Chapter 7 of Some Jasper County Pioneers David and Chelley (Herring) Beals Richard L. Kenyon Chapter 7 David and Chelley (Herring) Beals

Chapter 7 of Some Jasper County Pioneers David and Chelley (Herring) Beals Richard L. Kenyon Chapter 7 David and Chelley (Herring) Beals

This chapter is one of a series if 18 chapters which cover the ancestors and descendants of jasper county pioneer settlers, all of whom are related in various ways. Chapter Number Chapter name 1. Loren and Iris (Kenyon) Milligan 2. A Milligan Album 3. Josephine Josie (Scott) Schmidt/Chinn 4. William H. and Estella (Beals) Milligan/Gibson 5. John and Mary (Carey) Scott 6. Jacob and Maria (Hopton) Milligan 7. David and Chelley (Herring) Beals 8. David and Sophia (Torrance) Scott 9. William T. and Anne (Dawson) Carey 10. Jacob and Mary Herring 11. Benjamin Franklin Bleakney 12 A Bleakney Album 13. Madison S. Kinyon 14. Vallejo Kinyon 15. Ira Kinyon 16. Francis/Frank Vallejo Kinyon 17. Don and Jean Kenyon 18. Ruth (Kinyon) Deer

Chapter 7 David and Chelley (Herring) Beals Richard L. Kenyon 32 Almond Tree Ln, Irvine CA 92612-2230 e-mail: rlkenyon@cox.net November 15, 2008 Portrait of David and Chelley Beals Photo by Whitcomb the picture maker Newton Private collection, copy courtesy of Donna Clark Introduction David and Chelley Beals were true pioneers of Jasper County, Iowa. Not until they had been married for 10 years did the railroad reach Newton in Jasper County, marking the end of the pioneer era. They had 13 children and 49 grandchildren. Their daughter Estella married William H. Milligan. They are the subjects of a separate chapter. Early years David Alexander Beals was born in Washington County, Tennessee on October 20, 1835. His parents were Caleb and Margaret (Irwin) Beals. The Beals family moved to Jasper County, Iowa about 1855. 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 1

On October 14, 1858, David was married to Chelley Herring at Newton, Iowa, by J. J. Oldfield. Chelley was the daughter of Jacob and Mary Herring, who are the subjects of a separate chapter. Chelley was born October 8, 1842 in Bartholomew County, Indiana. She moved with her parents to Jasper County, Iowa, about 1848, only 5 years after a treaty with the Indians opened the territory to settlement. Where they lived David was a farmer. His first farm in Jasper County was in Buena Vista Township, next to his parents, Caleb and Margaret Beals. He moved with surprising frequency, mostly within Jasper County, although he lived briefly in Kansas. Census records and the birthplaces of his children provide a rough outline of where he lived: 1860 1865: Hixon Grove, Buena Vista Township, Jasper County, IA 1868 Kansas. 1870 Back to Jasper County, to Kellogg Township, Jasper County, IA 1872 1875 Adamson Grove, Buena Vista Township, Jasper County, IA 1878 1888 Independence Township, Jasper County, IA 1900 Newton City, Jasper County, IA 1910 Independence Township, Jasper County, IA Family of David and Chelley Beals David and Chelley had thirteen children, but apparently two died young and have escaped documentation. The following eleven children are known. Much more information appears in Caleb Beals, his Ancestors and Descendants, by Donna Kay Beals Clark, Concord, Oklahoma, 2004. 1. (Jacob) Richard Dick Beals Born May 4, 1860 in Hixon Grove, Jasper County, Iowa. Died December 3, 1940 in Baxter, Jasper County, Iowa, Buried in Union Chapel Cemetery. Married Clara Jeffreys December 25, 1884 in Jasper County. 2. Florence Beals Born September 15, 1862 in Hixon Grove, Jasper County, Iowa. Died September 15, 1888 in Kansas. Florence married William P. Glendenning on March 25, 1885 in Jasper County. 3. Charles Edward Beals Born August 29, 1865 in Hixon Grove, Jasper County, Iowa. He died February 22, 1897 in Barton County, Missouri, and is buried in Edna Cemetery, Jerico Springs, Missouri. He married Charlotte Lottie Heifner, in Newton on December 25, 1886. 4. Thomas Barret Beals Born February 24, 1868, in Kansas. Died July 11, 1939 in Jefferson, Greene County, Iowa, and was buried in Jefferson Cemetery, Greene County. He married Elsie Leotta Sego on March 29, 1892, in Newton. 5. Allen Martin Beals Born April 17, 1872 in Adamson Grove, Jasper County, Iowa. Died October 3, 1895 in Jerico Springs, Missouri. Buried in 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 2

Edna Cemetery, Jerico Springs, Missouri. 6. Estella Cordelia Beals Born August 18, 1873 in Kellogg, Jasper County Iowa. Died August 2, 1973 in Nevada, Story County, Iowa and was buried in Restland Cemetery, Baxter, Iowa. She married William H. Milligan on December 3, 1890, in Kellogg, Jasper County, Iowa. After his death, she married Albert/Bert Gibson/Gipson on February 17, 1916. Estella, William and Bert are the subjects of a separate chapter. 7. Jennie Beals Born on January 11, 1875 in Adamson Grove, Jasper County, Iowa. Died March 8, 1961 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. She married first Emmett Paulsen on February 26, 1893. She married second Clarence Huntley. 8. Samuel W. Beals Born April 1, 1878 in Ira, Jasper County, Iowa. Died May 2, 1953 in Mingo, Jasper County, and buried in Restland Cemetery, Baxter, Iowa. Married first Emma Inglis, June 14, 1902, who died Aug 6, 1911. Married second Lena (Asmus) Corduray July 23, 1920. 9. Ira Beals Born June 20, 1882, in Ira, Jasper County, Iowa. He died November 10, 1960 in Eyebrow, Saskatchewan, Canada. It is likely that he moved to Canada to take advantage of the very inexpensive land then being offered by the Canadian Government to attract settlers to sparsely settled areas in Saskatchewan. He married first Lilla Ethel Smith on January 2, 1902, in Jasper County, Iowa. He married second Jessie Schriver. 10. Maye Sue Beals Born September 15, 1885, in Ira, Jasper County, Iowa. Died November 23, 1962, in Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa, and buried in Union Chapel Cemetery in Jasper County. She married Forest Inglis in April 1903 in Jasper County Iowa. 11. Belva Beals Born July 18, 1888 in Ira, Jasper County, Iowa. Died June 23, 1985, in Boone, Iowa, and was buried in Altoona Cemetery, Altoona, Polk County, Iowa. She married Leslie Fuller in Ira, Jasper County, on May 29, 1907. 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 3

Last home of David and Chelley Beals, located southwest of Baxter, Iowa. The people in front of the house are unidentified. After David and Chelley died, the house was hit by lightning and burned down. Collection of Debbie Yslava via Teresa Schweinebart Last Years David Beals died at age 82 in Ira, Jasper County, on October 26, 1917. Five years later, Chelley died at age 80 in Ira on December 22, 1922. They are buried at Union Chapel Cemetery in Jasper County. Grave of David and Chelley Beals, Union Chapel Cemetery, Jasper County, Iowa Photo by Lois J. Hinshaw 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 4

Addendum Thomas Beals David Beals Ira Beals Millie Beals Silas Beals David Beals with his brothers Thomas, Ira, and Silas, and niece Millie Beals (daughter of Silas). The photo appears to have been taken not long before the death of Silas in 1915. Photo from the collection of Gene Beals. Sam, Emma and son N. R. Beals Collection of Max and Ruby Milligan, scanned by Lois J. Hinshaw. 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 5

Acknowledgements This chapter was made possible by the generous help of Donna Clark, of Colcord, Oklahoma, who gave me a copy of her comprehensive genealogy of the descendants of Gene Beals. This document is essential reading for those interested in the Beals line. She also provided a copy of the superb portrait of David and Chelley, and Chelley s obituary. Donna is a great-great-granddaughter of David and Chelley. I am grateful to Gene Beals for the portrait of the Beals brothers, and the obituary of David, and to Lois J. Hinshaw for the gravestone photo. Sources Birth of David: Date from obituary. Parents from Caleb Beals, His Ancestors and Descendants, by Donna Clark, 2004 (herinafter Clark: Beals Descendants). David appears with his parents in the 1850 and 1856 censuses. Date of moving to Iowa from years lived in Iowa from 1856 census. Birth of Chelley: Sources for Chelley and her parents are given in my chapter on Jacob and Mary Herring. Marriage: Jasper County Marriage records, Vol. 1, p. 45. Children: From Clark: Beals Descendants. Checked against the census for 1860 1910, parents obituaries, and the obituaries of Richard (Jasper Co. Record, Dec 5, 1940) and Samuel (Colfax Tribune, May 7, 1953). See comments below on maiden names of Richard s wife, and Samuel s second wife. The number of children born to Chelley is given as 13 in both her obituary and the 1910 census, but only 11 in the 1900 census. There is no evidence that Chelley had any more children after 1900, so 11 children is assumed to be an error. Richard Beals wife s maiden name: Given as Jeffers by Clark, Beals Descendants, and the funeral home record (Jasper Co. Genweb) for their son Jay Richard Beals. But the 1925 Jasper Co, IA State Census gives her maiden name as Jeffries, as does the obituary of Richard Beals. The 1925 census is probably the most reliable source, since it was taken during Clara s lifetime. Samuel Beals second wife s maiden name: Given as Lena Caroline Cordray by Clark, Beals Descendants, but Lena Asmus in Smauel s obituary and in the 1925 Jasper Co, IA State Census. In the 1910 IA State Census, a Harry F. Cordray was married to a Lena M. Cordray, living in Sherman Twp, Jasper Co, IA. Lena s age of 22 agrees with the accepted birth date for Samuel s second wife. The preponderance of evidence is that Samuel Beals married Lena M. (Asmus) Cordray, her second marriage. Places lived: Compiled from the place of residence in the census, and the year and place of birth of each child given in Clark: Beals Descendants. Hixon Grove and Anderson Grove are not towns but rather names given to early settlements. These were located next to the scattered groves of local trees, which at the time were the only source of firewood and lumber. Death of David: Date of death and place of death from obituary (Baxter New Era, Nov 1, 1917, p. 6) and Union Chapel cemetery records. Death of Chelley: Date of death and place of death from obituary (Baxter New Era, Dec 28, 1922, p. 5) and Union Chapel cemetery records. David and Chelley in the census: 1850 TN, Washington Co, p. 109, family of Caleb Beals. David A. Beals is age 14, b TN. 1856 Iowa State Census, Newton Twp., p. 382, family of Caleb, Bales. David L. [sic] is age 20. 1860 Census, IA, Jasper Co, Buena Vista Twp, p 58, family of D. A. Beals, with Chelley age 17 and Jacob R. age 2 mo., b IA. Chelly s parents live next door. 1870 Census, IA, Jasper Co, Newton Twp., p. 376, Family of David Beals 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 6

1880 Jasper Co, Independence Twp., p. 13B, family of David Beals 1885 IA State Census, Jasper Co, Independence Twp., p, 368, family of David Beals. Location: Twp 81 Rng 20, Sect 32, SE! of SE! [just east of Ira] 1900 IA, Jasper Co, Newton Twp. 7B, family of David Beals. Gives month and year of birth, total number of children for Chelley and number living, and years married. 1910 IA Jasper Co, Independence Twp David Beals is on p. 13A, but Chelley is on p. 15B. However, the dwelling and family number is the same for both persons. Their appearance on separate pages appears to result from a clerical error. 7 David and Chelley Beals Page 7