1809 Margaret Patience Whitehead. Margaret’s mother was Clarissa Boswell by her 2nd marriage to William Whitehead. HERE WE HAVE A BOSWELL OFFSPRING MARRYING A BEALE.

Clarissa Boswell first married Richard Lamb (d.1786). Their son was William Boswell Lamb, who was a witness to the 1804 Norfolk land sale of ancestor George Beale (1758-1823) and his wife Mary Dixon. THIS PLACES A BOSWELL OFFSPRING IN DIRECT CONNECTION WITH OUR FAMILY. William B. Lamb is a half brother to Margaret Patience Whitehead who marries Jesse Drew Beale in 1809.

2)- We note ancestor George Beale (1758-1823) had dealings in Portsmouth / Norfolk with John Beale. I believe this is cousin John Beale (b.1760) from Nansemond / Southampton, and not George’s brother John Beale (1756-1802) for two reasons:
a)- John Beale’s dealings continued until 1803, after the death of brother John Beale in St Croix in 1802.
b)- John Beale had dealings with people from Nansemond / Southampton, suggesting he was also from that area.
Examples:
1787- George Beale of Portsmouth sells lot to John Beale.
1788- George Beale master of Sloop Fanny. Built in VA in 1786, 35 tons. John Beale sole owner.
1798- John Beale Nansemond slave transaction, see (3).
1803- John Beale of Norfolk sells land, Alex. Whitehead witness. (The Whiteheads from Southampton had intermarried the Boswell family in 1790. One of John’s nephews born 1785E was named Boswell Beale, and another nephew would marry a Boswell offspring in 1809).

3)- The “Old Aunt Peggy” connection- Charles W. Beale’s wife Marie writes in 1901: “Old Aunt Peggy the slave of Grannies (she refers to grandmother Emily Truxtun Beale 1798-1885 of DC who had married George Beale III 1792-1835, son of George Beale and Mary Dixon) was---brought in by the family” (to Norfolk from St. Croix).

FINDINGS “OLD AUNT PEGGY”:
1)- 1798- John Beale of Norfolk buys “Old Peggy” from the widow of Solomon Shepherd deceased, of Nansemond Co. along with 10 other slaves. Two days later, John Beale sells “Old Peggy” and the rest of the slaves back to Solomon Shepherd’s widow.
2)- 1847--Emily Truxtun Beale had this death notice published in the DC paper:
“On the 24th ultimo, at Bloomingdale, near the city, “Old Aunt Peggy” late the property of Mrs. Emily Beale. She was born in Virginia, and claimed to be 120 years old, retaining a vivid recollection of many interesting facts connected with the history of Lower Virginia for a considerable period previous to the Revolutionary War. The unshaken fidelity with which this ancient servant clung to several generations of the family in which she was born deserves this passing tribute to her memory”.

THIS ARTICLE SUGGESTS THAT THE BEALE FAMILY SEVERAL GENERATIONS BACK WAS FROM THE LOWER VIRGINIA AREA, AND WOULD SUPPORT OUR NANSEMOND / SOUTHAMPTON THEORY.

4)- John Boswell 1700E-1775E (grandfather to Clarissa Boswell who married Lamb & Whitehead) was from London, England. He was mentioned as such on a 1751 VA land deed, along with Jane Boswell. He married Phoebe Iverson (or Phoebe Colgate) and had a son Joseph Colgate Boswell (father of Clarissa).
POSSIBLY HERE IS THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR A BEALE / BOSWELL ENGLAND CONNECTION.


John Beel John Boswell
1700E-1769 1700E-1775E
mar mar
Patience Mayo Phoebe Iverson

John Beale George Beale Joseph C. Boswell
1730E-1777 1730E-1769 1725E-1794
mar mar 1756 mar 1753
Liddie Johnson Mary Murdoch Eliz. Elliott

Drewry Beale Burwell Beale John Beale George Beale Clarissa Boswell
1760E-1818 1760-1828 1760E- 1758-1823 1755E-1805E
mar mar 1790 mar 1775/1790
Mary Spencer Mary Dixon Lamb/Whitehead

Boswell Beale Jesse D. Beale ? George Beale Wm B. Lamb Marg.P. Whitehead
1785E- 1787E- 1792-1835 1775E- 1791E-
mar 1809 mar mar
Marg.Whitehead Emily Truxtun Jesse D. Beale

John E. Beale Truxtun Beale
1820E-1856? 1820-1870

Charles W. Beale Edward F. Beale
1845-1932 1853-1947
mar
Maria Taylor

1899- E.F. Beale (of Phila)- (long statement on Beale Family worked on by EFB & his brother CWB-following are excerpts )
“ The first Beale who came to America was Colonel Thomas Beale of the King’s Council in 1645, the reign of Charles I, and bought land near Yorktown,....His wife’s name was Alice, and he was known to have two children, Thomas & Ruth, and I am descended from both of them, Purser Beale’s (GB III) father (GB II) and mother ( Mary Dixon) being cousins.” (describes son Thos Beale II, his estate CHESTNUT HILL, wife Anne Gooch, his tombstone 1679 which bears the Beale coat of arms, describes son Thos III (1675-1729) who married Eliz Tavernor, their son Tavernor Beale(d 1778) married Nellie Madison, their second son John went to Santa Cruz.)
“ John Beale, when War was declared between France and England in 1756 came to Phila and there married Mary Murdock. Santa Cruz was at the time a French Colony. When the war was over, he returned to Santa Cruz, and apparently, after Mary Murdock’s death, he returned to Virginia and married Martha Dangerfield.
This John of Santa Cruz, our ancestor, married Mary Murdock March 2nd,1756 in Christ Church, Phila. The Murdock’s afterwards lived in 2nd street. After the French War had ended he took his wife, Mary Murdock, my Great Great Grandmother, and went back to Santa Cruz, where they had two fine plantations, Jerusalem and Paradise. This accounts for the fact that George Beale (GB II) ,his son, whose photo(of painting) I have, was educated in France, Santa Cruz being a French Colony and French being the language of the colony. This George Beale (GB II) was born in 1763. He married Mary Dixon of Hampton, VA. This Mary Dixon was his cousin (4th) and was descended from the Councillor’s daughter Ruth, which explains how it is that we are descended from both of the Councillor’s children namely, Thomas and Ruth. Ruth as you can see was the sister of Capt Thos Beale of Chestnut Hill, whose tombstone still exists.
( Hard Evidence file)

1925-Constance Rebecca Beale (of Phila, sister of E.F.Beale of Phila-Colonial Dames of America Application)- lists the following ref George Beale I, born Santa Cruz, died same place, Married Aug 2, 1756 Mary Murdoch of Armagh, Ireland. Mary was born May 27, 1735, dau of William Murdoch of Armagh, Ireland (who came to Phila), and she died at Capt John Kelly's house in Phila & buried in the old Catholic burying ground. Com: Barry is buried in the same tomb- he was a cousin of Capt. Kelly- Kelly was married to Mary Beale, dau of Mary Murdoch Beale.
George Beale's parents were John Beale born 1710 Chestnut Hill, VA, died Santa Cruz, VI. Mother Catherine Duke of Maryland. The Dukes came with Lord Baltimore.
Next generation back was Thomas Beale died Richmond Co, VA-1728 will. His wife was Elizabeth Taverner.
Next generation back was Thomas Beale (d 16 Oct 1679), tombstone at Chestnut Hill near Warsaw, Richmond Co, VA. Wife Anne Gouge or Gooch, dau of Gov Wm Gooch of the Colony of VA.
Next generation back Col, the Hon: Thomas Beale, vestryman Bruton Church, Williamsburg, buried at plantation near Mulberry Point, York River, VA. Wife Alice, her will dated 1702.

1928- Letter from Maria Beale, wife of C.W. Beale (E.F.Beale's brother) of Arden, Buncombe County, North Carolina states that George Beale's parents "seem to be" John Beale who married Catherine Duke (Catholic) in Maryland. This John is said to have joined Prince Charlie, was wounded and escaped to the West Indies. John's son George Beale came to Phila from Santa Cruz and married Mary Murdoch in 1756.
Next generation back Thomas Beale, next generation back Thomas Beale of Chestnut Hill.
Maria Beale claims to have spoken with Emily Truxtun Beale (wife of George Beale III) at her home in Washington and some of the data in the long 24 page letter (written a year prior her death) came from the lips of Emily Truxtun Beale.

? Date-We note in the Beale family records from Decatur House @ the Library of Congress that the Beale family is described as descending from John Beale of Maidstone England down through Thomas Beale of Chestnut Hill, VA to Thomas Beale who married Elizabeth Taverner, son John who married Catherine Duke, then son George who married Mary Murdoch. ( this version is similar to, but different from the EFB of Phila version of 1899 )

1943- Maria Scott Beale Chance (daughter of E.F.Beale of Phila) in her book A CHRONICLE OF THE FAMILY OF EDWARD F. BEALE OF PHILADELPHIA starts with a discussion of the Honorable Thomas Beale, and offers the following Beale lineage on page 13: "To continue the story of the Beales of Virginia: Alice, Thomas Beale's wife, in her will dated 1702, refers to her grandson, Captain Thomas Beale of Chestnut Hill, Virginia. His grandson, George Beale, married Mary Murdoch in Christ Church, Philadelphia, on March 2, 1756. From them has come a continuous family record, with heirlooms."

1948- Lewis D. Cook on his PA Genea Mag article Vol XVI Oct 1948 on the William Murdoch family states on pg 61 that "George Beale, born about 1734, who married 1756 Mary Murdoch in Philadelphia, as above, could not have been son of John Beale of Richmond County, Virginia, as stated in Abr Comp Amer Geneal II, 191, as the latter died 1767 naming six daughters and no sons in his Will. See Beale pedigree in Va. Mag Hist & Biogr XXXII, 51"

Evan's evaluation of VIRGINIA. Although George Beale II left St Croix and went to Virginia for awhile, the rest of the family (mother/sister/brother) did not move to Va. GBII was in Va for approx 25 years in the Norfolk/Portsmouth area (1784-1809), and then moved to DC. I have come across few, if any, St Croix/VA connections.